Customer Reviews

Hold Your Fire [Japan Import] [1st Press]

5 star:		(78)
4 star:		(38)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

To a certain degree, Rush has always personified the battle between passion and reason. The theme even illustrated the cover of their 1978 opus, "Hemispheres." Led by bassist-singer's Geddy Lee's love it or hate it falsetto vocal style, "Hold Your Fire" is a fitting bookmark to what was perhaps the most productive and musically-rich chapter in the band's history. Drummer Neil Peart's pensive lyrics provide the plot for what turns out to be the end of the musical journey begun with 1980's "Permanent Waves." As the title suggests, the theme of the album is the human struggle to temper instinct and passion with intellect and restraint.

The songs explore several variations of the theme: honoring the sacrifices we sometimes must make to hold true to our dreams ("Mission"); warning us of the dangers of giving in ("Lock and Key"); or exploring the side effects of progress ("Second Nature"). Peart's lyrics have always been among the most literate and thought-provoking in rock and, when all is said and done, it's hard to disagree with them. The reason for this is that, rather than beat you over the head with his point of view, he chooses to explore the many shades of gray that illustrate one of the core struggles at the heart of human understanding.

The irony is that, while the lyrics provide a well-balanced view of the passion vs. reason struggle, the music falls squarely on the side of reason. In choosing to push the power trio format to the limit, Rush chose to play heavily with the use of sequencers which, in turn, makes one feel that, with everything that is going on musically, the band never really cuts loose. Even Peart's snare drum is not the powerful firecracker heard in, say, "Moving Pictures."

This is not to say, however, that "Hold Your Fire" is a sterile album. On the contrary, Lee's vocals are at their most accessible and his bass and keyboard work is nothing short of amazing. Guitarist Alex Lifeson continues to play with phrasing with an inventiveness absent from most of the "guitar god" alumni of the time. And, of course, Peart is his usual self: one of the most inventive drummers in rock, equal parts power, precision, and intelligence. Adding first-rate production by the band and Peter Collins, "Hold Your Fire" is a terrific exercise, lyrically, musically, sonically and philosophically.

...isn't it? From reading the reviews of several Rush albums, it's apparent that people decide that Rush is at their peak at the time they first hear the band on the radio or MTV.

"Hold Your Fire" was the first time I'd paid attention to the band, and to this day it defines, for me, the greatness of the trio, despite being a fan of most of their work.

The lyrics on "Hold Your Fire" are the most powerful, most beautiful of all their recordings. How many albums can spark a sense of wonder of the universe (Time Stand Still, High Water), stir outrage against the powers that be (Lock and Key, Open Letter), or remind us of the beauty of human potential and accomplishment (Prime Mover, Mission)?

This wide range of themes on a single album wouldn't work in the hands of lesser musicians, but Lee, Lifeson and Peart are the masters of their instruments, and it is by the strength of their sound that we can seamlessly shift from wonderment to outrage to wonderment again.

Some fans complain of the preponderance of keyboards on the album -- these are generally fans of the older, guitar-heavy Rush style (which I like, by the way). But as Lee belts out on the album, Permanent Waves: "All this machinery/ making modern music/ can still be open hearted/ not so coldly charted/ it's really just a question/ of your honesty." The keyboards enhance the lyrics and the music, providing a depth that guitars alone could not.

Not many bands have remained as honest to themselves and to their fans as Rush -- whatever their fortunes and whatever the critics say, there's little doubt that Lee, Lifeson and Peart gives everything they have to their music.

I like to write reviews about albums that have meant something for me personally and Hold Your Fire is definitely one of those. It went from a record that didn't appeal to me on any particular level to one of my absolute favourite records from one of my favourite bands.

As a fan of almost everything that Rush has created musically during the years, including the records of the seventies as well as the nineties, it has always been the eighties era of the bands music that has appealed to my musical taste the most. With Moving Pictures, Grace Under Pressure and Power Windows they created music on a higher emotional level than before, leaving the science fiction lyrics and long rock epics for more human based themes and a music that was more of an intellectual art form, more developed and matured. My favourite album during this time was Power Windows with its symphonic keyboard sound and melodic and powerful melodies, mixing the guitar, bass and keyboard on a balanced level. Hold Your Fire had something that I just couldn't get into the same way; it seemed more complicated and more experimental for a seventeen old lad like me, touching themes that I couldn't understand in the same easy way as the themes of Power Windows.

But as the months went by I and I listened more frequently to the record something happened that made me want to listen more to it. Songs that hadn't touched me before; Prime Mover, Second Nature, Lock And Key, suddenly had something about them that made me remember why Rush is one of my favourite bands; their ability to go beyond the music fashion of the time, borrowing ingredients of what characterize this ongoing trend and turning this into something more intellectual, complex, emotional and original than most other artists manage or ever would dear to do. I suddenly understood why the textbook in their greatest hits album Chronicles said that with Hold Your Fire the band had climbed to the top of the hill, reaching their musical highpoint.

