I remember the day I bought this album almost the day it was released. I remember rushing home to listen to it, I remember being very disappointed. Of all the Rush albums this one is the one that could most be described as “pop”. I found it to be the most underwhelming listen I had bought for a while. I was even more distressed to learn that Rush would not be coming to the UK to tour it either. They toured the following album however, and that was the first time I heard some of these tracks played live. Then I saw them in a completely different light, Presto is now one of my very favourite Rush LPs. There are some brilliantly written songs on here. Red Tide is a favourite, The Pass is a great listen too. It’s an album I keep coming back to again and again.

Show Don’t Tell
Chain Lightning
The Pass
War Paint
Scars
Presto
Superconductor
Anagram
Red Tide
Hand Over Fist
Available Light

Orca

Ok! The Orca! Betcha couldn’t tell it was a passenger vessel? No? Well, I was thinking of using it as a Ratship, but, I dunno, I need a ship to rescue people from burning space stations. The Dolphin is too small, the Beluga is too big, and the Orca is just right. Damn fast too!

I decided to call her the Available Light. A beautiful song for a beautiful ship. Luckily, there happened to be some burning stations in the bubble not long after I published this, so here follows some screenshots of the action…

Beluga Liner

Now, I was not looking forward to flying the Beluga Liner. Wasn’t keen on using her for burning stations. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve had to wait in a queue to get inside because someone piloting this monster has been stuck fast in the mail slot. And then I bought her, painted her, took her up to the deck for this screenshot. And then I fell in love!

I mean…what a stunningly beautiful ship! I decided to use her as a Ratship instead of the Available Light. She holds four, yes four separate fuel limpet controllers which means she can fire a ton of fuel limpets at a target all at the same time. No reason really apart from that it looks really cool! And Ratting in this baby is far more fun than it ought to be!

I called her the Chain Lightning, because of when you fire those limpets…and it is such a beautiful, beautiful song.