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2112
Rmst ed.
Reissued, Remastered
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2112 (Remastered)
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MP3 Music, March 1, 1976
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Audio CD, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered, May 6, 1997
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Vinyl, March 17, 2015
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From the brand
Track Listings
1 | '2112': I: Overture/Ii: The Temples of Syrinx/Iii: Discovery/Iv: Presentation/V: Oracle: The Dream/Vi. Soliloquy/Vii. Grand Finale |
2 | A Passage to Bangkok |
3 | The Twilight Zone |
4 | Lessons |
5 | Tears |
6 | Something for Nothing |
Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Features 20-bit digital remastering from the original master tapes and enhanced packaging faithful to the original LP release. Tracks include "2112," "Overture," "The Temples of Syrinx," "The Dream, " "Soliloquy," "Grand Finale," "The Twilight Zone," "Lessons," "Tears," Something for Nothing" and more.
Amazon.com
Only Rush could have pulled this off, and only in the '70s. 2112--the title suite of the band's 1976 breakthrough album--is a comically pretentious, futuristic rock opera written by a nerdy drummer and sung by a whiny-voiced geek. It also happens to be a great piece of rock & roll that lifts the listener through a variety of moods and textures from genteel acoustic ("Oracle") to thrilling metal ("The Temples of Syrinx"). Perhaps realizing that they had taken conceptualism about as far as it could go, even these guys backed off on the epic hero stuff for later releases. 2112 still stands as one of the great signposts of the prog-rock era. --Michael Ruby
Product details
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- Language : English
- Product Dimensions : 5.08 x 5.63 x 0.39 inches; 3.32 ounces
- Manufacturer : Mercury
- Original Release Date : 1997
- Date First Available : February 9, 2007
- Label : Mercury
- ASIN : B000001ESF
- Country of Origin : USA
- Number of discs : 1
- Best Sellers Rank: #2,414 in CDs & Vinyl (See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl)
- #11 in Progressive Metal
- #51 in Progressive Rock
- #65 in Arena Rock (CDs & Vinyl)
- Customer Reviews:
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"2112" is the first real achievement of the second generation of hard rock and Rush is the band that made that second generation main stream.
The influence of the pseudo-Nietzchean philospher Ayn Rand on Neil Peart's lyrics--as opposed to his life--has been way over blown. Peart is a far deeper thinker than Rand ever was and far better writer than she was as well. Where as Rand spewed out gigantic books filled with one-dimensional characters embalmed in endless pages of incomprehensible polysyllabic babble, "2112"--the side long piece--presents a comprehensible dystopic future. A future where, as under the Soviet Union, artistic expression is as tightly controlled as political expression. The intelligent tyrants always understand that controlling art is as much a tool of controlling the masses as control of the police and the military. The horizons of acceptable expression must be guided through the channels of the party or the religious dogma.
"2112"'s protagonist finds a guitar in cave. Elated with his discovery, the chance to bring some color into the drab life of totalitarian existence, he presents his discovery to the head tyrant. (Much of this detail as included in the liner notes of the LP, excised from the CD). The tyrant-priest goes on a rant, smashes the guitar and banishes the intruding fool who whold have disturbed the existing social order--and endangered his power.
Musically Rush is still very much under the tutelage of Zeppelin, Cream and Yes. But they have already begun to hone the unique sound that first appeared on the brilliant--and unfairly maligned predecessor to this album--"Caress of Steel" (perhaps the coolest album title ever).
The parts that go to make up the whole of "2112" are much more co-hesive and do tell the story of our hapless protagonist. The intro blazes into a Zeppelinque bombs-away (foreshadowing the song cycle's climax by quoting the main theme from the "1812 Overture). "The Temples of Syrinx" presents the world through the eyes of the priests. Life is pretty sweet for them, as it always is for the rulers, so why should they put a seal of approval upon anything which might interrupt this cozy state of affairs. Blazing guitar work and the intricate interplay of bass and drums that would become the hallmark of Rush's sound for the next 30 years are all in place. While Lifeson's guitar would shift from Pagian/Claptonian heroics to harmonic color, and back again, the recipe for 30,000,000 US records and decades of ultra-succesful tourign were well and truly laid.
The high point of both the album and "2112" is "The Oracle." The distortion and crunch give way to a much subtler sound and when the inevitable bombs-away beings its a much more deft and agile sound. The lyrics of freedom against a soul-deadending despostim are also stirring (though perhaps less so to a generation whose grown up without the shadow of the Soviet Union).
If you can listen to Rush play "2112" live in concert and not leap to your feet, something's wrong with you. While "Hemispheres" would refine the side-long piece/concept album to the point beyond which only reptition was possible, the basics are all here on this album. "Hemispheres" reaches an orchestral pitch that "2112" does not, as its does intellectually as well, but "Hemispheres" cannot top the raw power of three musicians bound and determined to defy not only the musical conventions of the day but the pressures of the "industry" to conform to more "accessible" themes and forms.
It is this defiance, which pulses through ever note and drum-beat that separates "2112" from every other Rush album. These three Canadians from the suburbs were going their own way with a vengeance. It's a joy to listen to this clarion call to individualism and freedom (things which had little in common with Rand's incoherence, the latter being something which Peart quickly picked up on as he clearly realized that Rand was motivated not buy the beauty of freedom but solely by the hatred of the oppressor who drove her family from Russia).
