Jump to content

Roll The Bones


sfuentes

Recommended Posts

There has been a lot of talk about albums in the Rush forum, so why not open up a thread on Roll The Bones?

 

I think the album is a great step in a new direction for Rush, setting them back to that hard-rock sound. An excellent way to open up the fourth chapter of Rush.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Absolutley! This was the first Rush album I bought and I was totally blown away by just how different the sound was compared to anything I had listened to by any other band. 1022.gif
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A nice surprise after the rather disappointing Presto. Dreamline blew me away. I also love The Big Wheel, Face Up and WMT.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (coldfire @ Jan 11 2005, 05:17 AM)
i found this album to have alittle country western in it...1987 rite?..

ohmy.gif wacko.gif OMG, it doesn't does it? Where? wacko.gif mad.gif sad.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok long post here so take a pee break first, grab your favorite snack, and get comfortable.

 

Back? Good.

 

This is the release that ignited the internal KABOOM to me. More out of timing than out of content, yet the content is out of this world awesome. But is was at the time of this release (and I also bought Chronicles with it) that I truly became addicated to Rush and became the kind of fan that members here would consider a fan.

 

Add to that the fact that it keys in on two of my favorite things; dice and skulls. By far, imo, this is my favorite album cover and overall theme. But lets get back to the content.

 

This is the 2nd of the two Rupert Hine productions (1st being Presto). And personally speaking, I'm a huge fan of both. The arrangements and style of recording just leave so much "room to breathe" for all 7 major components of their songs -- guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, vocals, sound effects, and of course lyrics (as Neil's words are an instrument within themselves). These are the two releases where it's easiest for me to single out any of these elements and listen to them as their own individual song. I love doing that.

 

Dreamline is amongst my favorite Rush songs ever. It has this mystical yet power driven vibe to it. Both the recorded and live versions can only be touched by few others. Bravado (and Rolinda gets it) makes me fly. It's one of the greatest 4 minutes and 35 seconds in recorded history. I'm lost until that song is over. Don't even try and get my attention. And LIVE???? WOW - that extended ending makes my chest want to burst open there's so much build up and adrenaline surge there.

 

I'm on a mission of hope that Kazz will someday love the song RTB as I do. It's a concert highlight, imo. Who else can feature and perfectly incorporate an animated skeleton live on stage like that? I bet they were shitting their pants for that first ever RTB performance that they could pull it off. laugh.gif

 

ok - too long of a post. Let me end off with notables. Ghost of a Chance stands amongst the best Rush songs, and I believe is their favorite cut from the CD. I always wish they would play it live again, but I think I know the reason why they don't which is my final point. I also know that Madra's favorite is Neurotica, and that song is incredible. But for me... the most underrated track from this CD and it's the one that will forever have a place amongst the big guns, is Heresy.

 

OK final point: RTB is 2nd to Moving Pictures as far as number of 'formented' material being represented on their tours. With the exception of the Counterparts tour (I think Bravado was dropped for that), Dreamline, Bravado, and Roll The Bones consistently make the playlist - even at the expense of 0 songs from Presto for R30. That's a statement within itself.

 

There... I'm done. Now I need a pee break.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You've got another devoted Boneser here. For me, RTB ranks alongside A Farewell to Kings and Counterparts as my favourite Rush albums after Moving Pictures. It also holds a special place for me as, until the R30 tour, it was the last time I saw them live.

 

So what do I like about it?

 

Generalities first. I think the album sounds great. The production is crisp and clear and breath life into a great set of songs (and what songs). I know its not to everyone's taste, but for me, RTB is, along with MP, their most consistently good album.

 

With the exception of these two albums, every Rush release has one track that, while I may not dislike it, it doesn't grab me in the same way as the majority of the album. With RTB, I love every minute.

 

Performance wise, they played with a precision that was phenomenal while still managing to keep the music warm and human. There is no sterility here that can mar some bands.

 

Highlights then - difficult to pick as, for me, the album is of such high quality. But, when forced to make a choice, I would have to plump for Bravado, Ghost of a Chance and, my pesonal favourite, Neurotica.

 

They rolled the bones and rolled 6s everytime.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2.gif

 

WHY ARE WE HERE?

BECAUSE WE'RE HERE...

 

 

Let's speak first of the return to the boldness of the sound on RTB. It rocks harder than the albums of the 80's with significant focus on the clean, less-synthesized sound that somewhat dominated the Permanent Waves through Hold Your Fire era. It was a real pleasure to hear the album in its entirety being a solid Rock accomplishment...

 

While it's not my favourite of all albums, it does deserve its share of credit for the new direction the boys were heading in when they released it.

 

Lyrically, the songs are diverse and enjoyable ( when aren't they?) and always fun to commit to memory. They have a stick- to -your brain sort of power in them that allows you to keep the internal stereo rocking and rolling, long after the radio had been turned off.

 

When we are young

wandering the face of the earth

wondering what our dreams might be worth

learning that we're only immortal

for a limited time

 

Enjoy life while we've got it, take some chances, (Roll the Bones) and keep on following those Vapor Trails....they lead us back to Rush!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i don't like the opening riff to GHOST OF A CHANCE but other parts of that song are simply AWESOME.

