MOVING PICTURES

In 1981, Rush released Moving Pictures. Moving Pictures continued with the general trends begun on Permanent Waves, including shorter songs, tighter structures, and more prominent synthesizers. It would also become Rush's most commercially-successful album of their career.

Moving Pictures opens with the seminal "Tom Sawyer". The irregular, yet alluring rhythm, heavy synth bass tones, and cryptic lyrics all add to the song's appeal; and Geddy's synth line in the bridge is one of the most infectious instrumental earworms in all of progressive rock.

"YYZ", even more so than "La Villa Strangiato", may be the single-best distillation of Rush's combined instrumental prowess in one song. Based around Morse code of the letters Y-Y-Z (Toronto's airport code) and performed in 5/4 time, it's brimming with finger-twisting bass and guitar lines and phenomenal drumming. The backbone maintains a loose, fun funkiness despite its technical nature, and the synthesizers on the bridge acts as the perfect foil to gnarlier tones elsewhere in the song.

"Limelight" has never been my favorite Rush song. I often confuse it with "Freewill" if I'm entirely honest. Both songs have bisyllabic compound word titles and are radio-friendly. It's enjoyable, and the lyrics are typical of Peart's output (out-Peart?) after he largely abandoned sci-fi. I've simply never gotten the enthusiasm around this song.

"The Camera Eye" would be Rush's last foray into the grandiose side of progressive rock. The slow-building intro of burbling synths and the marching drums segues into a high-energy blend of new wave and prog influences. Rounding out side 2 are "Witch Hunt" and "Vital Signs". The former is slow-moving and ominous, and the latter is more high-energy, featuring sequenced synthesizers and reggae influences.

The synthesizers on side 2 of Moving Pictures were generally more prominent than those on side 1, and that's a trend that would define Rush's sound for most of the '80s.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2020/04/27/deep-dive-rush/