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CygnusGal

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Posts posted by CygnusGal

  1. Can anyone please provide an example of a deeper and heavier tone than Geddy's playing on Headlong Flight when he " ... stoked the fire on the big steel wheels, steered the airships right across the stars..." ?

     

    Distinct and unmuddy tone are a given - it is Geddy after all (brilliant attack and articulation). I'm talking *heavy*. Really, really heavy.

     

    His heaviness and his tone are mind-numbingly fantastic, to my bass-centric ear. Its just a regular old E, but its so heavy! I don't hear a bass pedal or synth like on the old stuff.

     

    I'm not asking to be pugilistic or difficult; I'm genuinely curious.

     

    Which song/riff is heavier than HF "...stoked the fires..."?

     

    smile.gif

  2. QUOTE (J2112YYZ @ Jul 7 2012, 09:54 AM)
    Great song, no doubt about that. But what I don't understand is how people consider 2112 or this song angry? If you think these songs are angry in anyway then I have some metal in my collection that will scare the crap out of you laugh.gif

    I believe that the band was angry about being told to conform after CoS - a poorly received album. 2112 was to be singles (what the record company wanted) and was instead the finger (what the record company got) - a 20+ minute "single", epic in its scope and defiant in its message. Neil said it in the film and it earned the band their freedom.

     

    I hear Alex's solo as very angry in The Anarchist (a very dangerous device in its first appearance). And also have "scary" music in music collection too. wink.gif

     

    I do believe the ultimate message of the CA album is love. But, alas, that is a different post.

     

    smile.gif

     

    <change "the record company" to "what the record company" >

  3. I'm in the 79% camp. To paraphrase Nigel Tufnel "This album goes up to 11"....er why don't you just make 10 louder and ...

     

    Rises to the level of their finest work ever (imo)

     

    <corrected Mr. Tufnel's name spelling>

     

  4. I continue to be astounded by this album. It continues to unfold, each layer revealing another level of resonance (...wheels within wheels in a spiral array...curves and lines of grand designs....atmospheric disturbance, the feverish flux...).

     

    An adage of writing (honest writing, anyway) is: "you write what you know". I have always believed Neil to be an honest lyricist given his body of work and the way I've been able to personally relate to it. He writes what he knows.

     

    I see The Anarchist as the overwhelming force on the album; it is on the cover - the scarlet mist that spills over into rage and overlayed (trumped) by the watch(maker) set to 21:12. Anger, just like in and on 2112, but for a much different reason. During this iteration of Rush, don't worry about the year but mind the time.

     

    The Peddler (Pedlar) first asks "What do you lack?" (Alex at ~7:26 of CA title track) - What do you lack? as noted by other posters @ ~0:28 and ~0:34 in The Anarchist as Geddy punches the line with the bass (dah-dah-dah-dah). I repeat the question everytime I hear Geddy's bass phrase. I don't believe The Anarchist answer of "vengeance" - to my mind that isn't something you can lack (desire and burn for it certainly, but lack?) "A missing part of me that grows around me like me like a cage" answers the Anarchist (that sounds like something truly lacking).

     

    What part of a person grows around them like a cage and how could such a thing be missed? A riddle, to my mind.

     

    An answer is: family, love, respect. It grows around us like a cage. In its benevolent form, a cage shields us from the harsh external forces and keeps us and those we love together and safe. This is what The Anarchist lacks - love, family, respect; the cage ("I plan my vengeance on my own - and I was always alone")

     

    Is there an auto-biographical nature to the album (like Pink was to "The Wall")? Is Neil's loss (and any residual anger) reflected in The Anarchist? I know Neil has built a new family (and I am very happy for him), but how could one not think about such events for the rest of one's life? How could they not color one's world view?

     

    The Anarchist was more than likely also BU2B (clockwork society, afterall)

     

    "Lean not upon your own understanding.

    Ignorance is well and truly blessed.

    Trust in perfect love, and perfect planning,

    And everything will turn for the best"

     

    But it really didn't for The Anarchist, otherwise he wouldn't be so angry and alone.

