Classic Albums - 2112 And Moving Pictures (Review)

By Tim Batcup, Classic Rock, November 2010, transcribed by pwrwindows

Classic Albums - 2112 And Moving Pictures
(Eagle Vision)

...and the meek shall inherit the Earth.

This generally well-respected series places Rush's two breakthrough, benchmark albums under the musical microscope. A reunion with producer Terry Brown plus intelligent analysis from a capable cast of talking heads (Cliff Burnstein, David Fricke) adds extra gravitas to the already impressive archival footage and bonhomie of the band themselves. Virtually on a record company final warning by the time of 2112 , the dogged response of a 20 minute overture with nods to Tchaikovsky and Ayn Rand's dystopian visions, backed with a clutch of leftfield oddities surprised even the band with its breakout success. 1980's Moving Pictures smashed through any residual glass ceilings, the minimovie narratives and songwriting perfection still the high watermark of the band's career. A satisfying running time of two hours and a whiff of a budget make it a creditable companion to the recent indepth documentary.