Hemispheres (Rush album)

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Hemispheres

Studio album by Rush
Released	October 28, 1978
Recorded	June-August 1978 at Rockfield Studios in South Wales, UK
Genre	Progressive rock
Length	36:14
Label	Anthem Records (Canada) Mercury Records
Producer(s)	Rush and Terry Brown
ARTISTdirect link All Music Guide link
Rush chronology
A Farewell to Kings (1977)	Hemispheres (1978)	Permanent Waves (1980)

Rush (Hemispheres)

Hemispheres is the sixth studio album by the Canadian rock band Rush, released in 1978 (see 1978 in music). The album was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales.

This album continues Rush's trend of using the fantasy and science fiction lyrics written by Neil Peart. Similar to their 1976 release, 2112, Hemispheres contains a single, epic song broken into chapters as the first half of the album (Cygnus X-1, Book II: Hemispheres) while the second half contains two more conventionally-executed tracks ("Circumstances", "The Trees"), then is rounded out by the nine-and-a-half-minute instrumental, "La Villa Strangiato".

1 Side One: Hemispheres
2 Side Two
3 Track listing
4 Miscellanea
5 Personnel
6 Charts
7 Remaster details

[edit] Side One: Hemispheres

Though science fiction elements are not as prevalent on this album as some previous Rush releases, it contains many fantasy elements, notably those that relate to Greek mythology. Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres is partly a continuation of the last song on Rush's previous album, A Farewell to Kings (Cygnus X-1, Book I: The Voyage), in that the theme of Cygnus is revisited both lyrically and musically. However, the lyrical concepts used to continue the story on this album have shifted from that of science fiction to Greek mythology, which is represented in this case by the Apollo/Dionysus dichotomy. This mythology is a vehicle to explore yet another concept, one of pop psychology: more specifically, the differences between "left brain" and "right brain" thinking, hence the title of "Hemispheres". But not just pop psychology; this theme was also the basis for Freidrich Nietzsche's book on art, The Birth of Tragedy From the Spirit of Music, in which Nietzsche marks the territory of the "plastic arts" in the name of Apollo, the god of Reason, and the "living" arts, like music, in the name of Dionysus, the god of the vine. Peart's exploration of the theme differs from Nietzsche's in that Nietzsche decided in favor of Dionysus, while Peart called for a "balance" through his introduction of the Cygnus character (who may be the cosmic traveler who falls through the black hole in "Cygnus X-1," the piece that preceded "Hemispheres: Book II" on the previous album A Farewell to Kings.) This difference in interpretation may be attributed to the continuing influence of novelist-philosopher Ayn Rand, whose previous influence (specifically, the novella Anthem) was found in the lyrics to "Anthem" on Fly By Night and the storyline to the album 2112.

Rand had written on the use of the Apollo and Dionysus archetypes in Nietzsche's work in her non-fiction work, specifically the essay "Apollo and Dionysus," which contrasted the events of Woodstock as an expression of Nietzschean "Dionysian" freedom, and the launch of Apollo 11 as an expression of the fruits of reason. Rand came out in support of Apollo, given the emphasis on reason in her philosophy of Objectivism. But it was not at the expense of emotion. While Nietzsche may have acknowledged the role of reason, Dionysus was seen as the stronger of the two. Rand, in her battle against false dichotomies, argues that BOTH were necessary and vital to human existence. In her words, "It is not true that reason and emotion are irreconcilable antagonistics or that emotions are a wild, unknowable, ineffable element in men." Thus, her fictional characters are shown to be integrated in their thoughts and feelings. Neil Peart may have been aware of this article, and in the book The Ayn Rand Cult by Jeff Walker, Peart is quoted in his view of the events of Woodstock and Apollo II as being mutually beneficial (notably, against the opinion of Rand, who was not a fan of Woodstock.) Peart is quoted as saying "There is no dichotomy." This view plays a large part in the theme of Hemispheres.

The story of the side-long suite "Cygnus X-1 - Book II" begins with a expository lyric stating the cause of the current situation in the story being the competition of the gods Apollo and Dionysus for the "fate of man." Apollo is first shown wooing the people with "truth and understanding, wit and wisdom fair" as "precious gifts beyond compare." The people delight in these gifts and commence to an "age of enlightenment," yet they feel something is missing, it has become an intellectual exercise divorced from human meaning. Dionysus enters the song at this stage with promises of "love" and suggests the people throw off the "chains of reason." The cities are abandoned and a Woodstock-like bacchanel commences, but the people, having abandoned reason, find themselves at the mercy of the elements. The people began to fight over the solution to their ills in an all-or-nothing approach (reason OR emotion). The world becomes divided into "sorry hemispheres" (hence the connection to the "pop" psychology of the right and left brain mythos.) Tales are told of a messianic "bringer of balance," who turns out to be the protagonist of the song "Cygnus X-1" from A Farewell to Kings ("Cygnus" being the constellation at which the hero enters the black hole, at which point the story was "to be continued," according to the liner notes of the album.) The character, as an outsider, has a "gods-eye" view of the battle, and from his vantage point, can see that which the people cannot, that they have divided themselves by a false dichotomy, astonishing the gods themselves, who recognize the wisdom of his view. The character becomes known as "Cygnus, the god of Balance."

