Moving Pictures

Not my cup of tea. Too much of only going up, drumfills and glamrock instead of psych that takes people on a journey.

This was one of the albums I was most excited to listen to on this journey. On this album, Rush just sound like a band that knows what they’re doing. The first half contains some of the most infectious prog out there. Side two is even more ambitious with a sprawling 11 minute track to start and two fantastic songs to finish. It’s masterfully concise, contains dramatic songwriting, and the band performs harmoniously.

bunu begendim

I grew up hearing 2 of these on classic rock radio and hated them. Can't stand his voice. And now the rest of the album isn't much better. YYZ I didn't care for it being so noodly.

Moving Pictures was an absolutely fantastic album. I really liked 2112 already and this album more or less feels like a sequel to that meaning it feels like a "We will do whatever we want" sort of album. Though unlike 2112 the songs were not as out there from each other and felt a bit more like they were sticking to a brand which unfortunately gets rid of some of the uniqueness of that album. I still think that this album is really good though with some excellent guitars and bass, some cool electronic elements and the vocals were great too. This album also had a perfect pace which made me like it even more. This may not be Rush's best album but i still loved it. Best Song: YYZ Worst Song: The Camera Eye

6/10

not usually my taste but enjoyable

Pretty mediocre album Top songs: -YYZ -limelight

Sounds good ! 7/10

Tbh this is a really front loaded album. Opening with Tom Sawyer is crazy because it’s peak but it’s kinda downhill from there. YYZ and Limelight are bangers but don’t stand up to the opening track. Then the rest of the album is ok but not bangers like the others.

Better than expected, will listen again.

Not really my vibe still appreciate it though!

Was alright, I'm not a big fan of this style of singing tbh, it just doesnt do much for me. Some nice guitar riffs, but nothing that majorly stood out to me. "YYZ" is a fantasic song and if more of the album were like this, Id have enjoyed it more. I was disappointed by "The Camera Eye", I think it started out really promising but lost me about halfway through."Witch Hunt" reminds me of Jack Black in the School of Rock haha.

Super epic album. It's been like two decades at least since I listened to the whole thing, and it definitely sticks up to the test of time as a progressive rock/metal masterpiece. The hits are next level--Tom Sawyer is one of rock's alltime greats. Limelight, Red Barchetta, also classic. The other tracks aren't just filler either--a lot of good stuff on this album. 5/5

Album #9 Rush: Moving Pictures As a Canadian, I have always felt that we have consistently punched above our weight in the music world. There was always at least one prominent Canadian artist or band at the peak of every genre, and in Canada, those artists would become especially heralded. The older generation had Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, and Joni Mitchell, who are three of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time. Then came the Bachman-Turner Overdrive and the Guess Who, who were commercially successful hard rock bands. The 90’s were dominated by women with Celine Dion, Shania Twain, Alanis Morissette, and eventually Avril Lavigne becoming some of the biggest pop stars in the world. And eventually the 2000s would birth some of the most celebrated and influential indie bands of all time, with Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, and Godspeed You Black Emperor. Even today, Canadians remain at the top of the charts with Drake, Justin Bieber, and the Weeknd being some of the highest-selling artists of all time. Yet when the question comes down to who was the greatest Canadian band of all time, there are only two answers. The first answer is the one most Canadians would give you: The Tragically Hip. The Hip were by far the biggest cultural music act in Canada, despite having little to no impact overseas. They were far from the most technically talented musicians, but they made music that spoke to the souls of Canadians. Then the answer which most non-Canadians would give you, Rush. Rush never seemed to be as celebrated by the Canadian mainstream; in fact, they were actually the biggest in the United States and Europe. They were almost the inverse of the hip, three incredibly talented top-of-the-line musicians, who made extremely complex and technical prog rock. Though this led to them being undervalued at the time, it is my opinion that this will lead to Rush becoming far more relevant in the long-term. Countless bands have cited Rush as an influence, whether it’s because of Geddy Lee’s bass, Neil Peart’s drums, or Alex Lifeson’s guitar. As far as three-piece bands go, Rush was pound-for-pound the most talented. Though this led Rush to become more of a music-nerd band due to their long and intricate music, there was one album which was able to propel them into the mainstream, Moving Pictures. This album almost reads as a greatest-hits album, containing some of their most popular songs, including: YYZ, Red Barchetta, Limelight, and of course, Tom Sawyer. There is absolutely no filler at all on this album, with each song containing sounds that sound out-of-this-world, combined with thought-provoking lyrics that make you want to sing along. In my opinion, this is Rush’s magnum opus, and a very strong contender for the greatest Canadian album of all-time. Rush is a band which should be treated like gods in Canada, yet for most they are just another band on the Classic Rock station. Best Tracks: Limelight, Tom Sawyer, The Camera Eye Worst Track: None Score out of 10: 10

I like Rush but I can go years without taking a notion to listen to them and I don’t really get why cause this album is bloody brilliant. I’ll be keep this saved and in the New Year I will make a point of going through their discography. Top Track - Tom Sawyer is an absolute classic but I really enjoyed The Camera Eye as well

eh it’s not my music i’ve heard Tom Sawyer before. stand outs : tom sawyer, witch hunt 2/10

Even though I've heard this record many times, I'm not that familiar with Rush the band. My understanding is that Moving Pictures is widely considered their masterpiece. I can't confirm, but the idea tracks. They are a power trio that sounds like an orchestra. This record is all about synths, grooves, and sick fills from the drums and bass. But for all the excesses of this record, every note hits. It's all packaged perfectly, passion and precision, nerdy hard rock, prog, and even new wave. I listened to this album on vinyl and the files from the MOFI SACD. Both listening methods were excellent, but for different purposes. The SACD files were better for headphone listening, but for this record, I preferred listening to the vinyl over the loudspeakers. I often found myself verbally exclaiming, "Got damn!" The opening synths on Tom Sawyer sound downright menacing. The instrumental tracks sent me to space. Even though the players' virtuosity is constantly on display, Moving Pictures is not a subtle album. Every song is over-the-top, absolutely excessive, but always under control, always tight. BTW, the opaque red 40th-anniversary vinyl I got for like $20 at Walmart is a fantastic version. I really need to listen to more Rush. Five stars.

I'm surprised seeing myself enjoying progressive Rock but this is isn't as bad as I thought. For starters it's not a 3-hour album of musical foreplay, which I really appreciate - it's not groundbreaking or crazy but it's good music.

This is one of the most joyous 40 minute experiences you'll ever have in music. The perfect balancing act of technicality, quirkiness and catchiness. Going to let my 5 star rating speak for itself here as I'm running on fumes today, and don't have much to splurge out onto my screen. Somehow I don't have this on vinyl, but that's going to be rectified immediately.

I see Rush as a super nerdy band... And they're very good at it.

Jag gillar soundet men texterna greppar mig inte riktigt. Bästa låtar: Red Barchetta (riffet påminner lite om The Cure!)

