18 illinoisentertainer . com june 2022 probably this one . The way for Moving Pictures was paved by 1980 ' s Permanent Waves , when the progressive rock heroes famously began refining their sound from album side-length excursions into pop-sized anthems that still displayed fearsome technical chops and heady ideas . “ The Spirit of Radio ” and “ Freewill ” will always remain staples of classic rock radio . But even those gems lack the luster of the material the band perfected for Moving Pictures . The opening track “ Tom Sawyer ” is among the premiere heavy pop anthems ever , managing to still sound fresh and vital despite having reached middle age . Peart ’ s titanic drum fills inspire air-drumming second only to Phil Collins ’ far less complex “ In the Air Tonight .” Alex Lifeson ’ s urgent and improvised guitar solo is inspirational stuff even to those who never dug into Lifeson ’ s own influences including Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck . Bass hero Geddy Lee evolved and innovated his musical approach to incorporate synthesizers without undermining his power trio ’ s fundamental style of interaction , playing nimble bass lines than cross into lead territory a la Cream ’ s Jack Bruce while still providing a foundation for the song . Lee ’ s delivery of Peart ’ s philosophical lyric ( a rare co-write with Max Webster lyricist Pye Dubois ) is a potent statement of identity and purpose . Moving Pictures would loom large in Rush ’ s canon even if “ Tom Sawyer ” were its only beloved song , but the album has no weak link . Lifeson ’ s introductory riff ignites “ Limelight ” and Peart ’ s lyric about the drawbacks of celebrity . The instrumental track “ YYZ ” provides a spotlight for every member of the trio while simultaneously showing their combined strengths . Anyone who insists that the Police ’ s “ Behind My Camel ” deserved the Grammy Award for Rock Instrumental Performance over “ YYZ ” is either pulling your chain or deluded . It ’ s hard to imagine that even Andy Summers would disagree . The remainder of the songs on Moving Pictures reveal their own sonic thrills . “ Red Barchetta ” is a captivating tale of rebellion and freedom , and it ’ s interesting to consider that we may not currently be far away from “ The Motor Law ” that would outlaw the internal combustion engine . Lifeson ’ s guitar creates the sounds of the song ’ s contraband coupe , bringing a fanciful story to life as vividly as any Rush tale since “ By-Tor and the Snow Dog .” The lush and atmospheric “ The Camera Eye ” contrasts the new world and old world metropolises of New York City and London . The spooky “ Witch Hunt ” is a prescient description of mob mentality . “ Vital Signs ” concludes the album with nervous energy and a bit of the reggae fusion that had appeared in “ The Spirit of Radio ,” adding another nod to contemporaries the Police joined by later fair including “ Digital Man .” This set includes a heavyweight vinyl LP , cut at half-speed with Direct-to-Metal Mastering for enhanced sonic detail . A 24- page book includes a lengthy essay on the making of the album , new imagery from the band ’ s collaborator and visual artist Hugh Syme , and testimonials from artists inspired by the band . Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil promises not to say he can ’ t believe
it ’ s been 40 years since Moving Pictures ’ release , only to ultimately recant with a reference to the fate of Kurt Vonnegut character Billy Pilgrim , who becomes “ unstuck in time .” The bookish Peart surely would have smiled at the well-placed literary reference . The list of essayists also includes famous fan Les Claypool , whose band Primus is touring with a setlist featuring a performance of Rush ’ s A Farewell to Kings album in its entirety . The highly proficient bassist tells the story of the time Lee demonstrated the bassline to “ YYZ ,” and Claypool realized he ’ d been playing it wrong for decades . Taylor Hawkins helped induct Rush into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , and the late Foo Fighters drummer offers a statement of heartfelt thanks to Peart for the way obsessively playing along to ** Moving Pictures sharpened his abilities as a teen-aged drummer .
In addition to the familiar album material , the set is expanded with a full concert from 1981 , the year of Moving Pictures ’ release . The headlining show was captured on home turf at Toronto ’ s Maple Leaf Gardens , recorded over two nights of a three-night stand during the month following the album ’ s release . This is a treasure for longtime fans , and it ’ s thrilling for later-era fans to experience the sound of the band at their then-newfound peak of popularity , playing like dynamite . Lifeson ’ s guitar howls during the opening movements of 2112 , driven by Peart ’ s meticulous bombast . Lee ’ s bass thunders and skips headlong through “ Freewill .” Lee ’ s high tenor soars through “ Cygnus X-1 Book II : Hemispheres ” with feral power , but dips lower for the warm delivery of “ The Camera Eye .” The set includes spirited and intense performances of every Moving Pictures track except for the omitted “ Witch Hunt .” The band reaches into the catalog for fan favorites including deep cuts like “ Natural Science ,” mystical prog epic “ Xanadu ,” early bangers like “ Beneath , Between & Behind ,” and whimsical instrumental “ La Villa Strangiato .” For earlier fans who didn ’ t welcome the synthesizers introduced more prominently into Rush ’ s sound with 1982 ’ s Signals ( an album celebrating its own 40th anniversary this year ), the Rush experience never surpassed this . Those fans miss later power trio-focused delights on albums including Counterparts and Clockwork Angels , but that ’ s a story for another day . Now is the time to rediscover Moving Pictures and give it its due .
– Jeff Elbel
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