     

    That's my take on it.

  5. QUOTE (Jmo2112 @ Jul 4 2012, 01:08 PM)
    Someone has probably already mentioned this line from The Wreckers but it's really been grabbing me lately. I'm guessing that the memory that can be "too much to carry" relates to the profound losses Neil has experienced. Hearing Geddy belt these lines out gives me chills as it sounds like he's voicing catharsis for and real empathy with Neil.

    Completely agree. Astounding.

     

    goodpost.gif

  6. Rush is weirdly unique for prog rock/metal for me. I like hard rock and metal, and I suppose it depends on how you define "progressive metal" or "progressive rock". I love any music, if its well done and honest.

     

    I think Primus sounded like Rush have would if they started in the 80s (awesome openers, BTW...can't remember if it was HYF or Presto...) - though I only really like select albums (Frizzle Fry, Sailing on the Seas of Cheese, and the latest - Green Naugahyde) depending on my mood.

     

    I love Tool and I adore Lateralus and 10,000 Days - remarkable albums. I find them very relaxing and hypnotic.

     

    Back in the day, I loved Yes, Tull, ELP, Floyd. I found Genesis impenetrable and Crimson just freaky. I find that today, I really only still enjoy Tull - This Was... through Songs From the Wood and Crest of a Knave - wooo heavy metal wink.gif - and Floyd (I'm in the no Waters = no Floyd camp, and I prefer post-Barrett) and early Yes.

     

    For the record, I like Lady Gaga (a modern day Madonna...<calls her neighbor on the phone...>) and Walken is great with Poker Face. So is Alice Cooper.

     

    That's just my opinion...

     

    smile.gif

  7. QUOTE (HowItIs @ Jun 19 2012, 04:03 AM)
    bekloppt.gif

    Welcome to TRF and NWW. We Rush ladies refuse to be invisible and we stick together! Even those of us who have not had Geddy and Alex's arms around us  tongue.gif

    YET!  wink.gif

    As if that weren't enough, he remembered me from the meet and greet and smiled and winked at me (my brother witnessed it) *while he was playing onstage*!!!

     

    :swoon:

     

    heart.gif

  8. The piano solo is the time when I can take my first breath. I start welling up around the first "it is what it is" ....cause it really is. By the time "the measure of a life" hits, I'm overwhelmed by the strength and beauty of the song and I get all misty (kinda sucks when I'm at my desk).

     

    Neil has written true poetry. And the earnestness and honesty in Geddy voice is astounding - his "oh" before "it is what it is - and forever" is breathtaking. Alex's solo is gorgeous - he's got a great descending arpeggio (end of during the sixth bar and into the seventh bar of his solo - better than writing out beeddle-dee-boop, beeddle-dee-boop - which I guess I just did...) ~4:31 in the song.

     

    Thousands of Rush fans crying their collective eyes out...it will be be an interesting sight.

     

    I will be one.

  9. QUOTE (bytored @ Jun 18 2012, 09:57 PM)
    From one form noob to another. Welcome! 2.gif

    Just noticed the tourdates in your sigs.  The shows at the Gorge and Boise,1022.gif  I was at also. Plus any show that were in the Bay Area from 1979- 1991

    You were in Boise in 97? Very cool. I thought it was only a fair show, especially after the spectacular show that was George, WA! How can anyone not love saying I saw Rush at The Gorge at George Washington - their largest crowd until Rio. I drove from Boise with 3 other female friends, met a fourth in Tacoma and drove to Ellensburg. I was really surprised to see them in Boise - I always figured once I moved to Boise, I was abandoning things like music, arts, culture, human contact... Not a correct evaluation (I was quite surprised), but we didn't get many shows back then. Much, much bigger now.

     

    1979. That would have been amazing, but was two years before I started listening to them (that would have been during my Styx/Moody Blues/Pat Benatar era....good bands, but hardly Rush).

     

    trink39.gif from another newbie!