9/10 I’ve heard this album a few times before and it’s one that I do pop back to now and again, so nice to get a prompt and listen to it with my critical ears on. The record kicks off so, so strongly. The synth patch set’s the tone and atmosphere straight off the bat, and the whole of Tom Sawyer that follows on from that is truly excellent. There are hooks and riffs galore, some fun with irregular meters and some brilliant, brilliant musicianship. And after that, they don’t really let up for the whole of the first side. There is so much to enjoy about it on pretty much every level. The compositions are interesting and engaging, particularly as they throw themselves through so many rhythmic changes, always sounding so fluid and natural, which is a remarkable achievement. The performances from the whole band are excellent. Guitar possibly takes a bit of a back seat, but that's no problem when you’ve got Peart and Lee doing their thing. And the production is just top tier. Everything has its place, there's room for all of the parts to breathe, but it also sounds so full and dynamic. They blend in synths in a really natural way, with nothing ever sticking out as being placed in for the sake of it, and they know when to act with restraint. Geddy Lee’s vocal is possibly an acquired taste, but it really works for me. The focus of this band is on the musicianship and his vocal is strong enough to do what it does without dominating, while still being competent and engaging where it needs to be. The second half of the record does seem to lose a little bit of focus here and there, but there is still so much quality packed in, it's just a tiny bit more stretched out than the barnstorming opening half. It may also be that this second half rewards repeat listening, particularly on a longer song like The Camera Eye, so I’m willing to give it a few more spins over the coming weeks to see if it grabs me a little more over time. Either way, I’m sure I’ll be dipping back in and out of this now and again, regardless. Tom Sawyer - Straight from the off, this is epic. The opening synth patch gives it so much weight and tonal interest. It’s got great dynamic changes throughout and it has that 80s futuristic sound that’s so evocative but somehow doesn’t feel dated. It’s stuffed full of killer riffs and hooks, some really fun messing around with time signatures but it never loses the stylistic thread. It’s also super tight and well produced and everyone in the band has some really great moments. A monumental album opener. Red Barchetta - This starts off more subtly but gets super thick and heavy when it gets going. Neil Peart’s drumming drives this along at a pulsating clip and they make some really interesting and engaging developments, throwing in some really great rhythms and riffs. It packs a lot in to 6 minutes, but never drifts into the territory of losing its thread. Another solid track. YYZ - This is heavy metal jazz. To produce something like this when your starting point is the morse code identifier for Toronto’s main airport is musical mad scientist stuff. Every performance on here is just outstanding. They’re super tight while also sounding really organic, which is a great sweet spot. There’s enough variation and development to really engage the ear throughout. Limelight - There are so many time signature changes through this song that it’s ridiculous. What’s more ridiculous is that it sounds so natural and smooth while doing everything it does. Geddy Lee’s bass work is a particular highlight here, but his vocal is great too. There are some great hooks in here, which can be hard enough to achieve when you’re writing in a straight time signature, but it’s so impressive here. There’s an edge of cheese to this, but it’s one I’m really here for. Love this track. The Camera Eye - A song of this length can be hard to pull off. The intro is a slow burn, but it builds nicely and has lots of interesting tones that it plays with as it develops. And then it kicks in and the riff is so good. It’s got a nice rounded, weighty tone to it that’s great. There’s so much to like about this. Again, they throw in those cool time signature changes, but everything is anchored so well by the rhythm section. All of their transitions are so smooth too. It’s supreme musicianship and production. It does perhaps drag the idea on a little too much, but it’s still enjoyable. Witch Hunt - This has got a great atmosphere to it. It’s more sparse than earlier tracks for quite a while, but it builds really well. It’s got a great groove to it, which is perhaps a bit of an underrated element of Rush’s work. It’s less memorable or hooky than other tracks, but it makes up for that in vibe, at least for me. Vital Signs - They skitter along through this. It’s got a frenetic edge to it and rhythmic edge that reminds me slightly of The Police in places. There are some solid riffs in the choruses and again, the band are all really tight and throw in little flourishes of quality all over the places. It feels a bit less focused than some of the earlier tracks, but there’s still a lot to like about it.

I’m not a rush fan.

not just the filter sweep

did not end up finishing the album. one of the reviews i read said "whitest music ever" and i completely agree. it isn't my style of music and i found it to be redundant in my opinion, however the opening track "tom sawyer" i would listen to again

Rush is always great

Another review said this is the whitest music ever and I think that's hilarious and hits the nail on the head.

Three letters….Y.Y.Z. Not just the toronto airport code, although the beginning notes are morse code for Y Y Z, but its pure Rush progressive instrumental awesomeness. This is a more radio friendly album, songs like Tom Sawyer & Limelight are familiar examples, it also features more synthesizer which is the beginning of the ultra 80s Rush era. The deep cuts like Witch Hunt are alright, better for background music. Red Barchetta is a staple off this album, its quintessential story-telling Rush lyrics. But YYZ is hands down the best song off of Moving Pictures.

The first half of the album is beyond played out. A great listen but only for a rare occasion.

Perfect prog-pop mix of nostalgia, cheese, and emotion.

consistent vibe but not repetitive tom sawyer hit instantly

Just some good rock innit, not for me though

It was alright, nothing special

What about the voice of Geddy Lee? How did it get so high, I wonder if he speaks like an ordinary guy? I know him, and he does!

Is this the second Rush album now? Feels like it, and I still remain very confused by them. They seem like talented musicians, kinda interestingly heavy and proggy, however, the vocals are so lightweight it sort of drags the whole thing down for me. It’s all just OK, but I’m most confused by who would actually be really into this.

sounds like a classic

Listened while writing a literature review - favourites were limelight and vital signs. Not something I would have ever chose to listen to but I can’t say I didn’t like it, I liked how it combined moody rock and funk, pretty new to me. If I were a dad I would tell my child this is real music but fortunately I never will be and will probably never revisit this. Great for someone I’m sure.

Rush is Van Halen for losers.

Rap is not my thing.

I LOOVEEEE BASSS GUITARRRRR. So good. The album was short.. I love when albums are short and sweet.. this was great

Masterpiece! Amazing production and recording quality, brilliant musicians...all 3 are best in class at what they do!!! I've loved this album since I was a 10 year old kid roller skating at Wheels! Played my vinyl so much shocked it wasn't worn out!

Wow. Excellent choice. Rush at its best. Aside one is rock n roll perfection. Side 2 reminds the listener what Rush does best - prog rock. The album successfully straddles these 2 Rush identities. True classic

Crisp clear sound. Album art design is excellent.

By far the best album so far. A real collection of great songs.

Fucking banger Jesus Christ. No fat and so many classics. One of the funniest album covers ever too hahahah. I think I prefer the prog pop stuff from rush over the 70s prog stuff

So so iconic. Like three or four songs that are unquestionable pillars of rock/prog, and tbh didn’t know they all came from the same album. Thats lit! Good job rush! 3.5 for me tbh

This is pure gold! 5/5

Beloved classic.

Bit noodley and aimless but not bad

Wonderful album by my favorite band. It might not the my favorite album, but definitely the one that put them on the map.

After the first listen I had this pegged as a 4/5, but another listen pushed it to a 5/5. I’m not a huge fan of Geddy Lee’s voice, yet I can’t imagine this album working without him. The whole record is a burst of energy—tight, dynamic, and fully enjoyable from start to finish.

hell yeah Tom Sawyer but the rest is whatever

It had some really good songs, but nothing that really grabbed me for that long.

Synthy. Will I ever like 80s music that isn’t the smiths, the cure or talking heads? I can see why it’s on this list however.

Not a standout for me

Boring

This might need another listen for me to really like it

Imagine if Van Halen was made up of castrated eunuchs.

i’ve also listened to this before and i liked it

Prog Rock moves into the 80’s gracefully with impact to spare!

