For Anne, my Counterpart (Counterparts - Rush)

Member Name: Crazy-Christian

Product:	Counterparts - Rush
Date:	04/08/01 (189 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: They're the greatest band in the world...

Disadvantages: ...aren't they?

For those of you who don’t know, Rush are (is? – I’m never sure about that one) the greatest band in the world – always have been, always will be. (This controversial streak is new – but I like it!) The Canadian three-piece has been going since the early seventies, ever evolving, sometimes hugely popular (well, relatively speaking!), other times almost disappearing into obscurity. They started out as nothing more than Led Zeppelin clones, obsessed with fantasy and science-fiction iconography (as song titles like By-Tor and the Snow Dog and 2112 suggest) before developing their own unique style. Long songs were the norm, the long instrumental sections highlighting the particular talents of the group, but gradually keyboards and synthesisers made their presence felt, the songs became shorter, the singing slightly less shrill.

The fans stuck by them, a solid core, thrilled by the journey the band was taking, determined to be along for the ride until the talent ran out. In the nineties they returned to their rock roots without sounding date. The only thing able to stop them? A devastating double tragedy that robbed one of the members of both his wife and his daughter in quick succession. They have, understandably, not recorded together since, but these friends, these counterparts, remain close, and when the time is right they may decide to continue their journey together. Their fans continue to wait patiently for them to heal.

***WHO ARE RUSH?***

Introducing:

Geddy Lee: Bass guitar, Vocals, Synthesisers

Whether you will like Rush or not all depends on one thing: what you think of Geddy’s vocals. He started out singing in a sort of falsetto voice, sounding not unlike Robert Plant. It has changed over the years, become more melodic but it is a very accented kind of singing and not everyone will like it. I think his voice is tremendous and suits the material that Rush play.

He is al
so the best bass guitarist in the world. This is open to debate but most music magazines who conduct polls on such things, whether by fans in general or professional musicians, seem to agree that Geddy is the best. Even people who hate Rush admit that they are instrumentalists of the highest order.

Alex Lifeson: Electric and acoustic guitars

Alex is never given as much credit as his fellow musicians. This is unfortunate and unfair as he is an excellent guitarist but unlike some he does not act flashy, but rather underplays, making sure the guitar suits the particular requirements of the song. He did get frustrated in the eighties when the guitar began to fade into the background and the electronic sounds took over, but once Rush started rocking again he let out all his frustration in some of the heaviest guitar you could hope to hear, while retaining his trademark subtlety.

Neil Peart: Drums, Cymbals, Electronic percussion

Neil is the most accomplished drummer in the world. Those same music magazines – they also come to the same conclusion when discussing drummers. Other drummers bow down before him in awe. All I know is that it sounds good, but other technically gifted drummers have commented that only a professional would realise exactly how difficult some of the things he was playing really were.

Neil also writes all the lyrics to the songs. I think he is the best lyric writer there is and I will quote copiously from this album to back this up. It is both poetic and clever without being smug and it fits the music of Lee and Lifeson perfectly.

Neil is the one who suffered the tragedy of two such great losses, one to cancer, one in a car crash. I cannot possibly imagine how he feels but my heart goes out to him. It was through our mutual love for this band that my wife and I began to become friends, and then even closer. I guess I have an emotional connection to Rush that transcends mere music. Anyway, thi
s op is dedicated to Neil Peart.

***THE ALBUM***

1. Animate (6:05)

"Spirit in my psyche
Double in my role
Alter in my image
Struggle for control

Mistress of the dark unconscious
Mermaid of the lunar sea
Daughter of the great enchantress
Sister to the boy inside of me

My counterpart - my foolish heart
A man must learn to rule his tender part
A peaceful state - a submissive trait
Man must learn to gently dominate"

I really want to repeat the entire lyric of this song because it is just wonderful. Is it about the relationship between men and women, written from his point-of-view about what his counterpart means to him? Technically, a ‘non-song’ (see my REM op - again!) but so good you never realise it. (It’s a bit like REM’s "Drive" in that respect.) There are three separate sections to this song, each sung differently, yet they blend together in perfect harmony. Perhaps the musical style of each section is meant to represent the essence of that part of the lyric - man, woman, both? Like most Rush songs, although there is loud, driving guitar, it isn’t allowed to be the focus of the song - rather, it gently dominates (I quite like that one!) It always seems to me that Rush are a rock band that women can enjoy as much as men - perhaps because of their intelligent, often poetic, lyrics? It also occurs to me that in many ways I am more interested in the lyrics of a song than the actual music - perhaps because I do not have a musical bone in my body and find it hard to describe? (10/10)

2. Stick It Out (4:30)

"Don’t swallow the poison - Spit it out
Don’t swallow your pride - Stick it out
Don’t swallow your anger - Spit it out
Don’t swallow the lies"

The aggressive guitar riff which starts this song sets the tone for the heaviest song on the album. An anthem appea
ling to the youth of the day to stand up for what they believe in and not to sell out. (9/10)

3. Cut To The Chase (4:49)

"It is the fire that lights itself
But it burns with a restless flame
The arrow on a moving target
The archer must be sure of his aim"

Distinctive guitar and bass, with the drums held in reserve, propel this song until the heavy guitar riff explodes. This song actually rekindles the seventies’ Rush sound for part of its duration, bookended by their more nineties’ kind of sound. Another great song, but while I would have once given it the full 10, now it only gets (9/10)

