Published on Aug 14, 1998
It’s been some time since we took a look at Geddy Lee and
Rush… and seeing that we have approximately two months before the
rumored appearance of a triple live disc (though with the death of
drummer Neil Peart’s wife recently, things might change), why not
head back to their early days?
So, deep into the Pierce Memorial Archives (when we’re not
wrecking our eardrums, we’re wrecking our livers) for the band’s
self-titled debut release from 1974. While listening to this disc
24 years later might seem to showcase an entirely different band
than the one we know, you can definitely hear the seeds of
greatness planted in the music.
The only release to feature drummer John Rutsey, this is not the
Rush of heavy synthesizers and Ayn Rand-inspired lyrics. No, this
is simply
rock – and often, it’s damned good rock. Instead of hearing
the silk smoothness of veterans of the music scene, here are
featured three young men out just to play the music they love.
Guitarist Alex Lifeson shows signs of the axe-master he would
soon become, as heard on songs like “What You’re Doing” and
“Finding My Way”. Sure, the solos aren’t quite as fluid, but
Lifeson demonstrates enough familiarity with his guitar to keep you
interested through the whole ride. Lee already shows his skill on
his Rickenbacker bass, though his vocals are very rough on this
album. I don’t know why Rutsey only lasted one album, but he puts
in a decent performance behind the trap kit on this one. (Be this
as it may, I could never imagine Rush with anyone except Peart
behind the kit these days.)
Rush did score an early hit with “Working Man,” a song that
showed definite signs of things to come, such as being willing to
take risks with rhythm patterns and arrangements. While some things
on this song aren’t the easiest to listen to (I am not a fan of the
closing guitar lick from Lifeson), it still is a solid number that
promises much greatness to follow.
The overall poppiness on
Rush might surprise some people. Whether it’s the bounciness
of “Take A Friend” and “In The Mood” or it’s the all-out ballad
“Here Again” (the only song I consider a failure on the album), Lee
and crew refuse to allow themselves to be pigeon-holed into any
specific category. Even going from a gentler instrumental work to a
rocking heart on “Before And After” provides challenges for the
band and the listener alike.
It’s been a long time since I first bought
Rush. How long? Put it this way: my copy is part of the
vinyl release of
Archive, the band’s first three albums. It’s since been
re-mastered on CD, but I’ve not had the opportunity to pick it up
and hear what Mercury has done with it. (Damned budget cuts…)
Even if you know one or two of the songs,
Rush might still provide some surprises for you. The record
still surprises and challenges me, well over a decade after I
bought my copy. It might not be the best Rush album on the market
(it’s hardly the most polished), but it is well worth your time
checking out, if only to hear how they got their start. Something
tells me you’ll find much more than that in the 40 minutes it takes
to get through the album.