Rush-Signals Review

      Another classic from my fellow Torontonians (I might have some bias) released at the height of New Wave in 1982 (and it definitely shows). The album is a true classic, and my personal favorite in the Rush catalog. The opening track (Subdivisions) is what I believe to the band's finest moment to date. In case you have not heard this song on classic rock radio and you live in a cave, Subdivisions shows not only Geddy Lee's incredible bass virtuosity, but his very capable ability to manipulate analog synthesizer like a technological wizard. New Wave permeates the album, and Alex Lifeson's guitar work is often subdued here compared to 2112 and other earlier Rush albums. Nevertheless, Lifeson's guitar work is as great as ever, and it provides a nice and organic balance to the highly mechanical sounds that dominate the album.

    The album is a concept album of sorts about the rise of modern technological era, and all the benefits and trappings that this brings. The album is not much different from much of the band's other output in that sense, as discovery and invention are continued themes of Rush's songwriting. The album contains a number of other standout tracks, "The Analog Kid" is a great track that again shows off the electronic wizardry of the band. The political themes of the time also are dealt with, and "The Weapon" is very much a product of the Reagan-era Cold War revival that was happening around this time. "The Weapon" is mechanical and cold in nature, and like much of the album; it deals with the fear and isolation that technology can bring to humanity. Analog synths trade blows with Lifeson's guitar during "The Weapon" in a epic battle of "man" vs. "machine" that appears to mimic musically the struggles of the Cold War. Space exploration is touched on in closing track "The Countdown", which contains sampling of NASA shuttle broadcasts. "The Countdown" clearly shows that the band's appeal for geeks; as few bands can make shuttle launches sound so damn cool and ominous. The analog synths drive the shuttle skyward; and Neil Peart's drumming is truly "out of this world" during this song (sorry for the lame joke, could not resist). 

    The album contains some tracks that I would prefer to avoid. "Digital Man" and "New World Man" appear to use an almost Police-like "white reggae" sound that do not personally enjoy. These songs were a low-point for me; and their lyrics were somewhat cliche and very similar to a lot of other themes being explored at that time by others (Kraftwerk, Neil Young, etc). Overall, fans of the band will love this album. Those not familiar with Rush will certainly find something to like from this diverse collection of songs, and the sheer inclusion of "Subdivisions" alone makes this album worth a purchase.Classic Rush.

Rating-8/10