The Rush Thread v. Clockwork Angels

[King Postwhore]

Yeah, it's like 2112 is the album they were building to all those years.  Their first real peak.

That's the thing Orbert.  In the old days bands were allowed to grow and at least get 3 or 4 albums under their belt.  Today, If you don't hit right away you doomed.

[PlaysLikeMyung]

I don't think that's necessarily true for all artists, but DEFINITELY for pop artists. I mean, i wouldn't call any prog/metal band out there 'successful' that started in the past decade

[King Postwhore]

I don't think that's necessarily true for all artists, but DEFINITELY for pop artists. I mean, i wouldn't call any prog/metal band out there 'successful' that started in the past decade

Label's in the old days gave bands time to grow.  Not in todays climate.  Fact.

[ZBomber]

This thread inspired me to listen to some Rush, so I got Fly By Night on the turntable now.   

[Zydar]

I just played Subdivisions on my bass. So Powah!

[The Letter M]

RE: Caress Of Steel - I just listened to that album the other night and it was pretty good. "
Bastille Day" always amazes me, especially the ending!
"Lakeside Park" is pretty good for what it is, but it sounds like a throwback to FBN-type tracks.
"I Think I'm Going Bald" seems like a jab at Led Zeppelin's style of jokey-songs, music not to be taken too seriously.
"The Necromancer" always stands as one of their best earlier songs, and being a sequel to "By-Tor" in some sense, it's a great follow-up - the middle section is one of my favorites, especially with the "Heart Of The Sunrise"-esque groove.
"The Fountain Of Lamneth" is pretty good for their first try at a side-long suite (something that Yes didn't try til their 5th album, and Genesis til their 4th), so being only their third album, it's a pretty damn good attempt! Of course, the lack transitions/segues between the movements really makes it feel more like a song-cycle and less like a single cohesive track. It's more along the lines of a side-long Concept than a single Song. However, "No One At The Bridge" has some great playing from Alex. I think I'd like the whole thing better if "Bacchus Plateau" didn't fade out like it does.

I still want someone (MP's Cygnus & The Sea Monsters, perhaps?) to cover "The Fountain Of Lamneth" and do some re-arranging to add transitions between the movements, and give "Bacchus Plateau" an ending.

Actually, I'd love to see Cygnus & The Sea Monsters return and do a set something like this:
"Here Again"
"By-Tor & The Snow Dog"
"The Necromancer"
"The Fountain Of Lamneth"
"Xanadu"
"La Villa Strangiato"

I'd love to see MP play his NP-kit again!

-Marc.

[contest_sanity]

I'm sure it's been posted before, but perhaps not for a while; as new peeps are checking out Caress, witness DT's great cover of "The Necromancer:"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI04qsXJgh0 (part 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy79CG880Eo&NR=1 (part 2)

Gotta love the ending, too!

[Orbert]

Rush Moving Pictures Audio Blu-ray Delayed (click)

According to retailer information, Rush: Moving Pictures, initially scheduled for release on April 5, will finally come out four weeks later, on May 3, on a Blu-ray/CD set.The BD will feature the album and three bonus music videos, "Tom Sawyer," "Limelight" and the previously unreleased clip "Vital Signs." Audio will be presented in a 5.1 surround sound mix supervised by the band's Alex Lifeson using the original multi-tracks (DTS-HD Master Audio and 96kHz/24-bit PCM) and in newly remastered stereo from the original analog master tapes (96kHz/24-bit PCM).

Also included in the package is an extensive gallery with previously unreleased photos from the original recording sessions, new liner notes by renowned music journalist David Fricke and 30th anniversary artwork by original album designer Hugh Syme.

[ZBomber]

Rush Moving Pictures Audio Blu-ray Delayed (click)

According to retailer information, Rush: Moving Pictures, initially scheduled for release on April 5, will finally come out four weeks later, on May 3, on a Blu-ray/CD set.The BD will feature the album and three bonus music videos, "Tom Sawyer," "Limelight" and the previously unreleased clip "Vital Signs." Audio will be presented in a 5.1 surround sound mix supervised by the band's Alex Lifeson using the original multi-tracks (DTS-HD Master Audio and 96kHz/24-bit PCM) and in newly remastered stereo from the original analog master tapes (96kHz/24-bit PCM).

Also included in the package is an extensive gallery with previously unreleased photos from the original recording sessions, new liner notes by renowned music journalist David Fricke and 30th anniversary artwork by original album designer Hugh Syme.

