Rush Strikes Platinum on 1980 Album That Folds Pop Elements into Hard-Rock Arrangements: Permanent Waves Includes "The Spirit of Radio" and "Free Will"

Experience Rush's Classic in Audiophile Sound: Mobile Fidelity's Numbered-Edition 180g LP Is Out of Print

1/4" / 30 IPS analog master to analog console to lathe

The first of three consecutive studio masterpieces, Permanent Waves firmly established Rush as a band whose appeal went far beyond what had been thought to be an audience mostly comprised of music nerds, mathematics professors, and science-fiction freaks. Anchored by the sizzling “The Spirit of Radio” and assertive “Free Will,” each longtime radio standards, the record found the group folding pop sounds of the era (namely, reggae-infused accents and energetic hooks) into its hard-rock template. The moves were a stroke of genius.

Shorter song lengths, space-age Moog keyboards, and uncongested arrangements translated into catchier material—and announced the beginning of Rush’s transition away from complex prog and towards synthesized rock. Permanent Waves represents the trio’s best balance of both elements. The ageless record is one reason why Rush is finally getting the long-overdue respect its deserved and experiencing a windfall of attention in the mainstream, garnering accolades from television shows (“The Colbert Report”), films (I Love You Man and Adventureland), and fellow rock contemporaries (Metallica’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame acceptance speech lobbied for Rush’s inclusion in the institution).

Sticklers for precision and perfection, the group demanded nothing less than the best from itself and production team. And there’s no better place to experience it than on Mobile Fidelity’s astounding remaster. Sourced from the original analog tapes, this exposes you to just how much detail and information you’ve been missing out on hearing. And Neil Peart fans, listen up. The full dynamic range of the drummer’s percussive spectrum is completely exposed for the first time on record.

“Quiet surfaces, superb separation, a wide soundstage, and life-size images abound. Evidenced by the flexibility and presence of Geddy Lee’s stair-step bass lines, the midrange and low-end seem completely restored. Rush’s firm rhythms and chorus-pedal effects are also brought to fore. But the main attraction is how realistic, lively, and dynamic Neil Peart’s virtuosic drumming now sounds.”
--The Absolute Sound