Hemispheres (Rush album)
 | This article possibly contains original research. (December 2009) |
| Untitled | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
| Rolling Stone | (favorable)[2] |
Hemispheres is the sixth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released in 1978. The album was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales and mixed at Trident Studios in London.[3]. It was the final installment in Rush's post-apocalyptic trilogy, which was a series of three albums starting with 2112 and A Farewell to Kings. It was the also the last of three albums they would record in the United Kingdom before returning to their homes in Canada.
Overview
Following themes going back to Rush's second album, Fly by Night, on Hemispheres lyricist Neil Peart continues to heavily utilize fantasy and science fiction motifs. Similar to their 1976 release, 2112, Hemispheres contains a single, epic song broken into chapters as the first side of the album ("Cygnus X-1, Book II: Hemispheres") while the second half contains two more conventionally-executed tracks, "Circumstances" and "The Trees."
The album's final track, the ambitious nine-and-a-half-minute "La Villa Strangiato," was the band's first instrumental release. According to Peart the band spent more time recording "La Villa Strangiato" than they did recording the entire Fly by Night album.[4][5]
The album contains examples of Rush's adherence to progressive rock standards including the use of epic, multi-movement song structures, complex rhythms and time signatures, and flexible guitar solos, like those found in "La Villa Strangiato." In the 2010 documentary film Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage, the band members comment that the stress of recording Hemispheres was a major factor in their decision to start moving away from suites and long-form pieces in their songwriting. That change in philosophy would manifest itself in the band's next album, the considerably more accessible Permanent Waves.
For a short period of time, the album was available in Canada also as a red vinyl LP in a gatefold sleeve with poster (catalogue number SANR-1-1015), and as a limited edition picture disc (catalogue number SRP-1300), both of which have become much sought after collector's items.
Reception
Although Hemispheres received relatively good reviews and became Rush's fourth consecutive gold album in the United States, it proved to be a weaker seller than many of the group's other albums. It peaked at No. 47 on the Billboard 200, becoming the last Rush studio album to fail to make the Billboard Top 10 until 1987's Hold Your Fire.[6]
Hemispheres would not reach U.S. platinum status until December 1993, over 15 years after its initial release.[7]
Track listing
All songs written by Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee, and Neil Peart.
Side one
- "Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres" – 18:08
- I: "Prelude" - (0:00/4:29)
- II: "Apollo" Bringer of Wisdom – (4:30/6:59)
- III: "Dionysus" Bringer of Love – (7:00/09:05)
- IV: "Armageddon" The Battle of Heart and Mind – (09:06/11:58)
- V: "Cygnus" Bringer of Balance – (12:00/16:58)
- VI: "The Sphere" A Kind of Dream – (17:02/18:08)
Side two
- "Circumstances" – 3:42
- "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, Minimoog, Moog Taurus pedals
- Alex Lifeson - Six and twelve string electric and acoustic guitars, classical guitar, Roland Guitar Synthesizers, Moog Taurus pedals
- Neil Peart - drums, orchestra bells, bell tree, tympani, gong, cowbells, temple blocks, wind chimes, crotales
Production
- Arranged & Produced By Terry Brown & Rush
- Music & Overdubs Recorded By Pat Moran; Vocals Recorded By Declan O'Doherty
- Mixed By Terry Brown
- Originally Mastered By Ray Staff; Remastered By Bob Ludwig
- Hugh Syme - art direction and graphics
- Bob King - art direction
- Yosh Inouye - cover photography
- Fin Costello - band and poster photograph
Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)[8]
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Billboard's Pop Albums | 47 |
Singles
| Information |
|---|
"The Trees"
|
"Circumstances"
|
Remaster details
A remaster was issued in 1997.
- The tray has a picture of the star with man painting (mirroring the cover art of Retrospective I) with "The Rush Remasters" printed in all capital letters just to the left. All remasters from Rush through Permanent Waves are like this.
- The remastered CD has all of the original album cover art, including the back cover and poster of the band which was missing on the original CD issue. When the poster is folded closed, the outside shows "Rush Hemispheres" text printed in red and yellow on a black background. Most copies have this insert placed behind the front cover in the CD case, but apparently some copies have this insert toward the front.
References
- ^ Prato, Greg. "Rush - Hemispheres review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
- ^ Bloom, Michael (22 March 1979). "Rush - Hemispheres". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Cygnus-X1.Net - A Tribute to Rush
- ^ Cygnus-X1.Net - A Tribute to Rush
- ^ Wagner, Jeff (2010). Mean Deviation: Four Decades of Progressive Heavy Metal. Brooklyn, New York: Bazillion Points. p. 26. ISBN 0-9796163-3-6.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ "Hemispheres Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-01-29.
- ^ "RIAA Database Search for Rush". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
- ^ "Hemispheres Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
