Rush v. Dirk, Pratt, & Lerxst

[frogprog]

I really love the material on Presto but I don't find myself going back to it very often. It just doesn't sound "good" to me. Very thin and quiet. At the time it came out, however, I loved it. I can still remember waiting for the scheduled premier of Show Don't Tell on WMMR in Philly and me and my buddy taping it then listening to it a dozen times that night. We saw that tour 3 nights in a row. Good times!!

[DTA]

To me, Roll The Bones is just Presto but done horribly wrong. Presto has a lot of soft songs & many of the harder-hitting songs are really groovy, though neither feel out of place. With Roll The Bones, the two sides don't mesh together at all, & neither of them are enjoyable for me. Songs like the title track, Face Up, Where's My Thing, The Big Wheel & You Bet Your Life have so much forced """"edge"""" that they make me cringe (the attempt at being cool being especially pathetic considering the album charted alongside Nevermind & The Black Album), while songs like Heresy or Ghost Of A Chance put me to sleep, & then there's Neurotica which has the worst of both worlds. The only songs I like from Roll The Bones are the first two (Dreamline & Bravado, though I don't like the lyrics in the former). Presto on the other hand, feels a lot more like its own style. It feels a lot less pandering to me, & I can enjoy every song on Presto without facepalming into oblivion, if that says anything.

I was expecting this post to be a comparison of the two albums, but it turned into a rant against Roll The Bones. oof

"Forced edge" is probably the best way I've heard RTB described, though I'm a bit more accepting of the cringiness on novelties like the title track and Where's My Thing (which is a pretty exciting instrumental imo). But holy shit, how did Neurotica make it out the studio? Rupert should've definitely "produced" them more and made them rewrite a few of the songs.

[HOF]

I also love Presto, including the slim sound.

Also, Available Light is one of the best songs in Rush's entire catalogue if you ask me.

Yes to Available Light for sure. In ones sense the “sound” on the album is perfect. There’s a sparseness that fits the songs and mood suggested by the black and white art work. But it would be nice for there to be a bit more low and middle end. I’ve mostly come to terms with the sound though. It’s still one of my favorite Rush albums regardless.

With Roll the Bones, the issue is really more the songs than the sound. The sound bothers me a little, but not so much on the great tracks (Dreamline, Bravado, Ghost of a Chance, and the title track - rap and all). The Big Wheel is ok, I guess.

[KevShmev]

"Forced edge" is probably the best way I've heard RTB described, though I'm a bit more accepting of the cringiness on novelties like the title track and Where's My Thing (which is a pretty exciting instrumental imo). But holy shit, how did Neurotica make it out the studio? Rupert should've definitely "produced" them more and made them rewrite a few of the songs.

Neurotica is quite good musically, but it is let down big time by a very bland chorus.  I remember really taking note of how good the music is in that song when an instrumental part of it was played during the Rio documentary.  IIRC, it was the music during the verses, but with the vocals removed.  If they had written a good chorus, that song could have been a winner (the melodies in the verses are fine).

[Architeuthis]

Yep, the chorus kills Neurotica.  The whole album is subpar for Rush, but Dreamline is one of my favorite Rush songs (especially live)..

[Lupton]

I've always felt that most of the songs on Roll The Bones would have needed Counterpart's production to really work. I think they were going in that direction naturally, but it took the full blown advent of grunge's popularity to make them abandon the 'adult contemporary' production approach. In any case I still consider it a good album, just not as good as Presto.

[SoundscapeMN]

I've always found Heresy and The Big Wheel to be the 2 unsung tracks on Roll the Bones. I guess I'm in a small minority with those. Neurotica and Face Up failed where those 2 tracks succeeded.

[Mladen]

There are four great songs on Roll the bones as far as I'm concerned: title track, Dreamline, Where's my thing and Ghost of a chance. Those four songs alone make it a good album, even though the rest of it is mostly forgettable. I mean, sometimes I'm in the mood for Bravado, but it's not a highlight on the album. Maybe I should revisit the entire record, I haven't played it in its entirety in years.

[ytserush]

I also love Presto, including the slim sound.

Also, Available Light is one of the best songs in Rush's entire catalogue if you ask me.

Yes to Available Light for sure. In ones sense the “sound” on the album is perfect. There’s a sparseness that fits the songs and mood suggested by the black and white art work. But it would be nice for there to be a bit more low and middle end. I’ve mostly come to terms with the sound though. It’s still one of my favorite Rush albums regardless.

With Roll the Bones, the issue is really more the songs than the sound. The sound bothers me a little, but not so much on the great tracks (Dreamline, Bravado, Ghost of a Chance, and the title track - rap and all). The Big Wheel is ok, I guess.

