Hemispheres (Rush album)

Hemispheres
Studio album by Rush
Released 29 October 1978
May 6, 1997 (remastered CD)
Recorded June–August 1978 at Rockfield Studios in South Wales, UK
Genre Progressive rock, hard rock
Length 36:14
Label Anthem (Canada), Mercury
Producer Rush and Terry Brown
Rush chronology
A Farewell to Kings
(1977)		 Hemispheres
(1978)		 Permanent Waves
(1980)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]
Rolling Stone (favorable)[2]
This table needs to be expanded using prose. See the guideline for more information.

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]

This album continues Rush's use of fantasy and science fiction motifs in lyrics written by Neil Peart. 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", "The Trees"), then is rounded out by the nine-and-a-half-minute instrumental, "La Villa Strangiato".[4]

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 this album was a major factor in their decision to start moving away from suites and long-form pieces in their songwriting.

Hemispheres was Rush's fourth consecutive Gold album upon release in 1978 and would subsequently go Platinum in the US.[5]

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.

Contents

Track listing

All songs written by Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee, and Neil Peart.

Side one

  1. "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

  1. "Circumstances" – 3:42
  2. "The Trees" – 4:46
  3. "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

Production

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)[6]

Year Chart Position
1978 Billboard's Pop Albums 47

Singles

Information
"The Trees"
  • Released:1978
  • Written by: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson & Neil Peart
  • Produced by: Rush and Terry Brown
  • Chart positions:
"Circumstances"
  • Released:1978
  • Written by: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson & Neil Peart
  • Produced by: Rush and Terry Brown
  • Chart positions:

Remaster details

A remaster was issued in 1997.

References

  1. ^ Prato, Greg. "Rush - Hemispheres review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/album/hemispheres-r17127/review. Retrieved 2011-11-20. 
  2. ^ Bloom, Michael (22 March 1979). "Rush - Hemispheres". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/reviews/album/3045/21869. Retrieved 2011-11-20. 
  3. ^ Cygnus-X1.Net - A Tribute to Rush
  4. ^ Cygnus-X1.Net - A Tribute to Rush
  5. ^ "RIAA Database Search for Rush". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH. Retrieved 2011-11-20. 
  6. ^ "Hemispheres Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/album/hemispheres-r17127/charts-awards. Retrieved 2011-11-20.