Most Underrated Rush Album

[presto123]

Presto. People focus on the thin production and ignore the great songs. I didn't notice the production until I heard Show Don't Tell on DS and then I did want to Rubert Hine, but that still doesn't diminish how much I enjoy War Paint, Red tide, Scars, Chain Lightning, and I love Superconductor too :madra: Now just give me one more Rush tour and play something besides The Pass off Presto.

 

Vapor Trails. Suffers IMHO from sounding like no other album in the Rush catalog: No keyboards plus no guitar solos made lots of fans go on the first listen and they never came back for a second one to appreciate that heavy and beauty can coexist (Earthshine, Nocturne, OLV, Vapor Trail, Ceiling Unlimited, Ghost Rider..)

 

Counterparts: I decided to put this in because there seems to be a sharp split between 2 large factions regarding Cp. It seems to be loathed nearly as often as praised, and I can't understand what the detractors complain about.

 

I don't like Counterparts because the songs aren't that good, and the lyrics are Neil's worst. It is the quintessential example of style over substance. People love the sound, and so they love the album. I can't see how this album can be underrated by the rush loyal when the rush loyal rank it so highly.

 

I think Animate, Between Sun Moon and Double Agent are awesome lyrics. One of the best production on any Rush record.

[LedRush]

Presto. People focus on the thin production and ignore the great songs. I didn't notice the production until I heard Show Don't Tell on DS and then I did want to Rubert Hine, but that still doesn't diminish how much I enjoy War Paint, Red tide, Scars, Chain Lightning, and I love Superconductor too :madra: Now just give me one more Rush tour and play something besides The Pass off Presto.

 

Vapor Trails. Suffers IMHO from sounding like no other album in the Rush catalog: No keyboards plus no guitar solos made lots of fans go on the first listen and they never came back for a second one to appreciate that heavy and beauty can coexist (Earthshine, Nocturne, OLV, Vapor Trail, Ceiling Unlimited, Ghost Rider..)

 

Counterparts: I decided to put this in because there seems to be a sharp split between 2 large factions regarding Cp. It seems to be loathed nearly as often as praised, and I can't understand what the detractors complain about.

 

I don't like Counterparts because the songs aren't that good, and the lyrics are Neil's worst. It is the quintessential example of style over substance. People love the sound, and so they love the album. I can't see how this album can be underrated by the rush loyal when the rush loyal rank it so highly.

 

I think Animate, Between Sun Moon and Double Agent are awesome lyrics. One of the best production on any Rush record.

 

I generally agree, but Double Agent is not a good song even though I like the lyrics. And the production is great, as I said above. But good production doesn't equal good songs.

[Bluefunk]

Nothing wrong with them at all, my part of the floor in Minneapolis 2012 still had people standing, just not as animated as for, say, TSOR, TS, YYZ, and 2112. I did have to at one guy walking out after the show talking to his friend and saying he hadn't recognized anything between Subdivisions and YYZ... something like 20 songs. :o Poor dope

Could be worse, on the Time Machine tour a guy asked me what album 'Marathon' was from. When I told him Power Windows 1985, he expressed surprise that Rush had been around for that long. Seems he thought they were a new band!

 

I generally agree, but Double Agent is not a good song even though I like the lyrics. And the production is great, as I said above. But good production doesn't equal good songs.

What's so bad about Double Agent? One of my favourites off that album.

[rushgoober]

Caress of Steel

Roll the Bones

Test For Echo

Vapor Trails

 

Many Rush fans that love the synth era criminally underrate the great music that came after.

 

LOL! You picked 4 of their 5 weakest efforts and called them underrated - why am I not surprised? :P

 

For me the criminally underrated album are their debut album and HYF - both excellent, the last two songs on HYF notwithstanding.

 

Phew. I'm proven correct yet again!

 

I guess if being wrong is evidence... that you're correct?

[LedRush]

Nothing wrong with them at all, my part of the floor in Minneapolis 2012 still had people standing, just not as animated as for, say, TSOR, TS, YYZ, and 2112. I did have to at one guy walking out after the show talking to his friend and saying he hadn't recognized anything between Subdivisions and YYZ... something like 20 songs. :o Poor dope

Could be worse, on the Time Machine tour a guy asked me what album 'Marathon' was from. When I told him Power Windows 1985, he expressed surprise that Rush had been around for that long. Seems he thought they were a new band!

 

I generally agree, but Double Agent is not a good song even though I like the lyrics. And the production is great, as I said above. But good production doesn't equal good songs.

