ALBUM REVIEW: RUSH 'PERMANENT WAVES' 40th ANNIVERSARY

Rush's seminal work gets a deluxe anniversary release

1980's Permanent Waves album changed the way that prog behemoths Rush did business. After the hard slog and near stir crazy sessions of the Hemispheres album, Permanent Waves was recorded in joyous six weeks at Canada's iconic Le Studio. Not only did it revitalize the band creatively, but it also allowed them to take a different view on how they did things. Empowered with this new perspective and newfound zeal as writers, their concept albums and epic set pieces we passed over in favour of shorter vignettes that contributed to a wider whole rather than sidelong masterworks.

Abandoning the long-form track was a gamble that paid off. It demonstrated that the band could artfully combine their technical wizardry and songwriting prowess in a shorter time frame and still make their point. The results are a prog masterwork, no less validity than the density of their earlier output that contains some of their timeless pieces: Jacob's Ladder, Entre Nous, Different Strings and The Spirit of Radio which gave the band instant commercial success.

The album's 40th-anniversary release pulls in the already polished 2015 remaster and adds several previously unreleased live tracks taken from the Permanent Waves tour. Lovingly reworked by Terry Brown, the live recordings continue to show a band at the very top of their game. Geddy Lee charging through an impeccable live version of Freewill and a buoyant folk/rock lilt of The Trees is worth the investment. Of course, hardened collectors will find the anniversary edition available in a variety of formats including a hardcover version that includes handwritten lyrics and a treasure trove of Rush goodies.

‘PERMANENT WAVES’ – 40TH ANNIVERSARY EDITIONS: TRACK LISTINGS SUPER DELUXE EDITION CD 1 Original Album – Produced by Rush and Terry Brown / 2015 remaster on CD for the first time

1. The Spirit Of Radio

2. Freewill

3. Jacob’s Ladder

4. Entre Nous

5. Different Strings

6. Natural Science

CD 2 Permanent Waves World Tour 1980 / previously unreleased

1. Beneath, Between & Behind (Live in Manchester)

2. By-Tor & The Snow Dog (Live in London)

3. Xanadu (Live in London)

4. The Spirit Of Radio (Live in Manchester)

5. Natural Science (Live in Manchester)

6. The Trees (Live in Manchester)

7. Cygnus X-1 (Live in London)

8. Cygnus X-1 Book II (Live in London)

9. Closer To The Heart (Live in Manchester)

10. Jacob’s Ladder (Live in Missouri)

11. Freewill (Live in London)

3-LP VINYL SLIPCASE Original Album – Produced by Rush and Terry Brown LP 1 – SIDE 1

1. The Spirit Of Radio

2. Freewill

3. Jacob’s Ladder

LP 1 – SIDE 2

1. Entre Nous

2. Different Strings

3. Natural Science

BONUS LIVE CONTENT PERMANENT WAVES WORLD TOUR 1980 / Previously Unreleased except * LP 2 – SIDE 3

1. Beneath, Between & Behind (Live in Manchester)

2. By-Tor & The Snow Dog (Live in London)

3. Xanadu (Live in London)

LP 2 – SIDE 4

1. The Spirit Of Radio (Live in Manchester)

2. Natural Science (Live in Manchester)

3. A Passage To Bangkok (Live in Manchester)*

4. The Trees (Live in Manchester)

LP 3 – SIDE 5

1. Cygnus X-1 (Live in London)

2. Cygnus X-1 Book II (Live in London)

LP 3 – SIDE 6

1. Closer To The Heart (Live in Manchester)

2. Jacob’s Ladder (Live in Missouri)

3. Freewill (Live in London)

2CD DELUXE EDITION CD – DISC 1 Original Album– Produced by Rush and Terry Brown / 2015 remaster on CD for the first time

1. The Spirit Of Radio

2. Freewill

3. Jacob’s Ladder

4. Entre Nous

5. Different Strings

6. Natural Science

CD – DISC 2 Permanent Waves World Tour 1980/ previously unreleased

1. Beneath, Between & Behind (Live in Manchester)

2. By-Tor & The Snow Dog (Live in London)

3. Xanadu (Live in London)

4. The Spirit Of Radio (Live in Manchester)

5. Natural Science (Live in Manchester)

6. The Trees (Live in Manchester)

7. Cygnus X-1 (Live in London)

8. Cygnus X-1 Book II (Live in London)

9. Closer To The Heart (Live in Manchester)

10. Jacob’s Ladder (Live in Missouri)

11. Freewill (Live in London)

3LP DELUXE EDITION  Original Album – Produced by Rush and Terry Brown LP 1 – SIDE 1

1. The Spirit Of Radio

2. Freewill

3. Jacob’s Ladder

LP 1 – SIDE 2

1. Entre Nous

2. Different Strings

3. Natural Science

BONUS LIVE CONTENT PERMANENT WAVES WORLD TOUR 1980 Previously unreleased except * LP 2 – SIDE 3

1. Beneath, Between & Behind (Live in Manchester)

2. By-Tor & The Snow Dog (Live in London)

3. Xanadu (Live in London)

LP 2 – SIDE 4

1. The Spirit Of Radio (Live in Manchester)

2. Natural Science (Live in Manchester)

3. A Passage To Bangkok (Live in Manchester)*

4. The Trees (Live in Manchester)

LP 3 – SIDE 5

1. Cygnus X-1 (Live in London)

2. Cygnus X-1 Book II (Live in London)

LP 3 – SIDE 6

1. Closer To The Heart (Live in Manchester)

2. Jacob’s Ladder (Live in Missouri)

3. Freewill (Live in London)

DIGITAL DELUXE EDITION DISC 1 Original Album– Produced by Rush and Terry Brown / 2015 remaster

1. The Spirit Of Radio

2. Freewill

3. Jacob’s Ladder

4. Entre Nous

5. Different Strings

6. Natural Science

DISC 2 Permanent Waves World Tour 1980/ previously unreleased except *

1. Beneath, Between & Behind (Live in Manchester)

2. By-Tor & The Snow Dog (Live in London)

3. Xanadu (Live in London)

4. The Spirit Of Radio (Live in Manchester)

5. Natural Science (Live in Manchester)

6. A Passage To Bangkok (Live in Manchester)*

7. The Trees (Live in Manchester)

8. Cygnus X-1 (Live in London)

9. Cygnus X-1 Book II (Live in London)

10. Closer To The Heart (Live in Manchester)

11. Jacob’s Ladder (Live in Missouri)

12. Freewill (Live in London)

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