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28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
You see black and white, and I see red, January 27, 2005
Grace Under Pressure is sometimes my favorite Rush album, and sometimes it's second to Signals, but either way, it's a masterpiece.
Coming smack dab in the middle of Rush's synth period as it does, one might expect guitarist Alex Lifeson to have only a background role in Grace Under Pressure. That's not the case at all, and in fact, I think this is his best Rush album. His solos in "Kid Gloves" and "The Body Electric" are just incredible, while his rhythm guitar roles in "Red Sector A" and "The Enemy Within" rock hard.
That's not to say that synthesizers play a minor role in Grace Under Pressure. They're at the forefront of every song (except "Kid Gloves"), and unlike many later Rush efforts, they never get in the way of the song. Everything on the album blends together perfectly. "Distant Early Warning," for example, has everything that `70's Rush classics have- a great guitar riff, Geddy Lee's heavy bass and high-pitched vocals, and Neil Peart's maniacal drumming and cryptic yet concrete lyrics. However, it also looks to the future, with a more pessimistic mood and blasts of keyboards scattered about.
The rest of the album doesn't disappoint either, with "red lenses" (the title is supposed to be written in all lower-case letters, for whatever reason) being the best of the bunch. The song is unique in the Rush canon, to say the least, having a stream-of-consciousness and dissonant feel to it. This is also one of Neil Peart's best Rush songs- there's a percussion section in the middle of the song that will blow you away. I have no idea at all what the lyrics mean ("We've got Mars on the horizon, says the National Midnight Star"), but that doesn't matter, because it's just so fun. You can tell they had a whole lot of fun while recording "red lenses," that's for sure. I wish Rush would play it live, because it's very high-energy and would make a killer show-opener.
Elsewhere, cynicism and bleakness abound, with a Holocaust theme in "Red Sector A," an ode to a deceased friend in "Afterimage," and wartime lament in "Between The Wheels."
"Red Sector A" is a noteworthy song because, shockingly, there is no bassline. Geddy Lee is only the singer and keyboardist on this song, and it features a great hook where the guitar and synthesizer trade riffs. Add Neil Peart's pounding electronic drumbeat, and you've got a Rush concert favorite. You won't even notice the missing bass guitar.
Like I said, this can be my favorite Rush album, and the only bad thing I can say about it is that the front cover isn't all that good (well, that and the band's photo on the inside- I bet they hate to look at that now, twenty years later). Every single second of Grace Under Pressure is excellent, and there are just too many highlights to go over in this review. You'll just have to listen for yourself.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of Rush's best, February 15, 2002
Many have called Grace Under Pressure one of Rush's worst albums, as the band got away from some of thier heavier riff-rock stuff in favor of a cleaner, more synth-driven sound. Why critics and fans alike have seen this as being a bad thing is beyond me. First of all, the songwriting on all of "Grace" (especially lyrically) is some of thier best. The songs are shorter and multi-textured, with Alex Lifeson using higher pitched and open chords and Geddy concentrating on grooves, allowing the keyboards to drive the song. This gives Alex, Neil, and Geddy the oppurtunity to do different things than they have ever done before, showing a new side of the band. There really isn't a bad song on the album, but the true standouts here are Afterimage, Red Sector A, Kid Gloves (containing arguably Alex's best solo ever), and Between the Wheels. This is Truly an underrated album that non-Rush fans can enjoy just as much as us Rush-heads.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfectly produced and masterfully written Rush classic, October 16, 2002
To many fans Rush's 1984 album GRACE UNDER PRESSURE may have come at a bad time. Their 1981 breakthrough MOVING PICTURES is widely regarded as their finest album, and the following album SIGNALS annoyed many because of its poor production after such an excellent release. Some came to see GRACE UNDER PRESSURE as a continuing slide downhill simply because it didn't give them more of MOVING PICTURES. I believe that anyone who appreciates stylistic evolution, however, could see this as one of their finest albums.The first half of this album is incredibly cohensive. It opens with the stunning "Distant Early Warning". A reference to quick notification that a nuclear missile has been launched, the album communicates drummer and lyricist Neal Peart's pessism at the state of the world in the early 1980's, with increasing pollution and continuing standoff between the US and communism. From this first song it's obvious that the musicianship of the trio has gotten better and better, Peart's timing is incredible and Alex Lifeson was considered guitarist of the year for his screaming solos. One notices more use of synthesizers by bassist Geddy Lee, but they congrue with the rest of the band well and are overused like on the following two Rush albums. The second track, "Afterimage", is an elegy to a friend of the band who had passed away. It ends with a tight instrumental jam of the sort rarely heard after the band moved to a more radio-friendly song length. "Red Sector A" continues the superbness of the album. A reflection on Man's darker moments, among other the Holocaust, the song stands out because of Peart's exclusive use of the digital kit. In fact, on several following songs he uses this to some extent and it lends considerable freshness to the band's songwriting. The fourth track is "The Enemy Within", which is the album's most energetic and driven song. The second half of the album doesn't stand out as much as the astounding first half. While "Kid Gloves" is often considered Alex Lifeson's finest moment, it isn't a very memorable song. "Red Lenses" is also instantly forgettable. The final track, "Between the Wheels" is pleasant, but it contains too much of the excess of production that was to plague 1985's POWER WINDOWS. While MOVING PICTURES or this year's VAPOR TRAILS would probably be the best choice for someone who has never heard Rush before, I'd certainly recommend GRACE UNDER PRESSURE as one of the first albums a new Rush fan should pick up. The excellent balance of instruments, clean and clear production, and songwriting relevant to the period but also timeless make this a great album.
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