| RUNCH RANKED |
| 19 |  | Rush
Presto
Runch at their worst was just kinda bland. Show Don’t Tell whips but this is the first time Runch feel like a non-entity in their career. |
| 18 |  | Rush
Roll the Bones
Same as below but with a bit more energy. Also has some of Runch’s worst lyrics and a corny ass rap breakdown on the t/t. It’s not a great sign when the most interesting song here is an instrumental called Where’s My Thing? (Part IV “Gangster of Boats” Trilogy). |
| 17 |  | Rush
Test for Echo
Runch at their worst was just kinda bland. [3] At least they took some of the right lessons from Counterparts. This is the the Runch equivalent of daytime tv, for good and for ill. Saw an og copy of the vinyl for sale at a record store for $200. |
| 16 |  | Rush
Caress of Steel
Funny to think this was the album that almost killed Runch. Kinda feels like a parody of 70s era Runch, but some of the more delicate moments are pretty. It’s alright but definitely a warmup for the next album. |
| 15 |  | Rush
Rush
Runch’s self-titled feels quaint in how modest it is. Just good ol’ classic rock without the fluff. |
| 14 |  | Rush
Snakes & Arrows
Runch’s Iraq War album. The acoustic guitar work from Lifeson is really nice. |
| 13 |  | Rush
Hold Your Fire
Held up better on a relisten. Runch’s sound gets streamlined even further for mixed results, but overall an enjoyable listen. |
| 12 |  | Rush
Fly by Night
Now we’re at the heavy hitters. I feel like if Runch didn’t make this, or they ended up breaking up after Caress of Steel, this could be seen as a 70s classic. |
| 11 |  | Rush
2112
Out of all the albums from Runch’s classic run, 2112 is probably the one that has aged the least well, but it still gets points for being “the big one”. It’s the one that put them on the map and it’s easy to see why. More of a transitional album than one would think, and that honestly works to its advantage. |
| 10 |  | Rush
Counterparts
A welcome course correction from Presto and Roll the Bones. Features some of their more outwardly aggressive and synth-light tunes. While Runch still retain some of the cheese from the previous two records, they feel more earned this time around. |
| 9 |  | Rush
Clockwork Angels
Runch couldn’t have ended their career any better. Much like their best material, it’s the perfect balance between earworm melodies and muscular riffs. |
| 8 |  | Rush
Power Windows
Runch’s most synth heavy album, and also one of their most jubilant. This thing has a lot of energy, you can tell they’re in a better mood than they were on Grace Under Pressure. |
| 7 |  | Rush
Permanent Waves
Probably Runch’s most balanced mix of accessibility and complexity. If Jacob’s Ladder were a bit better this would be Top 5 Runch. Also Different Strings is mad underrated. |
| 6 |  | Rush
A Farewell to Kings
This is when Runch truly found their groove, has some of their best epics and ballads and is unashamedly dorky in all the right ways. While I’ve never seen Runch live, I did see Primus play this entire album live and man did they kill it. |
| 5 |  | Rush
Vapor Trails Remixed
By far Runch’s crunchiest and most underrated album. Some of their most aggressive tunes but with some of Peart’s most emotionally gripping and thoughtful lyrics. Yeah it may be a bit bloated but every song here rules. |
| 4 |  | Rush
Moving Pictures
The other “big one” in Runch’s catalogue, and for good reason. First four tracks are the obvious highlights, but more credit should be given to how great The Camera Eye, Witch Hunt, and Vital Signs are. |
| 3 |  | Rush
Hemispheres
Runch doing the absolute most yet is also one of their most compact. If you want to see Runch give everything they’ve got for 36 min this for you. |
| 2 |  | Rush
Signals
Sure there’s no grand epic here, but the songwriting front to back is so infectious. For Runch’s first foray into new wave, this surprisingly has some of their warmest sounding tunes. Also contains some if my fav lyrics from Peart, with him ruminating both his concerns and encouragement of the rapid shift in technology at the time, which reflects the music perfectly. New World Man is tied for my favorite Runch track, like waking up on a summer morning. |
| 1 |  | Rush
Grace Under Pressure
Yeah that’s right, two synth period Runch albums are their best. That’s what makes them cool; they took a rapidly shifting musical landscape head-on and managed to continue making masterpieces whereas most other bands of their era broke up or became a shell of themselves. Some of Runch’s bleakest tunes and most richly detailed atmosphere, yet is also somehow insanely catchy. This is as close to a perfect record as you can get in my book. My other favorite Runch song? Between the motherfucking Wheels. Nightmarish synths blare over a desperate plea against nuclear fallout, with one of Geddy Lee’s most impassioned vocal performances. Basically the exact opposite of New World Man. |
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