Power Windows (album)

Power Windows
Studio album by Rush
Released October 29, 1985
June 3, 1997 (remastered CD)
Recorded April to June and August 1985, The Manor Studio, Oxfordshire;
Sarm East Studios, Angel Studios and Abbey Road Studios, London;
AIR Studios, Montserrat
Genre Hard rock, progressive rock[1]
Length 44:44
Label Anthem (Canada)
Atlantic (Japan)
Epic/Sony (Japan)
Mercury (USA)
Vertigo (Europe)
Producer Peter Collins and Rush
Rush chronology

Grace Under Pressure
(1984)		 Power Windows
(1985)		 Hold Your Fire
(1987)
Singles from Power Windows
  1. "The Big Money"
    Released: October 1985
  2. "Mystic Rhythms"
    Released: 1986

Power Windows is the 11th studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released in 1985. Power Windows was the first Rush album to be produced by Peter Collins and the album was recorded at The Manor in England, AIR Studios in Montserrat and at Sarm East Studios in London. It was also the first Rush album to ever be released directly to CD.

Power Windows introduced more keyboard synthesizers into the band's sound. "The Big Money" and "Mystic Rhythms" were both made into music videos featured in MTV's rotation at the time. This was the era in which the band were expanding into new directions from their progressive rock base,[2] and they had on their then recent albums "tightened up their sidelong suites and rhythmic abstractions into balled-up song fists, art-pop blasts of angular, slashing guitar, spatial keyboards and hyperpercussion, all resolved with forthright melodic sense".[1]

Production

In February 1985, work started at Elora Sound in Canada for three weeks, in a barn with a 24-track studio. Vocalist and bassist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson were working on songs that could fit the lyrics drummer Neil Peart wrote at a small desk there, with Peart at the same time trying to write lyrics adaptable to Lee and Lifeson's music. During his time there, Peart researched the Manhattan Project to prepare to write lyrics for the song of the same name. He also wrote rough outlines for "The Big Money," "Mystic Rhythms" and "Marathon". Lee and Lifeson sorted through jams and Lifeson’s riff tapes to write music for these songs, with each song taking up to a week. They then began on "Middletown Dreams", "Marathon" once again, and then "Grand Designs".[3]

Peart went through tapes to the five new songs in a Miami hotel room in March, getting ready for the warm-up tour gig in Lakeland, Florida.[3] At this point, the band met up with engineer James "Jimbo" Barton, recommended by producer Peter Collins. Later at Elora, the songs whose lyrics Peart was formerly struggling with, "Territories" and "Manhattan Project", began to come together. Peart was also working on lyrics to a ballad called "Emotion Detector", which seemed to work perfectly with the music they were jamming on at the time. The music to "Territories" was also arranged, and a tape of seven songs was created. They had trouble with writing the music to "Manhattan Project", but Collins contributed ideas to this and other songs.[3]

In April, at The Manor Studio in England, basic tracks were recorded more quickly than usual, in the span of a few weeks, to capture more spontaneous performances ready for overdubs. Andy Richards was brought in to provide extra keyboard programming and performances. The drum tech was sent to London to pick up African and Indian drums for use on "Mystic Rhythms", and bongos were also used on "Territories".[3]

Lifeson began recording guitar overdubs in May at AIR Studios in Montserrat. Next, in June, at Sarm East Studios in London, he began on guitar solos, and Lee did vocals. They moved to a townhouse in July for mixing, a decision on the track listing, and the artwork, credits, and photos. Strings were recorded for the album by a 30-piece orchestra in Studio 1 at Abbey Road Studios in August. A 25-piece choir was also recorded at Angel Studios for the ending of "Marathon". In September, Lee oversaw the mastering in New York, and proofs were approved for the album cover.[3][4][5]

Themes and lyrics

Power Windows lyrics are focused primarily on various manifestations of power. For example, the song "Manhattan Project" explores the origins and consequences of the U.S. military's development of the atomic bomb, and "Territories" comments on nationalism around the world. Like "Subdivisions," from the album Signals, "Middletown Dreams" explores suburban monotony and the average person's attempts to temporarily escape it.[3] As well, "Grand Designs" was partly written to criticise mainstream music, which the group felt was too superficial. The song also echoes individualistic themes, such as non-conformism.[6]

After the 1985 Power Windows Tour had concluded, Peart told an interviewer that Rush's sound "is changing from having been progressive to not being progressive."[7] He said that Rush's recent musical style might "seem simpler" to an outside observer who is focusing solely on performance technique, but that the simpler-seeming music was just as difficult to compose and perform.[7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [8]
Rolling Stone (favourable)[9]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide [10]
Kerrang! [11]
Rock Hard (de) 9/10[12]

Power Windows has been met with mostly positive reviews from music critics. AllMusic described the album as Rush's coldest album, citing the sparse, horn-like guitar playing of Lifeson, the prominent synthesizer of Lee and Peart's crisp, clinical percussion and stark lyrical themes. However, they described the album as one that rewards patience and repeated listens.[13] Rolling Stone magazine, in a positive review of the album, highlighted a number of bands that seemingly influenced Power Windows, such as The Police, U2, Genesis and Siouxsie and the Banshees. The review concludes that Power Windows may be the missing link between Yes and the Sex Pistols.[9] In 2005, the album was ranked number 382 in Rock Hard magazine's book The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time.[14]

Track listing

All lyrics written by Neil Peart, all music composed by Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee.

