FUN FACTS
- Moving Pictures (1981) is the highly acclaimed 8th album of Canadian rock band Rush. It was released on February 12, 1981.
- Rush‘s musical style changed a lot throughout their career. From blues-inspired rock to progressive rock to experimental new wave in the 80s, then closer to alternative rock in the 90s. Some critics say that Moving Pictures (1981) is a landmark album in the band’s catalogue because it captures the progressive rock sound that Rush had perfected in the late 70s, while hinting at what would be their new experimental direction: mixing in more synthesizers, more instruments, and more genres.
- The diversity in sound across Rush‘s 40-year career often leaves fans and critics split on their musical style. But one thing that everybody agrees on is the band’s musicianship. They are a musician’s musician, earning a reputation for their craftsmanship and influencing plenty of the top musical acts in the last four decades.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
How do you enjoy an album like Moving Pictures (1980) when you’re not into progressive rock and when the technical aspects of music are beyond you?
I mean, if we’re talking about first impressions, I’m going to be honest. I had a really hard time figuring out how Moving Pictures (1980) makes me feel. But I don’t think it’s a bad thing to not be able to immediately place your thoughts and feelings about a piece of art. Some things just take more time to appreciate. And there’s definitely something exciting and worthwhile about learning how to understand something, even you don’t end up liking it.
So, instead of pretending that I have an interesting and cohesive take on this specific album, I’m going to share what I’ve been doing to unpack and enjoy the music.
Start with what you know.
For me, that’s words. I normally start with the lyrics.
The late Neil Peart is the band’s main lyricist and he draws a lot of inspiration from literature, sci-fi, fantasy, and philosophy. He uses American literary motifs of youthful adventurism and self-actualization in Tom Sawyer (Though his mind is not for rent/ Don’t put him down as arrogant/ His reserve a quiet defense/ Riding out the day’s events), and illustrates a dystopian rural car race in Red Barchetta (Across the mountainside/ A gleaming alloy air car/ Shoots towards me, two lanes wide/ I spin around with shrieking tires/ To run the deadly race). Lyrically, for me, these two songs exemplify the ‘turning point in styles’ reputation of the album.
Listen to the songs twice or three times.
And I really mean listen. Identify the sounds that resonate with you.
One of the sounds that really caught my attention was the change in The Camera Skyaround the second minute mark, when the slow blinking whine of the synthesizer transitions into quicker pulses. That happens a couple of more times in song. According to Peart, the song is about walking and taking in the space of New York and London. Those shifts really paint an impression of what these cities are like. Parts of the song remind me of Julian Casablancas‘s River of Brakelights, which is also about New York. Both dramatize discovery and transmit a strong sense of place. I mean, I’ve never been to New York, but as virtual travelogues, these songs are pretty immersive. I think that’s what makes them fun.
Reflect on the things that stood out to you.
You might ask yourself, what are the artists trying to tell me? I personally don’t think Rush is trying to say anything with Moving Pictures (1981) other than ‘we’re nerds‘ and ‘we’re really talented nerds‘. So, I think it comes down to a matter of taste. In that regard, what’s more interesting now would be to ask yourself why do you like what you like.
Like, for me, I really warmed up to Red Barchetta. Written by Peart, it was inspired by Richard S. Foster‘s short story, A Nice Morning Drive. The song is set in a world where driving is illegal and the main character breaks the law by driving a red classic Barchetta across the open country road. He gets chased down by flying cop cars but, in the end, he still escapes. The drums and the guitar definitely evoke the excitement of pursuit. And as the song slowly winds down, you can almost imagine our road rebel hopping out of the car and striding, free, into a pale sunset.
I like it because of simple joys. I like driving. I like driving on a long empty stretch of mountain road because living through such times as ours, it’s the only way to feel free.
FOR YOU
Send your impressions about Moving Pictures (1981) to mxaboha @ gmail dot com. Add your thoughts on these talking points—which we’ll limit to two questions because the album is enough to process:
- Is there a highly-acclaimed film or food or cultural movement that just doesn’t appeal to you? When was the last time you tried to experience it again, just to see if you felt differently? Was it worth the effort?
- Who is your favorite road rebel—a character who faces up to nuclear ghouls and everyday fascists with one hand on the wheel and both eyes on the horizon? Here are few choices for you to start with:
Moving Pictures © 1981, Rush and Anthem Records. Rush photo by Fin Costello (n.d.). All the pictures are from Google and belong to their respective owners.
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