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I was introduced to Rush after my 14 year old son (now age 39) found a discarded cassett of Hemispheres in the street and brought it home to see if it still worked. It was mangled and pretty badly stretched (probably why some dude tossed it out) but after playing it, we were hooked! My kids became instant fans, and I have been buying Rush for Christmas, birthdays, and so on ever since! Oh, yeah...not to mention buying concert tickets and memorabilia for the brats, as well. (Quite an "In-Depth" review, wouldn't you say?) After all these years, I decided that I've had enough of having to borrow the CD's I've bought for everyone else. I bought one to start my very own Rush collection (and NOBODY gets to "borrow" it, either!) so that I can actually listen to a whole entire song without somebody grabbing the CD player back and "rushing" off! Hemispheres is one of THE definitive Rush albums, giving the listener a deeper understanding of the fabulously talented genius we have all grown to know and love so well. These guys have a sound all their own, and from the first chords, to the last riff, you know you are listening to Rush! All I know is that I love their music, especially the old Rush, before they started to remake an image that will never need "remaking". They entertain without making one struggle with a concept...they refresh themselves with every album. There is a definitive trail of genuine Rush throughout every track of this album, and everything ties into one neatly packaged, enjoyable listen. Oh, and did I mention that I'm an old fart? In my family, Rush has worked their way into the hearts of three full generations, from the old fart down through the 14 year old grandkids! I bought this one for me...after buying three others to replace worn out ones in my kids' collections! I would highly recommend this to any rock fan who genuinely loves good music!Read full review
"Laughed at by time, and tricked by Circumstances." Finishing the title quote from the song "Circumstances" from the 1978 release Hemispheres by Rush I can't help but to remark just how the mid to late 70's Rush albums led me down the path towards a love of progressive rock music. This was produced during the 2nd phase of the bands growth (a block of 4 releases have generally been viewed by Rush fans, and the band itself as a theme). Hemispheres is the 2nd release in the second phase of the bands remarkable growth period. The music generally continues where it left off with "A Farewell to Kings" and in particular (as also mentioned by another reviewer here) Cygnus X-I comes to a dramatic finish on Hemispheres with the opener Cygnus X-I Book II as the bringer of balance, our hero 'Cygnus' finds himself fallen through a wormhole and deposited back in time to the age of Greek mythology where he is placed in the midst of powerful god's battling to rule over the fate of all mankind. Nearing the epic end of this 18+ minute story, after the battle has ceased the song evolves into a beautiful acoustic guitar finish with Geddy softly finishing the song out with the words that implore all of us to ponder the inner battles that we all face between heart and mind. "Let the truth of Love be lighted, let the love of truth shine clear. Sensibility, armed with sense and liberty with the Heart and Mind united in a single, perfect sphere." This is clearly not only some of the best progressive rock music made by any band...period. If you haven't heard this cd then let me make a suggestion: BUY IT! You'll love it! Guaranteed!Read full review
"Hemispheres" has a reputation as one of the progressive rock genre's finest examples. The album begins with the second half of the "Cygnus X-1" duology, clocking in at 18 minutes in length. I had to admit that, after listening to the previous album's opening part of "Cygnus X-1" that I was quite curious how the story would finish. It took a very surprising turn, invoking Greek mythology as a means of explaining how "other beings" could influence a world's development, while also serving as a metaphor for the dual nature of the human mind (hence, "hemispheres", which is invoked numerous times as the song continues). The protagonist of the story, who has "survived" the entry of the black hole, helps to provide a balance between extremes. The music is nothing short of amazing! The parts of the suite flow seamlessly, with the addition of parts from the first half being woven in to remind the listener of the earlier story. The ending of the song, "Sphere" is a gorgeous acoustic guitar piece that acts as the perfect footnote for the story; lyrically, this is one of Peart's greatest works... it could almost be an anthem. While "Hemispheres" is worth the price of admission alone, the other three songs are strong as well. "Circumstances" is a decent tune, while "The Trees" uses... well, trees, as a way of mocking the silliness of many conflicts. "La Villa Strangiato" is an instrumental suite which shows off the incredible talents of the three musicians; it's staggering how well they mesh in ability. I find that this is the defining album of Rush's style, as opposed to 2112; you can hear the progressive seeds come to fruition, while the future sound of the band makes its debut. Truly worth the purchase if you enjoy music with depth of sound and lyric.Read full review
Possibly the greatest album from the greatest band ever. Hemispheres is an all time great track which uses Greek mythology to explore the inter- and intra- personal struggles with balancing love and knowledge. Circumstances tells the autobiographical tale of Neil Peart attempting (and failing) a musical career in the UK as a young adult. The trees depicts the lose-lose effects of human tribalism. Finally, the masterful instrumental la villa strangiato caps off the album. The musicianship on this album is virtually unparalleled
Verified purchase: No
This was their 6th album release and did not disappoint. I would say that their first nine albums were great records from one of the top Rock acts of all time. You can't say that about very many bands!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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