There is no Available Light without Rupert Hine. That song in that way doesn't even get attempted. 

I probably prefer his studio work with The Fixx and Saga more on the records although  those Presto and Roll The Bones live prove how good many of those songs really were. It mostly just didn't translate on the records.

[DTA]

There are four great songs on Roll the bones as far as I'm concerned: title track, Dreamline, Where's my thing and Ghost of a chance. Those four songs alone make it a good album, even though the rest of it is mostly forgettable. I mean, sometimes I'm in the mood for Bravado, but it's not a highlight on the album. Maybe I should revisit the entire record, I haven't played it in its entirety in years.

Those are really the only good songs, though I don't think Ghost Of A Chance is that great. The odd thing about RTB is that I don't like the other songs that much, but I don't find them unlistenable. I'll play the album straight through and think "yeah those songs still suck" but I almost enjoy listening to how bad they are. Whereas there's a lot of songs I dislike on Vapor Trails and avoid listening to them as much as possible.

[HOF]

New official animated video for The Spirit of Radio. And it’s pretty freaking sweet.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/rush-the-spirit-of-radio-animated-video-1014023/

Direct link:

https://youtu.be/g_QtO0Rhp0w

[RodrigoAltaf]

New official animated video for The Spirit of Radio. And it’s pretty freaking sweet.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/rush-the-spirit-of-radio-animated-video-1014023/

Direct link:

https://youtu.be/g_QtO0Rhp0w

I LOVE the radio dial on Alex's fretboard, and the homage to Neil on the last frame. Incredible animation!!!!

[pg1067]

New official animated video for The Spirit of Radio. And it’s pretty freaking sweet.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/rush-the-spirit-of-radio-animated-video-1014023/

Direct link:

https://youtu.be/g_QtO0Rhp0w

I LOVE the radio dial on Alex's fretboard, and the homage to Neil on the last frame. Incredible animation!!!!

A LOT of very cool stuff in there.  The only thing I didn't like was the incorporation of the little hand thing during the choruses.  I always hated that.

[HOF]

New official animated video for The Spirit of Radio. And it’s pretty freaking sweet.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/rush-the-spirit-of-radio-animated-video-1014023/

Direct link:

https://youtu.be/g_QtO0Rhp0w

I LOVE the radio dial on Alex's fretboard, and the homage to Neil on the last frame. Incredible animation!!!!

A LOT of very cool stuff in there.  The only thing I didn't like was the incorporation of the little hand thing during the choruses.  I always hated that.

I meant to bring that up. What is the hand thing? (Edit: somehow wrote my comment in the quote box before).

[Setlist Scotty]

A LOT of very cool stuff in there.  The only thing I didn't like was the incorporation of the little hand thing during the choruses.  I always hated that.

In the live setting I didn't mind it. In fact, I always associate it with the very first live video I ever saw from them - the Grace Under Pressure tour video. But in this video, it really doesn't make much sense, especially to anyone who's not in the know. And even then, there's plenty of other things they could've shown instead. So yeah, that was lame, but otherwise the video is very cool.

[pg1067]

A LOT of very cool stuff in there.  The only thing I didn't like was the incorporation of the little hand thing during the choruses.  I always hated that.

In the live setting I didn't mind it. In fact, I always associate it with the very first live video I ever saw from them - the Grace Under Pressure tour video. But in this video, it really doesn't make much sense, especially to anyone who's not in the know. And even then, there's plenty of other things they could've shown instead. So yeah, that was lame, but otherwise the video is very cool.

That's probably where I first saw it too.  Never liked it, and putting it in the video only reminded me of how prominent silly visual stuff like this was in the "synth era."

[RodrigoAltaf]

The hand thing is Ged's way of getting the crowd to clap. I always loved how a band full of nerdy, intricate songs with complex time signatures had moments where the crowd could join in just like a hard rock concert. I like the fact they included this in the video as well.

[HOF]

The hand thing is Ged's way of getting the crowd to clap. I always loved how a band full of nerdy, intricate songs with complex time signatures had moments where the crowd could join in just like a hard rock concert. I like the fact they included this in the video as well.

Amazing I’ve never seen that. Is there a video of this anywhere?

[Setlist Scotty]

The hand thing is Ged's way of getting the crowd to clap. I always loved how a band full of nerdy, intricate songs with complex time signatures had moments where the crowd could join in just like a hard rock concert. I like the fact they included this in the video as well.

Amazing I’ve never seen that. Is there a video of this anywhere?