It seems like the keyboard sound that is used on this album as well as some other albums of the eighties scares away some of the old-school Rush fans, claiming that it destroyed the sound of the band that they once had fallen in love with and learned to characterize with Rush. But personally I don't judge music for the use of keyboard sounds or the lack of epics, I judge it for its musicality and originality. Hold Your Fire contains both these ingredients and it creates a musical landscape created by world class musicianship both on an instrumental and lyrical level. The music is melodic art as its best, linking lyrics and music together with a sound that has such originality that it can't be heard, not even on a small level, on any other record of any other band. And that's what progressive and experimental music is all about, it doesn't have to be 20 minute epics with time changes every ten seconds to fill that criteria.

Neither fans nor critics were especially impressed with 1985's POWER WINDOWS. Most weren't so fond of Rush's next release, HOLD YOUR FIRE, either. That's a shame: if one really listens, there's much to appreciate in this album. The songs here are more calm and warm than those in previous Rush releases, due largely to Neil Peart's spiritual lyrics. This makes for a far more relaxed listening experience. The album gets off to a great start with the fast-paced "Force Ten", followed by the beautiful and emotional "Time Stand Still" (the latter includes vocals by Aimee Mann). Other stand-outs include "Open Secrets", "Lock and Key", and "Prime Mover". Geddy Lee's bass is prominent and his vocals sound even more personal than usual, and while his oft-critiqued synthesizers do occasionally shut out Alex Lifeson's guitar, the synthesizers really work towards creating a passionate atmosphere for the album. HOLD YOUR FIRE is an excellent, emotional, and underrated album that ranks among Rush's best.

HOLD YOUR FIRE is the fourth and final album of Rush's synthesizer era (1982-87), and it's also the best one. In fact, I'll go as far to say that this is Rush's best and most ambitious work to date. Everything that is great about the power trio is laid out on this album. From the vocals, to the melodies, to the musicianship, to the arrangements, to the lyrics...everything is perfect. This has to be one of the most perfect albums ever made.

I say this with almost regret, because Rush has released many great albums throughout their career like 2112, MOVING PICTURES, and SIGNALS, but there's something special about HOLD YOUR FIRE. I don't know what it is. This album just got a hold on me and never let go. I don't know why fans say this album is hard to get into. It hooked me right from the start.

You get a little bit of everything on this record, from melodic hard rockers like "Force Ten" and "Open Secrets," to stunningly gorgeous introspective pieces like "Mission" and "Tai Shan," and complex rhythmic songs like "Lock and Key" and "High Water."

Speaking of rhythms, this is Neil Peart's finest performance on drums to date. His drumming after this album pales in comparison. He would never sound this creative and energized ever again. Plus, this is his best overall lyrical effort with Rush. Peart has always been a great writer, but I think he reached his lyrical peak on HYF.

Geddy Lee's vocals and bass playing are just amazing, and his synths add color and texture to a lot of the songs. Alex Lifeson has reached his pinnacle as a textural chord player, which he started doing on the SIGNALS album. He also unleashes the best guitar solos of his career on this. If the last solo on "Mission" doesn't tug at your heart strings, nothing will - unless you're listening to Dream Theater's "Through Her Eyes" (another great ballad, by the way).

I can't praise HOLD YOUR FIRE enough! I know this review is a bit overlong, but it's well-deserved. This is the best album of Rush's 30-year history. Period. What are you waiting for? Buy it!

Oh, and "Time Stand Still" is one of the greatest songs ever written, by anybody.

I can understand why this album would be disliked by many, mainly because this is the one where the synths tend to predominate with less guitars, although personally I tend to enjoy it.

This was the album that took the longest to grow on me out of the Rush catalog. My favorites would tend to be "Time Stand Still", with ethereal lyrics to match the ethereal music "Open Secrets", seems to be the deepest and most touching lyrically. "Second Nature", though slower in tempo, has thought-provoking lyrics, as do all Rush songs. "Prime Mover", has more of a groove. "Lock And Key", possiby grew into my 1st or second favorite on the album. This one probably rocks the hardest on the entire disc. Also "Tai Shan" (if I spelled that right) which features ethereal sounscapes, dreamy and triumphant lyrics. "High Water", is a perfect closer to the album.

This one will probably be the hardest to get into due to the more colorful aspects of the album (the synths), but I think that's what makes the album what it is.