The best album from my all time favorite band

Prog rock goes 80’s. Honestly surprised I hadn’t received a Rush album on here yet. Not much to complain about here either, as is usually the case for me with prog rock. It’s a pretty filling album complete with mega-hits (Tom Sawyer & Limelight) a lesser appreciated ode to a car (Red Barchetta) and even an instrumental track that I didn’t find intrusive (YYZ). I more so want to appreciate the musicianship displayed all throughout, ESPECIALLY the bass. The late Neil Peart rightly gets his flowers for his performance on drums and Lifeson gives us those iconic Rush riffs, but Geddy Lee (who is also the lead vocalist mind you), did a great job making the bass melodic and prominent here. Feeling generous here, as this is one of the few tolerable prog rock records out there.

I do like prog tho

Rush in their prime. An absolutely legendary album.

When I was an undergrad music student, my Rush-obsessed friend used to get drunk at parties and recite Rush lyrics like they were poetry. They were not, in my opinion, poetry. Anyway, I've always kind of liked their hyperbolic prog rock, and I think I'm obligated as a Canadian to be proud of them.

Yeah, rock! Favorite songs: Tom Sawyer, YYZ, Vital Signs

tbh got through half of it, couldnt do it. I like fly by the night or whatever by these guys but this was not my jam.

Great songs

Proggy. Pretty good overall, good drumming(if overly fussy at times). Geddy Lee’s voice is a bit irritating after a while. Rush is one of those bands I’ve heard about but never listened to. Now I have. My life is not drastically changed. And on we move……

My original review was a bit harsh perhaps: "I’ve never been a fan of Rush, probably because I don’t enjoy the vocals at all and the lyrics are garbage. Even musically I find this rather unendurable. The guitar riffs are mediocre and samey. Nothing grips me at all, not even “Tom Sawyer”. I can’t stand “YYZ”, and I like most instrumentals. Was glad when the album ended so I could put something decent on. I’ll give it a 2 because I didn’t turn it off and because it’s relatively short which reduced my torture." It's true, I'm not a fan of Rush, never have been and don't think I ever will be. "Tom Sawyer" is okay and I don't think the album is 'unendurable'. Perhaps I was in a pissy mood. Still though, I think there are much better bands out there. It gets a 3 this time. Who knows, maybe it'll grow on me.

Fun, haven't listened to this in years. Went to see Rush on a freebie once, glad I got the chance

oh FUCK yeah dude

Dig the polyrhythm, and I better understand the band now for sure. Have never loved the overall vibe.

rock un peu mieux sur l'echelle du rock 2

High energy, fun instruments, first half was better for me. Fav: yyz, limelight

I immediately disliked this during the first song, the singer's voice really put me off. I kept it in the background and then ended up quite liking it. I've heard that the singer's voice deepened over the years, and this is their 8th album, so earlier albums may be a no still!

Not my kinda music I was bored with this and it was kind of annoying sorry

favorite song-limelight best song-tom sawyer deep cut-camera eye hidden gem-red barchetta

Missed the album when it was first released, I was living in Italy. I discovered it while visiting the USA in 1984, several tracks were in heavy rotation on rock radio. It became, and still is one of my favorite Rush albums.

♫ Listening to "Tom Sawyer" by Rush (Moving Pictures (Remastered), 1981) ♫ ★★★★

I’ve listened to and reluctantly fallen in love with several of these songs over the years. I tried to resist it, the production style and ostentatious drum fills represent so much of what I dislike about 80s music. But ultimately resistance is futile…these songs are just too much fun. These are tracks that are so tied to the specific performance on the record that they aren’t conventionally good compositions that could or should be covered by anyone else. Really, the only “good” song might be “Limelight,” which at least has a pleasing and straightforward structure to it. It brings up interesting questions about the nature of a record: is it the preservation of a fleeting moment in time, does it lay the foundation for a permanent form? All that being said, you don’t need to think about any of that to enjoy the album. I admit that even though I knew the first four songs almost as well as Neil Peart, I had never listened to the entire album before. So I walk away with “Vital Signs” as a new highlight for my air drums setlist.

My knowledge of Rush was limited before listening to this. I was just aware of Tom Sawyer and Neal Peart. I think I had heard Limelight before. When this album came up I was a bit underwhelmed at having to listen to it, especially the fact that there was a 10 minute track that had the potential to drag on (something I’m beginning to dislike about this project) Aside from Tom Sawyer, the 10 minute The Camera Eye was the highlight for me. Great album. Will return to and buy if found in the wild.

Some good tracks but not stand out.

Good album, with some hits. 6.3/10

Groupe et album connus. Cet album fait partie de mes préférés toutes catégories confondues ! C'est celui qui l'a fait découvrir Rush. Et celui qui m'a fait découvrir individuellement chaque instrument : je me souviens d'avoir pour écouté l'album en me concentrant spécifiquement sur chacun des instruments. En particulier j'ai découvert que la basse pouvait être bien plus qu'un simple support rythmique pour le reste du groupe ('YYZ' en est le meilleur exemple, il faut aussi écouter les lignes de basse pendant les chorus de guitare dans 'The camera eyes' ou 'Limelight'). Je ne me serais probablement jamais mis à la basse sans ce groupe ! La batterie est également extraordinaire, d'une variété sans limite. En live les chorus sont tous simplement à tomber ... La guitare est tout aussi intéressante, les parties de synthé aussi. Et chaque morceau a son moment qui le rend unique et inoubliable. Bref, cet album a révolutionné mon approche de la musique, il mérite la note maximale. =>5/5

Typical 80s rock band. Good sound and very listenable.

This is a great classic rock album from Rush! I had a great time listening to this album and I can see why Rush is one of the greats. Overall, I enjoyed this album listen and would listen to this album again soon.

Did not really enjoy the vocals

80s sound. Heavy drums, guitar, synth, nasal vocal lead. Multiple samples of random noises. I suspect it's influential to the decade. Not my fav sound. It's fine.

A classic, no notes.

Eh fine. Inoffensive rock.

Quite like Rush and had heard this and Permanent Waves before. Permanent Waves is better (compare for example The Spirit of Radio to Tom Sawyer). Whilst the likes of YYZ are incredible musically, some of the songs are not first-class. Torn between 3 and 4 stars, I'll play it safe with 3.

Riffs and instrumentals are so good, lyrics are so powerful, this is truly an all around a great album

Two absolute classics in Tom Sawyer and limelight. Everything else was fine. 3.5/5 but where does it round to?

Tom Sawyer, YYZ

A fun album that unfortunately falls off after “Limelight”.

I used to think "Ton Sawyer" was a Heart song because of the singers voice. All the musicians on this album are excellent especially the bass player. This album really took me by surprise.

It's just a guitar

Even on the millionth listen, Limelight still rules.

Oh hell yeahs

I can’t do Rush

Accomplishes progginess without being too technical or thematically nauseating. Great instrumentation throughout, of course. Red Barchetta outshines the rest - that song feeeeels like you’re driving a red convertible on the open road.

Favourite track: Limelight

det här lider lite av sin egen kvalitet. på grund av hur hög nivå av konstnärskap det finns blir de stunderna då det inte riktigt räcker till så mycket lägre, har svårt för vissa tillfällen när jag känner att element inte matchar med varandra, konkret exempel är flera tillfällen när basens tone och spel inte matchar, tonen båda elementen är för intensiva för varandra, vilket gör att inget kan skina, flera tillfällen då valen gör att man inte riktigt vet vad man ska lyssna på. MEN väldigt bra musik, fantastisk kreativitet genom hela albumet i alla parter

M A S T A P I E C E, får varje album runt omkring att verka megaröv, lyssnar på det så sällan för det är så perfekt så jag ens tappar lusten att lyssna på annan musik. 10/5, no notes, alla låtar är *chef's kiss*

pretty unbeatable side A, loved this album growing up. re-listening reminded me to spend some more time on their 80s material. great transitional album from their 70s sound into their 80s sound.

