The Rush Thread v. Clockwork Angels

[King Postwhore]

I had a couple of PM's asking me about this. Sent Ged a text asking if he wanted to contribute anything to this discussion. 

Reply: "Good grief! We were trying new things, had great toys to play with, and sometimes I got carried away. Don't let them write "keyboardist" on my marker."   

Then this: "Better they want to talk about the music and not the clothes. :-) "

   Ged has been saying that for year and that what I love about Rush.  They are not afraid to try other style and they are not afraid of failing.  they make music that they want to play.  It's served them well all these years.

[Orbert]

So... about those 80's clothes.  The videos.  Hmmm...

[Nick]

The Synth era is for the most part amazing. Musically speaking, as was noted let's not talk about the clothes.

[MasterShakezula]

I'll take Signals through HYF over Rush through 2112, going by average amount of greatness.

I'd also take the Caress of Steel over 2112 and Hemispheres. 

[TL]

I'll take Signals through HYF over Rush through 2112, going by average amount of greatness.

I'd also take the Caress of Steel over 2112 and Hemispheres.

This, sir, is madness.

[dbrooks22]

No, i agree.  I listen to 80's Rush more than any other era. 

[Priest of Syrinx]

I'll take Signals through HYF over Rush through 2112, going by average amount of greatness.

I'd also take the Caress of Steel over 2112 and Hemispheres.

*Head asplodes* 

[TL]

For me, Signals is okay, Hold Your Fire isn't great but has its moments, and Power Windows I can't even sit through (and I've tried many times). I'd basically take any era of Rush over Signals-Hold Your Fire (though Grace Under Pressure is good). I do like that they've always been so willing to try new things though.

[dbrooks22]

It is an acquired taste.  It takes a long time to appreciate it, but once you do, you'll never look back...

[MasterShakezula]

What can I say, I love Sigs and P/G, and really dig much of PW.  Also, HYF, though probably their weakest of the first 12 besides Rush, has its fair share of good greatness. 

Also, I struggle to find 70s Rush songs I enjoy more than Bastille Day, Necromancer, and The Fountain of Lamneth. 

Aside from Xanadu, Cygnus I, 2112, and Hemi Side 2, not much from that era touches those 3. 

[Priest of Syrinx]

I don't find any of the synth-era albums bad, I just don't enjoy them as much as "old" Rush.

[Priest of Syrinx]

It is an acquired taste.  It takes a long time to appreciate it, but once you do, you'll never look back...

I've been working on it since 1982.

[TempusVox]

Personally, Signals is close to being my favorite Rush album if only for the fact that it contains Subdivisions. That song is the anthem of my teenage youth. I can recall jamming to that song (it has spoken to me almost more than any other in my entire life) while cruising through the streets of my hometown. THAT song makes me a fanboy sometimes; and whenever I get on that soapbox, it freaks Geddy out    . If someone would have told me in 1982 that I would one day call the members of that band some of my greatest, dearest, and closest friends- I would have probably had a heart attack and died, right then and there. 

[dbrooks22]

Vox - i am somewhat new to this board.  Is there a prior thread somewhere that i can read to better understand your relationship with the band?  I did a search but couldn't find anything.  Thanks much

[Phoenix87x]

Personally, Signals is close to being my favorite Rush album if only for the fact that it contains Subdivisions.

Subdivisions may very well be my favorite Rush song. 
And Not only does Signals have Subdivisions, but also the hauntingly superb Losing it. When I discovered that song, it was shivers all over.

[Pols Voice]

I'll take Signals through HYF over Rush through 2112, going by average amount of greatness.

I'd also take the Caress of Steel over 2112 and Hemispheres.

I agree with the first statement.

Caress of Steel is actually my least favorite Rush album. Kind of messy. I do like Bastille Day and the first part of Lamneth, In the Valley, though.

[KevShmev]

I always found P/G to be just as synthy, if not moreso, than Sigz.

It is, but the guitars are also very up front on G/P, resulting in a nice balance.  Signals had synths, but both the synths and guitars aren't up front enough.  Still a very good record, though!

[skydivingninja]

I'll take Signals through HYF over Rush through 2112, going by average amount of greatness.

Well that makes sense in fact I kinda agree.  Nothing majorly controversial there-

I'd also take the Caress of Steel over 2112 and Hemispheres.

WAT

[ZBomber]

P/G is an awesome album. Probably one of the best sounding 80s albums imo. Signals is ok but i've always viewed it as one of the lower albums in their "classic" years. However, with that said, Signals still has some badass tunes! Losing It is one of the best Peart lyrics imo.

