Rush for the rest of your life: 70's vs 80's

[jjrock88]

This is tough because Rush's best album, Snakes & Arrows, doesn't fit into these decades, I'll go with 70s

Interesting, can’t say I’ve ever heard someone say S&A is the best Rush album

[SoundscapeMN]

This is tough because Rush's best album, Snakes & Arrows, doesn't fit into these decades, I'll go with 70s

Interesting, can’t say I’ve ever heard someone say S&A is the best Rush album

yeah, someone like myself who considers Snakes & Arrows Rush's worst album, lol.

[Nekov]

80's easily.

This. Their best 3 or 4 albums for me are in the 80s.

[ReaperKK]

I was curious what you guys were gonna say but yea, I think S&A is their best album. It was the first full Rush album I listened to and the one I listen to most now.

This is tough because Rush's best album, Snakes & Arrows, doesn't fit into these decades, I'll go with 70s

 

Kinda early to be drinking on a Sunday, no?

I took a double to get the courage to post my take here

[ProfessorPeart]

I legitimately couldn’t care less about this poll and won’t participate. 70s and 80s Rush rule 

So you choose not to decide?

 

Like, jj, I 'still have made a choice'. I choose not to decide. I have been pondering this since the thread started and I am frozen. Can't decide.

[hefdaddy42]

Exactly! 

Did you love the Karate Kid movies?

MovIES??

Nah. I've seen the first one.

God dammit

[KevShmev]

I was curious what you guys were gonna say but yea, I think S&A is their best album. It was the first full Rush album I listened to and the one I listen to most now.

This is tough because Rush's best album, Snakes & Arrows, doesn't fit into these decades, I'll go with 70s

 

Kinda early to be drinking on a Sunday, no?

I took a double to get the courage to post my take here

Haha, all good!

Despite my playful pun, Rush was so great that almost any album could be a fan's favorite. 

I was a big S& fan when it was first out, and truth be told, I still like it a lot; I just like almost every album of theirs more.

[TAC]

I was a big S& fan when it was first out, and truth be told, I still like it a lot; I just like almost every album of theirs more.

It is so bad you can't even refer to it by its full name.

[SoundscapeMN]

kind of interesting, I just glanced at rateyourmusic.com's Rush albums, and S&A's is rated far higher than 7 other albums in their discography on that site. Going back to Hold Your Fire, the only album rated higher than it is Counterparts.

Rush 3.25 (4,582)
Fly By Night 3.50 (5,086)
Caress of Steel 3.36 (4,064)
2112 3.78 (10,936)
A Farewell to Kings 3.87 (7,181)
Hemispheres 3.91 (7,753)
Permanent Waves 3.86 (7,349)
Moving Pictures 3.92 (13,528)
Signals 3.69 (4,688)
Grace Under Pressure 3.68 (3,849)
Power Windows 3.52 (3,058)
Hold Your Fire 3.24 (2,592)
Presto 3.13 (2,429)
Roll the Bones 3.15 (2,468)
Counterparts 3.49 (2,572)
Test for Echo 3.03 (2,184)
Vapor Trails 3.13 (2,332)
Snakes and Arrows 3.38 (2,590)
Clockwork Angels 3.53 (2,849)

Per Rating
1. Moving Pictures 3.92 (13,528)
2. Hemispheres 3.91 (7,753)
3. A Farewell to Kings 3.87 (7,181)
4. Permanent Waves 3.86 (7,349)
5. 2112 3.78 (10,936)
6. Signals 3.69 (4,688)
7. Grace Under Pressure 3.68 (3,849)
8. Clockwork Angels 3.53 (2,849)
9. Power Windows 3.52 (3,058)
10. Fly By Night 3.50 (5,086)
11. Counterparts 3.49 (2,572)
12. Snakes and Arrows 3.38 (2,590)
13. Caress of Steel 3.36 (4,064)
14. Rush 3.25 (4,582)
15. Hold Your Fire 3.24 (2,592)
16. Roll the Bones 3.15 (2,468)
17. Presto 3.13 (2,429)
18. Vapor Trails 3.13 (2,332)
19. Test for Echo 3.03 (2,184)

[Stadler]

It's not their best, but I like S&A better than anything after Presto, for sure, except MAYBE Counterparts.  I'd have to listen to them both back to back.  But it smokes RTB and T4E, and I prefer it over VT and CA.   

[ReaperKK]

I'm hoping my 4.5 rating on RYM contributed to the albums success

[WildRanger]

I was curious what you guys were gonna say but yea, I think S&A is their best album. It was the first full Rush album I listened to and the one I listen to most now.

