This is one of better ones. Probably the best of the synth era.

If you don’t consider guitar guitar. I’ve listened to this album countless times. And listening through again one day, I come across Middletown Dreams. Alex’s guitar parts seem small and far between, almost as if he recorded just bits here and there. And then you do some research and find that it’s all played in one go-different effects, opposite sides of the fretboard with different rhythms. It’s a great album through and through, keyboard era or not. One of my fave album of all time and definitely top 3 of Rush.

Awesome album

Alex was forced out of his comfort zone and he shows why he is one of the most underrated guitarist! These songs are timeless! The cover tells a story I love the cover I think it one of there top three covers . I do love there early stuff all of it but they changed with time and influences around them !they were not boring that’s what I love about them and this album ,they were all at the top of there game here that’s the truth so all you haters don’t know music , if you did you would recognize genius!!!

One of my earliest memories is drumming to “Tom Sawyer” on the seats of my mother’s car on the way to daycare. Even as an eight year old, it was apparent to me that Neil’s drumming was something special, powerful. He was the spark that hit a lifelong fire for the drums and music. I’m not alone in this realization. That young boy from Iowa could have never imagined the friendship to come with Neil Peart. He shared his adventures motorcycling, sailing, touring, and drumming. Every day ended with a Macallan and lots of laughter. More than all of this, Bubba was there for me when my dad died of cancer. He brought me In-N-Out after I got creamed on my motorcycle. He’d meet with Make-a-Wish kids in secret, play drums with them, and take them for milkshakes. He was that kind of dude. Extraordinarily kind, even after the universe took everything from him. He left our world a better place then he found it. “The measure of life is a measure of love and respect, So hard to earn so easily burned In the fullness of time, A garden to nurture and protect (It’s a measure of life) The treasure of life is a measure of love and respect, The way you live, the gifts that you give In the fullness of time, It’s the only return that you expect” Neil wrote these lyrics for the last song on the last Rush album. To the last... you measure up, Bubba.

This was my least favorite Rush album until Vapor Trails came along. I thought Rush got too far away from their original hard rock sound on this. I didn’t (and still don’t) even like the look of the album, including the pictures of the band inside. They no longer looked like or sounded like a rock band on this. And I think the cover is horrible. All of that being said, I would say I really like three songs, Grand Designs, Manhattan Project and especially Marathon. And I like the heavier parts of Territories. Beyond that though, I still can’t remember what Middletown Dreams and Emotion Detector sound like and this after having the album for over 30 years. I do remember not liking them while listening to them. And Mystic Rhythms is my least favorite Rush song of all time. I still give the album three stars, though it is probably closer to two and a half.

My personal favorite from the keyboard/synth era (Signals thru Hold Your Fire).

This album is different from previous Rush music but it's full of great music!!!!

Manhattan Project and Marathon on the same album, end of review. Seriously though, This album for me hasn’t stayed as ageless as Grace under Pressure, but its a solid second place for keyboard era Rush.