REACTION! RUSH Middletown Dreams 1985 POWER WINDOWS Album FIRST TIME HEARING

[@JustinPanariello]

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[@Bass17yl]

Alex’s rhythm work in verse two is just sublime!

[@johnnymegabyte]

Alex has always been about discovering tasty new chord voicings. Even though it sounds like he totally rolled off the bottom end for his guitar tone on this album.

[@grahamkey8496]

For a lot of Rush fans this one is a favourite deep cut. Especially once you dig into the lyrics which have a wistful Analog Kid or Losing It quality to them. Good point that it could have fitted well on Signals.

[@mark-be9mq]

Agreed.

[@youtoo2233]

I'm quite different than the average Rush fan, I rarely if ever like a song more or less because of the lyrics, with Rush I've always assumed the lyrics are gonna be intelligent, so I rarely dig deep into what their songs are about, I'm tons more into the instrumentation, the overall sound of the songs, the vocals, etc

[@surfeit5910]

@@youtoo2233 Considering how much of an avid reader and writer he was, I just felt Neil cringe.

[@qmiller9]

Hear hear!

[@youtoo2233]

@@surfeit5910 that's good for Neil if he liked all that and of course we all know he did, but we're all different

[@jhc2093]

As you've seen me say, I consider Power Windows to be one of Rush's masterpieces and while I love every track on the record, Middletown Dreams is my favorite. Obviously this record is loaded with keys, sequences and "events" as producer Peter Collins liked to call them, the instrumental breaks, where they root back to their three piece selves is just killer!

[@zerglilngvet5428]

thats good song for sure

[@LonelyRocker]

This track has been a personal favourite of mine and I wish it got more attention over the years but they did surprise me and bring it back live later on...great track...

[@rp9760]

Middletown Dreams. Such a great deep cut its tops.

[@edgarpacifico3421]

This album summs up the nostalgia of the 80's! The guys were trying to catch up on new technologies and experiment new sonorities...A lot was happening at that time. Rush have always been noticed for their innovative and cutting edge music. They never stuck in the past! And this is something that I always appreciated and respected, that's why I love this album so much 😍 Regards!

[@ericvonsteuben7533]

My #1 Rush song!

[@leddygee1896]

This is in my top 10, for sure…

[@1mbpdf33]

Holy crap! A couple of weeks ago I said you always have the opposite opinion to me... but we both agree that Marathon and this are the best two songs on this album! 🤣 🤎

[@jameyw98]

Great song. We've all had those "Middletown Dreams" at some point in time.

[@pablozee6359]

Very nice song and I’ve always felt it holds up very well.

[@IMNOTGEDDY]

I think is probably the best track on the album.

[@littmus32ify]

The other day I discovered your channel by chance. So, I'm late to your Rush journey party. 80s Rush in a stack of cassettes is how I was introduced to the band by my dad. I was in 7th grade. Then I discovered his amazing record collection of Jethro Tull, Beatles, the Who, Uriah Heep, Joni Mitchel, hundreds more, and a lone Rush record: 2112. I didn't know that it was Rush! I've been hooked ever since. I haven't listened to these records in so long, so your videos are taking me back years to a time of discovery of music and guitar- teaching myself. Middletown Dreams was my dad's favorite Rush song, so this video hits me hard. He was a touring bassist back in the 60s before Vietnam, opening for the Supremes before the draft. Anyway, he met my mom and settled in Michigan (where I was born) and became a teacher and never pursued his "dream" of getting out of dodge and living life the way he wanted. He's still alive, but doesn't play his basses much due to arthritis. If you read this- thank you and I'm sorry! lol. New subscriber here. Looking forward to your listen to the later albums- Vapor Trails. (My first and only Rush concert with my dad - 8th row in front of Alex)

[@JustinPanariello]

Thanks! Starting back up on Rush Feb 1 and going til it's done!

[@PROGROCK-tr9hw]

Best song on the album

[@marywiggins2447]

yes Marithan and Middele town dreams,. great reaction.

[@dudhawks]

This is one of my favorites, glad you liked it first time. Another that grows on you over time and great one to just zone out to and reminisce.

[@ryancraig2795]

This is one I came to appreciate more later in my life, both instrumentally and for the lyrics.

[@carlbusque]

Always loved this song. And they pull it off nicely live too! Love it, good review, great underrated album! More Rush live Rush please!

[@toddmadden9777]

My personal favorite.... Thanks again,J.... Todd from Ohio...

[@alexgarrido4607]

Definitely one of my favorite deep tracks. Gut-wrenching lyrics. Love this song.

