Rush

Canadian power-trio Rush has spent a career delivering top-class thinking man's arena rock. Not shy of a literary allusion or two (breakthrough concept album 2112 was structured round the work of Ayn Rand), Rush varied the pace between tracks of epic length ("La Villa Strangiato") and smash singles like "The Spirit of Radio".

The world is divided between two types of people: those who have seen Rush live, and those who haven't. For the unenlightened, the stunning 2003 live album Rush In Rio makes an outstanding substitute. Here, these three old men of rock pull out the stops like they've defied time; just hear the 40,000-strong crowd go wild to "Between Sun and Moon".

For the roots of Rush, get your ears round "What You're Doing", from their self-titled, remastered 1974 debut LP. Yet to be joined by cornerstone member Neil Peart, this early version of the outfit dealt in supercharged blues-rock. Late work, like "Time and Motion" from 1996's Test for Echo, sounds ultrasophisticated by comparison.

From the group's beginnings in Cream-esque blues-rock, through their legendary dominance of the live circuit during the '80s and on to their 17th studio album (2002's excellent Vapor Trails), Rush has built up an awe-inspiring body of connoisseur's rock, every note stamped with quality. Some people call the Toronto outfit overblown and pretentious — we prefer other epithets: epic, profound, majestic, and kickin'. The Rush formula is simple: great songwriting, virtuoso guitar, and Geddy Lee's high-pitched, sliver-plated wonder-tonsils.