Well... that's still sooner than I was expecting! Just in time for me to get out of school and do nothing but blast it 24/7. 

[reneranucci]

I've been incredibly busy lately and haven't had time to write an update, so this one will cover several albums. Fortunately, I've also been busy listening to some great Rush:

Fly by Night: I said earlier that this wasn't as strong as Rush and that I didn't consider any of the songs great. Forget about that. By-Tor is such a great song, with the incredibly energetic riffs and melodies, and the instrumental section is great. I thoroughly enjoy the other songs except for Rivendell. "Fly By Night", "Making Memories" and BBB have grown a lot on me.

Caress of Steel: OK, I'm not sure about this one. It is a case where the longest song actually detracts from the album IMO. I was already familiar with Bastille Day, and it's an incredible song, it will probably end up in my top-20 or even top-10 list. I don't take  "I think I'm going Bald" seriously and didn't pay much attention to it. "Lakeside Park" is excellent, I have to say that it is my favorite Geddy Lee vocal performance so far, there is something special about the production that really highlights his voice IMO. It is probably my second favorite song off the album. The Necromancer is good, but no more than that. My main problem is with The Fountain of Lamneth. There are only a few moments that excite me, the rest of the song is pretty dull IMO. Another drawback is that they make small pauses between the sections instead of developing transitions between them. I hate that in multi-section songs, it makes them feel disconnected. I'll listen to it more times to see if it grows on me, but I don't think it is regarded as one of their best songs.

Now I'm relistening the albums I was already familiar with:

2112: I like the tittle song a lot, and playing it on GH adds to the fun. Top-20 material here. From the rest, I find A Passage to Bangkok and Lessons uninteresting. "Twilight Zone" has grown on me a lot, as has "Something for Nothing" which in my opinion is one of the last songs that sound like the old Rush hard-rock style, and it's very good. I was already in love with "Tears" due to the DT cover which was the first version I heard, I hope the band explores this melodic side on future albums.

I'm currently on Permanet Waves but I'll listen to it a couple times more before posting my little review. By the way, I'm obssessed with Hemispheres and I have to break the chronological order time after time to listen to it. I have played it in its entirety about 20 times, and I can listen to it 5 times in a row on my car without getting tired, actually I have to restrain myself and try not to overplay it. I could be one of the best 10 albums I've ever heard. Everything about it is just pefect 

[reneranucci]

I just read this:

I still want someone (MP's Cygnus & The Sea Monsters, perhaps?) to cover "The Fountain Of Lamneth" and do some re-arranging to add transitions between the movements, and give "Bacchus Plateau" an ending.

It's curious that we pointed out the same thing.

[Ultimetalhead]

Hemispheres is fucking awesome. Enjoy it.

[ZBomber]

Hemispheres pretty much secured a place for Rush in my top bands of all time. That and AFTK are like the greatest thing I've ever heard.

[King Postwhore]

You guys would have gone ape shit if you listened to Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres the way I did for the first time.  It was my older cousin's 8 track and Hemispheres was split into different tracks.  You'd hear the music fade away then a big *CLICK* and then the song fading back in where it left off. I went out right away and got the album.

[The Letter M]

So I have been slowly bringing Rush back into the fold and been listening to them a lot lately. They will forever and always be my favorite band, and have been since I discovered them about over a decade ago.

I sit here listening to "Caravan"/"BU2B" and it still sounds so fresh! It's definitely the next step after VT and S&A, and listening to these two songs really makes me hunger and ache for CA to come out, but that's still about a year off

Until then, I'll probably rotate Rush in and out of my listening habits a few more times, but for now, they've been reminding me why they're my favorite band. I've been singing and drumming along with their music for a decade now, and I still recall all the Peart-fills and the lyrics and the awesome guitar solos and bass lines. This music is pretty much in my veins by now, so it's nice to come back to a band that feels like home for me, after cycling through many other bands lately.

-Marc.

[KevShmev]

 My main problem is with The Fountain of Lamneth. There are only a few moments that excite me, the rest of the song is pretty dull IMO. Another drawback is that they make small pauses between the sections instead of developing transitions between them. I hate that in multi-section songs, it makes them feel disconnected. I'll listen to it more times to see if it grows on me, but I don't think it is regarded as one of their best songs.

True, but I don't know anyone who would actually call it one of their best songs.  It has its moments, but is a bit clunky overall.  Even still, you can hear how great their playing already was, and it probably could have been very good had they taken more time to let it develop, but it is what it is.  Not bad for a first attempt at a side-long epic of sorts, but certainly not anything I would recommend to anyone (unless they, like yourself, wants to listen to everything by the band).  