[@jasonwilliams6005]

One of my favorite Rush songs

[@martin.l8007]

"When a band stays together 40 plus years, they go full circle and end where they began.

[@bobcarn]

Alex once said he reached a point where he was tired of trying to work his guitars around the synths and told Geddy "No more synths!". I think his song illustrates that. There's some great guitars in here, but a lot of it is atmospheric as the song is focused on bass and synths. Regardless, this is a really good song. It's understated and smooth, has compelling lyrics, the verses are nice and the choruses sound rich and full. It grew on me to be one of my more favorite ones from the album, and it was one of my favorite moments from their 2012 concert when they played it alongside Territories. If you have issues with the "sound" of this album, Hold Your Fire will be similar. It's got some really good songs but is similar. Then, to my dismay, we have the back-to-back releases of Presto and Roll the Bones. Some good songs on those, but generally two of my least favorite albums from them, sounding like they kind of want to backtrack but more forward at the same time and aren't quite sure how.

[@MrRyguy2112]

The best track of the album IMHO.

[@TriangleDancing]

Like with Kid Gloves on the last album, I'm glad you liked this one because it's my hands down favorite on this album and an ask time Rush favorite for me. The next great song is the last, Mystic Rhythms, which again has a FANTASTIC live version on A Show of Hands. One more heavy synth album after this and then they start scaling it back for the rest of their career.

[@stevepreece2931]

This is one if not my favorite on PW I love everything about it. The arrangement, atmosphere, Alex's pinch harmonics, the synth sound and of course Neil and Geddys drum and bass sound. With such a great song it's easy to over look the lyrics. Dreams transport desires drive you when your down. Very true, me UK born now in Spain

[@georgespragens7589]

When Rush released the album Presto (two albums from now) I heard the first single "Show Don't Tell" on the radio about a week before the album was released. When it finished playing, the DJ said, "That's the new single from Rush! And surprisingly, it sounds like a Rush song!"

[@Chief2112]

I understand your complaint about the production but I’m surprised you haven’t felt any appreciation for the songwriting on this album. Middletown is my fave on this album. I swear if you like Hold Your Fire more than this I give up on trying to figure you out. 🤷🏻‍♂️😂✌️

[@JustinPanariello]

You're right and you'll see in my overview... There is no bad song on this record.

[@JD-yb1qy]

I love this Album!

[@dennish72]

Love this song

[@charlieYTonly]

This is going to sound weird... but I kind of think side two of Power Windows is like side two of The Joshua Tree (but obviously on a lesser scale). Side one had the "hits" with Big Money, Marathon and I think even Emotion Detector and Manhattan Project got some airplay as well. But side two has the songs that sneak up on you and are "quietly awesome" if that makes any sense. The lyrics are kind of timeless right? Living what you think is a boring life in your boring town dreaming of what life could be (or should be) like if you had the nerve to chase your dream. Neil writes about this topic again on a song called "Mission" on the next record Hold Your Fire. That album sounds completely different from this one!

[@biggie25x]

Yeah. This sound sticks around for a couple more records or so. It’s a product of the times. I don’t mind it but I lived through it. Thanks again.

[@dmatianmedia]

"Subdivisions, the sequel"...

[@donnelson6694]

This is one song I definitely like on this album. Like you said, it sounds like Rush.

[@howardbrown8432]

Awesome song!

[@raymondregis6219]

I think your comment about how shiny this album sounds has a lot to do with Alex using a Tele forest of the rhythm work.

[@youtoo2233]

Once again I feel Breakfast Club vibes on this album especially the intro, lol

[@hfd413]

It's interesting that when Neil rode through these small towns, he would often mention what it would be like to live there.

[@debbieplato5107]

This song doesn't jump out at me but yes I like it.

[@johnnymegabyte]

great solo by Alex

[@bdanielnyc]

Really enjoy your honest, musician-based, sort of serious reactions. Very fun to watch, although it feels like were in a bit of a slog with PW and the next release or 2. Thanks for your work!

[@JustinPanariello]

Thanks Brian! Yeah I think I was tough on Power Windows, maybe too tough on it especially after doing my videos for Hold Your Fire lol. It was kind of the same way with Grace Under Pressure. I like it way more now than I did when I heard it. Although we'll see idk if that will happen with these coming records....

[@Steussie]

@@JustinPanariello That's common with Power Windows. It takes a few listens and then all of a sudden your like...yea that kicked ass. That will not happen over the next few records though.

