Permanent Waves was Rush's pivot toward radio-friendly songs — without abandoning prog

Rush trimmed the excess on Permanent Waves, writing tighter songs like “The Spirit of Radio” and “Freewill” that could actually get radio play. But they didn’t abandon their prog instincts — “Jacob’s Ladder” and the nine-minute “Natural Science” kept the complexity intact. It’s the album where Rush learned to edit without losing themselves.