Just do a search for TSoR from 1984 or the GUP tour video, and you should be able to find it.

[pg1067]

The hand thing is Ged's way of getting the crowd to clap. I always loved how a band full of nerdy, intricate songs with complex time signatures had moments where the crowd could join in just like a hard rock concert. I like the fact they included this in the video as well.

Amazing I’ve never seen that. Is there a video of this anywhere?

Just do a search for TSoR from 1984 or the GUP tour video, and you should be able to find it.

Here's the video from the GUP Live home video release:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJpJ7FgXp5E&list=PL6E0Lfnb8-aPIebcqSUZX-x7CepFJ2BoS

During the first chorus, he mostly claps and does a couple finger-pointing things.  He does the hand thing at the start of the second chorus before hitting his head and some more finger pointing.  I recall the thing in the video becoming more prominent in the 2000s.

The hand thing is Ged's way of getting the crowd to clap. I always loved how a band full of nerdy, intricate songs with complex time signatures had moments where the crowd could join in just like a hard rock concert. I like the fact they included this in the video as well.

I remember reading something where one of them joked about how their first radio "hit" included an odd-time bridge that no one noticed.

[WildRanger]

RTB is one of the weakest Rush albums IMO.
Bravado and Dreamline are really good tunes, Ghost of a Chance is OK, but the rest stinks more or less.

[pg1067]

RTB is one of the weakest Rush albums IMO

ftfy

While I generally agree with you, I have to wonder why you'd choose to post in a dedicated band thread for the SOLE purpose of dissing one of the band's albums.

[Stadler]

RTB is one of the weakest Rush albums IMO

ftfy

While I generally agree with you, I have to wonder why you'd choose to post in a dedicated band thread for the SOLE purpose of dissing one of the band's albums.

That's my job. 

[Setlist Scotty]

GUP is one of the weakest Rush albums IMO

FTFS

 

[KevShmev]

Roll the Bones is really good.

Grace Under Pressure is really good.

[Setlist Scotty]

Roll the Bones is really good.

Grace Under Pressure is really good.

I actually like GUP a lot - I'd probably rate it in the middle of Rush's catalog. (That post above was FTFS=fixed that for Stadler  ) RtB is very hit and miss - I really like half the songs, and the other half have zero appeal to me.

[Lupton]

Face Up is the only tune that makes me cringe on Bones. The rest of the material is either good, solid or has mixed appeal.

[Dublagent66]

RTB is one of the weakest Rush albums IMO

ftfy

While I generally agree with you, I have to wonder why you'd choose to post in a dedicated band thread for the SOLE purpose of dissing one of the band's albums.

Not much different than you dissing the album in the dedicated RTB survivor.  If you don't like the album, why even participate?  Double standardize much?

[KevShmev]

I actually like GUP a lot - I'd probably rate it in the middle of Rush's catalog. (That post above was FTFS=fixed that for Stadler  ) RtB is very hit and miss - I really like half the songs, and the other half have zero appeal to me.

Oh, I am aware.

[pg1067]

RTB is one of the weakest Rush albums IMO

ftfy

While I generally agree with you, I have to wonder why you'd choose to post in a dedicated band thread for the SOLE purpose of dissing one of the band's albums.

Not much different than you dissing the album in the dedicated RTB survivor.  If you don't like the album, why even participate?  Double standardize much?

Piss off, troll boy.

[ytserush]

In the most recent Fish on Friday episode Fish shows off his promo autographed copy of Power Windows.   He said he forgot he had it. The band gave it to him after their leg of the tour.  I'm going to be sad when he stops these. I'm hooked.

[pg1067]

In the most recent Fish on Friday episode Fish shows off his promo autographed copy of Power Windows.   He said he forgot he had it. The band gave it to him after their leg of the tour.  I'm going to be sad when he stops these. I'm hooked.

Fish?

[New World Rushman]

In the most recent Fish on Friday episode Fish shows off his promo autographed copy of Power Windows.   He said he forgot he had it. The band gave it to him after their leg of the tour.  I'm going to be sad when he stops these. I'm hooked.

Fish?

Unrelated, but it floors me that Abe Vigoda was younger than I am now for the entire original run of Barney Miller!

[ytserush]

In the most recent Fish on Friday episode Fish shows off his promo autographed copy of Power Windows.   He said he forgot he had it. The band gave it to him after their leg of the tour.  I'm going to be sad when he stops these. I'm hooked.

Fish?

Unfortunately, this Fish is sleeping.....

[jammindude]

What’s truly funny is that, in a few more years, Fish is going to start to resemble Fish.

Can you imagine a Scottish version of Fish?