Rush Grace Under Pressure Song by Song

Here is an '80s Rush album I believe is unfairly maligned. I can find something to enjoy about every song on this album, some more than others. In contrast to their later '80s albums, this one is incredibly bleak, and uses its synthesizers to create an atmosphere rather than coming off as cheesy like they would on some of Power Windows. Alex Lifeson's sparse guitar playing compliments the mood, all which adds up to Rush's undeniably darkest album. I think it would be fun to get everyone's opinion on the tracks on this album, I think it's very strong despite not sounding like any other Rush album, and the shoddy engineering.

 

This was the last Rush album that I really liked. I the music itself never came off as bleak especially upbeat-sounding tracks like "The Enemy Within" and "Kid Gloves" but when I actually started paying attention to the lyrics, it's certainly darker than anything else they'd done.

 

I think it's a masterpiece. Rush always had a campy element to their sound with their science fiction lyrics and prog rock sound, but I think this is one of their only albums that dodged that campiness. The atmospheric guitar and synths and more subtle singing and lyrics give it more of an 80's art rock sound than a classic prog sound, which I find interesting. I don't think it's the best Rush album, or even my favorite, but it's still really good.

 

Me too, until Snakes & Arrows years later, but this one is better.

 

This was the first Rush album I got on the day of release because I got into Rush in '82 after Signals had already been released. Exit Stage Left was my first Rush album I bought.

I think they got the blend of heavy keyboards and guitar right on this album. Alex plays some seriously furious solos on this album as well. This album perfectly sums up the bleak political and world landscape of 1984 just like Orwell's book. Rush themselves almost broke up making this album as they have stated that it was one of the hardest albums they ever made. The tension definitely cuts through.

 

Need to give this album another listen as Power Windows was my last.

 

I find that to be a consistent problem with progressive rock, it's the reason so many people (myself included) dislike bands like Styx. I feel like the reason Rush lasted so long was because unlike the other bands they were able to adapt and make albums like this one, and more earthy albums like Counterparts that transcended their '70s 20 minute epics into more trendy but never entirely commercial records.

 

Lifeson is outstanding on this album.

 

Big fan of this album, which is the last of their albums that I still regularly listen to. Signals was the 1st album I bought on day of release, but I still distinctly remember buying Grace on release day as well. I was a bit wary at first, esp. when I heard that they had split with Terry Brown, but I quickly came to love it. Despite the dominant synth sounds, the melodicism is still intact, which is what separates it from the albums that followed. I can't quite put my finger on it, but Grace just has a way of getting under your skin.

Interestingly enough, when I first heard "Big Money" off Power Windows, I liked it much better as a single than "Distant Early Warning, but those two albums don't compare at all in my book. I know PW is a fan favorite (for the era), but I greatly prefer GUP.

 

This one is the closest the boys came to producing an album on their own. Peter Henderson's input was minimal apparently.. Great album, I only listen to it in the winter though...

 

Lifeson's guitar playing is what got me with this one.
His tone/sound at the time was state of the art...drenched in delay and chorus it will always sound like 1984. Say it again.... 1984
Urgent, Passionate, Driven.
His emotional solo on "Between The Wheels" pulls your heart into your throat.

 

One of my favourites of theirs, the live tour was also great as evidenced by the Replay x3 release and the eventual standalone DVD and CD of the Maple Leaf Gardens '84 show. Great textures and melodies, gloomy but hopeful lyrics, cool cover.

Not sure what the OP means by "shoddy engineering", I'll have another listen to my original press Anthem CD but it's always sounded fine to me

 

Great album, great songs (probably my favourite Rush album, ever), really **** production...Simmons drums abound, the guitars are virtually non-existent (their most Police-y album) and it sounds as thin as hell!

 

I like Distant Early Warning, but that's about it.

 

???? Are we hearing the same album? A little low mid-range missing from the drum and guitar sound maybe (they hadn't figured yet how to get the layers of keyboards to interlock properly with Alex's rhythm guitar tone) but there are real drums and heavy guitars on every track

 

That's exactly what popped into my mind as soon as people started praising Alex. I love that solo.

The drums are overcooked and the vocals are distorted on some of the songs, especially apparent on "The Enemy Within". I have a UK vinyl and a WG atmoic CD and they both have the problem. I wouldn't go so far as Gary though, not unlistenable, but certainly room for improvement. It does sound more lively than Signals, which is fantastic sounding but very sterile .

That song alone is enough to shut up anyone that said Geddy Lee wasn't playing the bass as good in the '80s as he was in the '70s.

 

I agree.
I think he also forgot who the drummer is for Rush.

 

I'm listening to the Anthem ANK-1045 and not hearing it, is there a specific time where you hear vocal distortion?

 

I think Neil only really plays the Simmons on Red Sector A and Red Lenses.
Guitars non existent? I'd say Signals has Alex way lower in the mix than this album. It's almost like Alex came roaring back with a fury.

 

Excellent observation about the guitars and keys. They figured that out the next time around.

 

It's actually Distant Early Warning starting at about 2:13, my bad. I hear it rarely after that in places on the album. The vocals are doubled here. 818 476-2 atomic design West German.

 

Love this album. One of my top five from the band.

 

"Maligned?" By whom? Let's get started with this "song by song" like....now! Absalom, Absalom,Absalom,Absalom!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Are you talking about the high falsetto buried waaaay back behind the main vocal? Still having trouble understanding what you mean by distorted...

 

One of their better videos...Rush - Distant Early Warning