What's so bad about Double Agent? One of my favourites off that album.

 

The dialogue, punctuated by a chorus of Geddy's exclaiming in a high pitched voice, "AT WAR!!!". It's like the RTB rap, except seems to be intended far more seriously, which just makes it more cringe inducing.

[ReRushed]

Hold Your Fire - When it was released I didn't give a chance. Now I find it incredible coherent and focused (though, it is two songs too long). The lyrics and melodies are very strong and I think Alex Lifeson shines on it when you finally accept the direction they were going in.

[Bluefunk]

I generally agree, but Double Agent is not a good song even though I like the lyrics. And the production is great, as I said above. But good production doesn't equal good songs.

What's so bad about Double Agent? One of my favourites off that album.

 

The dialogue, punctuated by a chorus of Geddy's exclaiming in a high pitched voice, "AT WAR!!!". It's like the RTB rap, except seems to be intended far more seriously, which just makes it more cringe inducing.

Ah, well I like the RTB rap too, so perhaps that's why I like Double Agent! :D

[The Cat 3]

I would have to say "Feedback".

 

I just listened to it the other day and it is so good.

 

The band had just come off of an emotional record release and tour with "Vapor Trails" and "Rush in Rio".

 

My thought is they were catching their breath and looking back to where they came from before deciding where to go next.

 

It sounds to me, from this album, that were just having some fun for nostalgia sake.

 

I just love the results.

 

This album really has grown on me since it's release.

 

http://www.spburke.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Rush-Feedback-291180.jpg

[Shredder2]

Caress of steel. Obviously non rush fans don't know anything about album but a lot of fans don't like it and I don't get it. I didn't hear it until after moving pictures but I immediately got into it and still love it. The music is fantastic throughout. A lot of criticism is pointed at lyrics and necromancer narration. The narration is a little cheesy but I still like the lyrics. Fountain is a cool story about the journey. Plus, no fountain no 2112.

THIS! Without Caress of Steel, 2112 wouldn't have existed. You don't have to agree with me; I'm just telling it like it is! :P

 

p/g

 

nuff said with this one

[rushgoober]

 

I would have to say "Feedback".

 

I just listened to it the other day and it is so good.

 

The band had just come off of an emotional record release and tour with "Vapor Trails" and "Rush in Rio".

 

My thought is they were catching their breath and looking back to where they came from before deciding where to go next.

 

It sounds to me, from this album, that were just having some fun for nostalgia sake.

 

I just love the results.

 

This album really has grown on me since it's release.

 

http://www.spburke.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Rush-Feedback-291180.jpg

 

The only problem is it isn't an album. It's an EP... of covers, and not a proper album by any definition.

 

That said, it's pretty decent. I happen to be a huge fan of the era of music they're covering, otherwise I might like it more. I mean they definitely made those songs RUSH, but the originals are still all better - it's hard to make a cover and improve on the original. It will always be a fun divergence, but nothing more.

 

That said, I enjoy it a HELL of a lot more than VT, T4E, RTB & Presto as at least I can listen to it all the way through. There are literally 3 songs on those 4 albums combined that I still listen to.

[losingit2k]

 

I would have to say "Feedback".

 

I just listened to it the other day and it is so good.

 

The band had just come off of an emotional record release and tour with "Vapor Trails" and "Rush in Rio".

 

My thought is they were catching their breath and looking back to where they came from before deciding where to go next.

 

It sounds to me, from this album, that were just having some fun for nostalgia sake.

 

I just love the results.

 

This album really has grown on me since it's release.

 

http://www.spburke.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Rush-Feedback-291180.jpg

 

The only problem is it isn't an album. It's an EP... of covers, and not a proper album by any definition.

 

That said, it's pretty decent. I happen to be a huge fan of the era of music they're covering, otherwise I might like it more. I mean they definitely made those songs RUSH, but the originals are still all better - it's hard to make a cover and improve on the original. It will always be a fun divergence, but nothing more.

 

That said, I enjoy it a HELL of a lot more than VT, T4E, RTB & Presto as at least I can listen to it all the way through. There are literally 3 songs on those 4 albums combined that I still listen to.

 

 

Oh God Goober, give it a rest! They have 20 studio albums not 19 like you keep trying to implement! Oh VT has good songs too! :P

[rushgoober]

 

I would have to say "Feedback".

 

I just listened to it the other day and it is so good.

 

The band had just come off of an emotional record release and tour with "Vapor Trails" and "Rush in Rio".

 

My thought is they were catching their breath and looking back to where they came from before deciding where to go next.

