moving_signals

QUOTE (fordgt99 @ Jul 27 2011, 03:23 PM)QUOTE (Rush Cocky @ Jul 27 2011, 01:36 PM) QUOTE (ghostworks @ Jul 27 2011, 11:55 AM) the overwhelming consensus is that the '97 remasters are largely garbage Yeah I keep seeing that view here and can't say I agree with it. Certainly not to the point where I'm gonna blow $300 or more for the MFSL gold discs or try to locate the older cd versions. So far the only Rush title I bought a second copy of was Snakes & Arrows. Got the original cd then the DVD version. The rest of the catalog prior to Presto is the oh so AWFUL remasters. Presto through Vapor Trails are the original releases. I would like to find more titles on vinyl. Everybody's ears are different, so I'm sure some people prefer the 97 remasters. I prefer the 97 for Presto and Caress to their original CDs, but I prefer the vinyl pressings of just about every Rush recording over the CD. The caveat being that the vinyl needs to be in excellent or better condition, and cleaned very well. I think the MFSL are all great, although I personally find the Moving Pictures MFSL a tad too quiet, but still great. BTW, if you are patient, you can get the MFSL's on EBay for way below $300, in fact you should be able to get the Signals and Permanent waves for around $25, but would probably need to spend 40 - 50 for the 2112 or Moving Pictures. The vinyl MFSL can still be found for $30 online if you look around. For the first press originals (Atomics), I've never paid more than $15 for one. There are so many people selling for rediculous money, it's very discouraging, but if you are committed, and patient, you should be able to find some good deals, and I do think it's worth it. Back to the 97 remasters, if you compare the waveforms (just one of a few checks) of a Atomic to 97 remaster, you'll immediately see what so many people are complaining about. Again, some people like the heavy compression, or their peaks riding the fine edge, a lot of people don't. But It's all about what sounds good to you, not what someone tells you is good.

QUOTE (MMCXII @ Jul 27 2011, 12:27 PM) QUOTE (moving_signals @ Jul 27 2011, 10:58 AM) not much of a fan of the sound of colored vinyl and picture disks in general. the picture discs I remember weren't playable. the picture was plastered right onto a record and it was intended for decoration only... ...there are playable ones? Yep, a friend of mine has Ozzy Diary of a Madman on picture disc, it plays, and it sounds ok, but it's not superb. I think some picture discs have a clear layer over the picture that grooves are pressed in, but I'm not sure. Again, I'm not much of a fan. Although from a collectors point of view they're cool to look at.

I have multiple copies of everything except Vapor Trails. I have everything on vinyl except Hold Your Fire, Roll The Bones, Counterparts, and Vapor Trails (obviously can't have Test For Echo). I have multiple copies of most of the LPs, just like Ghostworks, I collect different pressings, usually I'm after first pressings from US or UK, but I have a few of the Dutch pressings (RL Moving Pictures one of my favorites), and the 25.3P Epic/Sony Japanese pressings (Power Windows is very nice). I also have 7 and 12 inch 45s and EPs. New world man B side has Vital Signs live, no idea why this was never included on Exit. It's on Icon2. Also have the red vinyl 10 inch The Body Electric, mostly for collections sake, not much of a fan of the sound of colored vinyl and picture disks in general. I have everything on CD except for Icon. I have multiple copies of the CDs too. I have most of the West German Atomics, most of the 97 remasters (yes, most of them are my least favorite pressings, and very fatiguing to listen to). I have all of the MFSL disks, and I even went on a binge last year where I started collecting promo CDs and singles. I also have a few of the 25.8P/32.8P/35.8P Japanese pressings. Perhaps it's an illness, but I do think there are good reasons to hunt down different pressings/masterings if you are after the best sounding version of a recording. Although to my ears it's less so with CDs. There can be very dramatic differences in LPs. For example, I think that in general UK vinyl tends to have a quieter surface. MASTERDISK pressings tend to be good, but not every Master is equal (GK and RL are my favorites). Some copies of Fly By Night have the chimes repeating into run out groove and will go on until the tone arm is lifted. I think a specific first pressing UK Hemispheres LP is the best sounding copy I've ever heard. Anyhow, yes I have many copies, but a combination of collecting unique pressings, and searching for the best sounding version got me there.

QUOTE (vital signz @ Jul 6 2011, 01:37 PM)How about.... Rush! A 3 hour oldies set followed by a 3 hour newer set! So far, the ony sane response. Personally, I love it the way it is now. Why would I want to waste my ears on an opener, or have to wait until the opener is over before going in? There is nobody else I want to see and hear when I'm going to a Rush show, in reality or fantasy. I never like openers (nothing against the band opening), I prefer to see the headliner with fresh ears. It's why I bought the ticket. Now, Rush opening for Rush, that's different.

