POLL: What Is Your Favorite Four-Album Run by Rush?

[TAC]

As for You Not Me, when I first heard FII, New Millennium was a jumbled mess, YNM was better, but it was a bit of "WTF is this?!"  After a lot of my favorite bands disappointed me in the early/mid-90s, FII was just another stab in my musical heart.

I felt the same way, brother. I vividly remember my first listen to FII. New Millennium felt like it was trying too hard to be epic but it fell on its face...hard. And YNM? They should've titled it WTF? After two songs my first thought was...that was quick, as in I got 3 good albums out of Dream Theater before they sold out..

[KevShmev]

You Not Me is easily top half of FII in my book

Was that the same book Costanza took into the bathroom at Brentano's?

[Dedalus]

If MP had never said anything about the background of YNM, it'd probably have a lot better reputation than it does (because it's an awesome song with a great riff and catchy vocal melodies).

YNM is awful.

YNM is awful, but nothing annoys me more in the FII than Burning My Soul.   

[WildRanger]

Not only Tai Shain is hated but also Rivendell is among hated Rush songs. Never figured out why.
It's kinda boring to me, but what is really that bad about song?

[Elite]

You Not Me is easily top half of FII in my book

Was that the same book Costanza took into the bathroom at Brentano's?

I don't get the reference at all, but if that's supposed to be saying that I'm wrong, then I raise you an album with Burning My Soul, New Millenium, Take Away My Pain, Just Let Me Breathe & Anna Lee. That's 5 out of 11 tracks, You Not Me is next. The other 5 I think are better. Almost top half. Damn.

[pg1067]

As for You Not Me, when I first heard FII, New Millennium was a jumbled mess, YNM was better, but it was a bit of "WTF is this?!"  After a lot of my favorite bands disappointed me in the early/mid-90s, FII was just another stab in my musical heart.

I felt the same way, brother. I vividly remember my first listen to FII. New Millennium felt like it was trying too hard to be epic but it fell on its face...hard. And YNM? They should've titled it WTF? After two songs my first thought was...that was quick, as in I got 3 good albums out of Dream Theater before they sold out..

Exactly.  I was still reeling from Load the year before and, before that, Promised Land.  My favorite bands were dropping like flies (although Rush was trending upward).  At least I had A Pleasant Shade of Gray.

Not only Tai Shain is hated but also Rivendell is among hated Rush songs. Never figured out why.
It's kinda boring to me, but what is really that bad about song?

In the nearly 40 years I've been aware of that song, I have never once heard or seen anyone express hatred for Rivendell.  I've never seen anything stronger than "It's kinda boring," which is a sentiment with which I completely agree.

You Not Me is easily top half of FII in my book

Was that the same book Costanza took into the bathroom at Brentano's?

I don't get the reference at all, but if that's supposed to be saying that I'm wrong, then I raise you an album with Burning My Soul, New Millenium, Take Away My Pain, Just Let Me Breathe & Anna Lee. That's 5 out of 11 tracks, You Not Me is next. The other 5 I think are better. Almost top half. Damn.

I don't get the reference either (Seinfeld was always far more "miss" than "hit" for me).  For me, the five songs worth listening to on FII are, in album order, YNM, Hollow Years, Hell's Kitchen, Anna Lee and Trial of Tears.  Lines in the Sand would be next, but I can't stand the chorus.

[Stadler]

As for You Not Me, when I first heard FII, New Millennium was a jumbled mess, YNM was better, but it was a bit of "WTF is this?!"  After a lot of my favorite bands disappointed me in the early/mid-90s, FII was just another stab in my musical heart.

I felt the same way, brother. I vividly remember my first listen to FII. New Millennium felt like it was trying too hard to be epic but it fell on its face...hard. And YNM? They should've titled it WTF? After two songs my first thought was...that was quick, as in I got 3 good albums out of Dream Theater before they sold out..

Exactly.  I was still reeling from Load the year before and, before that, Promised Land.  My favorite bands were dropping like flies (although Rush was trending upward).  At least I had A Pleasant Shade of Gray.

HA!  See, by that time I had endured Turbo, No Prayer For The Dying, the first McCauley Schenker record, No Rest For The Wicked, Kiss Dynasty, Unmasked, The Elder, AND Crazy Nights, Get A Grip, Fly On The Wall, the entire keyboard era of Rush...  I was well primed.   

[King Postwhore]

As for You Not Me, when I first heard FII, New Millennium was a jumbled mess, YNM was better, but it was a bit of "WTF is this?!"  After a lot of my favorite bands disappointed me in the early/mid-90s, FII was just another stab in my musical heart.

I felt the same way, brother. I vividly remember my first listen to FII. New Millennium felt like it was trying too hard to be epic but it fell on its face...hard. And YNM? They should've titled it WTF? After two songs my first thought was...that was quick, as in I got 3 good albums out of Dream Theater before they sold out..

Exactly.  I was still reeling from Load the year before and, before that, Promised Land.  My favorite bands were dropping like flies (although Rush was trending upward).  At least I had A Pleasant Shade of Gray.