I can’t really remember how I felt about it so I’m taking that as it was very neutral for me

What can you say? I mean it's Rush. Everyone has heard at least the intro to Tom Sawyer and others know XYZ and Limelight. The rest of the album fits well around it. The instrumentation is tight with three amazing musicians all playing off of one another. It's worth the listen and worth the delve into their other albums!

First album on this odyssey that is entirely new to me. It's also entirely forgettable. I mean it's fine, I have no particular objections, but no particular desire to ever hear it again. It's kind of prog-adjacent but far less interesting and saddled with that horrible tinny guitar effect that was popular with soft rock bands in the 80s.

tom sawyer é uma grande música viu? bom álbum 3,5

Kinda mid outside of Tom Sawyer...

Cover 6 Good album. Musically, it's great. Lyrically, it's ok. Sometimes it seems like the songs are unnecessarily long for the sake of being long. Or the lyrics were really an after thought.

Cool.

This is me discovering I'm not all that into prog-rock. Some of the songs drag on too much for my liking, quite a whiny voice but some impressive guitars save it from a 1.

**An ok album, many tracks with loud vocals and banging instruments. A few pleasant easy listening tracks

Rush aren't a band I was familiar with musically. I know them and their rep for being excellent musicians. Listening to this album confirms that at least. I found it much more accessible than I had expected too. Certainly worth a listen and probably quite a good jumping off point for getting into their catalogue.

the best!

Amazing musicians, terrible music.

An absolute classic. The singing isn't my favorite but it works. I appreciate this album so much for how much it has influenced. Crazy they were doing this in 81.

This is all time. Its a classic. Every song is good. Obviously, Tom Sawyer and YYZ are the strongest. They blow my mind every time. I was really into Limelight this time around. That song is really cool and powerful. I don't really gravitate to Rush very often. Though I've listened to this record many time, its still just not really my jam. However, its undeniable how freaking good and tight this record is. Its perfect. The drums are incredible, the guitar is transformative, the bass is all over the place. It just rocks. They landed the plane.

Slappa da bass! 3.5 rounded up for Canadian pride.

The vocals don't do much for me but it's instrumentally pretty incredible. Fav tracks: YXZ, Limelight. Saved a song: N RYM: Y (#368)

Decent

It should be noted that I was staring at a growing list of cancelled trains while listening to this album. But the daily grind can only partly account for the frustration and exasperation which characterised this morning. Also to blame was the tuneless, edgeless, pointless, regressive crap that was coming out of my headphones. I don't have any time for cock prog. In a different setting kitschy sci-fi bleeps and bloops can really be my thing. In this one they felt tacked on. An afterthought, hoping to provide some character to the bland soloing. Maybe I'm projecting, as Southwest trains, sadly, cannot be avoided - but Rush, thankfully, can.

Mid 3 Fun one this

I enjoyed some bits of this, screeching guitars, drums fills, tempo changes and electronic beep boops, but I couldn't get fully on board with it and couldn't finish it. But some of the instrumentals reminded me of Mariokart and I like Mariokart.

Truly impressive solos. I think they had a lot of fun recording that album and you can definitely hear that. For just 3 guys they pulled off an amazing sound.

Great classic rock album

6/10 Unfortunate for Rush they were the day after the Masters, Led Zeppelin. Whereas Led Zeps genius seems to be so easy, Rush feel like they have to force everything a little bit too much. It is all a bit too clever and you can really see their workings at times. Still, enjoyable rock music for sure

Eh.. I like prog, but not this kind. People seem to be silly for this band and I don't see the fuss. It's like Zappa, but more vanilla. Super "musical" ie. lots of notes, but without the personality (take it or leave it) of Zappa.

Kind of experimental, but not in a particularly interesting way. May have been something different at the time, but now feels like very generic prog rock.

Interesting sounds! 3.5. I especially like Tom Sawyer but I already heard it.

Good stuff.

Nah mate. Generic rock/metal - not for me.

it was fine, very 80s rock but nothing particularly exciting for me 4/10

Tom Sawyer was stuck in my head for hours! I actually really enjoy his singing voice and the keyboard is iconic, but the songs were really long. A bit too much instrumental for me.

This is one of my favorite rock albums period. Every song rules. I can literally sing all the notes of the guitar and bass solos on “YYZ,” that’s how much I’ve listened to this. Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Neil Peart, all at the top of their game. The first four songs are all rock masterpieces, and the second half of the album is a little proggier and just as good. Must-listen #246.

It’s a classic for a reason, but very different than the stuff I typically listen to. I enjoyed it. Solid B+

Not for me thought it was a poor man’s Pink Floyd

Movies.

Good

So good!

This album is just so flippin good.

Great Songs: Tom Sawyer, Limelight, The Camera Eye, The Witch Hunt, Vital Signs Good Songs: Red Barchetta, YYZ Mid Songs: Bad Songs:

I'm not a big Rush fan. The songs are all just a tad too long and really aren't all that interesting.

Superb album. Their most accessible and arguably their best.

En başta pek bana geçmedi ama ortalarda ve sonda güzel parçalar vardı. Kesinlikle bir ara tekrar dinleyeceğim bir albüm.

Loved everyone of the songs!

Good album, I've heard a fair amount of these songs before. Liked it overall

Just magnificent.

I absolutely adore this album. I don't even really listen to a ton of other Rush but I never had the chip on my shoulder about Geddy Lee's voice. This is legitimately on of my favorite albums. Maybe on my desert island 25 or so. That said it ain't perfect and my personal bias aside the last two tracks are weaker than the bulk of the album. It's so damn close to being a "perfect prog album" while still remaining approachable and I don't think I've ever heard anyone give it that due? That's a difficult trick to pull given the nature of the genre. Red barchetta is the standout track for me. As perfect of a story song as I know of. Totally frivolous and fun.

The guitar in this is amazing

Amazing album, loved every second. Such a great example of artistry in their genre.

8/10 Favorite: Limelight

Day 2: Best tracks: Tom Sawyer, Limelight, YYZ, Vital Signs No skips! I’ve loved this album since high school, and it holds up 25 years since I first heard it, start to finish. Moving Pictures is the most apt album title in Rush’s discography. Each track is full of imagery and is never boring. 10/10.

Such a complete album.

Rush never clicked with me back in the 80s. Although I was partial to a bit of prog, their mix of twiddly-diddly keyboards, earthquake level drums and a weird Canadian bloke singing Ayn Rand inspired libertarian sci-fi songs in a high pitched voice didn’t exactly appeal. I listened to the Dolby Atmos remaster of this and while the musicianship is undeniably impressive, especially Neil Peart’s drumming on the instrumental track YYZ, there are still far too many notes for my taste and the whole thing feels a bit cold and clinical. Atlas Shrugged-tastic!

Yksi kovimmista ja ikonisimmista progerokkilevyistä mitä on tehty. Vaikka tämäkin levy on tullut rullattua satoja kertoja läpi, niin tuntuu että jokaisella kuuntelukerralla sieltä löytyy vieläkin uusia puolia, sointuja, säveliä ja kilinää! Tom Sawyer täydellinen aloitusbiisi joka asettaa kuulijan yksisarvisen musiikkihevosen satulaan

Periaatteessa ihan jeppis, mutta liekö sitä nykyajan kikkelirimputtelun kyllästämä kun aika peruskamana tämä rekisteröityi aivoihin. Ainakin chorus-kauppias oli kitaristin paras kaveri jos ei muuta. Ihan kivaa tunnelmointia.

