Product Description

Rush began life as a power trio in the Led Zeppelin/heavy rock mode. Over the years the band refined their musical vision as they gained both instrumental and conceptual facility.1978's HEMISPHERES marks their transition from heavy riff-mongers to full blown art-rockers. Lee, Lifeson and Peart employ a number of tricks from the prog-rock bag here; (very) extended songs, multi-part suites, long instrumental passages, rapidly shifting tempos and time signatures, complicated unison riffs and synthesizer orchestrations. It's to Rush's credit that these elements enhance their sound instead of obscuring it. In fact, "La Villa Strangiato" would become one of the band's best-loved '70s efforts and a long-standing concert favourite.

Track Listing

1. Cygnus X-1 Book II Hemispheres
2. Circumstances
3. The Trees
4. La Villa Strangiato

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2705 in Music
• Released on: 1997-07-14
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Running time: 36 minutes

Customer Reviews

This would be my desert island disk
This album has so much depth, feeling, and a beautiful ambiguity that it encourages you to fill in the gaps yourself (a bit like a great book). Every track has a wonderful arrangement making each very listenable, over and over again.

The first time I heard it I was not a Rush fan and was not immediately drawn in, and most of the music I listened to at the time had that boring 3 verses, a couple of choruses, and a twiddly bit in the middle. This album changed all that, after a couple of listens I was completely hooked. I guess heroin has an analogous effect.

Unfortunately, this was a honeymoon period, as, with the exception of Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures, IMHO no other album by any other artists (even Rush themselves) have lived up to, though I continue to search in vain. The only albums that come close are Lamb by Lamb, and the two most recent Tool albums (OK, I'm sure there are a few others but I just can't think of them of the top of my head).

A dolphin yodelling over afternoon tea at your Nan's house
I admit that, as a British rock music fan who grew up in the UK in the 70's, I was ignorant of Rush as a `phenomenal success' until quite recently. I got the first whiff of interest when I learnt that the UK's `newest pretenders' to the Prog-Rock throne (Porcupine Tree) had been influenced by Rush. And when you note that Rush - in turn - acknowledges monolithic influences like Led Zeppelin and The Who you start to realise why this Canadian band makes such a big splash.

If you have a hankering for all that is truly `English' about 70's prog-rock- even including the strained but strangely addictive vocal style of British rock singer Jon Anderson - then should absolutely adore this album - like a crazy thing.

As a vocalist, Rush's lead singer, Geddy Lee, uses a similar falsetto to the Yes lead singer, Jon Anderson. Both singers also enjoy mystical references and mythological lyrics to show-case their vocal styles and both are supported by a group of talented progressive rock musicians who are truly virtuoso performers in fields of their own. Together, as a band, Yes and Rush are very similar- they weave magic.

The first track, Cygnus Book 2, (this neatly follows on from Cygnus Book 1 from the previous album "A Farewell To Kings") is possibly all about a swan (maybe the god Orpheus), who was murdered by some women (maybe Thracian) while under the influence of another god ( maybe Bacchus). Upon his death, Orpheus the swan ( who was also a celebrated musician) was placed in the heavens to spend all eternity with his lyre (a kind of harp).

If you like this kind of conceptual, mythological, astrological mumbo-jumbo then you'll love Rush. If not-you will just be violently sick!

Ofcourse, the album may, equally, be about about using both parts of your human brain (the practical side and the emotional side) thus the title `hemispheres'.You will certainly need both parts of your brain to enjoy this album!

Strange time signatures and complex rhythms abound and this complicated album starts off by being far from enjoyable. But after a while, this progressive 1978 frolic turns into a moving wave of strong sounds. The turning point of the album, for me, is the track `Circumstances'. It is a movement that is full of time trickery and rhythmic ruses and yet maintains a very strong and hummable central theme. It is reminiscent of `Fragile' by Yes and if you don't end up la-la after listening to this track a couple of times then you are simply not alive!

Weaker, though, is `The Trees' - a fable-like song about strong and feeble trees being kept equal . Who really cares ? Perhaps it is a song about big-bosses versus trade unions or big rogue states (like USA) versus tiny rogue states (like Iraq) but if you can't be bothered with pretty yet blatant analogies you will be bored stiff with this effort. And the sentiment is all very well but does it have to be so twee? Does it have to be so paperlace napkins, tea with scones and aunties best homemade shortcake? Well, erm, this is seventies music from a prog-rock Canadian based band - so maybe we just have to go along with the amateurish sociological twaddle and the associated tweedle-dee ....


I say, if you are going to give Rush a try, start off with this album or with `A Farewell to Kings'. Yodelling apart, just enjoy the complex sounds and pour your Nan a nice cup of char in her best bone china while your about it!

The Best Rush Album
I can say no more than 'this is The Best Rush Album'.
In my humble opinion.
I still have it on a very scratched/played vinyl as well as a playable cd.