MOVING PICTURES

More than the amazing playing, more than the career-topping production by Terry Brown, more than the strength of character each song holds, 'Moving Pictures' is my favorite album of all time due to its overall atmosphere. There's a pervading comfort in each moment of the experience. It is dark and warm and welcoming. It achieves perfect balance between the technical and emotional. It does not have a weak moment. 'Moving Pictures' is arguably Rush's apex as a songwriting and performing entity, bridging the shores of their complex and adventurous early material and the refinement that would take place on successive albums.

I find this to be the most natural-sounding Rush album. It doesn't seem they were self-consciously trying to write multi-faceted epics, nor were they snipping off all but the most bare essentials in a less-is-more effort. Yet it achives both aims to some degree, and meets in the middle more often. Everything flows wonderfully, each instrument, including the gorgeous synths, captured absolutely PERFECTLY. If prog purists call this one "the beginning of the end", I suggest giving another listen to the immaculate intricacy of "YYZ", the absorbing storytelling of "Red Barchetta" (words AND music), the dread of "Witch Hunt", the peculiar ideas and engaging aura of "Tom Sawyer", the unique elongation of themes and moods in "The Camera Eye". If they don't, I will for them. Again. For the 1027th time. A great piece of music can be gone back to a million times with something to offer each time. Each listen can offer something new and/or take you back to a place of familiarity and peace. This one still does all that for me. 7 perfect songs making 1 perfect album. A masterpiece of the often at-odds approaches of streamlined focus and technical complexity.