QUOTE (JohnnyBlaze @ Jun 30 2011, 11:21 PM) Time is an illusion. Even if RTB had only 8 songs I still wouldn't like half the album. MP isn't great because it has only 7 songs. It's great because those 7 songs are great. Less is not necessarily more. It's just....less. Simply, I want quality. I don't care if that means 6, 8, or 12 songs. I understand where you're coming from. I agree that less songs doesn't mean the album is going to be good, however I think less songs means more focus on each of the songs. I also agree that a short record doesn't make it good, there are plenty of great, longer albums, I just don't think Rush has made one of them. To me Rush is at their best when they focus their ideas into less songs with more twists and turns within each of those songs. The songs can be long and intricate or short and sweet, but the best Rush albums have always clocked in at 46 minutes or less and have been in the ballpark of 8 songs or less. I think there is a correlation to that and Rush in specific. Just my opinion, of course. As you said, Moving Pictures isn't great because it's 40 minutes long or has just 7 songs, it's great because those 7 songs all rock. But there is also nothing wasted. I don't think they could have added one more song, or even another minute to that record and have it mean any more that it does as it stands. When I listen to albums like Presto (which I really like most of) I feel like it suffers because they didn't know when to stop. They could have left off Superconductor, Anagram and perhaps Chain Lightning, left everything else as it is and it would be a much better album. I could make that case for every record since Hold Your Fire. Roll the Bones however is an exception. I'd have to agree with you that half that record, maybe more could have been cut out and it still wouldn't help, and I actually really liked it when it first came out. As it ages, I see 4, maybe 5 songs there that I can listen to, and I consider it one of their weakest records.

QUOTE (Rush Cocky @ Jun 30 2011, 09:45 PM) QUOTE (moving_signals @ Jun 30 2011, 10:36 PM) Anyone else feel Caravan is the opening track? I feel that Caravan and BU2B are the opening TWO tracks, actually. Cool. I could see that. Interesting how they've been doing them in the other order for Time Machine, but the way Caravan opens, both musically and lyrically, it has to be the opener.

QUOTE (An Enemy Without @ Jun 30 2011, 08:16 PM) Caravan/Bu2B 18 minute epic 8 minute instrumental 3 songs about the length of Caravan I would love to see this (but maybe 3 songs a bit shorter than Caravan, 2 really kicking, one mellow/atmospheric). Anyone else feel Caravan is the opening track? Apologies if that's already been discussed.

QUOTE (ReRushed @ Jun 30 2011, 07:51 PM) Like all Rush albums post-Power Windows, the running time will be too long. I want it to be less than 40 minutes. Think you've nailed it. I agree that from Hold Your Fire on the running time has been too long, and I think you can point to at least 1 track on each of those records that could have (maybe should have) been left off. I'd like it to be right about 45 minutes, about the longest any of their greatest have run. Even 40. I'm actually going to be optimistic on this one though. As I was watching Caravan at Concord the other night I was thinking about how good it sounded, and how promising Caravan and BU2B are in terms of where they're going. Add to that that Geddy has indicated that they are toying with at least one really long song. If that is true, let's just say it comes in at between 11 and 20 minutes, then this disc will have between 7 and 8 songs in a format similar to Moving Pictures or A Farewell to Kings. They have also alluded to a concept, even if loose. If that is also true, I'm curious as to how that might shape the time frame. I will say that there is some wiggle room here though, but only if it's done really well. I think Porcupine Tree's The Incident could be a sort of footprint of how to add 5 - 10 minutes to the recording, but my preference is that they don't. Alex and Geddy have said that they have about 6 songs now. It seems that if they keep it to 7 or 8 songs they could be done in the timeframe that Geddy is claiming of end of this year and still take July and most of August off before returning to the studio.

QUOTE (moving_signals @ Jun 27 2011, 05:48 PM)QUOTE (RUSHHEAD666 @ Jun 27 2011, 04:39 PM) Looks like Rush might be coming back to the Bay Area in August. Fingers crossed. I didn't make the connection you were referring to yesterday. (zoned out) I see you had asked in another thread about a rumor that Rush was coming back to the Bay in August. I hadn't heard this one, but I doubt it. Don't know why they'd come back here so soon, and they need a small break before getting down to business on the new songs. Would be cool if it happened though.

Nice pics, Huge Ackman. You certainly had a great spot for getting some up close Geddy, a wonderful thing, indeed.

