Today, as I have done hundreds of times before, I treated my ears to Rush's first 1975 album, "Fly By Night". From the first notes of "Anthem", through the final notes of "In the End", this album has always been able to hold my attention, keep my (remaining) toes tapping, and my head nodding. This is early Rush at their absolute best. Not to mention it is the first album with the Professor on the drum-kit.
There are eight songs on the disc, and they run from metal ("Anthem", "Best I Can"), to prog ("By-Tor & the Snow Dog", "Beneath, Between & Behind"), to just plain beautiful ("Making Memories", and the fan-hated "Rivendell... one of my favorite Rush ballads of all time). Not only was this album the perfect progression for the band, coming out of their debut album, and tour, to the band they would be through the 70's.
I read somewhere that the first song Neil ever wrote the lyrics for in Rush was the title track, an absolute classic, that somehow went overlooked when the band moved out of the 70's, and into the more keyboard drenched songs of the 80's.
For a sophomore album, Rush were able to do something that many bands can not do, and that is to write and record an album that is, in nearly every way, superior to their debut release. The sound on the album is still crisp, and clear, all of these many years later. The production, courtesy of Terry Brown, is spot on. And the three musicians are playing as if they had all been playing together for years, and not just about a year (with Neil in the fold).
Many of these tracks were road tested on the band's tour of Canada, and the USA in 1974, and 1975. The title track, though a bit more interesting before the final version, is a well written masterpiece. And even though "By-Tor" lost its extended guitar solo, I think it works better as the studio version. Also, in the case of "Best I Can", it's a song that had been around, and unrecorded, from their days with John Rutsey still on the drums.
Many of these tracks were road tested on the band's tour of Canada, and the USA in 1974, and 1975. The title track, though a bit more interesting before the final version, is a well written masterpiece. And even though "By-Tor" lost its extended guitar solo, I think it works better as the studio version. Also, in the case of "Best I Can", it's a song that had been around, and unrecorded, from their days with John Rutsey still on the drums.
"Fly By Night" may not be my favorite Rush album (a distinction given to 1993's "Counterparts" album), but a fantastic album from my favorite band of all time. .The band were young, hungry, and full of fire. And it definitely shines through, in this remarkable release.
Comments
Post a Comment