MOVING PICTURES

This was the peak of Rush perfection for me. As songwriters and musicians, they had matured and evolved to such a degree, that I can not actually find any fault with this album. Ok, so if you dont like Rush, you're not likely to get on with any of their work, but for those who do recognise the positive Rush trademarks, MP should strike a resounding chord. Many prog bands who survived punk, went on to evolve their sound in ways that sometimes worked and sometimes didn't. Genesis, for example decided to turn their back on rock and go all out pop by 1983. In the case of Rush the evolution from Hemisperes to the present has been a smooth one, and not an evolution that has led to them comprimising their art, in other words 'selling out'!

Moving Pictures combines the tradtional Rush elements, the Rickenbecker bass guitar, Neil Pearts click perfect drumming, and Alex Lifesons unique guitar playing, with brighter, crisper production than on previous albums. Their producer Terry Brown had always been rather erratic, but clearly hit the jackpot with MP, as he did with Hemispheres. The songs are more concise than on the previous three albums. Infact MP only has one 'epic' 'The camera eye' clocking up 10 minutes, quite modest by prog standards. The driving force behind MP is the positivity and confidence that oozes from the music. The philosophies of self confidence and empowerent present in songs like 'Tom Sawyer' and 'Red Barchetta' and pleasantly offset by 'Witch Hunt' which deals with the perils of prejudice, and 'Limelight' where Peart writes, eleoquently as ever of the surreal nature of being a performer forever in the 'camera eye'

This is Rush at their most powerful and consistent best, and for those who could not get on with their synth soaked albums of the mid to late 80's, or the Zeppy sounding early albums, Moving Pictures rests perfectly somewhere in the middle of their brilliant catalogue, combining everything that was good about Rush in one excellent work. Highly reccomended!