Hemispheres (Rush album)
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| Hemispheres | ||
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| Studio album by Rush | ||
| Released | October 28, 1978 | |
| Recorded | June-August 1978 at Rockfield Studios in South Wales, UK | |
| Genre | Progressive rock | |
| Length | 36:14 | |
| Label | Anthem Records (Canada) Mercury Records |
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| Producer(s) | Rush and Terry Brown | |
| Professional reviews | ||
|---|---|---|
| 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 the nine-and-a-half-minute instrumental, "La Villa Strangiato".
Though science fiction elements are not as prevalent on this album as some previous Rush releases, it contains many fantasy elements, notably those that relate to Greek mythology. Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres 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. A fable told through fantasy lyrics, a forest suffers from the competition of tall oak trees and shorter maple trees for sunlight. In the end, no one wins as the "trees are all kept equal by hatchet, axe, and saw." The song's meaning is often debated by fans. However, 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 Strangiato" is an instrumental, exhibiting the musicianship of the band as a whole, as well as each member individually. One particularly humorous guitar riff in the song may pick at the listener's memory, though its origin may prove elusive for many people. It is in fact based upon a song composed by Raymond Scott 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 examples of Rush's conformance 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".
Hemispheres was Rush's fourth consecutive Gold album upon release in 1978 and would subsequently go Platinum in the US.
Contents |
[edit] 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" – 4:42
- "La Villa Strangiato (An Exercise in Self-Indulgence)" – 9:34
- 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
[edit] Miscellanea
"Danforth and Pape" refers to an intersection in the band's home town of Toronto (link).
"Lerxst" is the nickname of guitarist Lifeson; the "Lerxst in Wonderland" section of La Villa Strangiato features a lengthy guitar solo.
Inspiration for the epic title track Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres may be found in the book The Birth of Tragedy by philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Peart has been known to reference Nietzsche in other writings.
Also on the title track, Neil used a gong for the only time in a Rush studio recording at the conclusion of the track.
[edit] Personnel
- Geddy Lee - bass guitars, vocals, Oberheim Polyphonic, Mini-Moog Synthesizers
- Alex Lifeson - electric, acoustic and classical guitars, Roland Guitar Synthesizers
- Neil Peart - drums, orchestra bells, bell-tree, tympani, gong, cowbells, temple blocks, wind chimes, crotales
- Pat Moran - recording engineer for music and overdubs
- Declan O'Doherty - recording engineer for vocals
- Terry Brown - mixing engineer
- Hugh Syme - art direction and graphics
- Bob King - art direction
- Yosh Inouye - cover photography
- Fin Costello - band and poster photograph
- Ray Staff - mastering on original album
- Bob Ludwig - remastering
[edit] Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Billboard's Pop Albums | 47 |
[edit] Remaster details
A remaster was issued in 1997.
- The tray has a picture of star with man painting with THE RUSH REMASTERS printed in all caps just to the left. All remasters from Rush through to Permanent Waves are like this. This is just like the cover art of Retrospective I.
- 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.
| Rush |
| Geddy Lee | Alex Lifeson | Neil Peart |
| John Rutsey |
| Discography |
|---|
| Albums: Rush | Fly by Night | Caress of Steel | 2112 | All the World's a Stage | A Farewell to Kings | Hemispheres | Permanent Waves | Moving Pictures | Exit...Stage Left | Signals | Grace Under Pressure | Power Windows | Hold Your Fire | A Show of Hands | Presto | Roll the Bones | Counterparts | Test for Echo | Different Stages | Vapor Trails | Rush in Rio | Feedback (EP) |
| Compilations: Archives | Chronicles | Retrospective I | Retrospective II | The Spirit of Radio: Greatest Hits 1974-1987 | Gold |
| Related articles |
| The Rush Portal
Rush discography | Rush music videos | History of Rush | Rush instrumentals | Victor | My Favorite Headache | A Work In Progress | Anatomy of A Drum Solo | "Fear" Series | Cygnus X-1 Series |