 

HERESY RULES

THE BIG WHEEL RULES

WHERE'S MY THING RULES

RTB RULES LIVE

DREAMLINE IS COOL

BRAVADO I LIKE

NEUROTICA IS EH

THE LAST SONG IS PRETTY HAPPY

Link to comment
Share on other sites

dreamline, bravado, and roll the bones are all excellent songs. especially roll the bones, i love that song, and overall, RTB is a great album
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I get the impression Roll The Bones could be retitled 'Marmite'. You either love it or hate it in many cases.

 

I've said elsewhere that the synthy, less 'rocky' era did little for me and like others I found Bones a return to stuff that appeals to me.

 

A fantastic guitar line that can be played simply around Em, G and C (with some derivatives and a few additions) is a sign of sheer class.

 

Bob

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay...*takes a big breath*

 

I bought this record sometime around last March. I had already heard three songs from it before that, on the RIR dvd, but apart from Dreamline the material did not exactly make me run to the store and get the entire album. At some point, though, I knew I had to get it, as I was eager to complete my Rush studio collection as soon as possible, and thus RTB became the penultimate Rush studio album I bought, just ahead of TFE.

 

I put it in my stereo, I opened my mind as wide as I could possibly muster, and thought to myself: "Well, many Rush records have turned out to be far better than their overall reputation, so perhaps this one will also be a positive surprise, give it a chance..." I gave it a chance, I gave it a second chance, and a couple more, over the next months, yet I only ended up shaking my head every time the last note of You Bet Your Life faded away. I listened to it again the other day, but no, I just don't hear what some people hear on it... So I've pretty much given up on it now. Roll The Bones, may you dust in peace in my cd-rack.

 

I still really like Dreamline, but I prefer to listen to the live versions of this song anytime due to the appalling production (yet I do love the production of Presto!). I am actually one of the few, who are even able to enjoy Face Up -it always manages to make me smile, the goofiest Rush song since the days of Rivendell- but that's about it. Bravado is, well, nice, but I just don't have the patience to listen to Geddy repeating that one piece of lyrics over and over and over again during the latter part of the song. Even Neil's very cool drumming can't rescue it for me...

 

As for the rest of the songs, they sound just plain tired to me -and none seem to be more tired than Geddy, while he is singing the vocals to the likes of Heresy, You Bet Your Life and Neurotica. What an earth happened to that brilliant timber of his that he so effortlessly reached on Presto!

 

Many people seem to think of this record as more rocking than Presto. I'm afraid I don't share that opinion at all. I can't even tap my little finger to The Big Wheel or Heresy...! But Hand Over Fist or War Paint -not to mention Superconductor or Red Tide- hey, no problem! biggrin.gif

 

Last but not least: I don't understand why they even bothered with keyboards on some of the music on this record? In several instances the keys sound very trivial and vague to me, whereas in my mind they should be enhancing the songs in some, even tiny, way.

 

Oh well, since I do prefer to look at things from the bright side, I will say that there is one good thing about RTB: it invariably makes the next Rush cd I listen to sound even better! common001.gif laugh.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Proggy @ Jan 12 2005, 03:55 PM)
Okay...*takes a big breath*

I bought this record sometime around last March. I had already heard three songs from it before that, on the RIR dvd, but apart from Dreamline the material did not exactly make me run to the store and get the entire album. At some point, though, I knew I had to get it, as I was eager to complete my Rush studio collection as soon as possible, and thus RTB became the penultimate Rush studio album I bought, just ahead of TFE.

I put it in my stereo, I opened my mind as wide as I could possibly muster, and thought to myself: "Well, many Rush records have turned out to be far better than their overall reputation, so perhaps this one will also be a positive surprise, give it a chance..." I gave it a chance, I gave it a second chance, and a couple more, over the next months, yet I only ended up shaking my head every time the last note of You Bet Your Life faded away. I listened to it again the other day, but no, I just don't hear what some people hear on it... So I've pretty much given up on it now. Roll The Bones, may you dust in peace in my cd-rack.

I still really like Dreamline, but I prefer to listen to the live versions of this song anytime due to the appalling production (yet I do love the production of Presto!). I am actually one of the few, who are even able to enjoy Face Up -it always manages to make me smile, the goofiest Rush song since the days of Rivendell- but that's about it. Bravado is, well, nice, but I just don't have the patience to listen to Geddy repeating that one piece of lyrics over and over and over again during the latter part of the song. Even Neil's very cool drumming can't rescue it for me...

As for the rest of the songs, they sound just plain tired to me -and none seem to be more tired than Geddy, while he is singing the vocals to the likes of Heresy, You Bet Your Life and Neurotica. What an earth happened to that brilliant timber of his that he so effortlessly reached on Presto!

Many people seem to think of this record as more rocking than Presto. I'm afraid I don't share that opinion at all. I can't even tap my little finger to The Big Wheel or Heresy...! But Hand Over Fist or War Paint -not to mention Superconductor or Red Tide- hey, no problem! biggrin.gif

Last but not least: I don't understand why they even bothered with keyboards on some of the music on this record? In several instances the keys sound very trivial and vague to me, whereas in my mind they should be enhancing the songs in some, even tiny, way.

Oh well, since I do prefer to look at things from the bright side, I will say that there is one good thing about RTB: it invariably makes the next Rush cd I listen to sound even better! common001.gif laugh.gif

goodpost.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...