Worst studio recording

[fledgehog]

I excluded Feedback because it's an EP anyways, and also it would probably get the unanimous vote.

 

My vote goes to Roll the Bones, because it's just sort of boring and BLAH (although I do like Dreamline). And the rap portion of the title track just kills whatever little bit the album had.

 

Your opinions?

[Kudzu]

Vapor Trails. The "wall of sound" and production quality is not great. Which is a pity, because some of the songs themselves aren't bad at all.

[Disco]

My vote went to Test for Quality which has some truely dreadful songs on it. To be fair, it may have their best ever songs at the tail end of the album, but I've never gotten that far. And this from a lad who knows their other albums inside out.

 

Too true about feedback, it' s a shocker if you ask me.

 

Love

 

disco

Edited April 17, 2006 by Disco

[Fridge]

Counterparts, which just edges out (Bog) Roll The Bones as the very nadir of their recording career

These two albums are amongst the worst recordings in my entire record collection.

[lakeside bard]

Caress of Steel gets my vote,i can't put my finger on it,but it just doesn't do it for me,apart from that every other album is fine,but as already posted,Feedback,this in my opinion,was a stop gap,or a piece of self indulgence (keep it for your own listening pleasures guys)

[barchetta90480]

Roll The Bones.

Definitely. Especially as it's between two decent albums.

 

Apart from "Dreamline", "GoaC" and - sometimes - "Face Up" it's just too dull and boring to be Rush.

And with "Heresy", "You Bet Your Life" and - especially - "Bravado" it provides three of the worst additions to Rush's entire catalogue. There isn't even one song on Presto, HYF or Test For Echo that's half as embarassing as each of those three (No, not even "Superconductor"!). Counterparts has "Nobody's Hero" at least, to compete with.

 

Hemispheres would come next in my bottoms-up list,as it just doesn't catch me as the others from this era do, but that's blasphemy to many. Or heresy?

 

Feedback, on the other hand, is just fine to me.

Edited April 17, 2006 by barchetta90480

[Stormtron]

Roll the Bones... the rap on the title song is embarassing.

[fledgehog]

QUOTE (Disco @ Apr 17 2006, 02:36 AM)

My vote went to Test for Quality which has some truely dreadful songs on it. To be fair, it may have their best ever songs at the tail end of the album, but I've never gotten that far. And this from a lad who knows their other albums inside out. Too true about feedback, it' s a shocker if you ask me. Love disco

Indeed T4E was sort of a different style, but It's still better than some of the nonsense on RTB. I just got it Saturday (along with Presto), and I'm waiting for it to grow on me .

[2112-Rob-2112]

I say Vapor Trails...I love the album..but the sound quality is all messed up.

[BassUnderPressure]

Vapor Trails!

The production STINKS!

[GeddyRulz]

Roll the Bones for me. "Dreamline" is awesome, and I also like the instrumental, but apart from that this album is pretty boring and filled with "filler" songs. A failed attempt at funk, if you ask me.

 

They redeemed themselves with the next album, the rocking Counterparts.

[Kudzu]

QUOTE (Fridge @ Apr 17 2006, 01:33 AM)

Counterparts, which just edges out (Bog) Roll The Bones as the very nadir of their recording career These two albums are amongst the worst recordings in my entire record collection.

This is pretty much true.

 

"Between Sun & Moon" and "Cut to the Chase" are the only songs on that album that I actually care for at all.

[Presto-digitation]

QUOTE (Disco @ Apr 17 2006, 02:36 AM)

My vote went to Test for Quality which has some truely dreadful songs on it. To be fair, it may have their best ever songs at the tail end of the album, but I've never gotten that far. And this from a lad who knows their other albums inside out. Too true about feedback, it' s a shocker if you ask me. Love disco

Too true about "test for quality." They followed CP up...with this?!?

[BassUnderPressure]

Counterparts is produced by Peter Collins and engineered by Kevin Shirley. Doesn't get much better!