[edit] Side Two

The track "Circumstances" appears to be an autobiographical account on Peart's part, with references to the time he spent living in England before moving back to Canada and joining Rush.

"The Trees" is one of Rush's more popular songs. A fable told through fantasy lyrics, a forest suffers from the competition of tall oak trees and shorter maple trees for sunlight. In the end, no one wins as the "trees are all kept equal by hatchet, axe, and saw." The song's meaning is often debated by fans. Peart has been quoted as saying that the lyrics for this song were inspired by a cartoon and that the song has no deep meaning, but also has said that it is about collectivism. It also may be an allegorical fable of the problems of Peart's home country of Canada, the "Oaks" and "Maples" being symbolic of the divide between the ever-clashing French and English elements of that country.

"La Villa Strangiato" is an instrumental, exhibiting the musicianship of the band as a whole, as well as each member individually. One particularly humorous guitar riff in the song may pick at the listener's memory, though its origin may prove elusive for many people. It is in fact based upon a song composed by Raymond Scott in 1936, entitled Powerhouse. This song has been used extensively in various cartoons since the 1940s, no doubt where guitarist Alex Lifeson picked it up from.

Hemispheres contains examples of Rush's adherence to progressive rock standards including the use of epic, multi-movement song structures, complex rhythms and time signatures, and flexible guitar solos, like those found in "La Villa Strangiato".

Hemispheres was Rush's fourth consecutive Gold album upon release in 1978 and would subsequently go Platinum in the US.

The remastered CD edition contains a reproduction of the poster originally included with the album. When folded closed, the outside shows "Rush Hemispheres" text printed in red and yellow on a black background. Most copies have this insert placed behind the front cover in the CD case, but apparently some copies have this insert toward the front.

[edit] Track listing

"Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres" – 18:05
- I: "Prelude" – 0:00
- II: "Apollo Bringer of Wisdom" – 4:29
- III: "Dionysus Bringer of Love" – 7:00
- IV: "Armageddon The Battle of Heart and Mind" – 9:05
- V: "Cygnus Bringer of Balance" – 12:00
- VI: "The Sphere A Kind of Dream" – 17:02
"Circumstances" – 3:40
"The Trees" – 4:42
"La Villa Strangiato (An Exercise in Self-Indulgence)" – 9:34 ( – Start Time)
- I: "Buenos Nochas, Mein Froinds!" – 0:00
- II: "To sleep, perchance to dream..." – 0:27
- III: "Strangiato theme" – 2:00
- IV: "A Lerxst in Wonderland" – 3:16
- V: "Monsters!" – 5:49
- VI: "The Ghost of the Aragon" – 6:10
- VII: "Danforth and Pape" – 6:45
- VIII: "The Waltz of the Shreves" – 7:26
- IX: "Never turn your back on a Monster!" – 7:52
- X: "Monsters! (Reprise)" – 8:03
- XI: "Strangiato theme (Reprise)" – 8:17
- XII: "A Farewell to Things" – 9:20

[edit] Miscellanea

"Danforth and Pape" refers to an intersection in the band's home town of Toronto (link).

"Lerxst" is the nickname of guitarist Lifeson; the "Lerxst in Wonderland" section of La Villa Strangiato features a lengthy guitar solo.

Also on the title track, Neil used a gong for the only time in a Rush studio recording at the conclusion of the track.

[edit] Personnel

Geddy Lee - bass guitars, vocals, Oberheim Polyphonic, Mini-Moog Synthesizers
Alex Lifeson - electric, acoustic and classical guitars, Roland Guitar Synthesizers
Neil Peart - drums, orchestra bells, bell-tree, tympani, gong, cowbells, temple blocks, wind chimes, crotales

Pat Moran - recording engineer for music and overdubs
Declan O'Doherty - recording engineer for vocals
Terry Brown - mixing engineer
Hugh Syme - art direction and graphics
Bob King - art direction
Yosh Inouye - cover photography
Fin Costello - band and poster photograph
Ray Staff - mastering on original album
Bob Ludwig - remastering

[edit] Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year	Chart	Position
1978	Billboard's Pop Albums	47

[edit] Remaster details

A remaster was issued in 1997.

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.
The remastered CD has all of the original album cover art including the back cover and poster of the band which was missing on the original CD issue.