4. Nobody’s Hero (4:54)

"I didn’t know the girl but I knew her family
All their lives were shattered in a nightmare of brutality
They try to carry on, try to bear the agony
Try to hold some faith in the goodness of humanity

As the years went by, we drifted apart
When I heard that she was gone I felt a shadow cross my heart
But she’s nobody’s -
Hero - saves a drowning child
Cures a wasting disease
Hero - not the handsome actor
Who plays a hero’s role
Hero - not the glamor girl
Who’d love to sell her soul"

A quite magnificent achievement as Rush surpass themselves with both message and medium. The lyrics are enlightening and entreating, telling stories of sadness and nobility in the face of human frailty. This song is about what it really means to be a hero - not your media-manufactured actors, singers and sportstars, but everyday people who do extraordinary things. Musically, this stands out also. Slower, sparser, with some beautiful sweeping synths underlying the chorus and lovely strumming acoustic guitar, this is music for grown-ups; mature and intelligent. (10/10)

5. Between Sun And Moon (4:37)

"There is a fine line between love and illusion
A fine place to penetrate <
br>The gap between actor and act
The lens between wishes and fact

This is a fine place to hesitate
Those bonfire lights in the lake of sky
The time between wonder and why"

Like the previous song this seems to be about the difference between what is real and what is not. The imagery is strong and very poetic until the chorus when the writer seems so overcome that he becomes almost nonsensical. The music somehow manages to match the words perfectly. (8/10)

6. Alien Shore (5:45)

"You and I, we are strangers by one chromosome
Slave to the hormone, body and soul
For you and me - sex is not a competition
For you and me - sex is not a job description
For you and me - we agree"

Another song about the differences between men and women, a strong theme of the album. In this case, the two opposites are able to bridge their differences and add to each other to become more as a whole than either could individually. Hopefully, we will all continue to reach for the alien shore. (9/10)

7. The Speed of Love (5:03)

"Like a force of nature
Love can fade with the stars at dawn
Sometimes it takes all your strength
Just to keep holding on"

Definitely the worst song on the album. Sometimes I can listen to it and enjoy it, but other times I find it dull and somehow off-putting, although I can’t explain why. A simple, albeit intelligent, love song. (7/10)

8. Double Agent (4:51)

"Where would you rather be?
Anywhere but here
When will the time be right?
Anytime but now"

Things get back on track with this excellent song. Again, Geddy Lee adopts various styles of singing to match the mood of each section. The lyrics are Kafkaesque, not quite narrative enough to let you know what is going on but rather hinting through its use of images. (10/10)

9. Leave That Thing Alone (4:06)

The only inst
rumental on the album. In the old days this would have been over ten minutes long and used only for showing off their musical abilities, but this is shorter, tighter and more focused. It is one of the few instrumentals that I can actually hum in my head as it is has a strong musical identity independent of any lyrical association. (9/10)

10. Cold Fire (4:27)

"It was long after midnight When we got to unconditional love
She said sure, my heart is boundless But don’t push my limits too far
I said if love is so transcendent I don’t understand these boundaries
She said just don’t disappoint me - You know how complex women are
I’ll be around If you don’t let me down Too far"

Another strong song with a memorable melody and great lyrics. A couple discuss their relationship and highlight the differences between love songs and love in the real world. (9/10)

11. Everyday Glory (5:10)

"In the city where nobody smiles
And nobody dreams
In the city where desperation
Drives the bored to extremes"

The flip side of "Nobody’s Hero"; the frustrations of ordinary life can make it difficult for us all to be heroes but "if the future’s looking dark We’re the ones who have to shine". Quite a poppy song with lots of synth and a good finish to a great album. (9/10)

One of my strongest memories of this album coming out was it being reviewed in one of the rock magazines of the day. This mag had all of its reviewers rate all the new releases and then showed a table based on the average markings. This album came out in the same week as Metallica’s legendary "Black" album - and Rush came out tops!

Listening to the album again, and thinking about what I want to say about it, I have noticed new things about it that I had previously overlooked. It’s that type of album. The title is defined
(in the Concise Oxford Dictionary) as "person or thing forming natural complement to another". Obviously a reference to the band and their closeness but also a theme for the album with its references to men&women, reality&fantasy.

The packaging continues this theme referencing several counterparts in groups of twos and threes, e.g. phrases like "Hook Line Sinker", "Curly Larry Moe", "Faith Hope Charity" and pictures of things like a tortoise and a hare, hot and cold water taps, the head and tails of a coin. It makes much more sense when you’re looking at it!

I was in part challenged, or more accurately encouraged, by yhwman to do an op on Rush. Well, Mark, I’m not sure what you’ll make of them! I love bands that have been together for a long time and have a strong musical identity of their own, but I’m well aware that Rush are not to everyone’s taste. I’m not sure you’ll like their vocals or their songs but you will perhaps be impressed, as a fellow musician, by their skills playing their various instruments.

What I would say is that anyone listening to Rush for the first time should listen to any two of the following albums before making up their minds: Counterparts, Test For Echo, Presto and Roll The Bones. If you don’t get them by then you probably never will!

Most of all, I’ve learned that Rush are more special to me not just because of their brilliant music and lyrics which appeal equally to my heart and mind, but because they were a common bond between me and my wife-to-be, Anne, my counterpart...

(Aaahhhh!)

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