Rush continue their comprehensive reissue programme with a super deluxe edition of their 10th album, 1984’s “Grace Under Pressure”.
This album represented a bold new phase for the Canadian prog heroes. The band had recently parted ways with producer Terry Brown – who’d worked on every Rush album since 1975’s Fly By Night – and opted to produce themselves, with assistance from Peter Henderson, the man behind the desk for Supertramp’s gargantuan hit Breakfast In America. The result was a set that expanded upon the synth soundscapes of previous album Signals (1982), while its angular guitar sound complemented the dystopian visions of drummer Neal Peart’s lyrics.
Available as either a 4CD+blu-ray or 5LP+blu-ray box set, it’s the album’s first time on CD since a limited-edition Japanese release in 2009. Disc one features the original 1984 stereo mix, newly remastered from the original analogue stereo master tapes by Sean Magee at Abbey Road.
Disc two gives fans the chance to hear how Grace Under Pressure may have sounded had Terry Brown been on board, thanks to a new stereo mix by the producer from the original multi-tracks. CD3 and CD4 (or LP3, LP4 and LP5) are devoted to the first-ever release of the complete 21st September 1984 show at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, originally released in part as the Grace Under Pressure Tour VHS and later released (again, in incomplete form) as a bonus CD with 2006’s Rush Replay X 3 and as a standalone live album in 2009. The 20-track show has been newly mixed from the original multi-track masters.
The blu-ray features the album newly mixed by Richard Chycki in Dolby Atmos & 5.1 surround plus Terry Brown’s new album mix in hi-res stereo. And in terms of visuals, the blu-ray also includes the Toronto concert newly remastered in HD with the audio with Atmos, 5.1 and Stereo options, all newly mixed by Terry Brown. Lastly, the album’s four music videos are remastered in HD and presented in 5.1 surround and stereo. This appears to be a great disc, although Rush’s frustrating habit of ‘locking’ these in with enormously expensive box sets, continues.
The super deluxe edition also includes a hardcover book including sleeve notes written by Geddy Lee and brand-new illustrations for each song by Hugh Symes (who has also ‘re-imagined’ the album cover). And there’s memorabilia galore, including an LED light-up display, replicas of the GUP tour book, Toronto concert ticket and poster, GUP Tour backstage pass, six-page press release and three band photo lithographs.
“Grace Under Pressure” Super Deluxe Edition is out 13th March via Capitol/UMe.
The Fat Angel Sings 