Counterparts

Counterparts is an important 1990s album on which Rush, while keeping its native complex technique, greatly shifts its weight toward drier guitar, thick, powerful rhythm and direct singing. Greatly restraining the weight of synthesizers, it puts the raw, hard frame of guitar, bass and drums to the fore more than before. A record on which the band returns to a heavier, more rock direction. Alex Lifeson’s guitar, while reducing fine decoration, creates deep depth through chords and texture. From the heavy drive of the opener “Animate” and the aggression of the single “Stick It Out” to the socially themed “Nobody’s Hero” and the classic instrumental “Leave That Thing Alone,” every song is powerful. Its great significance lies in powerfully recovering the raw physicality of rock by deftly organizing the sonic information, while never abandoning progressive thinking. It is an important turning point in mature Rush. Beyond complex meters, it is a fulfilling record to savor for the effective space of the guitar and the low, heavy center the rhythm section creates.