Chronicles

Rush | Format: Audio Cassette

Product Details

• Audio Cassette (October 2, 1989)
• Original Release Date: 1990
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B000001FQT
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (67 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #372,591 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Finding My Way

2. Working Man

3. Fly by Night

4. Anthem

5. Bastille Day

6. Lakeside Park

7. 2112 Overture/The Temples of Syrinx

8. What You're Doing [Live]

9. A Farewell to Kings

10. Closer to the Heart

See all 14 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Tom Sawyer

2. Red Barchetta

3. Limelight

4. A Passage to Bangkok [Live]

5. Subdivisions

6. New World Man

7. Distant Early Warning

8. Red Sector 'A'

9. The Big Money

10. Manhattan Project

See all 14 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent starter set for new and old fans alike, January 31, 2003

By 

Jack Fitzgerald "JFD" (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

The 2-disk set "Chronicles" by Rush covers the years 1974-1989. True to the title, the disks are arranged in chronological order with about two cuts from the Rush debut through Presto. Personally, I like the order, because you get to trace the development from album to album, and you get the cream from each release.

For the casual Rush fan, all the essential tracks are here, such as "Working Man," "Closer to the Heart," "The Spirit of Radio," "Tom Sawyer," "Limelight" and "Subdivisions." Some of the longer pieces have been left off, such as "By-Tor and the Snow Dog" and "Xanadu" and "2112" is only an excerpt, but with each disk clocking in around 74 minutes, there's still nearly 2.5 hours of music!

In trying to include at least one track from each release, there will inevitably be favorite tracks left out, but this collection is still very strong.
There are also two separate "Retrospectives" releases from the 1990s that include some key tracks left off this compilation.

I recommend this set for new Rush fans who want a taste of the back catalog, those not ready to purchase all the older disks, or those who just want a "hits" set for road trips, etc.

36 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 5 stars for the music, 4 stars for the compilation, October 5, 2003

By 

M. B. Link "wildfirelink" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Chronicles (1990). Rush's first double-disc compilation set.

To me, Rush is one of the greatest bands in existence. I just discovered them last year after buying four of their albums, and on the first listen, I was hooked. They show an incredible devotion to stunning musicianship and each bandmember is at the top of their game. Geddy Lee can sing well (albiet a little higher than normal), he can play bass, handle pedal synthesizers, and play keyboards all in one! Alex Lifeson is a master guitarist, creative as both a soloist and rhythm guitarist. And Neil Peart is an incredible songwriter and drummer. Never before has listening to a trio play their instruments been so fun to listen to.

Anyways, this collection was the first one released and to this day, it is probably the best one as well. Let's take a look at a few pros and cons this collection provides:

PROS:

-For the most part, Chronicles covers a little bit of every album. It offers some of the shorter famous Rush songs that people are familiar with on the radio. That means you get to hear Fly By Night, Closer To The Heart, Freewill, Tom Sawyer, Subdivisions, Big Money, and Time Stand Still. It shouldn't fail to please any new Rush fan.
-There are a couple of unreleased tracks on here! These include the live tracks Passage To Bangkok and What You're Doing. This gives the bigger fan some reason to look into Chronicles.
-Even some of the underrated Rush albums like Caress Of Steel, Presto, and Grace Under Pressure get equal coverage.
-A compilation with the song Show Don't Tell! Most compilations stop right after the album Hold Your Fire, but Presto gets a little representation as well.
-2 discs means that you get a lot more music, and it's affordable. They also do a good job of filling up the disc space.
-Also, there is a nice bonus DVD that the collection comes with. Not essential to have, but a nice bonus for the bigger fans.

CONS:

-As a huge Rush fan, I must agree with everyone who says that any sort of compilation can NEVER do the band justice. While it covers their radio hits well, a number of masterpieces never get to see the light of day. Where are the songs By Tor & The Snow Dog, Xanadu, Cygnus X-1 & 2, La Villa Strangiato, Natural Science, YYZ, Witch Hunt, Analog Kid, The Weapon, After Image, Between The Wheels, Middletown Dreams, Marathon, Open Secrets, Prime Mover, or Turn The Page? The point I am trying to make is that you are seriously missing out on some phenomenal music by restricting yourself to a greatest hits collection.
-The live version of Mystic Rhythms is not nearly as good as its studio counterpart.
-Since this compilation was made back in 1990, there won't be any coverage from the albums Roll The Bones, Counterparts, Test For Echo, or Vapor Trails, which all came out after Chronicles.
-Although the bonus live tracks are great, they aren't enough for old fans to warrant purchasing an entire collection.
-2112 HAS BEEN DRAMATICALLY SHORTENED! WHY?? I understand that more disc space needs to be reserved for more songs considering that the full version is 20 minutes long, but the 2112 overture MUST BE HEARD IN ITS ENTIRETY.

BOTTOM LINE:

Chronicles is a decent compilation which should appeal to stricly and only to very casual fans or newbees. The music on here is priceless material which by itself deserves 5 stars, but since the compilation is lacking a bit, I deduct a single star. However, if you must go with only one collection, make it this one. It's a lot better than shelling out twice the cash for the Retrospective discs, and MUCH BETTER than the awful new single disc Spirit Of Radio greatest hits compilation. RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR NEW FANS.

Many of these songs must be heard off of their prospective albums, and so to anyone who finds themselves really liking Rush, just buy the albums. If you don't know which era you like, it'd be best to go with Moving Pictures(1981) or Permanent Waves(1980). If you like their progressively long epic material, go with Hemispheres(1978) or A Farewell To The Kings(1977). If you like their early stuff, start with Fly By Night(1975). Or if you find yourself loving the 80s synth era (my personal favorite), Power Windows(1985) and Signals(1982) are your best bets. To those who listen, enjoy.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice package for the non-fanatic, July 7, 2000

By 

New World Smurf "new_world_smurf" (Richmond, Virginia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Maybe it doesn't say much for my choice of friends in college,but I always seemed to have male friends who absolutely adored Rushand could literally sit for hours and argue over esoteric meanings of songs on "2112." I never understood it, anyway. That's probably why I enjoy "Chronicles," as will anyone who's only familiar with Rush from AOR radio. Never a band for three chords and a beat (not even in their early days), Rush's music is intricately arranged, occasionally to the point of being a little too busy. Neil Peart is definitely one of the best drummers on the planet, Geddy Lee is his match on bass, and Alex Lifeson is a throwback to the days of Clapton in Cream. Peart's lyrics can be quite interesting, but often sterile, particularly in their 80's heyday. The first disk covers the band from their blues rock beginnings in the early seventies, through the concept album trio "2112," "Hemispheres," and "A Farewell To Kings" (warning: if the only songs you know from Rush are "Tom Sawyer" and the like, the songs from the concept albums will be VERY heavy going) to the beginnings of their true commercial success with songs like "Spirit Of Radio" and "Freewill." The second disk will be the most familiar to non-Rushheads, including the omnipresent "Tom Sawyer," "Limelight" (arguably the best song they ever did), "Subdivisions," and "Distant Early Warning," just to name a few. There are a couple of gems casual fans will enjoy, namely "Closer To The Heart," and the lovely "Time Stand Still" (listen for Aimee Mann doing ethereal background vocals here). A good investment if you don't own any Rush albums and/or are not familiar with their early work; major fans probably have all the albums!