Rush - Rush (1974)

"Yeah! OH, YEAH!!"
So rings the opening line of Rush's debut album, as the listener is immediately grabbed by the balls and taken on a musical journey filled with dizzying drum work, screaming guitar solos and comprehensive (if not a little bit duller than I was expecting) basslines. Ladies and gentlemen: Prepare to be RUSHIFIED!


From the opening line, it becomes glaringly obvious why, at the time of this albums release, people were calling into radio stations clamoring to hear the newest single from Led Zeppelin. This album is reminiscent of many popular groups of the time that were an obvious influence on this relatively unknown band out of Toronto. The main one, of course, being the aforementioned Led Zeppelin, but also include The Who, Pink Floyd, Kiss and even a couple riffs that made me think of Ramjam's 'Black Betty'(which as it turns out came 3 years after this album...so I may have the influences backwards!). Either way, it's just a fact of life and music that any new kid on the block is going to be compared to other bands. It's also a fact that everyone is influenced by other artists. That being said, this album is not to be taken as a simple Zeppelin sound-alike.

The first 3 tracks hold a steady fast-paced bluesy rock-n-roll flavour that keeps my head bopping and my feet tapping. What stands out most for me are Geddy Lee's Robert Plant-esque vocal work and Alex Lifeson's ripping solos, which are featured in every track on the album (some tracks have multiple solos). I learned from 'Beyond the Lighted Stage' that Lifeson dropped out of grade 12 as a result of only ever wanting to play guitar and doing so in most of his free time. Let this be a lesson to the parents out there who discourage their children from similar pursuits: sometimes it pays off!

After the opening few songs, there is a deliberate shift in pace and tone as we get to track 4 'Here again'. The first thought that struck me was 'Hey! This sounds less like Zeppelin and more like Pink Floyd!' And truth be told, this song could very well be a Floyd tune. And a good one at that! Clocking in at 7 minutes 35 seconds, this is the longest track on the 8 song album, and stands out from the others with it's slower pace, but not to worry, ripping solos and fantastic drums are ever present. It's a nice mid-album break from the faster paced rock numbers.

The shift in pace is short lived however, as we move right into the upbeat 'What you're doing', which for me is the most forgettable tune on the album. Chock it up to the mid-album lull. Thankfully, it's still got a great guitar solo and a solid drum beat topped off by a uber-tight rock n' roll ending. And the last few tracks make up for it.

Next we move onto 'In the Mood' which instantly inspires thoughts of Kiss in my mind (...in a good way). It also satisfies my fever....the only prescription for which is: MORE COWBELL! (Naturally)

Next, we move onto the aptly named 'Before and After' which begins with a catchy, ballad-like intro, slow building up to another up-tempo rock n' roll riff with enough use of the word 'yeah' to make Rob Zombie bust a nut! And of course 2 solo's ( at least in my opinion) are rarely a bad thing and this tune is no exception. You get solid guitar solo's all over the place!

At this point I'm going to remind you that these guys were all between 19-21 when this album was recorded.

Another thing I found myself thinking about throughout this album was "But wait....I thought Rush was were known for having really good lyrics with literary references and stuff like that. So what gives? This is a whole lot of 'Oh yeah' and things of that sort..." As it turns out, Neil Peart also took on duties as their primary lyricist, so I guess I'll have to wait to hear that later on.

Did I mention that awesome guitar solo's you'd want to pack a snack for are one of my favorite things about 1970's rock? Well they are.

And finally, we move on to what is easily my favorite song on the album, and another of the more long-winded, clocking in at just over 7 minutes. I'm of course talking about 'Working Man'. This final track features more fantastic guitar riffs and solos, Keith Moon-esque drums and in my opinion, the best lyrical work on the album. The theme of working all the time and having no time to do the things you want is one that I think most people can get on board with (Unless of course you're already living the life you want...in which case, good for you.......)

Overall, I would say this is a solid first album and I'm not at all bitter to have spent my heard earned money to obtain it legitimately. Which is more than I can say for a lot of current music that comes out these days.
Also, it's important to note that while the drumming on this albums is quite phenomenal, it is taken care of by the groups first drummer John Rutsey, who parted ways with the band shortly before their first major US tour due to health concerns. Auditions were held to find a suitable replacement and after a few prospective drummers came and went, a lanky kid from Hamilton came along in his Mom's beaten up car with his drums stored in trash cans that would change the path this band was setting out on. I'm of course referring to......... Neil Peart. Let it be known that I can't wait to hear the next album, the first to feature Mr. Peart on drums.

Rush's Self-titled, self-produced debut was released March 1, 1974 on Moon Records and later re-mixed and re-released July 1, 1974 on Mercury Records. I purchased the album for $7.99 on the itunes store.


Bottom line, if you're looking for a great 70's rock n' roll album, picking up Rush's debut album would be a great start. I give this album a 7 out of 10.

Up next for review: 1975's sophomore release 'Fly By Night'

And just for fun, here's a picture of Rush circa 1974: These are the kids making all this noise.