  10. QUOTE (koobie @ Apr 25 2012, 03:46 PM)
    I just heard that in order to concentrate on his singing (which has been criticized as of late) Geddy has decided not to play bass on this tour, his son Wolfgang Lee will be the new bassist.

    Nice! rofl3.gif

     

    And kudos to the Alex's "every other album" plan ! rofl3.gif

     

    I heard they really are changing their name to Rash <scratch, scratch> and switching instruments. Geddy looks so natural on drums and Neil on guitar the record company insisted they continue with the new lineup. They will be playing all songs as polkas.

     

     

  11. QUOTE (Jomboni @ Jun 18 2012, 06:23 PM)
    This album really doesn't sound like Snakes & Arrows at all, and only sounds like Vapor Trails in a few points.

    And to answer your question: GUP, Power WIndows, Hold Your Fire.  Or Fly By Night, Caress of Steel, 2112.

    Agreed - GUP, PW, HYF. Also, COS, 2112, AFTK are sonically similar. As I think about it, Hemispheres is really the only crazy mix album from the classic days (okay, so maybe there is a reason we don't record studio albums outside...), so all of Broon's stuff kind of had that similar Rush sound - albeit with an increasing vocabulary and some experimental sounds. It was the 70s after all. And their playing changed as they mastered their instruments. Think about the difference between now and TFE (Neil is crazy fluid now and the rest of the band reflects it). I suppose that by the time one has been "endlessly rocking" for 40+ years, good ideas percolate to the top which is why I hear a little bit of all of the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 00s in the current record. I can name at least a dozen song similarities on CA, MP, 2112 to previous records.

     

    Even with the change of producers overs the following 25 years, producers only made part of the difference, granted an important one. If they sounded like anyone besides Rush, I'd freak out.

     

    Alternatively, they may just simply get so good, they all pop on stage. Like balloons. But they'd do it in time and it would be visually stunning...

     

    Sleep well. All is well in the Rush universe.

    BU2B2

    QUOTE (Jmo2112 @ Jun 16 2012, 08:47 PM)
    QUOTE (theredtamasrule @ Jun 16 2012, 08:21 AM)
    So, acceptance of this odd tune now makes for a Rush album that has zero bad tracks in my opinion. That hasn't happened for me since GUP.

    1022.gif

    Since GUP you say? Name a bad track off of Power Windows.

    I think BU2B2 is not a tune to be thrown away (as I saw someone else mention), I think this song is the lynch pin of the album. Without it there is no Peddler II (What do you lack? Belief). Before the strings come in very early, I hear Neil's chime from CygnusX-1 (no modulation though).

     

    BU2B2 is jaded and transformative (similar to "...spinning, whirling, still descending, like a spiral sea unending...every nerve is torn apart.") . The protagonist has realized everything he was BU2B has failed him. The best the protagonist can do is wish those negative forces around him "well" and "tend his garden" (i.e. mind his own house). The motivation for the last two songs comes from BU2B2 "...life goes from bad to worse....no philospohy consoles me in a clockwork universe..." Very in tune with Neil's "bleeding-heart libertarianism".

     

    June 13, I wrestled with re-ordering the tracks. I thought HF should have been the opener and the album viewed as a retrospective of the protagonist's life. But then I started down a rat hole of what goes where and when and why. Rush presented it exactly as they intended, so I stayed with the original order. But that's just me

     

    And BTW, just my opinion, (which with just over $2 will buy you a medium coffee at Dunkin' Donuts) Emotion Detector is the worst song on PW, hands down (and my least favourite Rush song). For me, I didn't care for the hook (too 80s synth-pop) or chorus (lyrically bland). I have a friend who loves it and thinks I'm on crack. I'm not. Loved the rest of PW though - a top 7 album for me - although it is quite 80s.

  12. QUOTE (Chicken hawk @ Jun 17 2012, 07:15 PM)
    Hi Ya  GeddysMullet ,  SchemingDemon and again to CygnusGal
    My Rushgal friends.  may i call you friends?


