Chronicles is better

This album and its companion volume Retrospective I: 1974-1980 are rather pointless exercises. Rush had already released an admirable comprehensive retrospective back in 1990, the excellent double-disc Chronicles, which took two songs from each of their studio albums (three in the case of Moving Pictures) and augmented them with selected tracks from each of their three live albums at that point in their career. Now years later, Rush's money-grubbing manager Ray Danniels convinced them to milk their past again by releasing two separate (and therefore more expensive when purchased together) compilations rehashing most of the same songs and adding in a few other interesting songs ("The Analog Kid", "The Body Electric", "Mission", "Marathon") which didn't make the cut for Chronicles. I know Danniels is the mastermind behind this, because when he later became the manager of Van Halen he tried to convince them to do the same, releasing two volumes of greatest hits separately compiling the David Lee Roth and the Sammy Hagar eras. He lost that battle, only managing the milk the fans for a single-disc VH best-of.

Diehard Rush fans will tell you to skip both Chronicles and the Retrospective volumes and instead purchase all of the Rush CD's, since these songs were meant to be enjoyed in the context of the respective albums for which they were created. As an in-betweener, I can tell you that the Chronicles set is a more broad overview, even if it's at the expense of some of the songs included here (plus, Chronicles includes the excellent "Manhattan Project" and "Show Don't Tell", missing here).

3 stars because it's still great material, but the way it's been repackaged yet again is kind of shameless.

Excellent 80s best of Rush's 80s output

In June of 1997, Rush released the second of two best ofs entitled Retrospective II(1981-87) in conjunction with the remasters of the band's five studio albums from 1981 to 1987.

There were technically five Rush compilations available and released over the years. In 1978, Mercury reissued the band's first three efforts as Rush Archives(a triple record set). Next was 1990's Chronicles, a double CD set which drummer Neil Peart has gone on record stating he hated(track list wise(how the songs were listed and some of the choices on that disc he is peeved about how the way it turned out) and artwork wise).

Strangely enough in Rush's last three tour programs, Chronicles is not part of the discography, believe it or not. Then came Retrospective I then Retrospective II in 1997 and then 2003's The Spirit of Radio greatest hits. Retrospective I did the music from their 1970s era. Retrospective II is the second of the Retrospective CDs.

This album has artwork by Hugh Syme(Rush's equal to Storm Thorgerson) and the band members helped with the tracklisting in which the tracks came from the following albums: 1981's mega-selling Moving Pictures(Tom Sawyer, Limelight and Red Barchetta all of those songs the band still play live today. Barchetta was played in first half, Tom Sawyer started the second half and Limelight was the final encore), 1982's superb follow-upSignals(Subdivisions(also played on the 30th Anniversary tour), the band's lone US Top 20 hit New World Man(resurrected for the 2002 Vapor Trails tour) and the classic The Analog Kid), 1984's dark Grace Under Pressure(Distant Early Warning(was played on the 2002 VT tour), Red Sector A(a concert staple to this day and was the song that was played before Neil's legendary drum solo) and The Body Electric), 1985's Power Windows(The Big Money(which was resurrected for the VT tour), Marathon and Mystic Rhythms(which was played on the 30th Anniversary tour) and 1987's Hold Your Fire(Force Ten, which was resurrected for the 30th Anniversary tour), Time Stand Still(with Aimme Mann formerly of 'Til Tuesday on additional vocals) and Mission).

If you are confused where to begin your intro to 80s Rush, then this is for you. If you want a proper intro, buy this and Retrospective I simultaneously and is much cheaper and better(musically and sonically) put together IMHO than Chronicles!

good introduction into the the 80s sound of Rush.

I recetnly got into Rush. Retrospective II is a great sounding album that helps to give new listners a sound of what Rush is about. I had only heard a few songs on the album such as limelight and tom sawyer before buying it so it was great to hear other songs from Rush from that same time perioed. Retrospective helped to make me a Rush fan.