Artist: RUSH
Album: PERMANENT WAVES REMASTERED (CD)

Release date: 1980/ 1997
EAN/UPS: 0731453463028
Media type: CD

Permanent Waves is the seventh studio album by the Canadian rock band Rush, released January 1, 1980 (see 1980 in music). The album was recorded at Le Studio, Morin Heights, Quebec, and was mixed at Trident Studios in London, UK.

Permanent Waves marks a distinct transition into more accessible, radio-friendly numbers and consequently, a significant expansion in the band's record sales with perennial favorites such as "The Spirit of Radio" and "Freewill" seeing quite a fair bit of radio airplay. Lee's singing style changed, too; his range is much lower than the previous albums.

Other notable tracks on Permanent Waves include "Jacob's Ladder", a song style reminiscent of their earlier art rock period. Exploring odd time signatures, the song possesses a dark, ominous feel. The song's lyrics are based on a simple concept; a vision of sunlight breaking through storm clouds. The title is a reference to the natural phenomenon of the sun breaking through the clouds in visible rays, which in turn is named after the Biblical ladder to heaven on which Jacob is supposed to have seen angels ascending and descending in a vision. "Entre Nous" is similar in style to "Freewill," yet it did not receive heavy radio airplay. The ballad "Different Strings" would polarize many Rush fans and critics; some radio stations would feature the song, while others never played it.

While the band began stepping back from the epic song format on this album, "Natural Science" does clock in at over nine minutes and is composed of three distinct movements. The lyrics are driven by concepts of natural science, examining themes of evolution, genetics and civilization, as well as man's responsibility to the arts and sciences. "Natural Science" marks the band's second to last "epic" selection.

Permanent Waves became Rush's first US Top 5 album hitting #4 and was the band's fifth Gold (eventually Platinum) selling album.

The tray has a picture of star with man painting with THE RUSH REMASTERS printed in all caps just to the left. All remasters from Rush through to Permanent Waves are like this. This is just like the cover art of Retrospective I.

Also includes the original back cover of the album which was missing from the original CD of the band in the recording studio in addition to the inner-sleeve pictures, credits and lyrics which appeared on the original album.

TRACKLIST:

01 "The Spirit of Radio" – 4:56
02 "Freewill" – 5:21
03 "Jacob's Ladder" – 7:26
04 "Entre Nous" – 4:36
05 "Different Strings" – 3:48
06 "Natural Science" – 9:17
07 "Tide Pools" – 2:21
08 "Hyperspace" – 2:47
09 "Permanent Waves" – 4:08

LINE-UP:

Geddy Lee - Bass guitars, Oberheim polyphonic; OB-1; Minimoog; and Taurus pedal synthesizers, vocals
Alex Lifeson - Six and twelve string electric and acoustic guitars, Taurus pedals, vocals
Neil Peart - Drums, tympani, timbales, orchestra bells, tubular bells, wind chimes, bell tree, triangle, crotales, cover concept

Erwig Chuapchuaduah - steel drums