Review: Rush ‘Grace Under Pressure (Super Deluxe)’ – New Mixes & A Live Show From ’84

Legendary prog rockers Rush – Geddy Lee (bass/keyboards/vocals), Alex Lifeson (guitars), and the late Neil Peart (drums) – have released a Super Deluxe Edition of their 1984 album Grace Under Pressure. I believe the box comes in a number of configurations – vinyl, CD etc – and includes a Blu Ray disc of a live show from ’84. As usual, I’m only here to comment on the audio portion of the box.

While I rarely comment on cover art, I have to say I almost like the cover of the new box more than I do the original and I loved the original cover. Well, maybe not the K-Mart family portrait of the band on the back. I’m strictly talking front cover here. The mechanical hands holding the egg from the original cover… as my teenage self would say, that’s fucking cool. I’d put that art installation in my front yard right now, to the almost certain dismay of my neighbors. 

Speaking of my teen years, Rush loomed very large over my junior high (aka middle school) and high school years. They were one of the biggest bands amongst me and my rock n roll miscreant friends. They, as my later friend Stormin’ used to say, brought the thunder! Many an air guitar was played to their classic rock stuff from the 70s. 

They not only rock and rolled, their lyrics were brilliant and literary. Their first live LP was named after a quote from Shakespeare. I could do without the Ayn Rand stuff, but Neil was going through a phase. The Sci-Fi/fantasy stuff was wonderful escapism but yet still managed to make a statement about our current lives. They were hard rock for the nerdy intelligent types as well as the Metalheads. They were universal in appeal. 

The 2112 album from 1976 in particular, which turns 50 this year(!) and the sequence of “Overture/Temples Of Syrinx” were treated like holy hymns in my school. It was one of the first albums I purchased when I started listening to rock n roll a few years later in ’78/’79.

While I was only vaguely aware of their next few albums until I became a big Rush fan later in high school, there were so many songs that I would include amongst my early life soundtrack. Every keg party out in a farmer’s field or at somebody’s absent parent’s house featured Rush songs: “The Trees,” “Spirit Of The Radio,” “Xanadu,” and of course “La Villa Strangiato” were all in high rotation. Don’t get me started on “Bytor And The Snow Dog.” 

But it wasn’t until 1981’s Moving Pictures that I started buying Rush albums. That album was enormous with not only my aforementioned miscreant friends, but everybody. They came into town and sold out two nights at Kemper Arena (our local basketball/hockey arena) which only the biggest bands could. The Heartland “loved it” some Rush. 

I went to the second show and remember being vaguely disappointed. But that is probably only because my expectations were enormous. The build up in my mind was huge before that show. I had been waiting three years to see these guys. To follow that tour up they released the live album Exit…Stage Left, which I also considered to be a bit tepid compared to All The World’s A Stage which was another album we’d all been raised on. 

By the time they released Signals in 1982, I had graduated high school and was going through the difficult freshman year. I had heard that Rush had a new album and again my expectations were through the roof. But instead of recording Moving Pictures 2.0, Rush decided to go in a more mainstream direction. 

The first single and the first track I heard was “New World Man.” It was almost reggae. To my hard rock 18 year old ear it was dreck. I was utterly disappointed but that may have been my negative outlook on the world at that point. A lot of my friends were similarly disappointed and bemoaned the overt use of synthesizers. 

I’m not sure why they chose that moment to complain about synths, Rush had been using them for several albums. In the synth heavy 80s I’d argue that Rush more successfully incorporated them into their sound by doing it gradually – they likely saw the future coming – than most other acts… certainly Bob Seger struggled with them. 

By ’84 I’d kind of consigned Rush to the “bands I listened to in high school” category. I will admit, I did like the synth driven track “Subdivisions” on Signals, but when they released the follow up, 1984‘s Grace Under Pressure, I never imagined that song would be the template for the next album. This was the first album not produced by longtime producer Terry Brown since Fly By Night. That should have made it clear they were seeking a new direction. 

