2112 --- Rush --- 1976 (Anthem)
Definitely one of my favourite Rush albums, and acknowledged as such by fans and critics alike, 2112 is half of a concept album, in that the first side of the LP (or the first seven tracks on the CD) covers one long song, broken into seven parts, all of which relate to the other and tell a story, this being the massive title track. It's generally a science-fiction story, set in the year 2112, of course, where all life and freedom on Earth is controlled by shadowy figures known as the Priests of the Temples of Syrinx. These self-styled leaders determine what is, and is not, considered suitable for public consumption, this extending to entertainment such as books, films and music.
The album opens with the overture, just like a classic symphony, an instrumental based on the heavy rock stylings of Rush, after which vocalist and bassist Geddy Lee sings
”And the meek shall inherit the Earth”, rather a satirical comment as the Priests are nothing like meek, forcing the people to conform and obey their edicts. “The Temples of Syrinx” is another rocker, essentially the Priests introducing themselves to the audience, with great guitar from Alex Lifeson and pounding drums from Neil Peart, who also wrote all the lyrics. Part 3 is entitled “Discovery”, and starts with what sounds like someone unfamiliar with the instrument trying to tune a guitar.
This works very well into the storyline, as in it the hero discovers a guitar, and is amazed by its simplicty of design and the music it is capable of making. Geddy sings
”What can this strange device be/ When I touch it, it gives forth a sound?/ It's got wires that vibrate/ And make music/ What can this thing be that I've found?” As the hero explores the guitar and learns to play it he is captivated by it, and takes it to the Temple to present it to the Priests, leading to the fourth part, “Presentation”. The hero believes that an instrument such as this, which will allow people to play their own music, will be welcomed by the dictatorial guardians of the Temple, but its individuality and its promise of allowing people to express themselves angers the Priests, and they cast him out.
A great solo from Lifeson then, takes us into part five, “Oracle: the dream”, a gentle, spacey synth melody as the hero wander dejectedly back to his home, which then kicks into a heavy passage as he sees visions of the past, the war that almost destroyed the galaxy,and this leads to part six, “Solilioquy”, a gentle guitar introduction that then again explodes into a heavy guitar track as the hero finds he can no longer live in this cold, controlled world, and takes his own life.
Part seven, “Grand finale”, is a revisit of the overture, with rocky guitar, wailing synth and thumping drums to take the piece to its powerful and dramatic conclusion. At the end a voice on a tannoy announces “We have assumed control!” leaving you to believe that the reign of the Priests of the Temples of Syrinx may be at an end.
So that's “2112”, the track, all twenty minutes of it. Against that, it's hard to get too excited about the rest of the tracks, as they're going to have a lot to live up to. “A passage to Bangkok” does not manage it. It's a rocky upbeat number, great guitar as ever from Lifeson, but seems a little ordinary after the opus just experienced, which is why I believe Rush would have been better advised to have had the title track as the closer, or for those old enough to remember and understand, on side two.
“The twilight zone” alternates between striding, strutting blues and contemplative guitar, while “Lessons” has nice jangly guitar and a boppy beat, but it's “Tears” that really makes you sit up and take notice. A beautiful and fragile ballad, with lush strings, acoustic guitar and some mournful flute, it's the only ballad on the album, but the better for it. Apart from the title track --- which is hard to ignore when considering top track --- this gets my vote for best track on the album. Closer “Something for nothing” is another fast rocker, good but not great.
There's no doubting this is a classic Rush album. The trap they seem to have fallen into is the old “top that” syndrome: with a track --- piece, composition, whatever --- of the calibre of “2112”, it was always going to be hard to match it, and in general the other tracks on the album, “Tears” aside, stand as more or less filler when compared to “2112”. They would be good on another album, but here they're blocked by the massive shadow cast by the title composition. A victim in some ways of its own excesses, “2112” is nevertheless an album you should make it your business to hear.
TRACKLISTING
1. 2112
(i) Overture
(ii) The Temples of Syrinx
(iii) Discovery
(iv) Presentation
(v) Oracle: the dream
(vi) Soliloquy
(vii) Grand finale
2. A passage to Bangkok
3. The twilight zone
4. Lessons
5. Tears
6. Something for nothing
Suggested further listening: “Caress of steel”, “Hemispheres”, “A farewell to kings”