Rush - Hemispheres (1978) - €10,00

Hemispheres is the sixth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released in October 1978 by Anthem Records. 

After touring to support the band's previous release, A Farewell to Kings, during which the group gained popularity in the UK, Rush started work on their next album. 

As with the band's previous studio album, Hemispheres was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Monmouthshire and Trident Studios in London with longtime engineer and arranger, Terry Brown. 

Rush continued its progressive rock sound with the side-long "Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres" and the nine-minute instrumental "La Villa Strangiato". 

Side one

"Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres" occupies the album's first side. An 18-minute track and sequel to "Cygnus X-1 Book I: The Voyage" on A Farewell to Kings, the song has six distinct parts. Initially, Lee had a different idea for the album's centerpiece track, but after some music had been written the group felt it right to continue the story. Book I concerns the journey of the Rocinante, a spaceship that enters a black hole in outer space. Peart ended the story without a set conclusion, and only began to write Book II three weeks before the band was set to travel to Rockfield Studios. The process was stressful for Peart, took "hours of tearing [his] hair out" and was only half complete when they arrived. The sequel, like Book I, uses mythology and symbolism to depict a conflict between the gods Apollo and Dionysus, which is resolved when Cygnus intervenes, claiming a balance of heart and mind are what is needed for humans to live well. Peart introduced the gong and timpani to his percussion set for the first time; he hadn't thought of adding the instrument on previous albums but thought Hemispheres needed it.

Side two

"Circumstances" is the first of two shorter tracks on Hemispheres. With the band having accustomed its audience to longer, more elaborate formats, this song is qualified by Lee as an experiment, an attempt to break away from the prog formula that would steer the band into new directions in later albums.

"The Trees" tells the story of a forest of oak and maple trees, the latter causing an upheaval because the oak trees grow too large and take all the sunlight. The maple trees form a union in an effort to have the oaks cut down to a smaller size. The song is a political commentary on the domination of Canada (Maples) by the United Kingdom (Oaks). Lee explains that the fact that the band was recording in the Welsh countryside set the overall tone for the song: "you're watching English television, walking in the Welsh countryside; there are sheep talking to you in the early morning when you're trying to sleep ... lyrics came first, and we wanted to construct a dynamic little tale as a soundtrack to those lyrics".

"La Villa Strangiato" is a nine-minute instrumental in 12 distinct sections and a subtitle of "An Exercise in Self-Indulgence". According to Lifeson, it is based on the various nightmares he would have, particularly while on tour, which provided the theme to what he described as a "musical re-creation" of them. The track was the sole piece that developed from the two-week rehearsal period the group had prior to entering the studio. Rush encountered great difficulty in recording it, as the band wanted it put down as a single live performance, rather than a more produced and edited piece. Lee said it took them around 40 takes to produce a take they were satisfied with. Peart and Lee pointed out that they spent more time recording "La Villa Strangiato" than they did recording the entire Fly by Night (1975) album. Peart recalled the group spent four days and nights playing it repeatedly, playing while their hands were sore and their minds tired. "We were determined to get the whole thing perfect, but in the end I just couldn't do it, and we ended up putting it together from a few different takes." The segments "Monsters!" and "Monsters! (Reprise)" are adapted from "Powerhouse", a 1937 jazz instrumental by Raymond Scott.

Side one

1.  Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres - 18:08

     I:   Prelude 

     II:  Apollo Bringer of Wisdom 

     III: Dionysus Bringer of Love  

     IV:  Armageddon The Battle of Heart and Mind  

     V:   Cygnus Bringer of Balance  

     VI:  The Sphere A Kind of Dream  

Side two

1.  Circumstances - 3:42

2.  The Trees - 4:46

3.  La Villa Strangiato (An Exercise in Self-Indulgence) - 9:35

     I. Buenos Nochas, Mein Froinds!

     II. To Sleep, Perchance to Dream...

     III. Strangiato Theme

     IV. A Lerxst in Wonderland

     V. Monsters!

     VI. The Ghost of the Aragon

     VII. Danforth and Pape

     VIII. The Waltz of the Shreves

     IX. Never Turn Your Back on a Monster!

     X. Monsters! (Reprise)

     XI. Strangiato Theme (Reprise)

     XII. A Farewell to Things

Rush

• Alex Lifeson – 6- and 12-string electric and acoustic guitars, classical guitar, Roland guitar synthesizer, Moog Taurus pedals
• Neil Peart – drums, orchestra bells, bell tree, tympani, gong, cowbells, temple blocks, wind chimes, crotales
• Geddy Lee – bass guitar, Minimoog synthesizer, Oberheim polyphonic synthesizer, Moog Taurus pedals, vocals

Production

• Rush – production, arrangement
• Terry Brown – production, arrangement, mixing at Trident Studios
• Pat Moran – engineering at Rockfield Studios
• Declan O'Doherty – engineering at Advision Studios
• John Brand – mixing assistance at Trident Studios
• Ray Staff – mastering
• Simon Hilliard – tape operator at Trident Studios
• Mike Donegani – tape operator at Trident Studios
• Reno Ruocco – tape operator at Trident Studios
• Ray Staff – mastering at Trident Studios
• Hugh Syme – graphics, art direction
• Bob King – art direction
• Yosh Inouye – cover photography
• Fin Costello – inner sleeve and poster photography
• Moon Records – executive production

Notes

Release:  1978

Format:  LP

Genre:  Progressive Rock

Label:  Mercury Records

Catalog#  9111005

Vinyl:  VG

Cover:  Voorkant Lichte Stickerschade

Prijs: €10,00

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