Rush - Power Windows

Used to look down on this album as superficial glossy radio pop crap. But I recently got it and there are some good songs on it like Grand Designs, Emotion Detector and Territories. Ok it doesn't hold a candle to post Moving Pictures albums like Signals, Grace Under Pressure, Presto and certainly not the classic 75-81 era but hey least it's better than Hold Your Fire which is clearly Rush's worst album since its poppy in a cringe making cheesy way.

Ok Power Windows is poppy too but not as much in comparrison and not ideal for a progressive rock purist and 70's Rush fans I guess you have to like bands like The Police and Toto which I do to really dig this album I guess. Anyway I reckon if you label this a pop record IMO it's one the best pop records of 1985.

Ive grown to like it more over the years as well. I dont think the songs are poppy per se, it's more the production (thanks to Peter Collins, who also produced HYF) and the keyboards. If you hear shows from the '85-'86 tour (Philadelphia, Largo MD, and Milwaukee for example) you'll find the songs are beefier and heavier and so much more closely related to "Grace Under Pressure" than "Hold Your Fire". Try to find some of those shows and you'll never listen to "A Show Of Hands" ever again, trust me.

Think about this: every song on "Power Windows" is longer than 5 minutes and 3 of them are 6 minutes long. Can a song really be labeled "poppy" and still be 6 minutes long? When I think of pop, I think of 3 and 1/2 minute long songs and verse/chorus(repeat song title 8 times)/verse/chorus/solo/fade out. These songs are not structured like that. They may be poppy in sound but not in structure. Alot of them are quite progressive in structure, albiet 80's style progressive.

just a few nuggets to chew on......

I agree with stepcuz, I have grown to appreciate this album more over the years and its definitely a better album then I originally gave it credit for.

Great album. But so are all of Rush's albums. I'm a pretty big fan though.

stepcousin wrote:

Ive grown to like it more over the years as well. I dont think the songs are poppy per se, it's more the production (thanks to Peter Collins, who also produced HYF) and the keyboards. If you hear shows from the '85-'86 tour (Philadelphia, Largo MD, and Milwaukee for example) you'll find the songs are beefier and heavier and so much more closely related to "Grace Under Pressure" than "Hold Your Fire". Try to find some of those shows and you'll never listen to "A Show Of Hands" ever again, trust me.

Think about this: every song on "Power Windows" is longer than 5 minutes and 3 of them are 6 minutes long. Can a song really be labeled "poppy" and still be 6 minutes long? When I think of pop, I think of 3 and 1/2 minute long songs and verse/chorus(repeat song title 8 times)/verse/chorus/solo/fade out. These songs are not structured like that. They may be poppy in sound but not in structure. Alot of them are quite progressive in structure, albiet 80's style progressive.

just a few nuggets to chew on......

WOW!! I didn't know Phil Collins produced that album and Hold Your Fire that totally explains it I will take your word for it on the 85-86 shows

I actually like "Hold Your Fire" too.

I LOVE Power Windows! It's my favorite Rush album.

I've always liked this album! I appreciate all the denseness of the keyboards on it. There's a LOT going on, especially with songs like "Middletown Dreams" that you can catch with headphones on that you don't hear when your just kickin it with the stereo on. and sitting on the couch. Dynamic!!!!

fingers wrote:

stepcousin wrote:

Ive grown to like it more over the years as well. I dont think the songs are poppy per se, it's more the production (thanks to Peter Collins, who also produced HYF) and the keyboards. If you hear shows from the '85-'86 tour (Philadelphia, Largo MD, and Milwaukee for example) you'll find the songs are beefier and heavier and so much more closely related to "Grace Under Pressure" than "Hold Your Fire". Try to find some of those shows and you'll never listen to "A Show Of Hands" ever again, trust me.

Think about this: every song on "Power Windows" is longer than 5 minutes and 3 of them are 6 minutes long. Can a song really be labeled "poppy" and still be 6 minutes long? When I think of pop, I think of 3 and 1/2 minute long songs and verse/chorus(repeat song title 8 times)/verse/chorus/solo/fade out. These songs are not structured like that. They may be poppy in sound but not in structure. Alot of them are quite progressive in structure, albiet 80's style progressive.

just a few nuggets to chew on......

WOW!! I didn't know Phil Collins produced that album and Hold Your Fire that totally explains it I will take your word for it on the 85-86 shows

Peter Collins. No relation. He also produced Counterparts and Test For Echo.

Why isn't this in the Rush discography thread? Oh yeah....fingers started the post.

This is one of those albums that I don't have a particular favorite track from or one that I look forward to hearing, but, when I play it I ask "why don't i spin this one more, it's really good." Peace.

spiritoradio wrote:

fingers wrote:

stepcousin wrote:

Ive grown to like it more over the years as well. I dont think the songs are poppy per se, it's more the production (thanks to Peter Collins, who also produced HYF) and the keyboards. If you hear shows from the '85-'86 tour (Philadelphia, Largo MD, and Milwaukee for example) you'll find the songs are beefier and heavier and so much more closely related to "Grace Under Pressure" than "Hold Your Fire". Try to find some of those shows and you'll never listen to "A Show Of Hands" ever again, trust me.

Think about this: every song on "Power Windows" is longer than 5 minutes and 3 of them are 6 minutes long. Can a song really be labeled "poppy" and still be 6 minutes long? When I think of pop, I think of 3 and 1/2 minute long songs and verse/chorus(repeat song title 8 times)/verse/chorus/solo/fade out. These songs are not structured like that. They may be poppy in sound but not in structure. Alot of them are quite progressive in structure, albiet 80's style progressive.

just a few nuggets to chew on......

WOW!! I didn't know Phil Collins produced that album and Hold Your Fire that totally explains it I will take your word for it on the 85-86 shows

Peter Collins. No relation. He also produced Counterparts and Test For Echo.

Thanks for the correction gee I was abit drunk when I saw the replies

Metallic Blaze wrote:

Great album. But so are all of Rush's albums. I'm a pretty big fan though.

What about Roll the Bones? I haven't heard the album yet except the title track but everyone says it's Rush's worst album I wonder why I like the song I heard from the album

I think Power Windows is quite good, actually...it has that mid-80s robotic production in places, but the songs are cool, IMO. I like it better than Presto or Hold Your Fire...IMO, they did not get as good as Power Windows again until Counterparts...

Several good songs, buried under layer upon layer of needless synth "additions". The production is what really knocks this record down a couple notches.

Favorite tracks: Marathon, Territories, Middletown Dreams.

detuned wrote:

Several good songs, buried under layer upon layer of needless synth "additions". The production is what really knocks this record down a couple notches.

Favorite tracks: Marathon, Territories, Middletown Dreams.

A lot of bands who had that 80s production back then came off more raw and "rock n roll" sounding live...even Duran Duran.

I'm not a huge fan of Power Windows. The production comes off as too sterile and robotic as someone else pointed out. It is better than what I think is their worst album in Presto, however. That album is just awful.

What's weird is that I actually love Hold Your Fire. That to me sounds a lot warmer and organic than Power Windows with more memorable songs. It leans in a more commercial side, but it really works for me.