2112

     Where do I even start with this one. I've said it for other albums and I'll say it here too: This album is very highly regarded and for very good reason. It's a goddamn experience listening to this thing. The first track alone could be it's own standalone album and still be amazing. The narrative told by that first track is just so excellent. It touches on some bases of human psychology and society in what it says about authority with the Priests and the inherent profoundness of music to us. And for me, it seems to have a similar structure and theming to that of Eldorado by ELO, one of my all time favorite albums, as well as Anthem by Ayn Rand, a novella that I adore and highly recommend. Unfortunately, the B side of the album feels underwhelming by comparison. Going from the Grand Finale of 2112 into A Passage to Bangkok feels a bit disappointing. There are good songs in the rest of the album with good stuff in them; it's just a bit of a let down after the initial rush of the first track (pun intended). Onto actual musical elements: hot damn, Geddy Lee has a great voice. His performance throughout the entire album, and especially the title track, is exquisite. The way that he's able to manipulate his voice in different ways to portray different roles within the narrative is astounding, and he carries that ability into the rest of the songs too. And not to mention pretty much every other element is great as well, the percussion and strings were excellent in setting the scene for the narrative. Whether it be the Priests' temple or the cave behind the waterfall, you really got a feel of where the story was and what the protagonist experienced. Despite it's shortcomings of the second side, this album easily proves its deserving of it's accolades and praise. 

    Highlights: 2112 (all of it), The Twilight Zone, Something For Nothing.

Rating: 6/6