Rush
"Counterpart"
© Atlantic
September 29 - 05, 2024
Year of Release: 1993
Rating:
Animate
Stick It Out
Cut To The Chase
Nobody's Hero
Between Sun And Moon
Alien shore
The Speed Of Love
Double Agent
Leave That Thing Alone
Cold Fire
Everyday Glory
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During my high school years, one of the many popular bands that we all enjoyed was Rush. Of course, their beginnings
were well-remembered, with such songs as "Fly By Night," and their album 2112. But for me, it was their
Permanent Waves that got my full attention. Playing each song from that album was frequent. Moving Pictures
was the next album, and the hit from hit "Tom Sawyer." After that album, I had pretty much put Rush behind, as they
continued recording many albums into the next three decades. There were a few songs during that time I did remembering
hearing on the radio, such as "New World Man" (from Signals). In researching the #1 songs from Billboard's
Mainstream Rock chart, Rush had accomplished quite a few #1 hits from their later albums. And with Rush being one of my
favorite bands, it was obvious to rediscover them. Counterparts, released in 1993, achieved one of those future
#1 Mainstream hits - "Stick It Out." And, they had previous #1 Mainstreat Rock hits - "New World Man," "Show And
Tell" (from Presto) and "Dreamline" (from Roll The Bones). The band took it's most devasting
news, when drummer Neil Peart passed away in 2020, at the age of 67 from a three and half year illness. (He had retired
from touring in 2015.) Since Rush had always been enjoyed when I was much younger, it would be most reluctant to
rediscover Rush's later releases. This week, we look at one of those later releases - Counterparts.
Neil Peart's drumming kicks off the first track, "Animate" - a song that has the Alternate Hard Rock sound,
quite different than that of what we've been hearing from the early years of Rush. Even Geddy Lee's voice is different
as well. "Stick It Out" (the #1 hit) has an even more harder rock sound; heavy metal, as this sound was no where
compared to the early Rush. "Cut To The Chase" slows down the pace, as Geddy Lee's voice becomes recognizable,
and the music itself is another harder rock sound for Rush. "Nobody's Hero" starts out acoustic, and has a great
sound, yet it kicks into another hard rock style. That Geddy Lee voice and the hard rock style fits for "Between Sun
And Moon." "Alien Shore" is quite good, with Rush's "new" Rock sound, and Geddy's voice. "The Speed Of
Love" is another good tune, it's Rock n Roll. And "Double Agent" is another GOOD ROCK RUSH track. The album
keeps getting better, as "Leave That Thing Alone" is another good Rock track. It's an instrumental, as all three
members of Rush showcase their musical skills: Alex Lifeson (guitar), Geddy Lee (bass) and Neil Peart (drums). It's
great bumper music for radio show hosts. "Cold Fire" returns back to the vocals of Geddy Lee, and the "new" Rock
sound of Rush; another good Rock track. "Everyday Glory" ends the album, with Geddy's Lee unique and recognizable
voice, and Rush's great Rock sound.
Rush gets an updated sound, as most of it is Hard Rock; you could call it Heavy Metal. Then there are other (good)
songs that has the easily recognized voice of Geddy Lee. There isn't one bad song on this album. Rush hasn't lost
anything, as Counterparts is a very good album, for the Rush catalog, and for Rush fans, old and new alike.
It has all the lyrics to follow, as all of the songs were written by the members of Rush, all together (the exception
was the instrumental "Leave That Thing Alone." (Neil Peart was the lyricist for all the vocal tunes.)
Rush would accomplish one more #1 Mainstream Rock hit after Counterparts - the title track from "Test For
Echo." It was a good road to go back to, being a huge Rush fan, back in my early youth. Rush has rocked on, in those
years I've lost touch. Neil Peart may not be with us anymore, yet Rush's music will always live on. There is talk that
the survivng members of Rush, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson may reunite, but without Neil Peart, it's just not Rush.
Regardless, Rush's music will always Rock On!
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