One of my very, very, favourite Rush albums, on Power Windows every single track is pure brilliance. From the incredible Marathon right through to the enchanting Mystic Rhythms it never drops the ball. Every song on this album is a certified classic with special mention going to Territories, about nationalism and the invisible lines countries, not to mention individuals have drawn up around themselves and the haunting Manhattan Project about the conception of the first nuclear bomb. Neil’s lyrics are amongst the best he has ever written (In different circles we keep holding our ground, Indifferent circles we keep spinning round and round…). I really can’t emphasise how spectacularly brilliant this album is. It’s probably the most keyboard heavy album Rush ever produced and one of its tracks constantly competes with Limelight (off album 8 – Moving Pictures) as my favourite song of all time.

Big Money
Grand Designs
Manhattan Project
Marathon
Territories
Middletown Dreams
Emotion Detector
Mystic Rhythms

Imperial Clipper

The Gutamaya ships are the most stylish, decadent and utterly beautiful ships in the galaxy and the Imperial Clipper is no exception. Now the Clipper, like most of the Gutamaya ships doesn’t really excel at any one thing, mainly as its a medium ship that can only land on large pads because of those nacelles it has. This limits where it can sell stock to some degree and reduces it’s usefulness as a trader or miner. But, like the Courier, she is such a pleasure to fly that I damn well mine with her anyway. She is also a really fun vessel to go ratting in!

I called her the Middletown Dreams, my very favourite Rush track and easily the most beautifully and perfectly written song of all time (or is that Limelight? Sometimes I just can’t decide) It brings me to tears every time I listen to it. About ordinary people following their dreams and becoming who they really wanted to be, but sometimes wishing they were just ordinary again. It strikes a chord with me like no other.

The *Middletown Dreams* heads for a platinum hotspot

Imperial Cutter

Well, if you are both a Rush fan and an Elite Dangerous commander then you knew it was coming didn’t you? Obviously the Cutter would be next. The most beautiful ship in the galaxy. Huge space for cargo, stunning shield strength, powerful weaponry and blisteringly fast for a large vessel. The most important thing with her though is the fact that nothing can mass lock a cutter apart from another cutter, and that makes her the ideal trading vessel.

The Rush fan Elite Dangerous commander will also have guessed what I have called her, and why I have chosen her to represent this album in particular. The Big Money has been outfitted to a trading specification. She is going to make me a LOT of money. I may even outfit her for mining too. Seeing those limpets dance is so relaxing! But it all comes with a sizable dose of guilt. The Gutamaya ships are built by slaves. Imperial slaves maybe but slaves nonetheless. And that puts some commanders off from ever buying them.