This is tough because Rush's best album, Snakes & Arrows, doesn't fit into these decades, I'll go with 70s

 

Kinda early to be drinking on a Sunday, no?

I took a double to get the courage to post my take here

Haha, all good!

Despite my playful pun, Rush was so great that almost any album could be a fan's favorite. 

I was a big S& fan when it was first out, and truth be told, I still like it a lot; I just like almost every album of theirs more.

You are one of those Rush fan(atic)s who think Rush didn't make one WEAK album? 

[King Postwhore]

A weak song here and there.  Yes.  A weak album......No.

[Stadler]

A weak song here and there.  Yes.  A weak album......No.

Other than Grace Under Pressure.

[WildRanger]

A weak song here and there.  Yes.  A weak album......No.

By weak I mean below-average. I'd definitely put Rush, Test for Echo, Roll the Bones, Presto and Vapor Trails in that category. I think those 5 albums are not terrible, they do have 3 or 4 good tunes, but generally they're below-average by Rush standards.

[King Postwhore]

I look at their catalog compared to most other bands and they are the most constant band out there.  Look at Kiss, U2, these are both bands with longevity and I think they've made weak albums.  as an example (Hot In The Shade, Zooropa).  No Rush albums are ever that low in quality.

[hunnus2000]

A weak song here and there.  Yes.  A weak album......No.

Other than Grace Under Pressure.

Whaaaat? 

GUP is a transformational album for Rush. Alex won Guitar Player's Guitarist of the Year award! You're daft man! 

[Stadler]

I look at their catalog compared to most other bands and they are the most constant band out there.  Look at Kiss, U2, these are both bands with longevity and I think they've made weak albums.  as an example (Hot In The Shade, Zooropa).  No Rush albums are ever that low in quality.

What did I ever do to you?   

You are right with consistency, though, I'll give you that. There's not one album in the catalogue that was phoned in (I like HitS, but even I will admit it was cobbled together; much of the album is actually the band's demos with overdubs).

[Stadler]

A weak song here and there.  Yes.  A weak album......No.

Other than Grace Under Pressure.

Whaaaat? 

GUP is a transformational album for Rush. Alex won Guitar Player's Guitarist of the Year award! You're daft man! 

Funny enough, Alex's guitars are what I like best about that album.  It's really a textbook for him.  I just don't think the songs are strong, and it's by far Neil's worst drum sound on record.

[hefdaddy42]

I look at their catalog compared to most other bands and they are the most constant band out there.  Look at Kiss, U2, these are both bands with longevity and I think they've made weak albums.  as an example (Hot In The Shade, Zooropa).  No Rush albums are ever that low in quality.

Not really much of a KISS fan, but I quite like Hot in the Shade, although my favorite KISS album is Revenge.

[King Postwhore]

I look at their catalog compared to most other bands and they are the most constant band out there.  Look at Kiss, U2, these are both bands with longevity and I think they've made weak albums.  as an example (Hot In The Shade, Zooropa).  No Rush albums are ever that low in quality.

Not really much of a KISS fan, but I quite like Hot in the Shade, although my favorite KISS album is Revenge.

Revenge is up there for me as well.  HITS was a bunch of rough demos that they touched up and put out.  Compared to Animalize, it's a poor record.  The tour though was outstanding.  That was the tour they broke out old songs they hadn't played in a long time.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

Even at their worst, I dont think Rush ever put out a bad album. Some weaker ones? Sure. But nothing Heaven & Earth or Open Your Eyes bad.

The worst they ever got was mediocre or just plain middling. Roll the Bones, Test for Echo, and Vapor Trails fall into that category for me. Maybe Snakes & Arrows as well.

A weak song here and there.  Yes.  A weak album......No.

Other than Grace Under Pressure.

Whaaaat? 

GUP is a transformational album for Rush. Alex won Guitar Player's Guitarist of the Year award! You're daft man! 

Funny enough, Alex's guitars are what I like best about that album.  It's really a textbook for him.  I just don't think the songs are strong, and it's by far Neil's worst drum sound on record.

I find GUP has more highlights than not, and it has what's probably in my top 3 Rush songs ever with Between the Wheels. I guess tastes and all that; I find that the album has some of their strongest and most powerful songwriting.

[KevShmev]

Most of side 2 of Grace Under Pressure isn't great, but the album still has Distant Early Warning (awesome), Afterimage (really, really good), Red Sector A (awesome, albeit better live), The Enemy Within (damn good) and Between the Wheels (killer), so I will stand firm behind it.

