Classic Rock Bottom

It’s been an interesting month for guest hosting RJ’s column. I have to admit, with all the history behind us here on CRB there’s been some great albums posted here and I have had to go back and rethink what I wanted to do at least twice so far so that I don’t make a duplicate posting. Seems like that happened once before in another posting, but can’t quite remember the details around it…. Oh well... So for this final post I simply must share my favorite bands best studio album in their vast catalog. To no one’s surprise, Rush will be the showcased band. And for anyone who’s paid attention to my mad ramblings, the album won’t be a surprise either. But more on that later. This album, IMO, represents a huge shift in direction for Rush. Here are some snippets about the album…

  • Modern sounds of new wave (the Police, Peter Gabriel, etc.) began to creep into Rush's sound, but the trio still kept their hard rock roots intact.
  • Geddy Lee also began singing in a slightly lower register around this time, which made their music more accessible to fans outside of the heavy prog rock circle.
  • The album proved to be the final breakthrough Rush needed to become an arena headliner throughout the world, beginning a string of albums that would reach inside the Top Five of the U.S. Billboard album charts.
  • Became Rush's first U.S. Top 5 album

Clearly were talking about 1980’s Permanent Waves. A more popular pick would be the 81 follow, Moving Pictures, but if that’s your choice you’d be missing the significance of its predecessor. Plus the album cover is also their best, IMO. So, let’s take the advice of the opening lyric and “Begin the day with a friendly voice...”


Click the album cover and enjoy!


Artist: Rush
Genre: Progressive Rock
Nationality: Canadian
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Member: Blah Blah Blah Blah...
Album: Permanent Waves
Producer: Rush, Terry Brown
Release Date: January 1, 1980
Running Time: 35:35
RIAA Certification: Platinum
Peak Billboard Chart Position: 3 (UK), 4 (US)
Singles: Spirit of the Radio, Freewill, Entre Nous


Side One...

  1. The Spirit of the Radio
  2. Freewill
  3. Jacobs Ladder

Side Two...

  1. Entre Nous
  2. Different Strings
  3. Natural Science
    • I: Tide Pools
    • II: Hyperspace
    • III: Permanent Waves

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Replies to This Discussion

Some additional thoughts I posted on this album can be found here...

http://classic-rock-bottom.ning.com/forum/topics/rush-a-personal-ch...

Spirit of Radio is amazing. It's highly intelligent and progressive (bordering on experimental) song writing yet is massively radio friendly. Music has always had a profound effect on me but Rush always puts me in a good mood.

well said!!!  Probably the best response to a Rush post on this site that I've seen!  You da man! err...  feline!

I remember when I bought this album in 1981 and brought it to the Home For Wayward Boys. I was so excited because it was the first album I had ever purchased with my own money and I couldn't wait to show it to the other inmates.

Sadly, that day Mrs. Haversham decided to check the contents of my book bag and she confiscated the album. She said the cover was to violent and perverted and that something like that was not allowed in the Home. I was devastated and the rest of my time spent in the Home was a blurry mess of tears and pity. I also was beaten up a lot because I just didn't care, even though I waved my hands in the air. 

40 years later I finally saved enough money to buy this album and it made me happy, yet it also made me sad. I kept thinking what should have been, way back in 1981. I had an opportunity to listen to it then so I could presently be in "the know" but that opportunity was violently yanked from my grasp.

This album makes me more sad than happy. Actually, it doesn't make me happy at all. I could have been affiliated with the in crowd back then, now I'm just a guy who finally listened to this album 40 years after it was released which make me nothing more than a bandwagon jumper. 

I really can't say if it's a fine album or not due to the pain.

But I can pretend it is 1981, and say that this is a fine album.

I think this was the third Rush album I bought, after 2112 and Moving Pictures. Maybe it was the second. Who knows.

So what you're really saying is that despite your pain, Rush broke through and created that "safe place" for you...  You just need more therapy to understand that...

So, you are a big Rush fan, huh?

And Jon likes to tell big stories.

The first two songs on this album are absolutely undeniable.  They both get tons of well deserved airplay.  I like 'em both a lot.

But for me, the album just becomes background music with Jacob's Ladder.  Don't get me wrong, the music is pretty amazing.  But there isn't much melody there for me.  Two more fairly mellow tracks follow.  Same thing, no real melody.  That last track has some sort of vocal trickery at the beginning.  Almost a bit of distortion.  The song has a good riff though.

I know you and Jon, along with many others, just love Rush.  And believe me, I like them more now than I used to.  But for me, I prefer the debut and I like a bit more melody.  

I am a RUSH-fan, but this is not among my very favorite RUSH-albums. 2112 is their masterpiece imo, and my first RUSH-purchase "Hold Your Fire" is still in the top as well. Probably because I didn't expect RUSH to be so good, when I bought HYF in 1987, so it still holds a bit of that "Wow"-feeling for me.

I'm not much of a fan of "Spirit", the reggae-part annoys me a bit. Freewill and Entre Nous is much better imo.

Moving Pictures and Grace Under Pressure is also better albums imo, so it would probably just make it to my personal top 5. Maybe Clockwork Angels deserves that 5th spot?!!

Must say that while I disagree on your ranking of Permanent Waves, I do like that you've moved Clockwork Angels into the top 5.  That's a seriously strong album!!

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