QUOTE (RUSHHEAD666 @ Jun 27 2011, 04:39 PM) QUOTE (moving_signals @ Jun 27 2011, 09:27 AM) Was there last night too, and it was awesome. I was 6th row, right in front of Alex. A guy two rows in front, and a couple seats to the right of me got a set of Neil's sticks. You're right about the feedback, it seemed to come and go, and for the first two songs I could barely hear Geddy's bass(how is that even possible? ), but they obviously fixed that, and Geddy made his normal monsterous presence felt for the rest of the show. Thought Alex had an excellent show, really nailed his solos, and his tones were really nice all night, although I still feel like the clean strumming on Presto is a bit thin on his Les Paul, but I don't think he could get between an acoustic on a stand and his Paul in time to transition between parts, it's obviously a compromise. That said, I love it in the set. From where I was standing, Geddy nailed the vocals on Freewill, and I thought he did an admirable job with Marathon, but I felt he struggled with The Camera Eye (just like last leg) and Red Barchetta (typical for the last few tours), but I'm nit picking. I'd love them to keep The Camera Eye in the set for the next tour, even if Geddy struggles a bit to sing it. Agree that Neil's solo was awesome. In particular, as a band I thought they rose to an unreal level on Freewill, La Villa and YYZ, but thats just me. Having heard the new songs live a second time now, they hint at some serious promise for the new record. I really like them both, but I like Caravan more. It already comes across like a classic to me. All in all a great show from the greatest band in the world. Excellent review Signals!! Looks like Rush might be coming back to the Bay Area in August. Fingers crossed. It sure sounds like they could be back around next summer. I know it's looking ahead, but they need a 2012 tour in order to get a rest to take on a 40th anniversary tour. I hope they are up to it in 2014, but for now, like you, I can't wait until they hit the Bay Area again soon, and with new material too. If what Geddy has said recently about tinkering with an epic song again is true, combined with seeing the passion they have for playing the new songs, I just get the impression that we could be in store for something really special with the new record. This time around I'd love to have more dates in the area. I was thinking yesterday how it seems like forever (the early 90's perhaps? I'd need to go look at the set list history to confirm) since they've done back to back shows (same venue, not Shoreline, then Concord) anywhere in the Bay Area. I'd love a couple nights in a row somewhere, but at their age I doubt it will happen. I'll be happy with Shoreline/Concord with a night off between.

Was there last night too, and it was awesome. I was 6th row, right in front of Alex. A guy two rows in front, and a couple seats to the right of me got a set of Neil's sticks. You're right about the feedback, it seemed to come and go, and for the first two songs I could barely hear Geddy's bass(how is that even possible? ), but they obviously fixed that, and Geddy made his normal monsterous presence felt for the rest of the show. Thought Alex had an excellent show, really nailed his solos, and his tones were really nice all night, although I still feel like the clean strumming on Presto is a bit thin on his Les Paul, but I don't think he could get between an acoustic on a stand and his Paul in time to transition between parts, it's obviously a compromise. That said, I love it in the set. From where I was standing, Geddy nailed the vocals on Freewill, and I thought he did an admirable job with Marathon, but I felt he struggled with The Camera Eye (just like last leg) and Red Barchetta (typical for the last few tours), but I'm nit picking. I'd love them to keep The Camera Eye in the set for the next tour, even if Geddy struggles a bit to sing it. Agree that Neil's solo was awesome. In particular, as a band I thought they rose to an unreal level on Freewill, La Villa and YYZ, but thats just me. Having heard the new songs live a second time now, they hint at some serious promise for the new record. I really like them both, but I like Caravan more. It already comes across like a classic to me. All in all a great show from the greatest band in the world.

Sure, it wild be interesting to hear it if there was more to the solo, but I think it's on record the way they planned it. I think it fits the song as is, and it supports the "always leave them wanting more" theory. That's just me, though.

