The Rush Ratio

#10 Rush: Moving Pictures

The link between music and math is pretty well known. Its all about counting, patterns, and sequencing. Its been widely proven that an education that includes music will help boost grades in math. One of the lesser known theories of music is one known as "The Rush Ratio." The Rush Ratio clearly states that for every 100 songs you release, 7 will be good. Steady and strong, Rush has made 20 albums and well, if you really wanted to, you could boil their career down to about 20 good songs.  I know, its harsh, but its true. Endless lines of D&D fans and Canadians will argue they are the greatest musical force ever unleashed on North America, but lets face it, deep cuts are just unnecessary for a Rush album. Rush proves many things about music...double neck basses and 40 piece drumsets are good for no one, ability doesn't always equal talent, and if you write enough songs, you're bound to hit a gem every so often.  Hell, even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then. All this adds up to one interest listening today, Rush's 1981 album "Moving Pictures" which shatters the Rush ratio by giving us a full side of good songs.

The album is front loaded big time, Side One starts with "Tom Sawyer." This track gives you a great Les Paul/Marshall riff, some synthesizers and of course Geddy hitting notes that you weren't sure were possible by a male voice. This song is always fun to play on guitar, even if I lose interest halfway into playing it. Next up is "Red Barchetta," a great song about...umm...well I have no clue what the song is about and don't care to find out. Neil Peart is the driving force behind lyrics for Rush and without a very specific knowledge of the  classics and science fiction, you're not going to understand what the hell he's talking about. Instead of confusing yourself with lyrics, just enjoy the harmonics that Alex Lifeson fires out on the guitar. Next up is "YYZ" a delightful instrumental about...an airport?  Yes its true...YYZ is the international airport code for Toronto Pearson Airport, the home terminal of the band. They always know a tour is ending when they see their baggage is marked YYZ, apparently no one tells them the actual schedule so they have to use this somewhat stupid method of predicting that the end is near. Since nothing can be easy with this band, they also have to throw in an interesting code at the beginning of the song. With 1/8th notes as dashes and 1/16th notes as dots, the opening phrase of the song (in 5/4 time) is morse code for YYZ. Oh Rush, you clever devil you.  The song dives into solos and fills for all members of the band, allowing them to further show off what they can do. The guitar playing is fantastic and is one of the more interesting solos you'll hear out there. Geddy's bass is in perfect fat bottom form and Neil...well Neil is Neil.  Side one concludes with "Limelight" another straight ahead rock song like "Tom Sawyer." The song is fairly simple for Rush as far as the music goes. The lyrics focus on the adjustment the band members (particularly Neil Peart) have made to being in, you guessed it, the limelight. The guitar solo for the song is an interesting one that finds Alex Lifeson actually slowing down. Usually he suffers from the unfortunate condition known as "too many notes," but he reigns it in this time and the results are pretty satisfying.

Here ends side one, and basically, here ends the album.  There are three songs on the second side of this album. I rarely play them, but I went ahead and played the album in its entirety.  The songs aren't awful, they're just boring. Do yourself and the rest of the world a favor, skip side two. But for the love of GOD, don't tell a true Rush fan I said so, they can get pretty defensive and violent.


Strongest Song: Tom Sawyer, YYZ
Weakest Song: Side 2
Song You Know: Limelight
Why You Might Hate It: You don't want to be mistaken for a Rush fan.
Buy It?  Get side one on MP3s. Or don't.