The second side of the album is a decidedly mixed bag of stylistic experiments. "Something for Nothing," the album's closing number is a straight ahead rocker in the manner of "Bastille Day." Ferocious riffs, wicked fills and driving bass dominate it and deliver one of the most polished pieces of hard rock ever mined by this band.
"A Passage to Bangkok" is easily the best song on the second side. From the quirky microtones of the intro to the rugged rythym this songs celebrates, as one Rush biographer put it, "a connosier's appreciation..." of what is left for you to decided.
"The Twilight Zone" is a tongue-in-cheek tribute to Rod Serling. And like the tongue-in-cheek (or should we say "in toupee"?) "I Think I'm Going Bald" on "Caress" it doesn't accomplish what it sets out to. The music of "Twilight Zone", however, cannot be ignored, as the rambling, bumbling "Going Bald's" tune can and should be.
"Lessons" and "Tears" are forgettable stabs in the direction of the soft/folk rock of James Taylor, Peter Frampton and the Eagles who were beginning to replace Zeppelin and the other "dinosaurs" as the Seventies moved toward their terrible climax. They should be give one listen and then relegated to the CD when you the album to your iPod.
Normally the missteps on side two (one song average, two mediocrities) would merit dinging a star off an album. But this Rush and this is "2112." If all they had delivered was the nearly 20 mins of Side One (ahhh, records, anyone miss 'em? Didn't think so), this would be known as one of the most perfect EPs ever recorded. As it is, the rousing achievement of "2112" drowns out the mistakes of the Side Two and, in the memory of Rush fans, leaves only "2112" behind.
If you're looking for a place to begin your journey into the every rewarding world of Rush, 2112 is the place to start. It is the keystone by which the three albums that went before can be judged and the foundation for the 13 studio albums that were to follow.
If you can't get past hating Geddy's voice--as my wife can't--then the loss is, sadly, yours. You'll be depriving yourself of the incredible musical and lyrical talents of Canada's greatest and most succesful musical group--as well as those of the greatest living bassist and drummer and one of the greatest guitarists.
Rush is that almost extinct breed of artist in this age where marketing and packaging, focus-groups and market research take the place of talent and inspiration: they have no egomaniacal need to parade their private lives before you. They only want to deliver music. Whether anyone else likes it or not is irrelevant to them. In the "American Idol" universe this makes them a treasure indeed.
The album opens with 2112; a 20-minute long prog masterpiece that tells the story of a man who discovers a guitar in a society without creativity and freedom. He presents his discovery to the heads of society, who destroy it in fury. Returning to his horrible life, the man sees a thriving society with music and joy in a dream. Waking up, he takes his own life, unable to carry on anymore. The instrumentation in 2112 fits with the song's story perfectly. The beginning of the song opens with sci-fi-ish noises that morph into an exploding guitar sound meant to paint the picture of war and the society the protagonist lives in. Things quiet down, as the protagonist finds the guitar. And, well it sounds like someone finding a guitar, which is great. As the protagonist presents it to the heads of society, the song abruptly shifts styles in the best way possible. When the protagonist is speaking, the music is joyful and hopeful, but when the priests respond, the exploding guitar and harsh vocals return, but then cut back to joy and happiness when it's the protagonists turn again. This results in a wailing guitar solo meant to symbolize the priests destroying the man's guitar, which perfectly represents what it set out to do. As the protagonist leaves the temples, the style changes to something quieter, that perfectly resembles night time and going to sleep. The moment he drifts off to sleep though, we're greeted with another abrupt musical change. This fits well, because it represents how sudden the start or end of a dream can be. In the dream, we hear the first segment of the song repeated, but changed in a way so that it's familiar and recognizable, but represents something different, such as the alternate reality the protagonist sees in the dream. When he wakes up and take his own life, the music is heavy and emotional, just like it should be. And then the song closes out with another exploding style, meant to symbolize the start of another war, similar to the beginning of the song. And thus side 1 ends. What a song.
Side two doesn't continue or add to the story of side one, but instead presents some shorter, but equally good tracks.
A Passage to Bangkok is kind of a strangely themed song for a band like Rush, but it's nevertheless good. It's got a great hard rock style, and is a welcome contribution to the album.
The Twilight Zone is probably the worst song on the album, but as far as music in general goes, it's still good. When you compare it to the other tracks on the album though, it's just not as good. It's lyrics don't mean much and it's just one of those songs that you will probably skip after your first listen or two.
Lessons brings back the Rush style from earlier albums, specifically Fly By Night. This song is fantastic, with great instrumentation and musicianship (as always with Rush), and a really great vocal performance.
Tears is a slower, more acoustic-based song with meaningful lyrics that make it another welcome addition to the album. Great song.
And, the album ends with Something For Nothing, a song similar to Lessons that brings back that Fly By Night style.
2112 is one of the most influential and important albums ever made. It's a great showcase of phenomenal instrument playing, musicianship, attention to detail, songwriting, and most importantly; telling a story with out explicitly stating what that story is. Everyone should hear this album at least once in their lifetimes, and if you like it, well buy the CD!