re: What are your favorite Rush albums?

Exit Stage Left

I flip back and forth between Moving Pictures and Grace Under Pressure. Here's the problem. The first four songs on Moving Pictures are all tens. The fifth is a solid eight or so but I feel the last two are a little weak, probably fives. I don't think there is a song on Grace Under Pressure that rates higher than an eight but there also aren't any that rate lower than a seven. I can't decide whether the one with the higher highs but also the lower lows is better than the one that is consistently high but not Tom Sawyer, Red Barchetta, YYZ, or Limelight high.

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Counterparts is underrated

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I just went and listened to Stick It Out because you posted it. Hadn't heard this in years!

Rush is such a special band to a lot of people. The top 5 could easily change from day to day and be a completely different 5. They evolved and changed their sound several times.

What I would really suggest is to look up the documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage, to get a history and overview of the band and their music, hear from Alex, Geddy and Neil directly plus several other musicians who were so influenced by them.

For me... breaking it up into eras:

Early Rush:
Rush
Fly By Night

Pushing prog as far as they could:
2112
Hemispheres

Consolidating ideas into more manageable form:
Permanent Waves
Moving Pictures

The keyboards & new wave influence cometh:
Signals
Grace Under Pressure

(late 80s - early 90s, they lost me)

Rediscovering Alex plays guitar:
Counterparts

Rising from tragedy and the final maturation:
Vapor Trails
Clockwork Angels