Backtracking

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Welcome to Backtracking – the podcast where two old friends take a second listen to influential bands' catalogs. For our first season, we've selected none other than legendary Canadian power trio Rush.

Backsmith? Artist? Reflect it in your art! Send us lots of messages:backtrackingrox@gmail.com.

Spring Break Update: Rush "Exit... Stage Left" Is Next Mar 27, 2024

Show notes

Not much to know about this one: we're taking a week off, and we're back April 3 with Rush's "Exit... Stage Left."

Thanks for your patience.

Rush "Moving Pictures" (1981), Side B: Limelight, The Camera Eye Mar 20, 2024

Show notes

Rush's 1981 album "Moving Pictures", Side B: "Limelight", "The Camera Eye", "Witch Hunt" and "Vital Signs".

Plus a disclaimer on Rush's infallibility, and The Best and the Worst on an album that mostly has best ones.

LISTEN TO THE ALBUM:

Rush “Moving Pictures”

CHAPTERS:

0:00: Was Superman from Kronkite?

0:15: The scripted open is black, without a moon….

1:05: A disclaimer and discussion about Rush’s infallibility.

8:57: Side B, Track One: “Limelight”

22:22: Side B, Track Two: “The Camera Eye”

34:10: Side B, Track Three: “Witch Hunt”

44:30: Side B, Track Four: “Vital Signs”

57:45: It is the best of songs, it is the worst of songs.

57:45: Was it George Thorogood who said, “Wrap it up. I’ll take it?”

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Cast in this unlikely role ill-equipped to contact? No more! Email us at: backtrackingrox@gmail.com.

Rush "Moving Pictures" (1981), Side A: Tom Sawyer, Red Barchetta, YYZ Mar 13, 2024

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Rush's 1981 album "Moving Pictures", Side A: "Tom Sawyer", "Red Barchetta" and "YYZ". No pressure.

This was a stressful album for us to dig into. We cover Hugh Syme's cover, Terry Brown and Le Studio, and whether Side A has earned its A-plus.

LISTEN TO THE ALBUM:

Rush “Moving Pictures”

CHAPTERS:

0:00: Cold, like the loneliness of podcast show notes….

0:36: Today’s scripted open, mean, mean snide….

3:25: This was a stressful album for us to dig into.

5:07: Huge Hugh Syme Time

15:06: Terry Brown, Le Studio, & Asterrickenbacker

22:25: Side A, Track One: “Tom Sawyer”

35:00: Side A, Track Two: “Red Barchetta”

44:30: Side A, Track Three: “YYZ”

54:16: That’s an A+ side A. We’ll see how the rest of this one goes.

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All this machinery making modern podcasts can still be open hearted. It’s really just a question of how to contact us: backtrackingrox@gmail.com.

Rush "Permanent Waves" (1980), Side B: Entre Nous, Natural Science Mar 06, 2024

Show notes

Rush's 1980 album "Permanent Waves", Side B: "Entre Nous", "Different Strings" and "Natural Science".

We also reconsider whether this is the start of a new era, and name The Best and the Worst on the album before moving on to "Moving Pictures."

LISTEN TO THE ALBUM:

Rush “Permanent Waves”

CHAPTERS:

0:00: Pest control provided by Smith & Wesson.

1:23: Is this the beginning of a new era? Eras, reconsidered.

4:20: Side B, Track One: “Entre Nous”

13:21: Side B, Track Two: “Different Strings”

22:28: Side B, Track Three: “Natural Science”

33:55: In summary, they’re… petting the bunny?

36:24: The Best and the Worst.

39:00: It’s over. Let’s move on to “Moving Pictures.”

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Just between us, I think it’s time for you to recognize the way to contact us: backtrackingrox@gmail.com.

Rush "Permanent Waves" (1980), Side A: The Spirit of Radio, Freewill Feb 28, 2024

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Rush's 1980 album "Permanent Waves", Side A: "The Spirit of Radio", "Freewill" and "Jacob's Ladder".

We get into Terry Brown, Le Studio, the Rickenbacker and Rush's new sound, plus Hugh Syme's cover and more Le Studio ear butter than is strictly healthy.

LISTEN TO THE ALBUM:

Rush “Permanent Waves”

CHAPTERS:

0:00: Begin the day with some mastiff balls….

0:50: Scripted open crackles with life….

7:55: Raf slathers himself in sweet Le Studio ear butter.

10:43: Me time? More like Hugh Syme!

15:33: Terry Brown, Le Studio, Rickenbacker, & a New Sound

22:11: Side A, Track One: “Spirit of the Radio”

34:31: Side A, Track Two: “Freewill”

45:20: Side A, Track Three: “Jacob’s Ladder”

53:25: Follow Raf’s eyes as they look to your thighs.