[@carlgibbons5777]

@@Steussie *caveman voice* Early Rush good.....Keyboard Rush Bad...lmao! Music is subjective. I'll take Presto and Roll The Bones over the early Rush records every day of the week.

[@patrigilligan2112]

It took me a few listens for this one to grow on me, but now it's one of my favorites from this album. I love the "middle aged Madonna " part. The sound, and the lyrics.

[@johnnymegabyte]

Is there a reference to the Bad Company song Shooting Star? Dreams of becoming a rock star. "Johnny was a school boy ..." But he'd be climbing on that bus, Just him and his guitar. To blaze across the heavens, Like a brilliant shooting star

[@jackteppo9633]

It grows on you bro. Lol just listen to it again. The next one is even more interesting. Rush On!!

[@toddc28]

Middletown Dreams is a good song but not among my favorites on the album. There are no bad songs on Power Windows. You’ve spoken about the sounds and 80’s production. I agree and today the album is not among my top 5. Probably somewhere in the middle. But back in 85 this album was probably my favorite for a time. I still enjoy all the songs. But some have to be ranked lower than others. For me, Middletown Dreams and Emotion Detector are my least favorites. Only because I like other songs more. That being said when Rush played Middletown Dreams on the Clockwork Angels tour in 2012 after only having played it live on the Power Windows tour, I was thrilled and thoroughly enjoyed it.

[@daviddci7650]

One of my favorite Rush songs. Definitely my favorite from this record. Yes, if you don't like the sound of "Power Windows" then I doubt you'll like the next record, "Hold Your Fire".

[@grazynafrey7545]

Great catch, Justin. Taking under consideration your unease of the style of music presented here by Rush, with different arrangements, this song could easily exist on Signals or Moving Pictures. All the verses have a different sound to them, and the track could definitely pass as YYZ with lyrics.

[@obiwanbenobi4943]

I hope by now you've spun this album a few more times and have enjoyed it more? :)

[@JustinPanariello]

absolutely

[@estavillo2112]

You won’t get back to a more stripped down sound (guitar, bass, drums) until Presto. Power Windows is like the Main Street Electrical Parade in terms of sounds and production. Hold Your Fire is adult contemporary Rush with lots of keys and synths still. Presto is the band trying to consciously find their power trio identity again.

[@danalioto3146]

They truly are amazing musicians that were able to explore their own sound for decades. While this song is not my favorite on the album I can appreciate it for something new from Rush at the time.

[@mandingo9999998]

Understand the hesitation on the thick synth, over-produced, lots of reverb. Think that was everyones reaction when this came out. But watching you go through these albums gives me a greater appreciation of what I already knew - them trying different things had to be done. They were three smart, talented guys and although being a hard three-piece was how they started, they couldn't just do that forever. Churning out re-makes of 2112 or Moving Pictures. The variety is the ride, the juice. Not sure how I'd handle listening through Rushs catalog a song a day, unlike you we all had a year to absorb and dissect each album. A song a day must be like drinking from a firehose.

[@timlamb6196]

Love the message in this one. Middletown Ohio ?

[@yes_head]

Nice reaction, Justin. IMO this song has Alex's stamp all over it (there's even a guitar solo) although the chorus might be Geddy's. They're also stretching harmonically on this one, which is nice. I just wonder how much better it might have been without the 80s production stripping the guitars of any balls. I'm also curious why they decided to revisit the subject matter of "Subdivisions" only two albums later.

[@ischmidt]

The Signals reference is on point given the lyrics are more or less "the high school kid from Subdivisions grew up and has a job". Neil wrote a lot of thematically similar "common (wo)man struggles with common things" songs in the 80s and 90s. This song can be challenging on first listen because some of the guitar parts are so soaked in effects they sound like keyboards and it can be hard to tell what's going on. Geddy and Neil have said Alex's complaints about Power Windows were overblown because Alex was fanboying hard about The Fixx at the time, and put a lot of work into emulating their guitar tones.

[@mightyV444]

I totally agree with you, Justin: I've always liked the actual songs on this album a lot, but many of the synth sounds I've disliked for just as long = since '89, when I'd heard 'Power Windows' for the first time - And that was still in the actual 80's when I had those feelings! 😅 I have to think of buying myself a synth in the mid-to-late 90's, when it had taken me quite a while to find the right one after hearing loads of 'Power Windows'-like sounds on the ones I'd rejected 😄

[@rockodilechannel3509]

Middletown Dreams is my favorite and why still listen to Power Windows. Geddy's emotion on this song really comes through. Production is of the times, but unimportant in the shadow of Rush's whole catalog. It sounds like 80s Rush, just like 70s Rush 90s and 2000s sound of those times. The songs are still great and uniquely Rush.