Hyvin jätkät painaa menemään ja homma toimii. Ei ihan ygösellä vielä pysty lopullista mielipidettä sanomaan, mutta on tämä nyt selkee nelonen ainakin.

YUP teki joskus alkuaikoinaan biisin Geddy Lee Sucks, mut eihän se kaveri tän perusteella nyt mahottomasti oo bebasta. Hyvä levy tämon ja persoonallinen ilme välittyy. Monta ikivihreetäkin saatu mahutettua mukaan. Ei nyt kuitenkaan mikään "tämä on minun mielestäni ihanan hyvä älbymi". Rusikaani on kovaa tykittelyä, mutta silti aika poppista. Joku vois sanoo, että semisti kädenlämpöstä. No se sen varmaan tekee ettei oo mikään vitkun juttu. Kuitenkin nelkkukelkku.

Parhaat palat Rushista ja vielä erinomainen live veto Temples of Syrinxistä. Aivan mahtava kokonaisuus.

Vähän liian monimutkaista musaa näin yksinkertaiselle miehelle. Kuuntelin levyn itseasiassa kaksi kertaa, ensin taustamusana töiden parissa ja sitten toisen kerran ihan rauhassa. Jos olisin jättänyt pelkästään taustamusana kuuntelun varaan, niin olisi ollut kaksi tähteä, mutta kyllähän tästä sitten alkoi ihan nyansseja löytymään kun oikein keskittyi kuuntelemaan. Tykkäsin itseasiassa tosi paljon laulajan äänestä, toi ihan erilaisen syvyyden tähän kokonaisuuteen, kun vertaa siihen että olisi ollut äänessä joku "rajumpi" laulumies. Ehkä ei kuitenkaan vielä kahdella kuuntelulla kokonaisuus sen enempää hahmottunut, että voisi kolmea tähteä enempää antaa. Varovaisesti kyllä jatkoon. Rushilta ei siis itselleni ole entuudestaan mikään muu biisi tuttu, kun tällä levylläkin oleva Tom Sawyer.

Rush is one of my favorite bands, but I want to do my best to write a review that addresses the strengths and weaknesses of Moving Pictures because I feel like both the Rush haters and the Rush lovers can be a bit disingenuous when it comes to the band's more controversial aspects (looking at you, top reviewers). I'm one of those folks who actually likes Geddy Lee's voice. He isn't a bad singer, but I admit he does have an unconventional voice. What I like is that his voice is expressive. So many Rush haters like to say that Rush is "soulless" because they are technically adept. In the same breath, they contradict themselves by complaining that Geddy Lee doesn't have the voice of an operatic tenor. He isn't out there singing virtuosically--he's singing his soul out. Now, Geddy's bass/synth/whatever else and Neil Peart's drumming and Alex Lifeson's lead guitar can be more honestly accused of technicality, but technicality and expression are not mutually exclusive. That is the same talking point that is used to discriminate in the classical music world against Asian musicians: because they may be technically proficient, they're criticized for lacking some mystical aspect of musicality that western musicians must have by rite of being descendants of Beethoven or some stupid shit (sorry to get on my soapbox for a moment there). All that to say that critics of Rush's technical abilities rarely point to identifiable parts of the music that are "lacking soul," they just point to the fact that Neil Peart, Geddy Lee, and Alex Lifeson are good at what they do as an apparent reason. That is not a good reason. Anyway, Moving Pictures. Because I like Geddy's voice and I think it is expressive, I tend to actually enjoy the songs with vocals more than the ones without. Tom Sawyer, Red Barchetta, Limelight are perfect examples of Geddy just wailing out sounds that tell me what to feel before I even understand the words he is singing. I've listened to Red Barchetta and Limelight upwards of 100 times in my short lifetime, and I probably still don't know all the lyrics because, to a certain extent, it doesn't matter to hear every word. I understand enough to know what the songs are about, but Geddy's *voice* fills in the emotional, expressive details. I mentioned Tom Sawyer there for a moment, and I should say that I do think this song is a bit overrated. It's good, but I don't think it is the greatest song on this album. I think it unfortunately acts as an example for people to point at and say that all Rush is is changing time signatures and Neil Peart playing 30-something drums. I find songs like Red Barchetta to be far more enjoyable. Neil Peart usually wrote the lyrics for Rush, so I assume he wrote these. Even if I don't agree with all of his inspiration material (cough Ayn Rand cough), I like the approach he uses in writing lyrics. He draws inspiration from fantasy, science fiction, literature, philosophy, and I think he comes up with interesting ways of conveying a narrative through his words (and the music). In Red Barchetta, even though there are only slight allusions to fictional concepts (we don't know what the "Motor Law" is, really), the lyrics, Geddy's expression, and the driving rhythms of Rush's music truly illustrate another world that is able to be filled in by my imagination. The back half of Moving Pictures is much weaker. Limelight is a great song, though, and this weakness comes from the last three tracks. Limelight is an example of one way I think Rush (with Moving Pictures specifically) is actually a much more accessible "prog" group than they are made out to be by critics. Limelight is a song. It is verse - pre-chorus - chorus. Many of Rush's songs conform to a pretty typical verse-chorus song structure. They certainly have albums that lean into more experimental and harder-to-follow forms, but for the most part, they write songs (especially on this album). The Camera Eye is alright, but Geddy actually takes it back a step and sings more conventionally here. If you have a problem with his voice, maybe listen to this one and see if you like it. His voice certainly has the same timbre as usual, but he lays back a bit and matches the relaxed tone of the song's middle section. There are a few moments in Camera Eye where the transitions between sections are very abrupt. I can see this as being an honest example of Rush's technicality being a hinderance to enjoying the music. I don't feel anything when they're jumping back and forth between instrumental sections on this one. Witch Hunt is more enjoyable to listen to, but Neil (I assume) was too blunt with the lyrics in this instance. In the first half or so, he does a great job of evoking feelings about the hunted, persecuted "others" in the song, and the tone of the music matches these themes. But the last two verses really just try to hammer their point in with direct mentions of immigrants and infidels, and I think he should have just stuck with the metaphor and imagery from the first few verses. Vital Signs is probably the worst song on this album. The reggae influence is incredibly obvious while not being executed well at all. I agree with the one reviewer that Alex Lifeson plays the rhythm guitar very stiffly here, and I just don't feel like the band is completely into it. Geddy simultaneously attempts to sing in his style while adopting a reggae lilt, and it doesn't work. At all. I don't have anything positive to say about this one. Despite loving Rush, I can't give this album a 5. On merit of the first 4 tracks, it's great, 5/5. The B side is just so mediocre in comparison, with the last track bordering on bad, that I could never call this album perfect. 5/5 is the perfect ideal of an album that I want to listen to straight through with no skips and still feel that I could get more out of the music on multiple listens, many times over. I don't think I can do that here with the quality of the B side being as it is.

While I dislike Tom Sawyer, the rest of this album is actually pretty great. I was surprised. I've never really listened to Rush beyond the hits that occasionally get played out and about.

- sem fillers, traz novas ideias o tempo todo, com texturas, ritmos e arranjos diferentes - músicos habilidosos e produção muito boa - além disso tem várias pedradas, como tom sawyer, yyz e vital signs

Now you’re talking! Definitely belongs on a list of greatest albums of all time. An iconic album.

