Rush is one of the greatest, most influential bands out
there. I'm not going further into it, because frankly it's all been said. That
out of the way, this was a big part of Rush's metamorphosis into a more
radio-friendly band. It's a good album, a GREAT album even, but doesn't measure
up to A Farewell to Kings, 2112, or even Caress of Steel.
Moving Pictures still feels like a Rush album. They may not
do a whole lot of groundbreaking stuff here, but the songs at their core are
good. We have the memorable but magnificently overplayed Tom Sawyer, the
shadow-and-light dynamic of Red Barchetta, and my favorite, YYZ, which I will
defend as the greatest instrumental since Moby Dick.
The thing that sets this apart from other Rush albums is
production. It works most of the time, but on some songs it almost feels like
saturation. Geddy Lee's bass, for instance, has an even more robotic sound than
usual. That said, however, producton is clean, it's sharp, it holds up today,
and I daresay that this is one of the greatest produced albums ever. The rough
spots are there but they're few and far between. 95% of the time it still feels
perfect for a band like Rush.
The lyrics here are fine, but not incredible. Rush really
sets a gold standard for songwriting and this feels a bit underwhelming. Red
Barchetta and The Camera Eye have decent moments, but beyond that the lyrics
are a low point for the album. Despite being a Democrat, I've always had an
appreciation for Rush's Conservative values. It's interesting to hear what they
think, and they present much better than some Republican bands. (*cough*
Megadeth) It feels like a letdown that that shines through so little compared
to, say, 2112.
Neil Peart's drumming feels a but gimped out too. Anyone
who's listened to Caress of Steel knows that he is a truly fantastic drummer,
and here he almost just seems along for the ride. (Except on YYZ, a song that
will be discussed further later.)
Geddy Lee keeps himself busy as always. Sometimes it amazes
me how much this man does on a single album, or even a single track. His voice
is pretty good even though it takes some getting past, his keyboard playing is
excellent, and his bass playing is obviously superb. Geddy Lee, being a master
of all trades, is a major influence to me as a musician.
There are a couple of tracks on Moving Pictures that I feel
the need to pick apart individually, for better or for worse. One is Tom
Sawyer. This is a very interesting song, with an interesting psychological
effect. The first few times you hear it, you hate it and think it's annoying.
Gradually, you learn to appreciate it more and more until it becomes one of the
most played songs in your library...then you hear it way too many more times
and you grow to hate it again. Sure, the spacey keyboard effects are cool, and
the few riffs the song has are interesting and memorable, but it's a way
overrated and hugely overplayed song. The other really notable song here is
YYZ. This is by far my favorite track of the album. From the jagged riffing to
the lightning fast bass to Neil Peart actually being interesting for the first
and last time on the album, there's a lot to like. Very unique and enjoyable.
Overall, Moving Pictures is worthy of a listen. It doesn't
compare to some of Rush's more refined works, but as usual with Rush, it was
ahead of its time, and it really is much smarter than a lot of the hard rock
that was popular in the 80's. Plus, if you aren't familiar with Rush, I would
advise you to start with this album. By far their most accessible if not their
best
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