This is my opinion, but I believe Rush peaked during this period- 'Hold Your Fire' is a creative statement as strong as any of thier epic albums from the 70's or early 80's. I have no problem with the synthesizer overkill, Rush were merely trying new ideas and sounds and not fall back on any heavy metal formula many fans would have liked them to(they eventually did-'test For Echo'-and the results were mixed to say the least). 'Fire' is Rush's most atmospheric and emotional album to date, keyboards are prominent, and the songs and arrangements are tighter and more compact than before. Hold Your Fire follows in the direction of their previous album, Power Windows, but to better effect. Check out the cinematic intro to 'Lock & Key' or the fusion middle section from 'Mission'. Geddy Lee sings with a lot of passion for these songs, and every one is a winner. Peart's lyrics retain some of the 'science' feel, but simultaneously chart ahead to the more social-concience topics he would employ in Rush during the 90's. Fire is possibly Rush's most 'human' album. Rush had a sensitive side for this album which worked-'Fire' had a hefty helping of anthems, some of their best(Time Stand Still, Mission, Open Secrets). The atmospheric keyboards really do drive this album home. This isn't to say Lifeson's guitar had been reduced to rhythm parts- there are plenty of memorable solos here(Open Secrets and Turn The Page come to mind). The guitar here often locks in with the synths to become a cinematic force field of passionate sound. Not all of Hold Your Fire is mellow synthetics- it rocks as well(Force Ten, with its jack-hammer drumming). Some may argue whether this album and the follow-up live era-capper 'A Show Of Hands' marked the end of the period in which Rush mattered, with MTV videos and lengthy tours. 'Fire' was the last studio album for Mercury/Polygram before Rush signed with atlantic and went for a more stripped-down sound. This album is sure to annoy those fans interested in only Rush's heavy rock or progressive rock periods, not for any 'Tom Sawyer-and-nothing-else' types. But those who have stuck by Hold Your Fire have been rewarded with its cinematic textures, driving instrumentation and passionate anthems.

Hold Your Fire(1987). Rush's 12th studio album.

It seems that throughout the course of the 80s, Rush peaked in their musical creativity with various albums such as Permanent Waves(1980), Signals(1982), and Power Windows(1985). They took their progressive style that Rush has sported since the beginning and fused it with keyboards, to create albums with a very thematic, massive soundscape feel. Hold Your Fire continued to push this envelope that was perfected on Windows and adds a very warm and passionate layer to the songs, making it their most emotional release. Despite this, HYF received the same kind of welcome from the "fans" that Windows had: one met with disgust over the use of synthesizers. Why do people hate synths so much? Is it because they sound like they came from the 80s? Come on people, IT WAS THE 80s! While other radio bubblegum pop bands at the time were just adding synths onto their songs without any real purpose, Rush was utilizing them the correct way adding depth to the music, and reaching far and beyond other bands of the day. Putting Rush in the same league as those pop/new wave bands is downright immature and pretentious. So to those who think every Rush album should sound like Moving Pictures or 2112, get off your high pedestal, open your ears, and LISTEN to the music. Like Windows, if you just look past all the production and keyboards, at the heart of it all are solid and wonderfully great songs.

HYF touches base on a few subjects, such as time, inner emotion, the human spirit, and nature. Lyrically, this is probably one of Neil's greatest albums. I know that many people can interpret what each song means far better than I can, but I will provide a brief explanation of the tracks, so please bear with me. Here's the breakdown track-by-track:

1) Force Ten- This brilliant opener kicks off with a fake audience, pounding synth drums, and then explodes into a very melodic fast rocker. It is about facing life proudly no matter how hard the situation may be. I like the way it changes from an all-out rocking verse and sub-chorus to an ultra-melodic chorus. It has one of the best album opener lines: "Tough times demand tough talk, demand tough hearts, demand tough songs..." 10/10

2) Time Stand Still- HYF's lone hit, and the most pop song on here. It's Neil's take on mid-life crisis, and how he wants time to slow down so he can enjoy every bit of life. Generic, but strong, and Aimee Mann's additional vocals are a welcome addition. 10/10

3) Open Secrets- More progressive now. This song is about the trouble of protecting our feelings from the hurt and scorn of not being understood correctly. Has a great synth line and some of the best lyrics Neil ever put down on paper. 10/10

4) Second Nature- The mellowest track on the album, about our inner instinct and how it both helps and hinders our progress. The chorus and verses seem like different songs tacked on to each other, but the build up is GREAT. 9/10

5) Prime Mover- A more optimistic track which talks about how anything is possible in a given instant in time. Nice transition from a synth-driven intro to a guitar filled verse and chorus. Good solo also. 10/10

6) Under Lock and Key- Very thematic and engaging with the strongest emphasis on the synths and pace of the drums. It's about the killer instinct in all of us, and how we never want to give in to it. 9/10

7) Mission- The most progressive, and also one of the most melodic tracks on here. This is a song about holding onto dreams through thick and through thin. Great bridge section after the second chorus. 9/10