[@richierich398]

Dig it!🤘

[@apexzeneth4709]

This is my favorite track on the album. If you have an issue with this mix, you'll probably have an issue with the next album "Hold Your Fire". "Power Windows" sounds cleaner to me. While I was in Navy boot camp, this was the song that I played most on my cassette tape walk-man.

[@youtoo2233]

Yeah this album sounds extremely clean and clear crisp production

[@lionoftwo]

Ummmmmm....one of the best Rush songs of all time. Nasty.....who doesn't love synth these days...new gen will love this. Amazing songwriting

[@KennethStCyr-dv6cm]

One of my favorite songs by any band ever. I had predicted this might be your favorite on this album and I was correct. I guessed it would be because of the music structure and not the lyrics, which is funny because its my favorite because of the lyrics. I was wondering if you look at the lyrics to any songs as you react, or do you just let it rip?

[@JustinPanariello]

I don't look at lyrics. I don't like listening with my eyes lol. I just listen to music and as I get more familiar with a song I'll check out the lyrics, but not on first listen.

[@JustinPanariello]

I know that lyrics are a big deal for Rush and Rush fans... but yeah I just can't. There's too much to digest already in one listen you know?!

[@KennethStCyr-dv6cm]

@@JustinPanariello I know to wrap up an album you like to see some vintage live shows. This one will be tough to find.

[@youtoo2233]

I get what you're saying about the production of its time, not my favorite ever but it was okay, reminds me of the way the production that was in the '60s with a lot of the music having extremely high reverb especially on the vocals

[@chrisdover2634]

This is my current favourite Rush track, I’d thought I’d come back to your reaction to see what you thought. Hope you’re well man! I’ve dropped away since you stopped the Rush reactions, sorry 😬 Thin Lizzy deep dive next 😉

[@mark-be9mq]

My favorite w Big Money.

[@mjm5081]

❤ ❤... ❤

[@Joelster-og4pf]

This is a good deep cut. Not my top fav, but a really good song on here. Top 40 at best.

[@mark-be9mq]

This album grew the most on me from first listen. Didnt like Geddys base or Alex's guitar, tones or production. But came to like it. It's still top of the bottom third of Rush Albums. My first Rush concert was this album. Got tix from a water bed store that had a big "smoke"/ bong shop on the back. Great, great show. Highlighted by 2112 Pts I & II.

[@bdc1117]

This might be the best song on the album?

[@kennethmckinney2532]

I have been a Rush fan since high school 1976. I have the tats, hats and t-shirts to prove it lol. I have seen them live 20 times between 79' and 2015. I bought All The World's A Stage first in 76' then back tracked and bought the first 4 studio albums. I bought every new release that followed until this one. I just couldn't do it based on where they were and where they were going musically. The production style was just to much to much for an old schooler like me. Grace Under Pressure I could deal with but this was a bridge too far. Geez the 80's...

[@jimtatro6550]

I like this one but I have never loved it, again the keys kill it for me, I love the bass and guitars but not enough for me to really enjoy.

[@ryancraig2795]

I understand where you're coming from, I felt the same for a long time. But I've come to appreciate the soundscapes they were creating with the synths. This album will never top my list, but it has grown on me in recent years.

[@jimtatro6550]

@@ryancraig2795 for me it’s the opposite, I loved Power Windows when it came out, I saw the tour two nights in a row. Now looking back I’m not as big a fan of the synth era, I still really enjoy parts of PW thru Roll the Bones but there’s a lot of stuff that I now just either don’t like as much or I just skip it.

[@thannaske5371]

Another great song killed by wrong-headed production choices! It sounds terrific live!

[@nicholassmith479]

A lot of Rush songs sound great live. By-Tor and Snow Dog is impressive live but no so on the studio version. Some songs are made for the large venue? I guess?

[@RushfanUK]

Unlike a lot of Rush fans not a favourite track for me.

[@juliebrockett3471]

Not one of my favorites! Still like Territories and Marathon the best. Be well and God bless… from Texas!!

[@VAFS001]

4.8 / 10 Middletown Dreams is middle of the road of the R-Pop songs.

[@MusicMan73790]

Rush ranks for DOWN on the list of talented prog bands. Their music was so pedestrian compared to YES, ELP, Gentle Giant. Close but no cigar, sorry. Annoying voice, mundane lyrics, no original creativity. Painful to listen to. Make it stop! Sounds like they only wrote ONE song, and just kept re-recording it over and over, album after album. Non memorable. No thanks.