Moving Pictures (Mercury) - Rush (Cassette 1997)

Rush has been called the thinking man's rock band ever since they appeared on the scene in the mid 1970s. A lot of their early efforts fell firmly into the prog rock camp, with the complex lyrics of Neil Peart coupled with the singing of Geddy Lee and the wailing guitars of Alex Lifeson. Many of the lyrics have a foundation in sci-fi and philosophical themes (specifically those of Ayn Rand) After releasing complex conceptual works for much of the 70s; Rush began to move into simpler song structures in the early 80s (without sacrificing lyrics or musicianship).

Moving Pictures was the second album (after 1980's Permanent Waves) to showcase that transition. Released in 1981, the album became Rush's biggest seller and spawned three big hits that still receive massive airplay on rock radio today. It was the second Rush album I purchased and the one that made me into a Rush fan.

Moving Pictures begins with what is probably Rush's best-known song. I am of course referring to "Tom Sawyer". The song begins with a killer synthesizer riff, and then a pounding drumbeat kicks in. Lee sings the opening verse "A modern day warrior/Mean mean stride/Today's Tom Sawyer/Mean mean pride", and then the guitars start. The chorus features the lyrics "Though his mind is not for rent/To any god or government/Always hopeful but discontent/He knows changes aren't permanent". This is the Rush song that even people who aren't major Rush fans like.

"Red Barchetta" is the next song on Moving Pictures. The song starts out with a carefully played keyboard sound, followed by a full-fledged rock backing. The lyrics depict a future where private cars are outlawed. The song's narrator's uncle keeps an old Red Barchetta that the narrator goes over to drive on Sundays. My personal favorite lyrics from the song go "I fire up the willing engine/Responding with a roar/Tires spitting gravel, I commit my weekly crime". Perfect description of many South Florida drivers. The song features superb synth playing that doesn't overshadow Lifeson's guitar playing (which is also superb).

"XYZ" is a great instrumental track. The song is one that sounds great in the car, another good one for eluding the cops. The song itself showcases guitars, keyboards and bass perfectly along with some powerful drumming from Peart.

The hit "Limelight" is next. The song begins with that distinctive guitar lick, and then the drumbeat starts to pound in the background while the synth mixes perfectly with the guitar. Peart's lyrics deal with stardom as the title suggests: "Living in the limelight/The universal dream/For those who wish to seem/Those who wish to be/Must put aside the alienation/Get on with the fascination/The real relation/The underlying theme." One of the lyrics would later be used as an album title "All the world's a stage". That line is followed by the truthful line "And we are merely players/Performers and portrayers".

"Camera Eye" begins with an ominous synthesizer lick, before the drums and guitars kick in. In a way, the opening is similar to that of the Who's "Baba O'Riley". Then another extended instrumental intro kicks in, proof that Rush hadn't completely sanded away the prog rock edge. The lyrics are a sort of camera eye view on people in New York and London. "Race the oncoming night/They chase through the streets of Manhattan/Headfirst humanity/Pause at a light/Then flow through the streets of the city."

The song "Witch Hunt" is a rather scary number about the Salem Witch Tria8ls in 18th century Salem Massachusetts. The song begins with a bursting guitar riff, and then a pounding drumbeat kicks in along with eerie synth sounds. The song is played somewhat slowly which makes it all the more ominous. Although it is based on the Salem witch trials, the lyrics also refer to other cases of genocide and bigotry such as Nazi Germany and the holocaust. A particularly striking lyric goes: "They say there is strangeness to danger us/In our theatres and bookstore shelves/That those who know what's best for us/Must rise and save us from ourselves/Quick to judge/Quick to anger/Slow to understand/Ignorance and prejudice/And fear walk hand in hand."

"Vital Signs" is the last song on this amazing album. The lyrics talk about burn out and dealing with life in modern society. The song is primarily synth based, although the guitar and drums still feature prominently. The chorus goes: "A tired mind become a shape shifter/Everybody need a soft filter/Everybody need reverse polarity/Everybody got mixed feelings/About the function and the form/Everybody got to elevate from the norm."

Rush has produced some classic albums and Moving Pictures is among the best ones they ever did, as well as one of the best of the 80s. Serious Rush fans already own this album. If you are not a Rush fan or think of them as some rock band that wallows in pretentious lyrics, check out this album and I guarantee it will change your perception. If I were handing out letter grades to albums, this one would get an A+.