Rush - Hold Your Fire
1987 - Anthem(Canada) LP
- Geddy Lee / vocals, bass, bass pedals, synthesizers, keyboards
- Alex Lifeson / guitars
- Neil Peart / drums, acoustic and electronic percussion
1. Force Ten
2. Time Stand Still
3. Open Secrets
4. Second Nature
5. Prime Mover
6. Lock And Key
7. Mission
8. Turn The Page
9. Tai Shan
10. High Water
Rush tip-toes through their third phase(1982-1987): the exuberant indulgence(like this review) of electronics that exemplifies the excessive(again, like this review) '80's as synthesizers and keyboards became the prevalence and pushed the guitars to accent intervals and distant atmospheres. Rush synchonrized and digitised the lush pomp of neo-prog with the simplistic and squeamish synth pop with thier signature sound structure concurring with the agenda of the music video industry. Most of the '80's was a dim and dwindling duration for progressive rock and Rush(excluding 'Moving Pictures) was a contributing artist to the top 40 "kettle of fish". With that being said, the band did have some grace under pressure during the swanky New Wave sound and could be argued that the band's releases during this period weren't nearly as reprehensible as some other offerings from other classic proggers like Yes and Genesis. Oh yeah, I just about forgot about that first progressive rock super group of the '80's, Asia(ugh)...progressive?...Seriously?
'Hold Your Fire'(1987) was their first album that didn't crack the top ten since 'Hemispheres' as this number might of sent signals to the band that it was time to make another shift in direction, however it does contain four top 40 singles with the first two tracks, "Force Ten" and "Time Stand Still", both reaching #3 on the Billboard charts. "Force Ten" starts of with a running of Neil Peart's electronic drums(shudder) but Lifeson's guitar steps in and sonically steers this song and is only one of his two highlights from the album(as is this track) but the interplay of the synths and the digi-drum breaks the synergy at the halfway point and retroverts back saving face. "Time Stand Still": It sure does. "Open Secrets" scintillates with spacey(Pink Floyd) guitars and is the best track(and most overlooked) and contain's Lifeson's best solo which are so far in between and insignificant on this album(I thought Rush was a trio?) and Geddy slaps down a great bass riff. The other two hit singles, "Lock And Key"(#16) and "Mission"(#33) cradle the corporate contemporary. "Tai Shan": Made In China; flimsy. The remaining tracks fizzle and lack any spark and `Turn The Page incongruously should of rolled up the power windows on this album.
The production resonates a trebly, tinny tone, however it does harmonise with Geddy Lee`s shrill vocal registry spliced with being generically grandiose in unison with melodramatic melody was the typical `modern`dynamics of the `80`s. The musicianship and songwriting is the distinguishing characteristc of `Hold Your Fire`and shouldn`t come as a surprize as it is the mollycoddling of the mainstream with shuddering shiny sound properties of shallow sissy synths and the dissonate digi-drums; two things I most despise of the 1980`s rock music scene along with `guys`wearing make-up and the MTV/MM monopoly.
Rush embraced the New Wave culture not only with the music but Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson(not to mention his Flock Of Seagulls hairdo) took a fancy to the fashion as well and made a guest appearence in the last episode of `Miami Vice` in 1989. Do I need to say more...I think not.
Exit...stage left and Rush limps into `90`s with their fourth phase(1989-present) somewhat leaving behind the calculated sound and sequenced structure but still conducted the idiosynchracies of the middle of the road, `arty-farty`sound with prog on the periphery that plagued `Presto`, `Roll The Bones`and possibly...probably the band`s worst release, `Test For Echo`though `Counterparts`was the exception during this phase. Alex Lifeson`s guitars again became forefront but are ineffecient in transmitting amperage and voltage of any magnitude and vibrancy.
Rating: 5/10