I know people rave about Rush but I just don't get it.

Rocking

tom sawyer- 5 red barchetta- 5 yyz- 4 or 5 limelight- 4 or 5 camera eye- 4 witch hunt- 4 or 5 vital signs- 4

Nerd rock

as interesting and innovative as it is tedious and traditional. certainly didn't hate it but wanted to skip most songs about half way through, no matter how "intricate," i think their ingredients simply don't suit my taste. talented musicians, i do like the singer's voice, but the vocal melodies are quite limited (even though the singer has a very unique range) and i do love the drama and size, but the flavors don't land. The drumming is exuberant but doesnt quite move me. the guitar is pretty generic outside of solos and i'm not crazy about the tone. probably has to do too much lifting. i like the synth work and patches and textures on the album, plus the sound effects. perhaps it's a good example of what differentiates prog rock from jazz fusion maybe? even though it sounds like it should be the same thing? not bad, not for me. vital signs and witch hunt were nice surprise songs

Good! Not totally my vibe but I listened twice and the guitar solo song is really, really good.

Undeniably great. Synthesizes everything they'd done up til this point magnificently well.

Before this I really did not like Geddy Lee’s voice, but man, this is an absolute banger through and through. Did not know YYZ was Rush, also, so there’s that. Maybe this is what growing up is

Rush taking a bit more of a radio-friendly shift on this album, like Limelight, which has a kind of arena rock sound. There's plenty of those radio rock sounds but they manage to retain their own personality, with dynamism like the nice harmonics on Red Barchetta Each member is absurdly good at their instruments. It's not overly flashy or wanky and everybody gets their moment I don't dislike Geddy Lee's voice but it can get a bit tiring, and I get why people don't like it. Om the other hand though, I can't imagine anybody else singing for Rush For me the end of the album could be better. Vital Signs is a bit of a weird closer, the album just kind of stops and that's it Highlights: Red Barchetta, Tom Sawyer, YYZ

not gonna lie, that lowkey sucked hated pretty much every second of it and couldnt finish it😭 idkkkk every song sounded the same and it just made me like really bored and yeah just not a fan

good album, enjoyable

1. tom - 0 2. red - 0 3. y -1 4. Lime -1 5. Camera -0 6. Witch - 1 7. Signs - 1

Man I don't get why people like rush

This grew on me. Apparently Rush are musical Marmite but this was very middle of the road on first listening. A high 3/low 4, especially ‘Tom Sawyer’, ‘The Camera Eye’ and ‘Witch Hunt’, and I’m feeling generous today :-)

Not for me

"Tom Sawyer" is so damn good. I believe the synth used is (without looking) the Oberheim OB-X that Geddy uses a lot. Fuckin' love the OB-X. Love "Limelight." Enjoy all the rest as well. Rush makes me feel really comfortable. Even too comfortable for certain company. If I'm alone, Rush is like pajamas and a blanket. Cozy and nerdy and satisfying.

Wonderful album front to back. An absolute classic.

Couple classics but bad memories of Pete mares blasting this over and over freshman year at JMU

First side I enjoyed. Falls apart thereafter.

These were the Rush tunes on my high school radio station, and my verdict is pretty much the same now as it was then: some great moments, Geddy Lee's voice periodically shines through, but way too much self-important prog-ish noodling.

I can't believe I made it through an entire Rush album. It gets a couple of stars for technical skill and Geddy Lee being a mensch and a big Blue Jays fan, but don't make me do it again.

I understand why people like it…not for me though.

now i understand my father's obsession with this band.

So cheesy but so good. Only Canadians can get away with this. Very mystical at the end of the album. The epitome of nerd rock

Never really listened to anything from Rush before, but this was a nice, fun album. Felt like a nice mix between 80s pop rock and some progressive rock as well, which all meshed well together. The album was also really consistent in quality and sound and didn't drag on too much. Also, what the fuck does evelate mean? Best Song - The Camera Eye

This album was a great listen and a breath of fresh air after a string of bad and mediocre albums. Lyrically fantastic with great musicianship across the board. I will say I wasn't the biggest fan of the vocalist, but my issues with his voice really only applied to a couple of songs. Overall I thought this was a great listen and really enjoyed the back and forth between instrumental jam tracks and the songs containing lyrics. It was a nice way to showcase the talents of all the band members.

Good album, I enjoyed this listen through. I forgot how much filler was on this album though. Easy to tell it’s a blueprint for a lot of prog, people like Danny Carey definitely make a lot more sense after hearing this album. 3.5/5

I’m scared to rate this 5 stars because in my experience, once an algorithm knows you like Rush that’s all it feeds you.

I enjoyed this one so much, didn't remembered I heard them before.

Another big nostalgia trip. Bryan LOVED these guys and this album and it was playing all the time at the Luizzi house for the 80s…never my favorite but love the memories.

This album starts off so strong with those first 3 songs and then sort of coasts into redundancy.

De todas las bandas míticas de prog-rock, está la tenía en el limbo. Quizás porque su disco más exitoso salió precisamente a comienzos de los 80, cuando los oídos de la prensa musical ya estaban totalmente dirigidos al fenómeno MTV y al pop-rock y synth-pop de la década. “Moving Pictures” sí recibió buenas críticas por parte de la prensa especializada pero no llegó a las listas de éxitos de España con fuerza. Escuchados ahora intuyo una fuerte influencia de Yes, aunque con menos tendencia a presumir de virtuosismo. Podemos decir que son menos sinfónicos pero más rockeros. Para muchos es un álbum esencial de rock progresivo, a mí me cuesta meterlo en el top 10, pero es un gran disco seguro.

Ahhh I'm a sucker for progressive stuff.

Remarkably, this is the first time I’ve listened to a Rush album and quite enjoyed it - maybe the wind was blowing in the right direction, or perhaps I pressed play at the very moment the meds kicked in. I’ve tried to like Rush on many occasions and failed miserably - I often like the music, but that voice! I just can’t get to grips with it. Mercifully, it seemed quite toned down on this record - he sounds less like a Muppet on helium which helped me to enjoy things a little more. Growing up, I always had Rush down as a metal band, but musically, this sounds like a lot of contemporary prog bands. As a Porcupine Tree fan, I can really hear their influence. I’ve long since written Rush off as a band I might like, but this record might yet prove to be a way in…

If you had asked me what I think of Rush yesterday I would probably have said something about overblown proggy garbage. In all honesty that was probably coming from a place of ignorance. I have now listened to (nearly all of) this album and can say I was quite correct.

5 stars no notes. My favorite Rush album.

This record is very good. It’s taken some time, me and Rush, but I’m making up for lost time.

This, and Signals, are peak Rush in my opinion. Red Barchetta, baby.

Increíble

Ok, better after each listening.

If you like Rush this is their crowning achievement. If you don’t like Rush you can probably get down with Tom Sawyer and YYZ and the rest will kind of bore you. That’s pretty much where I sit

I’ve never listened to Rush until now and I was very pleasantly surprised at how accessible these songs were for the generally prog epics that they were. Coupled with some incredible musicianship, it makes for a really interesting 40 mins and is one I’ll be looking out for the vinyl of in car boot sales from now on to add to my collection.

O álbum que já começa com um hit gigantesco e mesmo assim mantém o nível altíssimo nas outras faixas só pode ser 5 estrelas. Celest Phoenixcall .