I had mostly ignored the album until walking by this guy’s room down the hall – he was an accountant or an architect, usually quite staid – and I heard “Distant Early Warning” blasting from his speakers. I stopped into this bland guy’s room and to his dismay stayed for the entire first half of the album. I drove immediately to the record store. 

I know the critics were lukewarm on this album but I loved it. I heard the synths like everybody else, but I felt they only enhanced the drama of the songs. Alex Lifeson’s guitar had been pushed to the background for the most part which took some getting used to. He was always overshadowed by the colossal rhythm section of especially Peart on drums and Geddy Lee’s phenomenal bass. I missed the guitar but for some reason this album just clicked for me. And yes, Alex is highly underrated on guitar. 

The first disc in this box is the original album remastered and it sounds even better today in my ears. The first side is just “money.” “Distant Early Warning” still grabs me, “You sometimes drive me crazy, but I worry about you…” is probably how my friends felt about me. “Afterimage” is a brilliant tribute to a fallen comrade. 

“Red Sector A” is my favorite track. Written from the perspective of a prisoner in a concentration camp, made all the more poignant by the fact that Geddy Lee is a descendant of Holocaust survivors, it’s simply amazing. Who wrote these type of songs in the 80s? “The Enemy Within” is a continuation of the “Fear” series. It was a compelling side of music. 

“The Body Electric” starts with heavy drums and bass and was another track I heard a lot. “Kid Gloves” gives Alex a chance to come forward a little more – something that should have happened more on the album. “Red Lenses” was a great deep track. “Between The Wheels” was an ominous ending. 

Despite the lack of big time guitars, I just clicked with this record and disc 1’s new remaster is a great way to experience the record. 

Unfortunately, on disc 2, they bring in their old producer Terry Brown to remix the album. I’m not going to say his remix is awful, but it is jarring. He has mixed this thing like he’s mad at the synths. We all miss Peart, but his drums are so loud in the mix as to be overwhelming. Geddy’s voice is higher in the mix as is his bass, again almost too much so on the bass parts. Alex’s guitar is brought to the forefront but on many of these songs he was almost the rhythm so it feels off. I can’t imagine putting this remix on the stereo much. 

The final discs are a live show from Toronto’s Maple Leaf Garden’s recorded on September 21, 1984. I wish I could remember what I was doing on that day…wish I’d been in Toronto. The concert has been released  before – in parts – on a DVD/Blu Ray. I don’t know if the complete concert has ever been released in its entirety. It’s just another fabulous Rush concert. 

I really like this live stuff, they were always great in concert. They open with ” The Spirit Of Radio” which was meant to be an opener. They play 7 of the 8 new tracks from Grace Under Pressure and they all translate well live. We even get the entire “Fear” trilogy, in order: “The Enemy Within,” “The Weapon,” and “Witch Hunt.” That trilogy of songs had been spread over three different albums. I don’t know if that’s something they did often?

“Subdivisoins” is great live here as well. “Red Barchetta,” “YYZ” and “Tom Sawyer” from Moving Pictures all cook. I was delighted to hear “Finding My Way” and “In The Mood” from their debut turn up at the end. It’s a great show. 

If you’ve never purchased Grace Under Pressure, this is a great opportunity to pick it up because you get the live show. I will admit Terry Brown’s remix is not a big addition for me. I have looked at the price tag on this box and it’s hefty, so maybe stream the album and concert to save a few bucks. 

I know a lot of people were tepid on this album but I think that was the curse of expectations. Yes, the guitar is muted, but this is still a brilliant set of songs. Peart’s writing was as sharp as ever. I have to admit this was the last Rush album I really connected with…until 2002’s Vapor Trails. While I can’t quote Rush like scripture like so many of their fans, this is a great album that deserves a loud listen and perhaps a re-evaluation. 

Cheers! And happy Spring everybody! Spring has sprung, outdoor drinking has begun!