I'd always thought the album title was a response to New Wave as in Rush's music is lasting, a Permanent Wave. Somewhat ironic in light of the band's stylistic shift to a more synth-driven New Wave-informed sound in the 80's.
I'm going to guess it's the sound of Low Budget.... unless you just can't stick "shouty Ray", I get the feeling One For The Road will appeal to you more.... I rate Low Budget up with the band's very best albums, but it took a little to acclimate to the sound of it.
It's very likely.... fantastic batch of albums too... it could just be coincidental, but Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures and the timing of the stylistic change seem to give a Kinks link some weight though.
For the record, for those playing along at home Kinks Permanent Waves - 1978 Rush Permanent Waves - 1980 Kinks Moving Pictures - 1979 Rush Moving Pictures - 1981 Rush fan perceived change Hemispheres (1978) - Permanent Waves (1980) Kinks fan perceived change Schoolboys In Disgrace (1975) - Sleepwalker (1977) but also Sleepwalker (1977) - Misfits (1978) Anyway, it is likely coincidence, but that's an interesting little period of time with similarities
Avid Zaki, is it your opinion that Low Budget is a bit monotonous? I played it a couple of days ago and I could see some people thinking that way. Let's just say after a one album layoff, Mick Avory comes back w/a bang!
I only played it once and was basically horrified…but then was very pleased with the next one after LB (I see I’ve shortlisted 4 tracks (it was 5 until I examined the lyrics of that one song that was mentioned upthread; then that one got cut quickly and smartly). We’ll see. I have no issues changing my mind about Low Budget if warranted.
Hemispheres to Permanent Waves signals (see what I did there?) a big change to me and they also changed appearances to some degree. Less shaggy let’s say.
Ditto. i remember playing air guitar to Around the Dial at the time (not sure if that's an endorsement)
That's interesting. It's possible since Rush had a sneaky sense of humor and is a great song like Subdivisions lyrically really that far removed from the type of song Ray might write? A song about the outcast, and the homogenous surroundings they live in seems Davien.
That song is not the problem with the album. Around The Dial is excellent. Love the whole extended searchlight opening I've seen on videos of the live shows. I absolutely love this song!
Permanent Waves Whether Ray’s touching on hair styles or hay fever, you can bet its gonna be literally. Metaphors for this album, like that eras oil crisis, are in short supply. It’s not a bad song and I wouldn’t skip it, but on the other hand wouldn’t include it on an introductory mix cd for the uninitiated. As a young pup I may have been indifferent to this song and some others here due to the lack of guitar firepower I once thought was needed to validate a rock song. A decade later I would have been more accepting on first listen. I wouldn’t say it was as sharp as a Woody Allen vignette circa ‘78 (who was?). It’s premise is definitely Allenesque but it’s execution is more suited to Carry On Kinks. Besides, Woody didn’t have to stoop to such tactics, he always got the girl. It never mattered that he was disheveled or that he wasn’t a clothes-hound. He knew all that was required to drive girls crazy was namedrop: Proust, Bergman, etc., simple.
Permanent Waves I like this song. There's nothing horribly wrong with it, but it's my least favorite thus far. A tiny bit generic maybe? But it does make me smile at certain parts...mainly that you get a perm and you'll be cool and you'll be laughing. it sounds so insane. Welcome to the brain of Mr Davies! I don't like the synth that comes in on the 2nd half. I don't even know how to describe that...noise. It sounds like 80s dance music and not in a great way. I wish it was an organ and not that squeaky fake sound. Whatevs. Minor complaint. and yes, I was subjected to perms in the late 70s into the 80s. I happen to have the worst hair in showbiz so this was a way for me to get some volume and body...mainly I just looked like a poodle. Terrible. I was NOT laughing as promised by Ray.
Neil Peart, like Ray, was a very cerebral writer. I can totally see this as being a tribute to a like minded artist. Totally
Quick takes to catch up: Misfits - One I like more lyrically than musically. Unfortunately, I find myself mentally singing "Against the Wind," another song with a repeating chord pattern I find boring. This seems to fit more with Sleepwalker sound-wise. Hay Fever - OK, it's a near-novelty song but it has a good groove with changeups here and there and some Beach Boys touches. Should be half a minute shorter. Black Messiah - I enjoy this quite a bit, and the horns are welcome. Too bad he didn't write better lyrics for it. Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy - A justified Kinks classic. Though I am still uncertain what Ray's attitude is toward Dan the Fan in the chorus. In a Foreign Land - Amusing take on tax exiles. Some musical hooks...yay! Permanent Waves - I too thought this was going to be about old rockers in the era of New Wave. Not much lyrical depth but enjoyable. Good catch on T-Rex, y'all, and @Fortuleo with the "Girls' School" similarity. This one has grown on me quite a bit.
Permanent Waves It's a great album I really like how Rush...ohh, it's not THAT Permanent Waves. More chuga, chuga from Dave on the intro (this time foreshadowing the Police Every Breath You Take). Is that riff Letting Go or Let Me Roll It? It just lacks that beat pause found on the latter and the guitar tone is more Mark Knopfler. I really like everything about this song. It's a fun song but Ray is also making some biting commentary on the superficial nature of 1970s self-help and image consciousness. His chatacter in the song is going to his doctor for some real help for his serious problems which in the first verse are breaking him. Instead of real help or support the poor guy is first insulted about everything regarding his looks and told that a perm will fix things right up for him: give him status, get him laid... I hear Ray disguising a very pointed social commentary in a humorous, bouncy pop rock confection. It's talking about how instead of being helped with dealing with inner emotions (a little bit of real emotion) instead it's superficial outer appearance changes our so called health professionals suggest to us and those changes are so flimsy that just a simple rainstorm can ruin them and you're back to square one. But our protagonist (the Woody Allen comparison fits again) has bought into the whole thing because even though his neurosis has returned it will be cured by another perm! So I see Permanent Waves as anything but lightweight. It's just as heavy as Misfits or Rock N Roll Fantasy but our genius Ray uses a feather to tickle our funny bone while he makes a devestating commentary on society, particularly it's obsession with looks. This is a pretty subversive little ditty. I see it as a cousin to both Little Bit of Emotion and Superman lyrically, maybe National Health too. Ray would Finish What He Started here in those songs. I really like Dave's solo in this one too. It's not a tone he used enough when he played.
