RUSH

This is a solid, if generally unspectacular, debut from a band that would eventually achieve legendary status. I'll be honest: they're my favorite band, but I try to keep things in perspective. If something's not perfect, I won't hesitate to say so.

"Working Man," "Finding My Way," and "Need Some Love" are classic Rush hard rock tracks; they effortlessly combine heavy riffs with a steady-yet-churning rhythm section courtesy of Geddy Lee and John Rutsey. The rest of the tracks are fairly solid, though I'm not a big fan of "What You're Doing" and "In the Mood." That latter track has some embarrassingly sexual lyrics: it's clear that Neil Peart's thoughtful pieces - the likes of which the band would not see until the next album - were a major missing link at this stage.

Thankfully, Lifeson and Lee were already proficient at their instruments at this point: the basslines dance nicely for a hard rock record and the solos are blistering. The music is simple but well performed and technical enough to please most prog fans. It probably helps that they had been touring for several years by this point, honing their chops and tightening their chemistry as they went. Rutsey's drumming is underrated: his is a loose yet style, much like the late John Bonham. He gets a bad rap simply because he's "that guy who was in the band before Peart," one of the greatest drummers and lyricists of all time. In any other band he would have been an anchor.

This album is basically Rush does Zeppelin in '74: even the perennial classic "Working Man" is focused on high-pitched singing, Plantian riffs, and tightly performed ensemble jamming. The prog side of Rush wouldn't come out until the arrival of Peart later that year. It's not prog; therefore, it's non-essential as far as this site goes. It's still a good buy, though - especially if you want to see the humble roots of one of prog's icons.

Essential Track Picks:

+ "Working Man"

+ "Finding My Way"

+ "Before and After"

Weakest Links:

- "In the Mood"

- "What You're Doing"

Rating: 7/10 (3 stars for ProgArchives: good but non-essential)