 

It sounds to me, from this album, that were just having some fun for nostalgia sake.

 

I just love the results.

 

This album really has grown on me since it's release.

 

http://www.spburke.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Rush-Feedback-291180.jpg

 

The only problem is it isn't an album. It's an EP... of covers, and not a proper album by any definition.

 

That said, it's pretty decent. I happen to be a huge fan of the era of music they're covering, otherwise I might like it more. I mean they definitely made those songs RUSH, but the originals are still all better - it's hard to make a cover and improve on the original. It will always be a fun divergence, but nothing more.

 

That said, I enjoy it a HELL of a lot more than VT, T4E, RTB & Presto as at least I can listen to it all the way through. There are literally 3 songs on those 4 albums combined that I still listen to.

 

 

Oh God Goober, give it a rest! They have 20 studio albums not 19 like you keep trying to implement! Oh VT has good songs too! :P

 

They clearly have 19. 20 was used as a marketing ploy because it's a nice even number. Watch, I bet if they release another album Feedback will be demoted back to an EP again (like it was originally) so they can again say they're releasing they're 20th album. ;)

[bathory]

Hold Your Fire - When it was released I didn't give a chance. Now I find it incredible coherent and focused (though, it is two songs too long). The lyrics and melodies are very strong and I think Alex Lifeson shines on it when you finally accept the direction they were going in.

 

the bass and guitar are killer on that one

[tx_rush]

Underrated albums to me - Presto, Caress of Steel, RUSH

[Na na na]

That's easy...Test For Echo

[robertrobyn]

GuP

[Shredder2]

GuP

 

I can't stress this enough.

[ANTHEM75]

I do not get the hate for their 90's materiel at all. Sure, I'm not exactly a big Counterparts fan, but I thought Test For Echo and Roll The Bones were among their best albums.

 

Judge me if you like, that's just what I think.

[LedRush]

I do not get the hate for their 90's materiel at all. Sure, I'm not exactly a big Counterparts fan, but I thought Test For Echo and Roll The Bones were among their best albums.

 

Judge me if you like, that's just what I think.

 

I don't put those albums in the top 5, but they are excellent albums. Otherwise, I agree with you completely on this.

[rushgoober]

I do not get the hate for their 90's materiel at all. Sure, I'm not exactly a big Counterparts fan, but I thought Test For Echo and Roll The Bones were among their best albums.

 

Judge me if you like, that's just what I think.

 

I'm not judging you. You're just wrong. :P

[Cygnus Xanadu-1]

Probably Power Windows, since it was slap-bang in the middle of their synth period and was discarded as "cheesy synth-rock" by a lot of people.

To me it still sounds as fresh as it was in '85 (not that I know what WAS fresh in 1985, considering that I still had to wait another 11 years to be born. However, I personally feel that it was one of their best albums, with some exceptionally strong material that has stood the test of time. "Manhattan Project" is a top 10 Rush song for me for crying out loud.

[ANTHEM75]

I pretty much discarded Snakes and Arrows at first listen.

 

However, after hearing the boys pull out "Far Cry" on the latest tour I gave the album another shot and I have to say that It has grown on me.

[ANTHEM75]

I do not get the hate for their 90's materiel at all. Sure, I'm not exactly a big Counterparts fan, but I thought Test For Echo and Roll The Bones were among their best albums.

 

Judge me if you like, that's just what I think.

 

I don't put those albums in the top 5, but they are excellent albums. Otherwise, I agree with you completely on this.

 

I never said that hey were top 5 albums. I think that they are excellent records that do not get nearly the amount of credit they deserve.

[The Analog Cub]

Let's see...

 

Counterparts

Test For Echo

Snakes And Arrows

[Freeze-Frame]

Gotta agree with most of these people on this thread. Test For Echo is a very underrated album. Best songs, in my opinion, include:

 

Test For Echo

Driven

Half the World

Resist

Limbo

 

Of course, all the other songs are really good. About Limbo, I have to say it's the most underrated song on this album, if not, probably Rush's most underrated song ever. I didn't really like it at first, but over time, it just turns out to be a huge joy to listen to. I especially love the opening bass line. May be simplistic, but still musical.

 

I would also like to say Happy Birthday to both Test For Echo and Neil Peart.

 

:Neil: :dweez: :Neil: :dweez: :Neil: :dweez: :Neil: :dweez: :Neil: :dweez: :Neil: :dweez: :Neil: :dweez: :Neil:

Edited September 13, 2013 by Freeze-Frame