2112

1	2112: Overture/The Temples of Syrinx/Discovery/Presentation/Oracle: The 20:33
2	A Passage to Bangkok 3:34
3	The Twilight Zone 3:19
4	Lessons 3:52
5	Tears 3:34
6	Something for Nothing 3:57

Barnes & Noble

This Canadian power trio established their sound with a radio-friendly riff on their first two albums and swung for the cerebral fences on Caress of Steel -- but it wasn't until this fourth trip to the plate that Rush struck a perfect balance between rock and an art place. The archetypal Rush disc, 2112 is laden with high concept and headbang-inducing moments, rich textures, and thesaurus-emptying tales -- all of which pour from the titular suite, which, back in the days of vinyl, took up an entire album side. More than two decades on, the seven-part "2112" still packs plenty of portent, thanks in part to Neil Peart's ominous lyrics and the constantly shifting musical construction, which alternates between sleek, futuristic sound washes (courtesy of keyboardist Hugh Syme) and Alex Lifeson's pulsing power chords. Remarkably, the pretense never bubbles over -- well, okay, "The Temple of Syrinx" is a bit much -- and the band remember to counterbalance the heaviness with a series of short, sharp songs that rank with their most memorable. "A Passage to Bangkok" and "Something for Nothing" both kick into high gear quickly, while Geddy Lee's emotive "Tears" provides a lovely respite. David Sprague

All Music Guide

Whereas Rush's first two releases, their self-titled debut and Fly By Night, helped create a buzz among hard rock fans worldwide, the more progressive third release, Caress of Steel, confused many of their supporters. The band knew it was now or never with their fourth release, and they delivered just in time -- 1976's 2112 proved to be their much sought-after commercial breakthrough and remains one of their most popular albums. Instead of choosing between prog rock or heavy rock, both styles are merged together to create an interesting and original approach. The whole entire first side is comprised of the classic title track, which paints a chilling picture of a future world where technology is in control (Peart's lyrics for the piece being influenced by Ayn Rand). Comprised of seven "sections," the track proved that the trio was fast becoming rock's most accomplished instrumentalists. The second side contains shorter selections, such as the Middle Eastern-flavored "A Passage to Bangkok" and the album-closing rocker "Something for Nothing." 2112 is widely considered by Rush fans as their first true "classic" album, the first in a string of similarly high-quality albums. Greg Prato