Hemispheres (1978 album)
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| Hemispheres | ||
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| Missing image Rush_Hemispheres.jpg Hemispheres | ||
| LP & CD by Rush | ||
| Released | October 28 1978 | |
| Recorded | June-August 1978 at Rockfield Studios in South Wales, England | |
| Genre | Progressive rock | |
| Length | 36 min 14 s | |
| Record label | Mercury Records | |
| Producers | Terry Brown and Rush | |
| Professional reviews | ||
| RollingStone review | NR | link (http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=24752) |
| Artistdirect review | 3/5 | link (http://www.artistdirect.com/store/artist/album/0,,157486,00.html) |
| Rush Chronology | ||
| A Farewell to Kings (1977) | Hemispheres (1978) | Permanent Waves (1980) |
Hemispheres is the sixth studio album by the Canadian rock band Rush, released in 1978 (see 1978 in music). The album was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales.
This album continues Rush's trend of using the fantasy and science fiction lyrics written by Neil Peart. Similar to their 1976 release, 2112, Hemispheres contains a single, epic song broken into chapters as the first half of the album (Cygnus X-1, Book II: Hemispheres) while the second half contains two more conventionally-executed tracks (Circumstances, The Trees), then is rounded out by an outstanding instrumental performance (La Villa Strangiato).
Though science fiction is not present so much on this album, it does contain fantasy elements, notably those that relate to Greek mythology. Hemispheres is interesting in that it is partly a continuation of the last song on Rush's previous album, A Farewell to Kings (Cygnus X-1, Book I: The Voyage), in that the theme of Cygnus is revisited both lyrically and musically. However, the lyrical concepts used to continue the story on this album have shifted from that of science fiction to Greek mythology, which is represented in this case by the Apollo/Dionysus dichotomy. This mythology is a vehicle to explore yet another concept, one of pop psychology: more specifically, the differences between "left brain" and "right brain" thinking, hence the title of "Hemispheres".
The track "Circumstances" appears to be an autobiographical account on Peart's part, with references to the time he spent living in England before moving back to Canada and joining Rush.
"The Trees" is one of Rush's more popular songs. Using fantasy-based lyrics, this song's meaning is often debated. Peart has been quoted as saying that the lyrics for this song were inspired by a cartoon, and that the song has no deep meaning.
"La Villa Stangiato" is a masterful instrumental, exhibiting the sheer musicianship of the band as a whole as well as each member individually. One particularly humorous riff in the song may pick at the listener's memory, though its origin may prove elusive for many people. It is in fact very similar to a song recorded by The Raymond Scott Quintette in 1936, entitled "Powerhouse". This song has been used extensively in various cartoons since the 1940s, no doubt where guitarist Alex Lifeson picked it up from.
Hemispheres contains good examples of Rush's conformance to progressive rock standards include the use of epic, multi-movement song structures, complex rhythms and time signatures, and flexible guitar solos, like those found in "La Villa Strangiato".
Track listing
- "Cygnus X-1 Book II Hemispheres" - 18:05
- I: "Prelude" - (0:00)
- II: "Apollo Bringer of Wisdom" - (4:29)
- III: "Dionysus Bringer of Love" - (7:00)
- IV: "Armageddon The Battle of Heart and Mind" - (9:05)
- V: "Cygnus Bringer of Balance" - (12:00)
- VI: "The Sphere A Kind of Dream" - (17:02)
- "Circumstances" - 3:40
- "The Trees" - 4:46
- "La Villa Strangiato (An exercise in Self-Indulgence)" - 9:35
- I: "Buenos Nochas, Mein Froinds!" - (0:00)
- II: "To sleep, perchance to dream..." - (0:27)
- III: "Strangiato theme" - (2:00)
- IV: "A Lerxst in Wonderland" - (3:16)
- V: "Monsters!" - (5:49)
- VI: "The Ghost of the Aragon" - (6:10)
- VII: "Danforth and Pape" - (6:45)
- VIII: "The Waltz of the Shreves" - (7:26)
- IX: "Never turn your back on a Monster!" - (7:52)
- X: "Monsters! (Reprise)" - (8:03)
- XI: "Strangiato theme (Reprise)" - (8:17)
- XII: "A Farewell to Things" - (9:20)
Personnel
- Geddy Lee - bass guitars, vocals, Oberheim Polyphonic, Mini-Moog Synthesizers
- Alex Lifeson - electric and acoustic guitars
- Neil Peart - drums and percussion
| Rush |
| Geddy Lee | Alex Lifeson | Neil Peart | John Rutsey |
| Original studio albums |
|---|
| Rush | Fly by Night | Caress of Steel | 2112 | A Farewell to Kings | Hemispheres | Permanent Waves | Moving Pictures | Signals | Grace Under Pressure | Power Windows | Hold Your Fire | Presto | Roll the Bones | Counterparts | Test for Echo | Vapor Trails |
| Other studio records |
| Not Fade Away | Feedback |
| Live albums |
| All The World's a Stage | Exit...Stage Left | A Show of Hands | Different Stages | Rush in Rio |
| Compilations |
| Archives | Chronicles | Retrospective I | Retrospective II | The Spirit of Radio: Greatest Hits 1974-1987 |
| Side projects |
| Burning For Buddy | Burning For Buddy, Vol. 2 | Victor | My Favorite Headache |