[TAC]

Most of side 2 of Grace Under Pressure isn't great, but the album still has Distant Early Warning (awesome), Afterimage (really, really good), Red Sector A (awesome, albeit better live), The Enemy Within (damn good) and Between the Wheels (killer), so I will stand firm behind it.

Yes, it's basically an EP.

[KevShmev]

Most of side 2 of Grace Under Pressure isn't great, but the album still has Distant Early Warning (awesome), Afterimage (really, really good), Red Sector A (awesome, albeit better live), The Enemy Within (damn good) and Between the Wheels (killer), so I will stand firm behind it.

Yes, it's basically an EP.

I wouldn't go that far, as I do like The Body Electric, Kid Gloves and Red Lenses, but I don't think any of them are essential. 

[SoundscapeMN]

Kid Gloves has always been a standout, other than I find it's a little short.

But it's amazing, when I 1st started mixing with Rush fans online in the 90's, every other user worshipped it and/or used it as a screen-name.

[HOF]

The only song that’s not good to great on Grace Under Pressure is Red Lenses, and I still find it enjoyable if I’m in the mood for that sort of thing.

[WildRanger]

Even at their worst, I dont think Rush ever put out a bad album. Some weaker ones? Sure. But nothing Heaven & Earth or Open Your Eyes bad.

What is Heaven & Earth?

[RoeDent]

What is Heaven & Earth?

Yes's most recent studio album to date, from 2014.

[WildRanger]

The worst they ever got was mediocre or just plain middling. Roll the Bones, Test for Echo, and Vapor Trails fall into that category for me. Maybe Snakes & Arrows as well.

What about their debut? To me it sounds like a third-rate Led Zeppelin.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

The worst they ever got was mediocre or just plain middling. Roll the Bones, Test for Echo, and Vapor Trails fall into that category for me. Maybe Snakes & Arrows as well.

What about their debut? To me it sounds like a third-rate Led Zeppelin.

It's not essential to their discography by any means, but honestly I kinda like it. I know it's not a super original sound for the time, and half the tracklist is somewhat forgettable, but it does have some strong hooks. Take a Friend and Here Again are legitimately good tunes. And Working Man of course is great.

[hunnus2000]

A weak song here and there.  Yes.  A weak album......No.

Other than Grace Under Pressure.

Whaaaat? 

GUP is a transformational album for Rush. Alex won Guitar Player's Guitarist of the Year award! You're daft man! 

Funny enough, Alex's guitars are what I like best about that album.  It's really a textbook for him.  I just don't think the songs are strong, and it's by far Neil's worst drum sound on record.

Actually, I would rate Presto as their sonically worst album which I would include Neil's drums. Absolutely flat as a pancake.

[Stadler]

Most of side 2 of Grace Under Pressure isn't great, but the album still has Distant Early Warning (awesome), Afterimage (really, really good), Red Sector A (awesome, albeit better live), The Enemy Within (damn good) and Between the Wheels (killer), so I will stand firm behind it.

Afterimage never clicked with me, frankly, and it's also got the horrid "Red Lenses" and not quite mediocre "Kid Gloves".  I do like "Distant Early Warning", "Red Sector A", and "The Body Electric" live, though, particularly when Neil plays it on his regular kit.

It's RSA that has the epitome moment of why I don't like the record though:  There's the moment when Geddy sings "I hear the sound of gunfire at the prison gates..." and there's this drum fill by the greatest drummer in modern rock that's like a wet noodle.

[pg1067]

A weak album:

A weak song here and there.  Yes.  A weak album......No.

Other than Grace Under Pressure.

Whaaaat? 

GUP is a transformational album for Rush.

You say that like it's a good thing....  They started transforming from excellent production and smart songwriting to...well...I've said enough what I think about GUP (although GUP >> POW >>>> HYF).

Most of side 2 of Grace Under Pressure isn't great, but the album still has Distant Early Warning (awesome), Afterimage (really, really good), Red Sector A (awesome, albeit better live), The Enemy Within (damn good) and Between the Wheels (killer), so I will stand firm behind it.

For me, it's DEW (good), TEW (excellent), Kid Gloves (good) and BTW (excellent).  The rest is skippable.

[King Postwhore]

HYF is light years better than my 2 examples of bad albums by other bands.  Ex: U2 - Zooropa, Kiss - Hot In The Shade.  Those are bad albums by bands.