I have this habit of doing a Retro Spin of albums that started the 80's for certain artists, and then following up with the last album they produced for the decade. Such is the case with Rush, where I've already talked about their 1980, Permanent Waves, as well as 1989's Presto. While this isn't a problem per se, it does make it difficult to have a solid launching point with my newest format of running through multiple albums in a row. Basically, I have to keep starting in the middle.
Which is essentially where we go from here, right on into Rush's 1981 album, Moving Pictures.
Moving Pictures would be the most important album since their decision to record 2112, a quote directly from Alex Lifeson. The reason being, it's become their highest selling of all time, and ushered in the new radio friendly version of the band. Gone, for the most part, are the eight to ten minute long epics, replaced instead by tighter tracks, hovering more so around the four minute mark.
While the album cover has become notable for its triple entendre, it was also one which the band was left footing the majority of the bill for. When the label found out the cover cost an estimate $9,500.00, they respectfully declined to pay the entire bill. As for that triple entendre, that comes from the front depicting movers who are carrying pictures. On the side, people are shown crying because the pictures passing by are emotionally "moving". Finally, the back cover has a film crew making a motion (moving) picture of the whole scene.
I've heard this album a ton of times, and playing through it again for today's Retro Spins was nothing short of enjoyable. While I wouldn't call myself a fan of Rush's mainstream sound, at least not over their more epic concept and rock opera styles, I can definitely find the charm in the straight forward and to the point tracks.
If I had to find one flaw with it, it would be that between myself and the radio, it's perhaps a bit overplayed by 2025. Tom Sawyer was never one of my favorites, but one also can't mention Rush without the song being referenced. It's probably their most popular, and well known, and I respect that. But, it doesn't make it one of my go to's.
Personally, I'd rather hear tracks like The Trees, A Farewell To Kings, or if I had to select one from Moving Pictures, YYZ. In fact, Rush is one of the few, if not the only bands where I go to the opposite spectrum from my norm. I actually prefer their 70's and 90's stuff to that of their 80's.
If you twisted my arm enough, and asked me to point out a second flaw, it would be that side one is far superior to side two. But, emphasizing that again, I don't hate this album. It's just kind of overplayed at this point. Perhaps it's even run its course by now.
The latter is okay because I have plenty more Rush albums to get through, and frankly despite owning these for a very long time, my first set I owned in high school, and my second as an adult, I've honestly never sat down and listed to all of their 80's stuff from start to finish. It's beyond time to rectify that, so tomorrow, it's onward and upward through their catalog.
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| THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS July 11, 1981 |
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| THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS July 11, 1987 |
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