[Priest of Syrinx]

I'll take Signals through HYF over Rush through 2112, going by average amount of greatness.

I'd also take the Caress of Steel over 2112 and Hemispheres.

OK, now that I've sponged up the pieces of my asploded head and reconstructed it...

2112, the song, contains more awesomeness than the Internet can contain.   

CoS - which I like quite a bit - over 2112 and Hemispheres?  Over Cygnus Pt2 and La Villa Strangiato?   

*Head re-asplodes*

[MasterShakezula]

Yes. 

Cygnus Pt 2 is good, but not as good as Fountain or Necromancer as an epic.  Plus, I preferred the first one.

Also, though La Villa Strangiato is very awesome, The Trees and Circumstances (while awesome) aren't as awesome as Bastille Day, and even if ITIGB and LP are a bit average, they're no better or worse than 2112 side 2. 

2112 the song is quite awesome, though. 

[PlaysLikeMyung]

Hey temp, can you ask Lerxst if he wouldn't mind selling his Leisure Suit (a la ASOH) to me?

[Nick]

Cup, your fail up to this point has been nothing compared to claiming Caress of Steel is better than Hemispheres.

[MasterShakezula]

Well, what if I said that PW (the one with the hot chick on the cover) is my favorite prog album ever?

[The King in Crimson]

Cup, your fail up to this point has been nothing compared to claiming Caress of Steel is better than Hemispheres.

Yeah...

Caress of Steel is the only Rush album that I'd call 'bad,' even if it does have the awesome Bastille Day and the pretty good Lakeside Park.

[Nick]

Well, what if I said that PW (the one with the hot chick on the cover) is my favorite prog album ever?

Then you still fail, because that title belongs to A Farewell to Kings.

[Priest of Syrinx]

Well, what if I said that PW (the one with the hot chick on the cover) is my favorite prog album ever?

Predictable.

Well, what if I said that PW (the one with the hot chick on the cover) is my favorite prog album ever?

Then you still fail, because that title belongs to A Farewell to Kings.

You mean Hemispheres, right? 

[Nick]

A Farewell to Kings is my #1 album of all time and Hemispheres is my #2, can we simply agree that both are more amazing than bacon?

[Priest of Syrinx]

A Farewell to Kings is my #1 album of all time and Hemispheres is my #2, can we simply agree that both are more amazing than bacon?

Man, I love bacon..................

OK. 

[MasterShakezula]

If it's any consolation to you guys, I do actually prefer Farewell to Kings over CoS. 

It's a really awesome album. 

[ytserush]

I had a couple of PM's asking me about this. Sent Ged a text asking if he wanted to contribute anything to this discussion. 

Reply: "Good grief! We were trying new things, had great toys to play with, and sometimes I got carried away. Don't let them write "keyboardist" on my marker."   

Then this: "Better they want to talk about the music and not the clothes. :-) "

   Ged has been saying that for year and that what I love about Rush.  They are not afraid to try other style and they are not afraid of failing.  they make music that they want to play.  It's served them well all these years.

Yup, I suppose that's the final word. I still can't believe that Geddy was polling right up there with Emerson, Wakeman and Downes (I need to dig some of the mags that have the polls) back then.


And for the record, on any given day I prefer Caress of Steel to 2112 and possibily the rest of the '70s albums. It just has an innocence of pushing boundaries that you really don't find on the other albums.

And Subdivisions is one song I never get sick of hearing.


For those who haven't heard....
More news:
 
NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Sep 20, 2011) - Legendary rock band Rush have announced details for the first offerings through their recently announced partnership with Roadrunner Records. On November 8, Anthem/Roadrunner will simultaneously release a two-disc live album entitled "TIME MACHINE 2011: LIVE IN CLEVELAND" as well as "MOVING PICTURES: LIVE 2011" on vinyl and digital formats.
Captured in April at Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena during the renowned trio's extensive Time Machine World Tour, "TIME MACHINE 2011: LIVE IN CLEVELAND" marks the band's first live album recorded at a U.S. show, a deliberate nod of gratitude to the first city to support Rush on its radio airwaves. The wildly popular tour featured a set filled with classic hits, fan favorites, and a glimpse into Rush's forthcoming 20th studio album "CLOCKWORK ANGELS." As a centerpiece for the concerts, the band performed their landmark album "MOVING PICTURES" in its entirety -- a first in the band's long and illustrious career. Rave reviews of the tour included The Hollywood Reporter's declaration that "the current Time Machine jaunt is nothing less than a must see... for nearly three hours, with intermission, Rush proved why it remains among rock's elite live acts." Full track listing for "TIME MACHINE 2011: LIVE IN CLEVELAND" attached below.
"MOVING PICTURES: LIVE 2011" marks the first live recording of the band's most successful album to date. Originally released in 1981, this year marks the 30th anniversary of "MOVING PICTURES," which features some of Rush's most well-known songs like "Tom Sawyer," "Limelight," and "YYZ."
In related news, Rush is also releasing "Time Machine 2011: Live In Cleveland" on BluRay and DVD formats on November 8 via Rounder Records in the U.S. and Eagle Rock Entertainment abroad. VH1 will be airing a 2-hour concert culled from the footage as part of their annual "Rushashana" program on September 29. This fall, Rush will be returning to the studio to resume work on their highly anticipated 20th studio album, "CLOCKWORK ANGELS" due out in 2012.
With more than 40 million records sold worldwide and countless sold-out tours, Rush -- Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart -- is not only one of the most inventive and compelling groups in rock history, but remains one of the most popular. The RIAA has certified Rush for the third most consecutive gold/platinum studio albums by a rock band, topped only by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Rush's vast catalog includes such classics as 1974's self-titled debut, 1976's "2112," 1981's "MOVING PICTURES," 1996's "TEST FOR ECHO," and 2002's "VAPOR TRAILS." Rush's most recent studio album, 2007's "SNAKES & ARROWS," debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200, marking the band's highest chart debut since 1993, as well as their eleventh top 10 album in the U.S. In addition to their commercial success, Rush has also been recognized with a number of Juno Awards and multiple Grammy nominations, including one for the acclaimed documentary "Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage" at this year's gala event. Enjoying a recent pop culture renaissance, Rush made a rare television appearance -- their first in over 30 years -- on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report" and a memorable cameo in the film "I Love You, Man." A career-chronicling Rolling Stone feature summed up the renowned rock trio's continuing artistic vitality by observing, "It's true that Rush doesn't mean today what it did in '76 or even '96. It may mean more."
(TRACK LISTING BELOW)
RUSH
"TIME MACHINE 2011: LIVE IN CLEVELAND"
(ANTHEM/ROADRUNNER)
Available November 8th
DISC ONE
1. The Spirit Of Radio
2. Time Stand Still
3. Presto
4. Stick It Out
5. Workin' Them Angels
6. Leave That Thing Alone
7. Faithless
8. BU2B
9. Free Will
10. Marathon
11. Subdivisions
12. Tom Sawyer
13. Red Barchetta
14. YYZ
15. Limelight
DISC 2
1. The Camera Eye
2. Witch Hunt
3. Vital Signs
4. Caravan
5. Moto Perpetuo (featuring Love For Sale)
6. O'Malley's Break
7. Closer To The Heart
8. 2112 Overture/The Temples of Syrinx
9. Far Cry
10. La Villa Strangiato
11. Working Man



"O'Malley's Break"  I Effin LOVE it!
 
 
It also looks like this could be seeing a theatrical release before then too.
 
Damn --- November is going to be expensive....

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

I've no problem with their synth-y stuff.  Now obviously, I like some of it more than others.  My favorites from that era are probably Marathon and Mission.  I've yet to see Marathon live, but I have no doubt it would be one of the most awesome songs I'd ever see live.  I especially love the key change where it sounds like the freakin' heavens open up.  Amazing stuff.

[Priest of Syrinx]

I've no problem with their synth-y stuff.  Now obviously, I like some of it more than others.  My favorites from that era are probably Marathon and Mission.  I've yet to see Marathon live, but I have no doubt it would be one of the most awesome songs I'd ever see live.  I especially love the key change where it sounds like the freakin' heavens open up.  Amazing stuff.

Mission's OK... Marathon is great.  Maybe the best Rush chorus ever?

[ZBomber]

I've no problem with their synth-y stuff.  Now obviously, I like some of it more than others.  My favorites from that era are probably Marathon and Mission.  I've yet to see Marathon live, but I have no doubt it would be one of the most awesome songs I'd ever see live. I especially love the key change where it sounds like the freakin' heavens open up.  Amazing stuff.

Absolutely, the key change at the end of Marathon is one of the greatest moments in my musical library.

[Zydar]

I've no problem with their synth-y stuff.  Now obviously, I like some of it more than others.  My favorites from that era are probably Marathon and Mission.  I've yet to see Marathon live, but I have no doubt it would be one of the most awesome songs I'd ever see live.  I especially love the key change where it sounds like the freakin' heavens open up.  Amazing stuff.

Mission's OK... Marathon is great.  Maybe the best Rush chorus ever?

It sure got my vote