Having taken inspiration from New Wave rock, Rush approached this 1981 album with a desire to refine and streamline their songs, particularly on the pop-prog crossover “Tom Sawyer”. While the band were still capable of flabbering gasts with their playing—particularly in the startling filigrees of “YYZ” and the time-signature-flaunting sleaze rock of “Limelight”—this highly focused set also brings in bouncy, off-kilter riffs based on reggae and funk (“Vital Signs”) and sharp melodic rock with sudden right-angle turns (“Red Barchetta”).