HEMISPHERES

Obviously, good musical taste can be genetically passed from father to son. My son, who will be 17 in two weeks loves prog. Last night he asked to listen to "Hemispheres" in the car when we went out for some errands.

This album is one of Rush's most progressive, having none of the rock anthems that represent nearly all of the group's radio airplay.

The first piece, the five part Hemispheres suite is a fine, but not perfect prog epic. I find that while each section is great, the transition between movements are often awkward. Still, the musicianship is fantastic, and the song shows why Rush belongs here on this site.

The other highlight is La Villa Strangiato, one of Rush's two best songs (the other being YYZ). With a theme based on Raymond Scott's Powerhouse (you may remember it from some classic Warner Brothers cartoons), this song is one of the classic heavy prog masterpieces, and has been a concert favorite since this album debuted.

The production is not as lush as on later albums, and live performances of these songs usually sound better (listen to La Villa Strangiato on "Rush In Rio" for an example). But considering what was happening to prog in 1978, this is an excellent album.