I guess I'm old enough to like Rush now! Really cohesive album and enjoyable listen, I'll be checking it out again.

Straight down the middle of the road, not bad, but nothing special

Easy 5. This album is an all time classic! Compently put together and just a good time overall.

Much like a lot of the entries on the 1,001 albums to hear before you die, I was late getting into Rush. There was a time when Geddy Lee’s voice irritated me so much, I couldn’t enjoy the music. I guess after some loud concerts and several decades of listening to headphones/earbuds, my hearing eroded enough that I learned to appreciate Lee’s voice. Beyond the uniquely high voice, there wasn’t anything not to like about Rush. Great songs, weird lyrics, Alex Lifeson’s guitar work was impeccable and drummer Neil Peart was a god among men. Hell, old Neil even wrote the bulk, if not all, of the lyrics to Rush songs when he joined the band. By the time Moving Pictures came around Rush was at the height of their powers. I’m not sure they were exactly radio superstars, but they sure as heck fire became radio superstars with the rise of classic rock stations. I’d swear I’d heard 5-6 of the songs on Moving Pictures on the radio. I know Tom Sawyer and Limelight were classic rock royalty, but Red Barchetta and the Camera’s Eye both sounded so familiar. What’s funny is, Vital Signs was released as a single, but I have no memory of hearing it on the radio. I have a hard time listing my favorite song from the album because it's full of my favorite all-time Rush songs. Tom Sawyer and Limelight get all the pub, but I love Red Bachetta as an album track. It’s about a future where cars are illegal, but the singer has an uncle who keeps a red barchetta at a farm in the country and the singer goes out there sometimes just to drive and feel the wind in his hair. I mean, it's a great story, and a story quickly becoming reality, it seems. Limelight is about Peart’s trying to adjust from going to a “nobody” to being a “somebody.” While Tom Sawyer just makes me think of “The Modern Day Warrior” Kerry Von Erich. The album has an 80’s feel to it. Rush subtly introduces synths to their music without you even really noticing. They were great at changing their sound from album to album just enough that you wouldn’t really notice for like three albums. If you’re a rock fan and have never heard Rush, this album is a great start. If you’re not a rock fan but want to see why Rush fans are insane, this album is a great start. It’s arguably a perfect album with no filler. As for hearing it before you die, you should listen to it before I finish typing this.

What about the voice of Geddy Lee How did it get so high? I wonder if he speaks like an ordinary guy? I know him and he does

huckleberry bums

Rush always ends up being a marginally better listen than I expect.

Never could get into Rush.

-.-- -.-- --..

Nope

I really enjoy Rush because they can create a massive wall of sound with just three guys. And they're all incredible players of their respective instruments.

Historically I didn't like Rush, Geddy Lee's vocals just kinda annoyed me. However, I've grown a lot since the last time I listened to Rush and I was pleasantly surprised by this record. It opens with "Tom Sawyer", and I'm not sure that there's many opening songs for a record. "Red Barchetta" was a better track than the opener. "YYZ" was my favorite track thus far. "Limelight" is great. It's got a damn good groove and Lee's vocals are the best on the record. Excellent song. "The Camera Eye" is the only true epic on the album and it does not disappoint. Lifeson's guitar work is stellar and Peart's drumming is excellent as always. "Witch Hunt (Part III of Fear) was also pretty good. I really liked "Vital Signs" as well. This record was a very good prog record from the early 80s and kinda made me "get" Rush.

the cover is cooler than the music

Sauceometer: Upper Borderline Vibe: Relating to/feeling like your father What was I doing: commuting to Work in New York for the first time/taking a walk during my lunch break Favorite Song(s): Tom Sawyer/YYZ

turns out , as I learnt from this project, I didn't love progressive rock coming in, or knew exactly what it was. It's not my fav genre, and this album was a miss for me at the start. However, after a few playbacks i came around to it more and ended up enjoying a few tracks specially on side B.

It's a masterpiece of prog rock. Solid from front to back.

Has it aged well compared to similar bands? I'm not sure, it's just the start of my musical journey!

When this came out a friend of mine put it down, claiming the days of prog rock were over. I responded with a noncommittal response while secretly think these guys were brilliant. They have not only stood the test of time, but the first half stakes out their right to the top niche in their genre. good stuff.

I thought this might be one where it was better than I remembered, but it was not :(

Album 926 of 1089 Rush - Moving Pictures (1981) Rating : 5 / 5 Today’s album was Moving Pictures by Rush - and this is the one I’ve been waiting for. It’s long been near the top of my list of favorite albums, and hearing it again didn’t disappoint in the slightest. The songs, the performance, the production - all top-notch. It’s one of those rare albums that hits every mark and still feels fresh no matter how many times you’ve heard it. This listen hit differently because I’ve been anticipating it for so long. The memories it brings back are just as powerful as the music itself. Some albums become great because of nostalgia alone, but this one doesn’t need that crutch - it’s truly great on its own merits. The musicianship is off the charts, with Geddy, Alex, and Neil each showing exactly why they’re legends. And yes, it still inspires plenty of air-drumming, air-guitar, and air-bass moments all these years later (am I right, Mike Hughey and Tim Lambdin?). If you know, you know — Moving Pictures isn’t just an album, it’s an experience. For me, this one will likely sit right at the top when this whole project wraps up.

Frábær.

Utter guff. Was expecting some hands in the air soft rock. Not prog rock wank. I thought my musical tastes were maturing but that was a real struggle.

Aware of Rush but not listened to the album before. Maybe I don't like prog rock after all. Alternating between boring and screechy, the synths and guitars seemed to be in a direct fight for supremacy of a load of disjointed noise.

i understand neil peart is one of the greatest drummers of all time but i just didn’t like this and i didn’t like the vocals at all

Mwehh, not bad, it just feels forgettable.

A fantastic album, where most of the songs already played on classic rock stations. The only song I'm disappointed with is Camera's Eye, because it sounds too close to part of Red Barchetta, my favorite Rush song. Still, it's always good to listen to. 4/5

I should really like Rush. I just don't and not sure why. Mad respect, but I just can't get into it.

Fitting I got this one considering they just announced their new tour with a new drummer. Speaking of drummers, all drummers/wannabe drummers need to listen to this one. Neil Peart's stick work is mind blowing and this is one of the best drum albums of all time. A pure classic. Oh Canada! 🇨🇦

A huge concert draw since the mid-1970s, Rush were one of the few progressive-rock acts to successfully respond to new wave. In 1980, the Ontario trio streamlined their sound with seventh studio LP Permanent Waves, which reflected influences such as The Police, Talking Heads, and Peter Gabriel's solo work. It featured “Spirit Of Radio,” an exuberant blend of pop, metal, and ska which showed that lyricist and drummer Neil Peart could write songs with universal themes. The band were also experimenting with nonstandard instrumentation. High-pitched singer and bassist Geddy Lee was now credited with Mini Moog, Oberheim polyphonic, and Taurus pedal synthesizers. He would multitask onstage, using all his limbs to recreate the record’s technological advances. The followup was even more accomplished—notwithstanding the lame visual pun uniting its title and cover photo. Moving Pictures opens with the FM radio staple “Tom Sawyer.” This anthemic ode to individualism stacks virtuoso guitarist Alex Lifeson’s heavy riffs against a gleaming electronic backdrop, while Peart fires off rapid percussion rolls in support. Lee’s melodic vocal illuminates the plea for privacy “Limelight,” while “Vital Signs” marries a dramatic refrain to futurist reggae.” The Camera Eye” sees a return to winding epic mode, but with an urban rather than fantasy setting. Moving Pictures has now been certified quadruple platinum, the biggest selling album of their 30-plus years (and counting) career.

