Counterparts

Rush - Counterparts

Counterparts
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CD Details

Artist: Rush
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Original recording remastered
CD Release Date: 2004-08-31
Music Label: Atlantic
Product features:
  • RUSH COUNTER PARTS
Soundtracks:
  1. Animate
  2. Stick It Out
  3. Cut to the Chase
  4. Nobody's Hero
  5. Between Sun & Moon
  6. Alien Shore
  7. The Speed of Love
  8. Double Agent
  9. Leave That Thing Alone
  10. Cold Fire
  11. Everyday Glory

Music reviews of Counterparts

Music Review: Counterparts...almost a perfect Rush record
Rating: 5 Stars

Ok, let's "cut to the chase" (rim shot please). Was it not for the fact that I'm so attached to Moving Pictures for all the obvious reasons (great songs; 25 years of saturation, etc.) I just might rank 1993's Counterparts as my favorite Rush album. Time and resonance are the only things working against that and not by much, I might add. But even those things aside, it just might be the BEST record in their catalog from top to bottom. (And considering that it's a lengthy 11 songs long - by Rush's usually brief song selection history that is - that says even more).

I'm going to get the stuff I didn't like out of the way first.

Ok, there. That's pretty much it. GOODNIGHT CLEVELAND..!








Really, I can't peg an appreciable or mentionable weak spot without lying to myself or digging into the ridiculous minutia.

Oh, sure...I like some songs better than others, naturally, but I must say there isn't a skip-worthy one in the bunch. Whereas previous albums (and I just did a trio of listens, from Presto to Counterparts this morning) have their share of filler, some more irksome than others but all still usually quite listenable, Counterparts didn't have a single song that I wouldn't have considered a top 5 song on most other records since and including Moving Pictures. I hesitate to say Between Sun & Moon, Alien Shore, and The Speed Of Love qualify, because I'm afraid that automatically implies something less-than-good. But moreso than maybe any other Rush record, these "weakest" tunes are very, very good and would be in the top third on most albums after 1981.

The album is full of life and vitality....from the two most accessible songs Animate and Cold Fire (both excellent...and yeah, nice ride on the ride, Neil), to the poignancy of Nobody's Hero and Everyday Glory....from the playful, noodling magnificence of Leave That Thing Alone to the equally dorky-cool of Double Agent....and from the gritty guitars of Cut To The Chase to the heavy killer sound on Stick It Out.

It's also the best production job since Permanent Waves. Even the remasters of Roll The Bones and Presto still have a muted (even if improved) tone to `em, but Counterparts is bassy and full. Really loud record. It will be the next upgrade (over the CD-R I have) I purchase for sure.

Some observations:

1. Best lyrical effort on record by Peart...at least up to this point in the catalog. Lots of websites and fan reviews have actually criticized the content of the lyrics, but I think it's done well. Afterall, Counterparts has a relationship theme....a thread that extends from lyrics to the album title and cover imagery.
2. Nice throw back to the 2112 era riffage in Double Agent....old school with a voice over twist.
3. Stick It Out is easily the heaviest Rush tune ever. Love this song and its ass-blistering energy.
4. Nobody's Hero is a crowning achievement for the band. That some fans ridicule this song is beyond me.
5. Geddy is in fine form here as well. I love the fine touches in background vocals throughout. Seems a little extra time was spent here and I think it shows.
6. While the keys are noticeable reduced on this record, I think some fans mistakenly jump to that as a major player as to why this record is an improvement over recent albums. While it's true that there's more guitar at work here, clearly the difference is in the songwriting...and the sustained energy. I think that has more to do with writing and arranging than purely instrumentation. No snoozers here.

I'm to understand that a bit of a lull is in store for me on the next record I review...(I still haven't listened to a single note of Test For Echo)...and that's probably quite true regardless of what I think of the album. And that's because topping Counterparts is likely to be a dubious (and arguably impossible) task. It may or may not happen again in their career. But either way it's quite encouraging to see a band who always seems to make very good records occasionally kick out the excellent piece. They did it in '80 and '81...then again in '84....and again in '93. So it looks good that there's another one down the pike still. (Quite honestly I've only given Vapor Trails the most cursory one-time listen and that was before embarking on this musical journey, so I very much look forward to revisiting it with fresher and more open ears). In the meantime, Counterparts is a landmark record...at least in terms of quality, if not historically.

I'm really, really shocked this album isn't almost mutually adored on some Rush fan sites (many of which I see consider it slightly above average on the whole).

It should be.

I give this album a perfect rating with a (-) for lack of familiarity. Erase that in a year's time.
More Counterparts free music reviews:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Description of Counterparts

RUSH COUNTER PARTS

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