MUSIC REVIEW: Permanent Waves by Rush

Release Date: January 1, 1980

Genre: Hard rock, progressive

Length: 35:35



Drumsticks make fine weapons. Just ask Neil Peart. If drumming was a martial art, he'd be a kung fu master. Just listen to this album for proof. But before I go in depth (ha) on this album,


It's story time.


"Playing Nintendo with the energy." That is NOT the correct lyricature, of course. It's just something I'll always remember about my first few times listening to "The Spirit of Radio." Also, Meatwad would make a terrific singer for a Rush cover band. But I digress.


A long time ago, before I had the intrawebs and digital music devices (it's funny how a computer is needed in some facet for both of those), I had a list. I mean, this was THE list. This list contained almost 250 pages of songs. When I started this list, all I could say I really knew about music was that Metallica were Gods. That was years ago, mind you. This list made me have to hunt down band names and song titles. Rush had songs, like many others, that the song title was either not in the lyrics or was incoherent to the untrained ear, so pin-pointing song titles becomes a pain in the ass when you have little to go on, especially when you don't know exact lyrics (case and point, read the first line of the previous paragraph)


I think the only thing that list taught me was the diversity of music I liked. For christ's sake, I'm a glorified metal head who has time for (certain) rap and country. The only thing that didn't was my opinion of Metallica. And I started that list AFTER St. Anger.


Rush does rank on my internal list of bands worth mentioning 'cause I consider myself a fan. Sadly, they fall in the second half of that list, around bands like Smashing Pumpkins and Foo Fighters. Mind you, I don't dislike those bands on some level or hold grades in the least amount possible. They just haven't fully "clicked" my mental switch that makes me go balls to the wall fanatical like I do for bands like t69l and CkY.


That said, Rush is pretty cool. Rush is in the top 5 exports of Canada, with hockey, Tim Hortons', and Ghastly's Ghastly Comic. This album, getting back to the point of it all, is pretty cool as well.


"The Spirit of Radio" and "Freewill" are songs that make me go, "Well, duh. Of course I like Rush" The rest of the album I'll have to elaborate on: meh.


That's not to incite any bad thoughts or anything. Nothing hits you just as strong as the first two. That being said, "Natural Science" 's beginning to make me need to piss something fierce.


Final Score


6.25/10. Not bad, just not that great, either.


P.S. Fuck Game Informer's grade scale of 10 for reviews does not mean 7 = C like school grades. 5 is average. 7 is good, 2.5 is for shit. 10 is Master of Puppets. 'Nuff said.