Side one
No. Title Length
1. "The Big Money"   5:36
2. "Grand Designs"   5:07
3. "Manhattan Project"   5:09
4. "Marathon"   6:11
Side two
No. Title Length
5. "Territories"   6:20
6. "Middletown Dreams"   5:19
7. "Emotion Detector"   5:11
8. "Mystic Rhythms"   5:54

Personnel

Rush

Additional Personnel

Production

Chart positions

Chart (1985) Peak
position
Canadian RPM100 Albums[15] 2
Dutch Albums Chart[16] 44
Swedish Albums Chart[17] 26
UK Album Chart[18] 9
US Billboard 200[19] 10

Singles

Information
"The Big Money"
  • Released: September 26, 1985
  • Written by: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson & Neil Peart
  • Produced by: Peter Collins and Rush
  • Chart positions: No. 45 US Hot 100; No. 4 US Mainstream Rock;[20] No. 46 UK[21]
"Territories"
  • Released: 1985
  • Written by: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson & Neil Peart
  • Produced by: Peter Collins and Rush
  • Chart positions: No. 30 US Mainstream Rock[20]
"Mystic Rhythms"
  • Released: 1986
  • Written by: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson & Neil Peart
  • Produced by: Peter Collins and Rush
  • Chart positions: No. 21 US Mainstream Rock[20]
"Manhattan Project"
  • Released: 1985
  • Written by: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson & Neil Peart and Geoff Converse
  • Produced by: Peter Collins and Rush
  • Chart positions: No. 10 US Mainstream Rock[20]
"Marathon"
  • Released: 1989
  • Written by: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson & Neil Peart
  • Produced by: Peter Collins and Rush
  • Chart positions: No. 6 US Mainstream Rock[20]

Sales Certifications

Country Organization Sales
U.S. RIAA Platinum (1,000,000)[22]
Canada CRIA Platinum (100,000)[23]
UK BPI Silver (60,000)[24]

Remastered edition details

Although the original recording had a SPARS Code of DDD and was considered to be of good quality, a remastered edition was issued in 1997. The remastered edition follows the trend of newer albums, as it is considerably louder.[25]

Power Windows was remastered again in 2011 by Andy VanDette for the "Sector" box sets, which re-released all of Rush's Mercury-era albums. Power Windows is included in the Sector 3 set.[26]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Fricke, David. "Power Windows". Rolling Stone Magazine. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  2. ↑ McDonald, Christopher J. (2002). Rush, Rock Music, and the Middle Class: Dreaming in Middletown. Indiana University Press. p. 127. ISBN 9780253004048.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Banasiewicz, Bill (1988). "Catching the window - a glimpse beyond". In Chris Charlesworth. Rush - Visions: The Official Biography. London, UK: Omnibus Press. pp. 84–87. ISBN 0-7119-1162-2.
  4. ↑ "Power Windows Tour Book". Power Windows - A Tribute to Rush. Anthem Records. Retrieved 2011-11-21.
  5. ↑ "Power Windows". Power Windows - A Tribute to Rush. Anthem Records.
  6. ↑ http://rushvault.com/2011/02/07/grand-designs/
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Berti, Jim; Bowman, Durrell (2013). Rush and Philosophy: Heart and Mind United. Popular Culture and Philosophy 57. Open Court. p. 217. ISBN 9780812697292. Quoting an interview with Scott K. Fish published in January 1986 Modern Drummer magazine.
  8. ↑ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Power Windows - Rush". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2011-08-27.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Fricke, David (30 January 1986). "Power Windows". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2011-08-27.
  10. ↑ "Rush: Album Guide". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
  11. ↑ Dickson, Dave (17 October 1985). "Stained Glass". Kerrang! 105. London, UK: Morgan Grampian. p. 18.
  12. ↑ Rensen, Michael. "Rock Hard review". Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  13. ↑ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Power Windows". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  14. ↑ [...], Rock Hard (Hrsg.). [Red.: Michael Rensen. Mitarb.: Götz Kühnemund] (2005). Best of Rock & Metal die 500 stärksten Scheiben aller Zeiten. Königswinter: Heel. p. 56. ISBN 3-89880-517-4.
  15. ↑ "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 43, No. 14, December 14, 1985". Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 2011-11-21.
  16. ↑ "Rush - Power Windows (Album)". Gfk Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2011-11-21.
  17. ↑ "Rush - Power Windows (Album)". Swedishcharts.com. Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2011-11-21.
  18. ↑ "Power Windows Chart Stats". Chart Stats.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-23. Retrieved 2011-11-21.
  19. ↑ "Power Windows - Rush". Billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved 2011-11-21.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 "Power Windows Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2011-11-21.
  21. ↑ "The Big Money Chart Stats". Chart Stats.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-21. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
  22. ↑ "RIAA Database Search for Power Windows". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2011-11-21.
  23. ↑ "Gold Platinum Database - Title: Power Windows". Music Canada. Retrieved 2011-11-21.
  24. ↑ "BPI Certified Award Search for Rush". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2011-11-21.
  25. ↑ Rowan, Rip (31 August 2002). "Over the Limit". ProRec. Archived from the original on 2007-08-10. Retrieved 2011-11-21.
  26. ↑ http://www.themasterdiskrecord.com/2011/11/andy-vandette-on-remastering-14-rush-albums