Anyway, good to hear your journey is going well.

[ZBomber]

Lamneth is good. Not great but I enjoy it. I think it gets better the more familiar you become with the song, though. I remember the first few listens through it didn't do much for me.

STAY! GO!

[glaurung]

Just dropping by to say that La Villa is perfect.

[reneranucci]

I'd like to get a live CD or DVD. what should I buy? I'm leaning towards Rush in Rio because the setlist looks great but I don't know if there is something better.

[The Letter M]

I'd like to get a live CD or DVD. what should I buy? I'm leaning towards Rush in Rio because the setlist looks great but I don't know if there is something better.

Rush In Rio is definitely a great place to start as far as live shows, but be forewarned, the audience is VERY loud and VERY participatory...like, more than you'd normally imagine at any live show. They sing along to YYZ, which is odd since it's an instrumental, but they go for it, note by note. It was Rush's 2nd largest audience up to that point, IIRC, and it definitely shows!

I would also suggest Different Stages, which is a 2-disc compilation of shows/songs from the CP/TFE tours, as well as a third "bonus" disc of a AFTK Tour show! Great stuff from two different eras of Rush, but a great package none the less.

-Marc.

[Mladen]

the audience is VERY loud and VERY participatory...like, more than you'd normally imagine at any live show. They sing along to YYZ, which is odd since it's an instrumental, but they go for it, note by note.

I remember watching the DVD for the first time, and I really wasn't ready to be blown away by the crowd like that. It has to be the wildest audience I've ever seen on a DVD. 

[KevShmev]

I'd like to get a live CD or DVD. what should I buy? I'm leaning towards Rush in Rio because the setlist looks great but I don't know if there is something better.

As far as set lists go, it is easily the best one out of all the ones on their live concert videos.  ESL could have been the best had they included the entire concert instead of just an hour, but alas it was not to be.

[PlaysLikeMyung]

I love A Show of Hands

[Orbert]

I haven't seen "Rush in Rio" yet, but I've heard the reports about the audience being pretty up in the mix, replicating the experience of being there which was apparently really, really loud.  It seems like if the idea is to get as close to a "real concert experience" as you can, then this is the one to get.

I've got "Snakes & Arrows", "R30" and "Beyond the Lighted Stage" and they're all great as far as I'm concerned.  "Snakes & Arrows" is the most recent, "R30" has the whole History-of-Rush thing going on, and "Beyond" is more documentary than concert but has a lot of great archival footage.  I'd recommend either of the first two, but pick up "Beyond" eventually.

[Zydar]

I have 'Snakes & Arrows: Live', 'A Show Of Hands', and 'Exit: Stage Left' - they're all great since they cover different stages (lolpun) of their career. I've been meaning to get 'Rush In Rio' too, I've watched a few clips on YouTube and the manic audience gets me interested in this.

[Jamesman42]

Seeing Rush in about 2 weeks on March 30th!

And it occurs on my Spring Break, so I can relax and go see a show. THAT is awesome.

[skydivingninja]

Awesome!

My favorite live CD is Different Stages, but the best DVD is definitely Rush in Rio.  Perfect example of making you feel like you were actually there.

[Ryzee]

I agree with the suggestions of Different Stages for a live CD set and Rush in Rio for DVDs, but I'm also partial to Exit Stage Left and A Show of Hands.  Exit Stage Left is a great representation of late 70's/early '80s Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures era Rush, while A Show of Hands has the band at all of their mid-eighties synth-driven glory!  La Villa Strangiato on Exit Stage Left has to be considered a definitive live version, I love some of the "lyrics" Geddy adds to it!  I also like the flamenco flourishes in the intro that Alex does on distorted electric rather than nylon string.

[PlaysLikeMyung]

Less than a month

[Nick]

1 month and 1 day till Cleveland.

[DarkEternalNight]

2 weeks and 4 days until Greensboro.

[skydivingninja]

2 weeks and 4 days until Greensboro.

o/

[reneranucci]

Thank you guys. I just ordered Rush in Rio from Amazon. When it arrives I will probably have covered most of their catalog already.

[Ultimetalhead]

2 weeks and 4 days until Greensboro.

o/

*\o INTERCEPTED

3 weeks and 2 days until Toledo, and then about a week and a half until Detroit. 

[glaurung]

I've got about three and a half months 'till my show.