Rush – 50
(Mercury Records - 2025)
(Genre: Rock)
This is a totally immersive collection celebrating half a Century of the greatest progressive rock music, by the greatest Canadian Rock band of them all.
It is a collection that will thrill the diehards. It is all encompassing and a thrilling though possibly a bit weighty for a casual fan. There are many anthologies / greatest hits / out there which will suit the needs of those dipping their toes into the music for the first time.
Geddy Lee (Bass/Vocals), Neil Peart (Drums) & Alex Lifeson (Guitars), not forgetting original drummer John Rutsey, have created a discography that is simply monumental.
All studio albums and eras are represented within this package, as are the illustrations and artwork of Hugh Syme, of which all are new. It is a mammoth 50 song multi disc set, lasting for over 4 hours! It features live recordings and rarities that includes their first ever single ‘Don’t Fade Away’ from 1973.
The enormity of this project cannot be overstated. As a man of a certain age my favourite period of Rush music spans from the debut self-titled release in 1974 through to 'Power Windows'. The development and complex intricacies of their music is bewilderingly brilliant. This does not in anyway diminish the quality of all the albums that followed. The likes of 'Test For Echo' through to 'Clockwork Angels' are pieces of art themselves.
'50' truly captures the magnitude of how the band evolved from a Led Zep sound through to 'Hemispheres'. This period is where you get the Progressive monsters of the likes of ‘Xanadu’ ‘Cygnus X1’ and side long ‘2112’, the title track of that album.
1980’s Permanent Waves would see Rush enter new waters and shun the previous epic songs. ‘Spirit Of The Radio’ demonstrates which captures the start of this period perfectly. From this point forward Rush never let time stand still, as synthesisers and ever-changing technology is incorporated into both their sound and production, as the members stretch themselves and continue to create music without boundaries.
Long time Producer, Terry Brown and Graphic Illustrator, Hugh Syme could and should be heralded as band members themselves such is their contribution to the band’s history and legacy.
The inclusion of Feedback may seem unnecessary, but without out it you would not understand their influences from their formative years. This expansive set is in chronological order, though many live versions of songs are placed at the time of the recordings; for instance; ‘Cygnus X1’ comes from 1977 but the live performance is from 2002 so it appears later than expected, hope that makes sense.
Elsewhere we get three drum solos from Neil Peart, from 1978, 1981 & 1987. There is a lack of live material from their later albums which is something of a disappointment, why that should be I don’t know.
Reviewing four plus hours of music is time consuming. Strangely enough it takes over four hours! The digestion period takes even longer! It is therefore more accessible if you focus on one of the four discs at a time! Phew!
I have had the good fortune to have gained a few words with Hugh Syme, below is what he has to say about this project:
"Since 1975 ... 50 long and wonderful years ago (!) it’s been my pleasure and privilege to be “serving a life sentence” (Neil’s description in the foreword of my book “Art Of Rush” where he also noted my having “no possibility of parole”).
I have enjoyed the challenge of interpreting Neil’s always wonderful and provocative album titles and themes over the years — and to have even been invited to contribute keyboards and piano on four of their albums.
No less rewarding is the opportunity to review our 50-year journey together, and to be charged with the task of creating a new illustration to reflect the imagery for 1 song from each of their 19 studio albums — but, with today’s sensibilities and skillset.
So, we celebrate 50 years of RUSH with their first-ever complete career anthology. 50 tracks on 4 CDs and 7 180g LPs featuring selections from every studio, live and deluxe reissue album.
And, with all these CD, LP, Lithograph and Book surfaces to populate with newly-created artwork ... it’s been a rewarding 20 months while we produced this anniversary offering — working alongside my longstanding ally, and creative director at Universal, Jeff Fura.
As the band’s art director for 5 decades — this continues to be the gift that keeps on giving."
Hugh Syme.
As Mr Syme states, Rush are the gift that keeps on giving, their music will thrill fans and those newly acquainted with them for decades to come.
For me, the first two discs are where the real gold is to be found by the hardcore fan. That is not to say that what follows is any less significant. As I hinted at, this release is aimed at Rush devotees, to that end I would recommend one of ‘Gold’ – ‘Time Stand Still’ - ‘Chronicles’ or ‘Spirit Of The Radio’ for those beginning their journey with this amazing trio and even then don’t do it in a RUSH!
All that said this is an unprecedented collection.
By Paul Mace