8) Turn The Page- A fast-rocker like Force Ten. Its main topic is that each instant in time is a particular stage we live in, and that time continuously progresses. Often overlooked, but a worthwhile rocker that will please most any fan. 10/10

9) Tai Shan- Rush creates a very oriental piece about the inner spirit becoming intertwined with the land and culture of China. Somewhat different than anything that they have ever done before. Nonetheless, they manage to pull it off well. 9/10

10) High Water- The album closer is a drum beat driven track which shows once again that Neil has a great fascination for nature. Nothing too memorable, but not bad either. 8/10

HYF proved once again that Rush can write a masterful collection of songs full of passion and heart. The only real weakness here, and it is more so apparent on here than in Windows, is the lack of extra guitar parts and solos for Alex. Still, HYF is no less spectacular. It gets five stars for great songwriting, production, and musicianship. The "narrow-minded majority" of fans will tell you to avoid this album like the plague, but anyone who actually gives it a chance will find HYF to be thoroughly enjoyable. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Admittedly, I am a fan of post-70s Rush...I think pretty much everything from Permanent Waves onwards is quality material. Which is not to say that the pre-80s stuff is poor--there are a number of songs from that period which I enjoy--but I feel they really hit their groove in the 80s. Hold Your Fire is their best creation of that decade.

To begin, yes keyboards and synths are used quite frequently on this album. However, why some people interpret that to mean that Rush "stopped playing their instruments" or that Alex was replaced is mystifying to me. The synths on HYF add a nice additional texture to their music, and COMPLIMENT, rather than contradict, Alex's guitar parts.

The songs themselves are top-notch, and being one of the most pop-friendly albums the group have produced, this ends up being one of the albums I recommend first to non-fans. "Force Ten" begins with a jackhammer, and doesn't let up from there. "Time Stand Still" is one of Rush's catchiest, most memorable singles from this decade. "Prime Mover" and "Mission" are simply great, uplifting power-pop songs, while "Lock and Key" showcases the band's well-known musical prowess.

Neil Peart's lyrics are, as usual, top notch, and deal more pointedly with social issues than in albums past. Geddy, long having since moved out of the "shrieking" period and into the "singing" period, sounds terrific, and Alex's solos here rate as among the best of his career (particularly the end of Mission).

Overall, while some songs are certainly better than others, there really isn't a bad song on this disc. HYF remains one of the warmest, most accessible albums the trio have ever released. For those looking to break easily into the realm of this fantastic group, and for whom the idea of a 12 minute epic called "Bytor and the Snowdog" is a bit intimidating, Hold Your Fire represents an outstanding starting point.

Canadian power trio Rush released its twelfth studio (and 14th overall) album entitled Hold Your Fire in September of 1987.
The album was the end of the band's third musical phase and their last studio for Mercury before the band left amicably for Atlantic Records as the relationship with Mercury had run its course by 1987. Hold Your Fire was recorded in France and England throughout the beginning of 1987.
The Hold Your Fire album was the start of Rush slowly doing away with the synthesizers that dominated the last four studio efforts. Also, this was the last album the band would co-produce with Peter Collins until reuniting on the band's 1993's brilliant album Counterparts.
I did not hear this album until Christmas of 1990 when my father bought me this on cassette. I got the remastered CD in 1997 (superbly done by Bob Ludwig (who also did the mastering on the original vinyl record/cassette/CD)) and it is stunning.
The album kicks off with the rocking "Force Ten" which was a huge hit on rock radio and a great rocker all around. The mammoth hit "Time Stand Still" follows and features 'Til Tuesday bass player/singer/songwriter Aimee Mann singing backing vocals as she also does on "Tai Shan". Bass player/singer/keyboard player Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson and drummer Neil Peart just play like men possessed and on fire on this album.
Other standouts include "Lock and Key" (which was also a rock radio hit and was briefly an MTV staple before hair metal drek from then-labelmates Def Leppard, Bon Jovi and Cinderella all but wiped Rush videos off the channel), the superb "Mission", "Open Secrets" (which has one of Alex's best guitar solos) and the closing "High Water". The other tracks on this album which are "Second Nature", "Prime Mover" (which was superior live) and "Turn the Page" (also better live) are all great songs yet people either ignored them or just disliked them.
Despite a #12 placing and Gold status at sales, this album was considered a failure both creatively and commercially as it was overlooked at a time of bad hair metal, the return of the late Michael Jackson and the soundtrack to Dirty Dancing permiating the music scene and Hold Your Fire had the sad misfortune of being released the same day as Pink Floyd's comeback album A Momentary Lapse of Reason but still sounds better than many of the albums of the time (the hair metal junk and Michael Jackson's fittingly titled Bad anyhow) twenty years down the road.
Hold Your Fire is highly recommended!