54:24: That’s a wrap for Side A.

ERA CHEAT SHEET PLAYLISTS:

Bell Bottoms 1974 - 1976Space Kimonos 1977 - 1981Skinny Ties 1982 - 1987Black Tees 1989 - 1997In the End 2002 Onward

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All this machinery making modern podcasts can still be open hearted. It’s really just a question of how to contact us: backtrackingrox@gmail.com.

Rush "Hemispheres" (1978), Side B: The Trees, La Villa Strangiato Feb 21, 2024

Show notes

Rush's 1978 album "Hemispheres", Side B: "Circumstances", "The Trees" and "La Villa Strangiato". How great? Pretty great.

Plus the impossible job of picking the best track on a near-perfect album, and a warning that synths are inbound, and plentiful.

LISTEN TO THE ALBUM:

Rush “Hemispheres”

CHAPTERS:

0:00: The Open as Cold as Oaken Oppression

0:23: Scripted Open: Book 2: Reprise: More Scripted Open

0:59: How Fucking Great? Pretty Fucking Great.

1:20: Side B, Track One: “Circumstances”

12:39: Side B, Track Two: “The Trees”

28:50: Side B, Track Three: “La Villa Strangiato”

46:01: How to pick the best track on a perfect album?

51:20: Wrap it up, for there is synth inbound, and it is plentiful.

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Sometimes in confusion, do you feel lost and disillusioned? Contact us for help at backtrackingrox@gmail.com. We’ll give you confidence to go up against reality!

Rush "Hemispheres" (1978), Side A: Cygnus X-1 Book II Feb 14, 2024

Show notes

Rush's 1978 album "Hemispheres", Side A: the full "Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres" suite, Apollonian logic and all.

We cover Hugh Syme's famous cover, Terry Brown and the ruins of Rockfield, a brief Simon Le Bon interlude, and whether this is Rush's best album from soup to nuts.

LISTEN TO THE ALBUM:

Rush “Hemispheres”

CHAPTERS:

0:00: An Open as Cold as Apollonian Logic

0:24: Did you notice that Raf’s part rhymed just like the song?

3:07: A Brief Simon LeBon Interlude

6:27: Cyngus Basics

7:13: Hugh Syme’s Hemispheres are both male buttcheeks.

16:18: The Rapscallion Terry Brown, & The Ruins of Rockfield

20:08: Is this Rush’s best album from soup to nuts?

23:37: Side A, Track One: “Cygnus X-1 Book 2: Hemispheres”

1:05:02: So ends this Hemidisk. Until the next Hemidisk.

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Rush “A Farewell to Kings”

The people were delighted, coming forth to claim our contact information: Contact us with rain, wolves, and cold starvation at backtrackingrox@gmail.com.

Rush "A Farewell to Kings" (1977), Side B: Cygnus X-1, Madrigal Feb 07, 2024

Show notes

Rush's 1977 album "A Farewell to Kings", Side B: "Closer to the Heart", "Cinderella Man", "Madrigal" and "Cygnus X-1".

Then The Best and the Worst on the album, before we wrap it up into the unfathomable depths of the black hole.

LISTEN TO THE ALBUM:

CHAPTERS:

0:00: A completely untrue cold open that references agriculture.

0:27: What’s better than a scripted open? An edited one!

1:03: A brief prelude prior to diving right in.

2:18: Side B, Track Three: “Closer to the Heart”

18:30: Side B, Track Four: “Cinderella Man”

26:28: Side B, Track Five: “Madrigal”

33:20: Side B, Track Four: “Cygnus X-1: Book 1: The Voyage”

55:44: The Best and the Worst.

57:02: Wrap it up into the unfathomable depths of the black hole.

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Rush “A Farewell to Kings”

In the constellation of Cygnus there lurks our mysterious, invisible email: backtrackingrox@gmail.com. Use it before you are atomized at the core.

Rush "A Farewell to Kings" (1977), Side A: The Title Track and Xanadu Jan 31, 2024

Show notes

Rush's 1977 album "A Farewell to Kings", Side A: the title track and "Xanadu", plus eras, the Bristol beat and Monmouthshire.

We also cover Hugh Syme's cover, the album's commercial performance, and what exactly is east of Lyra. See you on the flip side.

LISTEN TO THE ALBUM:

CHAPTERS:

0:00: An open colder than the cold expanse of space.

0:26: What’s that east of Lyra? Our scripted open!

2:51: Err, ah… eras; “the Bristol Beat;” Monmouthshire; Ambition!

15:59: “That guy’s got an absolutely Hugh Syme!”

18:12: We discuss the album’s commercial performance.

20:49: Side A, Track One: “A Farewell to Kings”

39:15: Side A, Track Two: “Xanadu”

58:54: Wrapping up the side, ya’ll. See you on the flipside.

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