HA!  See, by that time I had endured Turbo, No Prayer For The Dying, the first McCauley Schenker record, No Rest For The Wicked, Kiss Dynasty, Unmasked, The Elder, AND Crazy Nights, Get A Grip, Fly On The Wall, the entire keyboard era of Rush...  I was well primed.   

How come you didn't list your first marriage Stads?

[DTA]

If MP had never said anything about the background of YNM, it'd probably have a lot better reputation than it does (because it's an awesome song with a great riff and catchy vocal melodies).

YNM is awful.

The spectrum of taste runs so wide. You Not Me is an almost perfect hard-rock song to me and sits above a lot of other DT songs in my ranking, and so many fans dislike it. Yet a lot of those same fans love stuff like A Rite Of Passage, This Dying Soul, The Best Of Times, and A Nightmare to Remember which I think are absolute garbage.

[Stadler]

As for You Not Me, when I first heard FII, New Millennium was a jumbled mess, YNM was better, but it was a bit of "WTF is this?!"  After a lot of my favorite bands disappointed me in the early/mid-90s, FII was just another stab in my musical heart.

I felt the same way, brother. I vividly remember my first listen to FII. New Millennium felt like it was trying too hard to be epic but it fell on its face...hard. And YNM? They should've titled it WTF? After two songs my first thought was...that was quick, as in I got 3 good albums out of Dream Theater before they sold out..

Exactly.  I was still reeling from Load the year before and, before that, Promised Land.  My favorite bands were dropping like flies (although Rush was trending upward).  At least I had A Pleasant Shade of Gray.

HA!  See, by that time I had endured Turbo, No Prayer For The Dying, the first McCauley Schenker record, No Rest For The Wicked, Kiss Dynasty, Unmasked, The Elder, AND Crazy Nights, Get A Grip, Fly On The Wall, the entire keyboard era of Rush...  I was well primed.   

How come you didn't list your first marriage Stads?

HA!  I could have!      

[King Postwhore]

Right?  Lol.

[Trav86]

If MP had never said anything about the background of YNM, it'd probably have a lot better reputation than it does (because it's an awesome song with a great riff and catchy vocal melodies).

YNM is awful.

The spectrum of taste runs so wide. You Not Me is an almost perfect hard-rock song to me and sits above a lot of other DT songs in my ranking, and so many fans dislike it. Yet a lot of those same fans love stuff like A Rite Of Passage, This Dying Soul, The Best Of Times, and A Nightmare to Remember which I think are absolute garbage.

Agreed.

[TAC]

The Best Of Times is A+ amazing! And This Dying Soul crushes everything else in the 12 Step Suite, which I know isn't saying much, but I still consider it a Top 15-20 DT song

[Trav86]

The Best Of Times is A+ amazing! And This Dying Soul crushes everything else in the 12 Step Suite, which I know isn't saying much, but I still consider it a Top 15-20 DT song

Disagreed.

Sorry…just trying to be funny. I’ve never been a fan of either of those songs. Like, I like parts of each of them. Just not the songs as a whole. I don’t want to be negative about the lyrics of TBOT because of the subject and what it means to MP and it would be disrespectful. So, I’ll just leave it at that.

[TAC]

The Best Of Times is A+ amazing! And This Dying Soul crushes everything else in the 12 Step Suite, which I know isn't saying much, but I still consider it a Top 15-20 DT song

Disagreed.

Sorry…just trying to be funny. I’ve never been a fan of either of those songs. Like, I like parts of each of them. Just not the songs as a whole. I don’t want to be negative about the lyrics of TBOT because of the subject and what it means to MP and it would be disrespectful. So, I’ll just leave it at that.

It's cool, man. Just two dudes talking about music over a couple of beers. I actually find the lyrics to TBOT quite moving. They are quite literal, but honest. I don't need some Neil Peart fancy words to describe the emotions involved.

[King Postwhore]

The Best Of Times is A+ amazing! And This Dying Soul crushes everything else in the 12 Step Suite, which I know isn't saying much, but I still consider it a Top 15-20 DT song

Disagreed.

Sorry…just trying to be funny. I’ve never been a fan of either of those songs. Like, I like parts of each of them. Just not the songs as a whole. I don’t want to be negative about the lyrics of TBOT because of the subject and what it means to MP and it would be disrespectful. So, I’ll just leave it at that.

It's cool, man. Just two dudes talking about music over a couple of beers. I actually find the lyrics to TBOT quite moving. They are quite literal, but honest. I don't need some Neil Peart fancy words to describe the emotions involved.

You don't have to type it out Tim.  We know words confuse you.

[TAC]

The same way quote pyramids confuse you..

[King Postwhore]

 

Oops. What a pair we are you simpleton.  Bedtime. Early day tomorrow. 

[TAC]

I get up at 4am everyday now. Off on Wednesdays.

[King Postwhore]

Got to take the old man for his scan results.  They've held off the cancer treatments since it hasn't grown after it shrunk.  Hoping for the same today.

[Dream Team]

If MP had never said anything about the background of YNM, it'd probably have a lot better reputation than it does (because it's an awesome song with a great riff and catchy vocal melodies).

YNM is awful.

