A Show Of Hands

Sound DNA

• Rock
• Prog Rock

• polished
• anthemic
• cerebral

About

Neil Peart exhibits his rhythmic dexterity with drum showcase "The Rhythm Method," but that one brief exercise aside, <i>A Show Of Hands</i> focuses on the Canadian power trio's carefully crafted songwriting. Rush spent the ‘70s writing elaborate, conceptual pieces that required deeper concentration than most. By the ‘80s, spurred on by the success of <i>Permanent Waves</i> and <i>Moving Pictures</i>, the band turned to writing tighter, more concise tunes, and with 1982's <i>Signals</i> added a serious amount of keyboard and synthesizer support to its once guitar-heavy attack. This sonic shift never lessened the band's aggression, but it did add several layers of ethereal and otherworldly expression to its aura. Like other Rush live albums, <i>Hands</i> also serves as a "greatest hits" collection for this particular era of the ‘80s. While "Closer to the Heart" is the one true throwback, "The Big Money," "Subdivisions," "Distant Early Warning," "Force Ten," and "Mission" represent the band's most striking '80s material, delivered with the exact precision expected from this meticulous group.

via Apple Music

Tracklist

Credits