Review Summary: If you're in the mood and what you're doing is nothing, take a friend and find your way to this in-depth review of the working men's first album. This album needs some love, so listen to this album before and after you watch this review, and listen to it.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it is time for us to talk about one of the greatest bands in history. Yeah. Rush. The MASTERS of Progressive Rock. These guys have been going at this for about 47 years, now, give or take. In 1968 these guys were formed, however, they did not release their debut album until 1974, 6 years later. And it is that debut album we are going to be talking about, today.
Now, I have reviewed this album before, however, not on this website. I reviewed this album on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujwSk79XgG4). Why do I bring this up? Well, upon first listen of this album, I praised this album to the freaking sun and gave it a pretty much perfect score, which, looking back, was a pretty idiotic move. Not because of the score, but because of how and why I gave the score of the album; reviewed it without listening to ANY other Rush album, and having NO valid knowledge of Rush other than the album. Just gave a completely biased review. If you don't think that is idiotic, I don't know what is. And, besides, times have changed since then.
Now, to the album:
Upon first release, this album had gotten quite a bit of praise, but, as time progressed, reception fell lower and lower, and ultimately, this album gets very negative reviews across the board. And I think a lot of that is Neil Peart worship. In fact, it probably is. In fact, a lot of reviews I've seen DO state that. "This album SUCKS because Neil Peart isn't on it!". Yeah, right... That's like saying "The X Factor and Virtual XI SUCK because Bruce Dickinson isn't on it!" or "Divine Intervention SUCKS because Dave Lombardo isn't on it!" or "Metallica SUCKS because Cliff Burton isn't there!" or "Lulu sucks becau-" okay, Lulu just SUCKED. But, you get the point. Hopefully, I've driven that point enough into your skull, so that you get it. In case you missed the point, the point is that many people do not give this album a chance, just because a certain member isn't on there. And that's wrong! That's stupid! That's biased! And that is irrelevant to the music itself. And not to mention, it's elitist, and it's kind of disrespectful.
In all honesty, you can't really tell that Peart isn't on this record. Because John Rutsey's drumming on this album is fantastic. His drumming really reflected what was going on at the Rock scene at the time. And so does the guitaring. This is a very riff-based album. This is an album that has a lot of great riffs and solos. Geddy Lee's vocals are somewhat dismissed, because of his higher tone, as opposed to albums such as Moving Pictures. His higher tone will have reached it's apogee on 2112, when Geddy Lee got slagged off and publicly criticized for having an "annoying singing voice", which is just absolutely ridiculous. I mean, come on! Lil' Wayne has a far more annoying voice that Geddy Lee and people don't say that about him?! WHAT THE FU- Wait, wait, wait. Times have changed. besides, I'm going off topic.
So, overall, good instrumentation and chemistry. As fr the production, it is lacking, but it came out in the mid 70's, so, it's forgivable. It's not Moving Pictures production, but at the same time, it's not Killing Is My Business...And Business Is Good! production.
Now, Rush don't really have an OFFICIAL band logo, because they have never used the same logo twice on an album cover, but the logo most known is probably this album's. And, deservingly, because it's by FAR the coolest. As the album cover itself, it's very simple, but effective, because it looks like the logo is coming out of a black and white cartoon-esque explosion, and it's rushing towards you, and that's kind of funny, because the band and the album are called Rush.
As for the songs:
Finding My Way is a great opener. Very aggressive and very up-tempo and riff-based, and so is What You're Doing. Need Some Love, Take A Friend and In The Mood (In The Mood, my favourite of those three) deal with relationships and such. Here Again is an epic 7 minute ballad, that is just a masterpiece, emotionally and musically. All of these songs are brilliant, and it's to the point where the only really weak track on the album is Before And After, and that's not even that bad of a song.
Working Man is probably the song that stands out the most on the album, because it is not only the most well-known song on the album (by far), but this song showcases Rush's songwriting abilities to a degree that most of the songs on this album can't. They're just fun, fun songs that never got the attention and the respect that they deserve. I mean, In The Mood, alone. THAT OPENING! However, Working Man definitely did get the attention and respect it deserves. Hell, it's the song that got them a freaking record deal! And, it's one of the best songs Rush has ever done, and one that I wish they would replicate more often. Especially now.
Overall, this is an excellent album, that definitely showcases the true potential that this band has to be a prominent force in music. And this is an album that people really need to start learning to appreciate and give this album a bonefied chance, as opposed to just blindingly hating, just because it isn't Neal Peart.
However, the production is weak, some of the songs a little bit simplistic, and there are better Rush albums out there.
Rush by Rush gets 4 stars, which is like, an 8/10 theoretically.
SCORE:
4 Stars (8/10)
BEST SONG/S:
Working Man
Here Again
In The Mood
Finding My Way
RUSH DISCOGRAPHY POSITION:
#9
MY YOUTUBE REVIEW OF THIS ALBUM:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujwSk79XgG4