    2.gif  th1245.gif

    Absolutely! We're such a rare breed, we have to stick together! Women who love Rush because they're Rush and not because their date reluctantly dragged them to a concert or they tolerated their partner playing that same song/album over and over - "...humming your favourite song, you know I've hated that song for so long..." (and I have to admit, I do like that song).

     

    This is the only place I've found where I can talk about Rush and not have *everyone* roll their eyes <sheesh...she's still talking about f-ing Rush...>

     

    I feel blessed & grateful. Thank you.

     

    yes.gif

  13. QUOTE (rushgoober @ Jun 17 2012, 11:14 AM)
    I'm a huge Pink Floyd fan, especially early Floyd, and I never noticed any similarity to Astronomy Domine or One of These Days or any Floyd song while listening to Clockwork Angels.  It's a fantastic song, that's for sure, but I'm not hearing echoes ( wink.gif ) of any other group in there. no.gif
    Like rushgoober, I'm a huge Floyd fan, but just don't hear it here.

     

    For some reason, at the beginning, I hear a cross between Peaceable Kingdom and the Battlestar Galactica (2004) theme (the vedic om theme). A wave toward the clearing sky...as if to fly (?) .... known as Earth (?)....

     

    And as though that wasn't strange enough, I hear a shadow of Alex's Analog Kid solo at the end of Alex's Headlong Flight solo. Very cool.

  14. I just wanted to take a moment to say hello to everyone in NWW.

     

    I always thought I was alone. I am the only woman that I've known about who is a Rush *freak*, at least until now. Geddy, Alex and Neil could get up on stage and hoot like owls for 2 hours and I'd be there holding a lighter up screaming my fool head off the whole time - and I'd buy a program and t-shirt. I adore Geddy so much I bought a bass at age 15 and learned to play. Geddy's bass tone on Moving Pictures is the coolest thing I've heard in my life. One of the highlights of my life was a meet a greet with Geddy and Alex (2008) and having my picture taken with them. Geddy and Alex put their arms around me! OMG!

     

    Reading this forum's posts, I see many intelligent and insightful comments. I look forward to reading posts from like (and some non-like) minded individuals and perhaps even make a friend or two along the way.

     

    smile.gif

  15. I have tour program from RTB tour. At the bottom on the inside front cover, in skulls and bones for dots and dashes, is "remember death" in morse code. Spooky, especially for its time.

     

    I also recall one of the church channels circa 1982: KISS = Knights In Satan's Service. RUSH = Ruled Under Satan's Hand. I think they didn't like QuarterFlash because they used the word "flash" in their name.

     

    Rock and Roll, baby.

     

    667 = the neighbour of the beast

  16. So, I'm just sitting here surfing the "internets" (sic) with BBC America in the background @ 11:51 EDT on 6/16/12 and I hear "Headlong Flight" and see this TV commercial ("featuring Headlong Flight and The Wreckers" ... available .... June 12... at <major retailer I'm not paid to endorse>... "On tour this fall"...)

     

    Thank you <DVR from another major retailer I'm not paid to endorse> for letting me keep a copy...

     

    I mention the TV station only because that's the only place I've seen it so far.

     

    I can not recall ever seeing a Rush album TV commercial.

  17. My first post on this forum <*pop*>, been listening to Rush since bla, bla bla, bla....it's all in my profile. One of the few female Rush nuts; there are a few of us out here, but we're vastly outnumbered by the boys.

     

    The Garden is the most beautiful song that Rush has ever written, IMO. I well up everytime I listen to it. I have never had tears in my eyes listening to a Rush song - they aren't that type of band.

     

    Since Presto (why Presto is another thread), I've listened to the last song on the album as their potential swan song - Available Light was a very orchestrated and quite majestic end after a rather mediocre album (again, IMO). Every album from Rush has been a gift, especially the ones after the post TFE tragedies, and could always be their last.

     

    Is this their swan song? I hope not. I always hope not. If it is, I believe it is perfect.

     

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