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The material on the whole is good. The stand out track being the beautiful acoustic led Presto which surely will go along side classics like Xanadu on my rush compliation tapes. Other songs like the pass have deeper meanings in lyrically terms, as Peart once again provides us with intellectual commentary.

This album still in year 2000 hasn't aged...which owes much to the style of production which is cool and crisp. On the whole it's a good album, a progression away from the norm. Who cares if i was 6.


Up there with the best the band has to offer.   July 14, 2001
 6 out of 11 found this review helpful

As the self-designated intellectual and uncompromising progressive rock fan, you might have expected me to hate Rush's synthesizer laden phase that began with Signals and ended with Hold Your Fire. Well, not quite. I love all those albums, and Hold Your Fire especially sits comfortably with Rush's other greats. The 80s was a time when Rush drifted farther away from their progressive roots, and began writing more melodic, groovier songs. Although Presto is very different from the four preceding records, I believe it captures that melodic quality best. It is one of my favorite Rush albums (a list of which you can see in my About You page, should you feel the urge, maybe to understand better where I'm coming from).

Lifeson and Lee, who write the music, clearly have an incredible ear for melody. This album is just bursting with hooks...every song features an infectious chorus, an ear-catching guitar lick, or a tuneful arrangement...though, often, it's all of the above. Here, they've toned down on the use of synthesizers, although they are still present, but now they add a subtle texture to the music. Instead of driving the song, they supplement it, like on "Superconductor" where the keyboard helps elevate the song's intensity as they build under the song's catchy refrain. Lifeson's guitar is back in the forefront on many most, although his riffs seem more designed for tight, hooky rhythms and not technical flash or big crunch. Here, it's all about fantastic melodies. There are also a lot of simple piano chords that set a nice melodic foundation on songs like "Available Light." And lyrically, Peart would be hard-pressed to match the quality here. "The Pass" is some of his most touching writing. Also, his call for environmental awareness on "Red Tide" isn't cheesy like it is with other lyricists who tackle the issue. The song rocks too. I've also noticed "Chain Lightning" doesn't get a lot of praise, but I think it's a great song with an unforgettable melody.

I could discuss every song individually, but I don't see the need. Each track is a perfectly crafted song, concise, musically arresting, with superb vocal melodies with an emotional redolence that sometimes evades Rush's music. I must say one thing though. I resent Peart for telling me "The mirror always lies" (from "War Paint") when basically every other "mirror" song I've heard says the mirror _never_ lies. This makes me screw up the line when I try and sing along. Shucks... But ah well. It's a stupid, dumb complaint, and it doesn't change the fact that this is one of my favorite albums from one of my favorite bands.


Presto, non lasciatevelo scappare !!!! (Quick let's buy it)   December 21, 2004
 5 out of 6 found this review helpful

Presto is a spectacular album which shows the way Rush intended modernity in the nineties. The music Rush produced in this long awaited follower to Hold Your Fire is an electric funk rock type of thing, mixed with elements taken from jazz (in very few passages I must admits) and pop. Geddy's bass is in first place here and what a delight it is! The Presto project works because the music is extremely well written and played. The sound of the whole album is transparent which doesn't mean it is not balanced or that it lacks headroom or basses equalization. Simply it is clear, transparent. I might call it a spectacular production because every sound is clear, intelligible and present. I have the original cd, not the remastered edition which I am not able to find in Italy actually because eventually I would buy it too. Anyway talking about the tunes there are here some true Rush masterpieces. The opener Show don't tell it's an incredible anthem, it kicks, it funks, it moves you! Please bass players and drummers learn how to push a tune, how to use syncopations! Geddy shines here!! This album comprehends some other infectious "funk-rock" tunes like Scars, Chain lightining, a sort of "Distan early Warning" (which is Red tide), two extremely well written "pop" songs (near some Tears for Fears things) "Available light" and "Hand over fist" which will stuck in your mind and will never get out of it. There's even space for a true pop-rock like Superconductor which was the single at the time if I remember well. Pass, War paint and Anagram are the most evocative tunes here. They could be a little heavy ... I'm honest sometimes they bored me, but sometimes I love them. Sure I prefer the more funky tunes here. Presto remain one of the Rush album I love the most and it is true, it is one of the albums where keys really do works for Rush. I love this album for its incredible musical value even if it remember me one of the worst nights of my youth. Probably the worst. A night which could change everything forever ... I have been lucky I guess.

I listened to available light a lot of times that night. PRESTO!