Bit repetitive and not my kind of music but I can appreciate the quality. Also incredible guitar performance 👍

Good album solid riffs nice vocals. Some of it sounds dated but it's great prog rock probably their best album IMO

richtig gut

Polished prof. Mildly pretentious.

Cheesy af. Might have loved this as a teenager but not now. Don't hate it by any means though.

Rush, the one prog band I really can’t stand. That voice is horrible and there is just too much “difficult” musicianship purely to show off. Often there is no musical purpose other than “check this crazy riff” or “look at me, drumsoloing”. All respect for Neil Peart but come on

Very tight, very technical, very intelligent, and very bloody good. Love the drum work.

had heard of before but never listened

I've tried my whole life to like Rush. I know they are beloved by many but I just can't get into it. This album has the two radio hits that I know and they are solid. I have no doubt that these three guys are super talented, I just don't enjoy those talents much.

Todays Tom Sawyer...mean mean pride!

Classic Rush. Some of my favorite songs from this album

Repeat listen

Makes you see why punk came to the forefront

5/5

Interesting, but I think I have to listen to it more to dig it

would be 5 a if not for some bad vocals, i loved the instrumentals.. very unique in a good way

Very good record that was an integral part of my youth. Didn't have any single song that was the equal of "Spirit of Radio" (nor does anyone else), but showed how ready they were to depart on a new journey that was heavily influenced by the Police. The last record of their golden era before they became covered in synths.

Really fun listen on this one. Some classics and the whole thing really cements why Rush is so well regarded.

Best Track - "Limelight"

Für mich zu hart

Rush has never been my cup of tea but I recognize talent.

2025-10-15: I made a mistake listening to this album sore and tired: I spent quite a bit of time thinking that I should stop, take a shower and get something to eat and drink, and then get back to it; but I didn't. Some songs felt a little too long or perhaps repetitive, but even so I wasn't quite wishing them to end. Familiarity and nostalgia with the type of music upped the score, which might have been higher if my head had been in a better place … or maybe, just maybe, lower if it hadn't been upped by echoes of the past.

I've never cared for Rush and listening to this album solidified my opinion. Geddy Lee's voice sounds like sheet metal being crammed into a woodchipper. Synthesizers were annoying as well.

Okay, Rush, I’m sold. For the longest time, I was kind of put off by them. Maybe it was Geddy Lee’s falsetto that didn’t sit right with me, or maybe it was some of his comments about other musicians leaning too much into fantasy. Whatever the reason, I never really gave them the chance they deserved. But Moving Pictures changed that. This album is solid. I get why they have such hardcore fans now. Lee’s bass lines are phenomenal, Neil Peart’s drumming is on another level, and the whole band plays with such precision that it’s almost impossible not to get swept up in it. It’s also no accident that this is often considered Rush’s masterpiece. Their most polished, focused, and accessible album. It balances progressive rock complexity with arena-ready hooks, making it not just a high point in their catalog but maybe one of the defining rock albums of the early ’80s.

Seems like young people from this era got broken up into two different groups, you were either into psychedelic rock like The Grateful Dead, Doors, Hendrix, Zeppelin, Floyd or you went the way of getting drunk at parties and were more likely to listen to Rush, AC/DC, Yes, Three Dog Night. I grew up with the first group but the second group received more radio time. So of course I was familiar with half this Rush Album. I get the attraction. These are outstanding musicians making some really rocking tunes. At the end of the day I’m just not in love with Geddy Lee’s vocals. I don’t dislike it, but it’s not an album of first choice. That’s why it gets 4 stars.

Not a Rush fan but I can see the skills.

Am I a bad Canadian if Rush isn’t my favourite band? Eh… 3.5/5

Ein beeindruckendes Album, das ich respektiere, jedoch eher für Liebhaber: Innen von Prog-Rock, nicht für mein persönliches Dauer-Playlist-Abo.

Meh. Couple of interesting moments

Possibly the best Rush album, which is saying a lot. Right off the bat is my personal favorite Rush song, followed by another solid track. Then YYZ, one of the best rock instrumentals. And then another solid track with Limelight. If the album ended right there it would be a solid 5/5. While the rest isn’t as good as the first four tracks, they’re no slouch, either. A masterclass in what a rock album should be.

I had never listened to an entire rush album. This was great.

I dig this era of Rush. All the way through it's a radio friendly prog that hooks me in. This is the era I'd have loved to have seen them live.

Cool blend of synths and guitars. Sounds very 80s, but I can tell how this album influenced a few artists who came after.

YYZ GH2 PTSD

Prog rock is unlistenable IMO

I get why people dislike 'Prog Rock'. If you are after 'instant gratification' then it's not the musical genre you're looking for, it often lacks the 'hook' that will drag you in during a casual listen. Fair enough. I've had this album knocking around my collection for a number of years. It isn't my favourite Rush album. For many reasons, including some personal ones, that distinction goes to 'A Farewell to Kings' which isn't on this list. In general I prefer the band's earlier albums. This is listenable. I wouldn't kick it off the turntable but it isn't something that I choose to play often and that is telling. 3/5 for an 'OK' score. Were I allowed to I'd give it 3.5/5.

After Tom Sawyer, I lost interest in the album

This is one of the best prog rock albums of all time

Not fan of the genre and this album did not change that

It looks like my streak of great albums has ended. I still think "Moving Pictures" is a nice record, though. It doesn't compare to Rush's titular song on their other album, "2141". Perhaps, 80s prog rock isn't my cup of tea. Let's see what album I get next time. 3 stars for "Moving Pictures".

Not a fan of their sound but appreciate their talent

My #1 album of all time!!! Perfect!!

Not bad! Other than limelight and Tom Sawyer it didn’t really engage me that much.

Reminds me of my childhood friends’ weird older brothers. Technically, I guess it’s a good record. Technically.

Rush always delivers. While not as technical as some of their other albums, I still enjoyed all the tracks.

I was familiar with the hits like Tom Sawyer and Limelight, but was delightfully surprised at how solid this album is from start to finish.

Excellent from the album artwork through the last song.

I've already known "Tom Sawyer" and "Limelight". For the rest of the album I maybe need some more runs to get used to it. Nonetheless an interesting introduction and not an easy decision between three and four stars. 3,5

To my mind, this is the peak of prog rock, along with King Crimson's "In the Court of King Crimson". Maybe because it's a bit more accessible than a lot of others. Yes, it's "math rock" but also a bit more radio friendly. This is a great entry point for the genre. For those who want something a bit more traditional of the genre, the amazing "YYZ" is a major standout and doesn't disappoint.

Impressive but uninvolving. Which seems to be my standard response to Rush.

YYZ SUPREMECY 10/10

Fine

Gets old

Rush should really be exactly my kind of nerd shit, but I just can't get there

I tried to trade for this album back in 7th grade after I had borrowed it for a bit. The kid did not make the trade, and then I never bought the album. So I'm looking forward to this. The first 4 songs easily came back to me as ones I remember enjoying in my 1980s living room. Then a few that dragged until the end of the album. I'm stuck between a 3 and a 4. If I take out the nostalgia effect...

I enjoyed this one even more the second time through.

Very 80's rock is.all.I can say. Good album.for its time but nothing special.

Early math rock, I can appreciate it

More Rush. Still so serious. This is why we had to have punk rock.

not bad