[Presto-digitation]

QUOTE (BassUnderPressure @ May 11 2006, 01:03 PM)

Counterparts is produced by Peter Collins and engineered by Kevin Shirley. Doesn't get much better!

Amen to that. Kevin Shirley is golden.

[the masked drummer]

I said Caress was the worst. Neil's snare sounded like crap and I have a feeling he would readily agree. That's from a drummer's standpoint, though. Roll the Bones, I thought, was pretty cool, but I guess kinda harsh with the digital sharpness of it. That's the only thing I could complain about. Presto sucked, imho... Just too wimpy. Way better than most cd's out there, but in comparison.

[fledgehog]

QUOTE (the_masked_drummer @ May 11 2006, 07:38 PM)

I said Caress was the worst. Neil's snare sounded like crap and I have a feeling he would readily agree. That's from a drummer's standpoint, though. Roll the Bones, I thought, was pretty cool, but I guess kinda harsh with the digital sharpness of it. That's the only thing I could complain about. Presto sucked, imho... Just too wimpy. Way better than most cd's out there, but in comparison.

Neil's entire drumset sounded like thuds in Fountain especially

 

Presto wasn't their best, but any crappiness was made up for with Available Light, which is like THE best Rush song next to Jacob's Ladder and Villa.

[Disco]

QUOTE (barchetta90480 @ Apr 17 2006, 06:35 AM)

Roll The Bones. And with "Heresy", "You Bet Your Life" and - especially - "Bravado" it provides three of the worst additions to Rush's entire catalogue.

Bravado, a load of embarrassing nonsense, heresy dear chap!! It's one of my favourites of theirs.

 

The basic reason being that I connect with it emotionally. More technically, Geddy gives a vocal performance (which isn't always the case). Neil also does some great drumming, in a style that's a real departure for him. At least the non-live version, is very simple and just complements the song.

 

But, I couldn't agree more with Roll the Bones being a bit of a weaky. What surprises me is that in interviews the Gedster harks on about it being one of the best things they've ever done (I don't have the reference and I'm away from home I'm afraid)

 

For those who don't like Vapor Trails go and put on Secret Touch on repeat for 30 minutes. PM your thanks to me.

 

Love to all

 

Disco

[circumstantial tree]

Test for Echo is their worst.

[Wandering Hermit]

Another vote for T4E.

[MrMiltonBanana]

Presto, it's too clean and polished, almost fake. It's uncomfortable.

[Slime]

voted for Caress of Steel.

 

I'll never understand the hatred that RTB gets 'round these parts. I use the album cover as my desktop.

[barchetta90480]

QUOTE (Slime @ Jun 15 2006, 05:31 PM)

I'll never understand the hatred that RTB gets 'round these parts. I use the album cover as my desktop.

Not the worst choice - I have the "GUP egg".

The problem is that a fine cover - which made me look forward to listening to it when I bought RtB - is in hardly any moment equalled by the music. Or, perhaps it is. "Designer progpop", that's the kind of definition most of RtB evokes in me. Sterility, and, thus, mediocrity.

Which makes a good background listen.

Which is the worst you can say about a Rush record.

 

Anyway: I expected RtB to get some bashing, I agree that CoS is, although it partly grew on me, one of their weaker efforts (on the other hand and to commit my weekly blasphemy, it's not much weaker than Hemispheres or the flip side of 2112), but T4E?

Not as convincing on first listen as Couinterparts, but more daring. Not as powerful as Vapor Trails, but miles ahead of it in terms of production. A strong album that needs some approach, I guess.. Some of the best harmonies and certainly Neil's best drumming in years was on it. It doesn't deserve to be ranked that low.

Yet, that's only an opinion ...

[treeduck]

It's got to be the first album for me, it's just Led zeppelinesque hard rock for the most part, with a few gems on there mind you...

 

I can't believe Vapor Trails is winning this poll, it's not even remotely close to being Rush's worst album...

 

[goose]

For me, Hold Your Fire is the least enjoyable as an entire album, with Bones a close second. I like the songs, but arely listen to these albums in their entirety.