QUOTE (drbirdsong @ May 31 2011, 08:30 AM)QUOTE (moving_signals @ May 29 2011, 11:36 PM) Since this thread keeps hanging around, I'd like to add one more thing to my original post. One of the most overlooked things about Signals is that even though Alex got buried in the mix at times, and he only has 5 solos on the entire record, every one of the solos is excellent. In fact, I'd put the solo in Digital Man right up there with the solo for Limelight (one of my favorites). The lead up to the solo is sweet with Alex's tone drenched in chorus and delay, and the solo itself is spectacular, particularly in headphones where you can clearly hear the long delay he has set panned hard right and left with each side at a slightly different delay, and just the right number of repeats and decay to play off the central channel. The note he strikes at 4:08 sends chills down my spine no matter how many times I hear the solo. The solo in The Analog Kid gets a lot of peoples attention, and for good reason, it smokes, he gets right to the point, and is a classic example of how Alex can shred, but in his own eccentric way, which is what makes him my favorite guitarist, he simply sounds like no one else, and no one else sounds like Alex. After all, Alex is all about the tone. But The Analog Kid solo takes 3rd place on the record for me, as the Weapon slips into number 2. His work here is yet another example of what sets him apart from all other Rock guitarists. Starting out slowly and taking a backseat to the keys while building in nice volume swells in the grand tradition of Xanadu. Then working his fantastic phrasing into the volume swells while simultaneously adding nice touches of tremolo, and then building tension by losing the volume swell technique while continuing his signature "stretching and squeezing" phrasing in an urgent build to the final releasing moments of the solo where the entire band comes out of "interlude mode" and works their way back to the verse passage. I gather some here don't care for Chemistry, and I just don't understand why. I think it's a great song, having a lot of great bass lines, and a killer guitar solo. In fact, although it makes number 4 of 5 for me on this record, as I said, I think all 5 of the solos on Signals are stellar. A lot of the classic Lifeson elements are once again present here. He starts the solo off in a classic manner building right out of Geddy's final word (Chemistry, of course), works a few nice slides up and down the neck, into a few really sweet bends, which flow into some cool little licks that show off his "stretch and squeeze" phrasing, and finishing with the notes that bring the theme back with his guitar almost singing the words "seems to me, it's Chemistry", and he tops off the beauty of this solo with his fret hand sliding back down the neck with what I believe is likely some flanger (but really, aren't they all really just delay with slightly different algorithms?), that brings out the throaty tone of his rig. A triumphant finish to a song for almost the entirety of which he is buried by Geddy. Lastly, the solo for Subdivisions. Short, sweet, and also to the point. It's a bit predictable, but it almost had to be. I'll bet this one popped right out of Alex's head when they wrote this song. It's a classic example of how a solo should be; an extension of the song, not an addition. It features classic artificial harmonics that show off just how monstrous Alex's tone is (especially when heard live), I put it at number 5, but it's an excellent solo. It just doesn't measure up to the other 4. A few years after my small disappointment with the album I was giving it a good listen and all the guitars suddenly came across for me. Both Signals and GUP are albums that have aged very well and both contain brilliant Alex Lifeson solos. I agree with you. I think both Signals and P/G have aged well, and Alex's solos are all among his best work. Take Afterimage for example. The solo is almost entirely made of chords (some arpegiated) instead of single notes strung together. It's brilliant and a great example of how unique Alex is. Who else in the world of Hard Rock would do that?

Since this thread keeps hanging around, I'd like to add one more thing to my original post. One of the most overlooked things about Signals is that even though Alex got buried in the mix at times, and he only has 5 solos on the entire record, every one of the solos is excellent. In fact, I'd put the solo in Digital Man right up there with the solo for Limelight (one of my favorites). The lead up to the solo is sweet with Alex's tone drenched in chorus and delay, and the solo itself is spectacular, particularly in headphones where you can clearly hear the long delay he has set panned hard right and left with each side at a slightly different delay, and just the right number of repeats and decay to play off the central channel. The note he strikes at 4:08 sends chills down my spine no matter how many times I hear the solo. The solo in The Analog Kid gets a lot of peoples attention, and for good reason, it smokes, he gets right to the point, and is a classic example of how Alex can shred, but in his own eccentric way, which is what makes him my favorite guitarist, he simply sounds like no one else, and no one else sounds like Alex. After all, Alex is all about the tone. But The Analog Kid solo takes 3rd place on the record for me, as the Weapon slips into number 2. His work here is yet another example of what sets him apart from all other Rock guitarists. Starting out slowly and taking a backseat to the keys while building in nice volume swells in the grand tradition of Xanadu. Then working his fantastic phrasing into the volume swells while simultaneously adding nice touches of tremolo, and then building tension by losing the volume swell technique while continuing his signature "stretching and squeezing" phrasing in an urgent build to the final releasing moments of the solo where the entire band comes out of "interlude mode" and works their way back to the verse passage. I gather some here don't care for Chemistry, and I just don't understand why. I think it's a great song, having a lot of great bass lines, and a killer guitar solo. In fact, although it makes number 4 of 5 for me on this record, as I said, I think all 5 of the solos on Signals are stellar. A lot of the classic Lifeson elements are once again present here. He starts the solo off in a classic manner building right out of Geddy's final word (Chemistry, of course), works a few nice slides up and down the neck, into a few really sweet bends, which flow into some cool little licks that show off his "stretch and squeeze" phrasing, and finishing with the notes that bring the theme back with his guitar almost singing the words "seems to me, it's Chemistry", and he tops off the beauty of this solo with his fret hand sliding back down the neck with what I believe is likely some flanger (but really, aren't they all really just delay with slightly different algorithms?), that brings out the throaty tone of his rig. A triumphant finish to a song for almost the entirety of which he is buried by Geddy. Lastly, the solo for Subdivisions. Short, sweet, and also to the point. It's a bit predictable, but it almost had to be. I'll bet this one popped right out of Alex's head when they wrote this song. It's a classic example of how a solo should be; an extension of the song, not an addition. It features classic artificial harmonics that show off just how monstrous Alex's tone is (especially when heard live), I put it at number 5, but it's an excellent solo. It just doesn't measure up to the other 4.