YNM is awful, but nothing annoys me more in the FII than Burning My Soul.   

Did someone call that noise in YNM a riff? What an insult to riffs.

[hefdaddy42]

If MP had never said anything about the background of YNM, it'd probably have a lot better reputation than it does (because it's an awesome song with a great riff and catchy vocal melodies).

YNM is awful.

The spectrum of taste runs so wide. You Not Me is an almost perfect hard-rock song to me and sits above a lot of other DT songs in my ranking, and so many fans dislike it. Yet a lot of those same fans love stuff like A Rite Of Passage, This Dying Soul, The Best Of Times, and A Nightmare to Remember which I think are absolute garbage.

3 of those songs are awful.  This Dying Soul is fine if I'm in the right mood, but I certainly don't love it.

[Setlist Scotty]

Honestly, I don't get the hate for any of those 4 songs. They may each have some agreed upon flaws (Bebot solo, MP's roar, etc) but I think those things are pretty minor in comparison to some of the other tracks.

[pg1067]

Maybe someone needs to make a "bottom 5 DT songs" thread....

[Dedalus]

If MP had never said anything about the background of YNM, it'd probably have a lot better reputation than it does (because it's an awesome song with a great riff and catchy vocal melodies).

YNM is awful.

The spectrum of taste runs so wide. You Not Me is an almost perfect hard-rock song to me and sits above a lot of other DT songs in my ranking, and so many fans dislike it. Yet a lot of those same fans love stuff like A Rite Of Passage, This Dying Soul, The Best Of Times, and A Nightmare to Remember which I think are absolute garbage.

3 of those songs are awful.  This Dying Soul is fine if I'm in the right mood, but I certainly don't love it.

I agree, but I don't like TDS 

[Trav86]

Honestly, I don't get the hate for any of those 4 songs. They may each have some agreed upon flaws (Bebot solo, MP's roar, etc) but I think those things are pretty minor in comparison to some of the other tracks.

My issues with This Dying Soul, A Nightmare to Remember and A Rite of Passage is basically that they are messy. To me, they just sound all over the place as far as structure.

But I would like to add to what I mentioned about The Best of Times. TAC said that he thought the lyrics were moving and he doesn’t need “Peart” level lyrics for a song. I agree 100% with that. And I do think the song is moving both musically AND lyrically. My problem is just that it is so literal and specific that it’s not as relatable for me. Yes, it’s Mike’s story to tell, and I don’t fault him at all. It’s not that I think it’s wrong, or bad, or not “fancy” enough. It’s just a personal preference.

[Cool Chris]

You Not Me is easily top half of FII in my book

Was that the same book Costanza took into the bathroom at Brentano's?

This book as been flagged!

[Dedalus]

You Not Me is easily top half of FII in my book

Was that the same book Costanza took into the bathroom at Brentano's?

This book as been flagged!

May I ask what do YOU read in the bathroom? 

[ytserush]

You Not Me is easily top half of FII in my book

Me too, I think. Although Desmond still doesn't sit too well with me.

[ytserush]

You Not Me is easily top half of FII in my book

Was that the same book Costanza took into the bathroom at Brentano's?

This book as been flagged!

May I ask what do YOU read in the bathroom? 

Right now it's the 20th Century Hockey Chronicle. Wanted to review the1975-76 NHL season.

[Setlist Scotty]

You Not Me is easily top half of FII in my book

Me too, I think. Although Desmond still doesn't sit too well with me.

What would be your bottom 5 or 10?

[ytserush]

You Not Me is easily top half of FII in my book

Me too, I think. Although Desmond still doesn't sit too well with me.

What would be your bottom 5 or 10?

Anna Lee
Through Her Eyes
Vacant
Forsaken
Ministry Of Lost Souls
In The Presence Of Enemies 1 +2
Raw Dog
Lost Not Forgotten

Could be a few more that I'm not thinking of at the moment.
Untethered Angel

[Stadler]

This is hard, because while I love the band, and will listen to most albums all the way through, I don't know that any songs are so bad that they stand out as the "worst five".

You Not Me is probably on there.   It's not the lyrics, though, it's the "Yeeewwwwwwwwww, not Meeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyy" background vocals.

Lines In The Sand.  Doug Pinnick, nuff said.

I'm not a fan of growl vocals, so maybe Constant Motion?  But I like parts of the song, so...  Maybe Never Enough?

I don't really like WDADU, but I don't know that any song is "the five worst".

[pg1067]

Bottom 5-10 by DT?  Including only material on the albums:

Repentance
New Millennium
The Great Debate
The Mirror
The Best of Times
Never Enough
I Walk Beside You
Lie

The next 20 or so spots are probably filled out by songs from TA and SC.

Lines In The Sand.  Doug Pinnick, nuff said.

I also can't stand that chorus (particularly the last one where, I assume, the direction given to that guy was to act like a complete spaz), but the rest of the song proper is pretty good, so....  The other thing that's odd about it is that it feels like another song got plunked down in the middle of it.  If you're not completely paying attention, it kinda feels like they've moved onto a different song.

[HOF]

LitS is probably one of my top 5 DT songs!