Counterparts (album)

Counterparts
Studio album by Rush
Released October 19, 1993 (1993-10-19)
Recorded April–June 1993 at Le Studio, Morin-Heights, Quebec and McClear Place in Toronto
Genre Hard rock, progressive rock
Length 54:24[1]
Label Anthem (Canada)
Atlantic
Producer Peter Collins, Rush
Rush chronology
Roll the Bones
(1991)		 Counterparts
(1993)		 Test for Echo
(1996)
Singles from Counterparts
  1. "Stick It Out"
    Released: 1993
  2. "Cold Fire"
    Released: 1994
  3. "Nobody's Hero"
    Released: 1994
  4. "Animate"
    Released: 1994
  5. "Double Agent"
    Released: 1994

Counterparts is the fifteenth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released on October 19, 1993. Counterparts is one of Rush's highest charting albums in the U.S., peaking at #2.[2]

The lyrics of Counterparts continue the trends of Roll the Bones with dark and emotional themes being the primary focus. Some songs are heavy-sounding such as "Animate" and "Stick it Out", which topped the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart for four weeks in late 1993, becoming the band's fifth single to do so. "Leave That Thing Alone" earned a Grammy nomination for "Best Instrumental Rock Performance". It has been reissued and remastered twice: once in 2004 as a continuation of "The Rush Remasters" series[3] and again in 2013 as a part of the box set The Studio Albums 1989–2007.

Release and reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Entertainment Weekly(B−)[5]
Q[6]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[7]

The album earned a gold certification in Canada when it was released in October 1993, and platinum the next year.[8] It peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard album charts and earned a gold certification in the US in December 1993. Rush supported Counterparts with a four-month tour limited to North America.[9] Relations between the members were tense, and they followed the tour with a long break during which Lee planned to spend time with his growing family, and each planned to explore other creative interests, such as a Lifeson solo album.[10] When they returned to the studio in 1996 to record their next album Test for Echo Lifeson took a more assertive production role over Lee.[11]

Track listing

All lyrics written by Neil Peart, except "Between Sun & Moon" co-written by Pye Dubois; all music composed by Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee.

No. Title Length
1. "Animate"   6:04
2. "Stick It Out"   4:30
3. "Cut to the Chase"   4:48
4. "Nobody's Hero"   4:55
5. "Between Sun & Moon"   4:37
6. "Alien Shore"   5:47
7. "The Speed of Love"   5:02
8. "Double Agent"   4:52
9. "Leave That Thing Alone" (instrumental) 4:05
10. "Cold Fire"   4:27
11. "Everyday Glory"   5:11
Total length:
 54:24

Personnel

Charts

Year Chart Position
1993 Billboard 200 2[12]
UK Albums Chart 14[13]

Sales certifications

Country Organization Sales
U.S. RIAA Gold (500,000)
Canada RIAA Platinum (100,000)[8]

Singles

Information
"Stick It Out"
  • Released: 1993
  • Written by: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart
  • Produced by: Peter Collins and Rush
  • Chart positions: #1 US Mainstream Rock
"Nobody's Hero"
  • Released: 1994
  • Written by: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart
  • Produced by: Peter Collins and Rush
  • Chart positions: #3 US Mainstream Rock
"Double Agent"
  • Released: 1994
  • Written by: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart
  • Produced by: Peter Collins and Rush
  • Chart positions:
"Cold Fire"
  • Released: 1994
  • Written by: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart
  • Produced by: Peter Collins and Rush
  • Chart positions: #2 US Mainstream Rock
"Animate"
  • Released: 1994
  • Written by: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart
  • Produced by: Peter Collins and Rush
  • Chart positions: #35 US Mainstream Rock

References

  1. ↑ Counterparts (CD release "Atlantic Anthem 7567-82528-2").
  2. ↑ "Music Albums, Top 200 Albums & Music Album Charts". Billboard. 16 October 1993. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  3. ↑ "Rush Remastered: Four Classic Collections Arrive in Stores Aug. 31st | Market Wire". Marketwire. August 2004. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  4. ↑ Rivadavia, Eduardo. Counterparts - Rush at AllMusic. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  5. ↑ Sinclair, Tom (22 October 1993). "Counterparts". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
  6. ↑ "Rush - Counterparts CD Album". CD Universe. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
  7. ↑ "Rush: Album Guide". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  8. 1 2 Music Canada.
  9. ↑ Popoff 2013, p. 129.
  10. ↑ Popoff 2013, pp. 129–130.
  11. ↑ Popoff 2013, p. 130.
  12. ↑ "Counterparts chart position in the US". Billboard.
  13. ↑ "Rush chart positions in the UK". The Official Charts Company.

Sources cited

Popoff, Martin (2013). Rush: The Illustrated History. Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-0-7603-4364-7. 

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