winter17

How'd you like to nurture my garden?

I think the OP made some good comparisons between Neil and Owen Hardy (OH = "Our Hero"). I assume the people that called Owen "boring" did so because of how he was in the book. And yes, Owen-in-the-book and the book itself are both one-dimensional and a bit boring, but I consider that the fault of the author, Kevin J, Anderson. Anderson wrote a crappy children's book but a better author could have made a really great novel out of the story skeleton provided by Neil. If you disregard Anderson's writing and take into consideration only the gist of the story then yes, I agree with the OP.

 

I agree that the bones of the story were good. There was so much that could have been done with this character and the story but it was dropped in favor of juvenilistic drivel. The book seemed really hurriedly written with very little thought given to fleshing out the story.

 

I'm not sure Anderson can write at a more mature level. I was extremely disappointed with the book. Maybe when my son is 12 I will let him read it, since that's the age it is written to.

Just have him read Candide.

 

There are no new story ideas out there but this was just a pitiful excuse for a book.

Candide?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

;)

 

Yes, Neil and Kevin ripped off Candide.

 

I think he gives credit to Candide in the afterword.

Lotus Land is my personal favorite Rush cover band.

Try something like Circumstances versus Renegade by Styx

Is Owen's journey a reflection of Neil's life?

• Neil gets restless with suburban life, Owen wants to explore the outside world
  
• Neil is thrilled about touring and recording with Rush, Owen is excited and overwhelmed by what he finds
  
• Neil settles in by about 2112, Owen settles in with the Carnies
  
• Later on, Neil isn't nearly as excited about touring (his halo effect of a musician's life), Owen finds that Francesca isn't everything he expected.
  
• Neil's life is blown up by the passing of his wife and daughter, Owen is ultimately disturbed by the Wreckers, as a culmination of many terrible surprises
  
• In the end, Neil is content with Rush and wouldn't change anything, but wouldn't necessarily want to start up again (different from living it again), while Owen wouldn't change a thing about his journey but wants to stay settled down in his garden
  

What do you think?

 

Even if it wasn't intentional, perhaps it was a subconscious way for Neil to come up with the storyline?

I don't know if it's just me, but I had always heard that Middletown Dreams was similar to Subdivisions in the sense that it was a critique of suburban life. After listening to the song, I never understood what the relation was, what the lyrics were trying to say, even though it was one of my favorite songs.

 

It was only in the past week or so that I truly realized what it all meant; the worker getting restless at his monotonous job, the boy who's natural talents are stifled, and the mother who would have been a pop star but is instead left to dream about it.

 

This, I believe, is one of Neil's strongest lyrical moments.

I, by no means, hate side 2 of 2112. In fact, The Twilight Zone and Tears consistently rank in my top 30 Rush songs, along with Something For Nothing and A Passage to Bangkok. However, what I'm saying is that Circumstances, The Trees, and La Villa Strangiato, in my opinion, are better than the side 2 2112 songs.

 

Honestly, I don't know that I've ever called a Rush song bad. That includes Tai Shan, Dog Years, and even BU2B2, if that counts. In fact, I listen to all of them and enjoy all of them. And, like many others have said, my favorite album/song changes with the day. It just comes down to the fact that all of the songs on Hemispheres are fan favorites among most fans, whereas on most other albums there's at least one song that some fans may consider "bad" or "not as good."

 

There are examples of "that" song from each album.

 

Rush - Take a Friend. Alright music, lyrics are painful at times.

Fly By Night - Rivendell. Once again, I love the song, it's just not nearly as interesting to the majority of fans, from what I can tell.

Caress of Steel - I Think I'm Going Bald. Same as Take a Friend.

2112 - Tears. Same as Rivendell.

A Farewell to Kings - Madrigal. Same as Rivendell.

Hemispheres - none.

Permanent Waves - Different Strings. I love the song, and by the standards of best overall song quality, this album would be second. But Different Strings is the only thing that makes me hesitate.

Moving Pictures - Vital Signs. It's a good song, just doesn't match up to Circumstances or The Trees in my opinion.

Signals - I'd say Losing It. I love the song, and it is usually in my top 5 Rush songs. But that's mainly because of the lyrics, so it doesn't quite equate to Hemispheres.

Grace Under Pressure - Red Lenses. It never kept my interest.

Power Windows - Big Money. Seems really repetitive to me.

Hold Your Fire - Tai Shan. Just weird.

Presto - Scars. Too many effects and synths.

Roll the Bones - Neurotica. Like Red Lenses, never caught my interest.

Counterparts - Alien Shore. The vocals never seemed quite up to par with most over vocals.

Test For Echo - Dog Years. The lyrics give a great metaphor, but aren't graceful if that makes sense.

Vapor Trails - Peaceable Kingdom. The vocals seemed crowded, like there is too much going on.

Snakes and Arrows - Bravest Face. The melody and guitar seem forced.

Clockwork Angels - BU2B2, for obvious reasons.

 

Once again, I like every Rush song, because each offers something another cannot. But in terms of complexity, musicianship, collaboration between all of the parts, and listenability, Hemispheres seems to take the cake.

 

Please don't turn this into a "worst song from each album" thread, I just figured since I created the thread, I'd offer my defense.

To anyone who uses Spotify, as I do, have you ever created Rush-specific playlists?

 

All but one of mine are Rush specific, but have you ever ranked them?

 

I have:

Top 132 Rush Songs (the songs I know just about word for word)

New Rush (the songs I'm still learning)

Top 13 Live Rush Songs (there are repeats, and it is very much so in progress)

Best Song from Each Album

 

What about you? Please give your Spotify username so we can see them as well. My username is ericmichael1116

No, this is not a poll.

 

Here's the full question: is Hemispheres the best Rush album, just going off of total individual sound quality? For example, I think we can all agree 2112 was a great album, but Tears, Lessons, and The Twilight Zone aren't top tier Rush songs. However, with Hemispheres, it's just about unanimous that Cygnus X-1: Book 2, La Villa Strangiato, The Trees, and Circumstances all fit into that top tier.

 

So on that basis, what do you think?

Before and After

By-Tor

Lakeside Park

2112

Xanadu

The Trees

Jacob's Ladder

Red Barchetta

Analog Kid

Between the Wheels

Mystic Rhythms (because I had to choose something)

High Water (same as above)

The Pass

Bravado

Leave That Thing Alone

Resist

Secret Touch

The Larger Bowl

The Anarchist

 

Slow Friday so I get to over think this. I'll swap La Villa for The Trees and TMMB for The Larger Bowl.

 

Power Windows I always found to be a solid album.

Hold Your Fire was ok, but still had good "ride your bike to a friend's house in the summer" tracks, like Time Stand Still, Lock and Key, and Mission.

Egads. What's with the threads?

 

Neil is always perfection on the drums. :D

 

I was always curious what people on the forum thought about all of these, so I finally sat down and made the threads for it.

I'd say Permanent Waves

I'd say Hemispheres

I'd say Grace Under Pressure

I'd say Signals, GUP, or PW.

I'd say Moving Pictures.

I'd say Power Windows

Rush: Working Man

Fly By Night: Beneath, Between, and Behind

Caress of Steel: Lakeside Park

2112: 2112

A Farewell to Kings: Xanadu

Hemispheres: La Villa Strangiato

Permanent Waves: Natural Science

Moving Pictures: Limelight

Signals: Losing It

Grace Under Pressure: Between the Wheels

Power Windows: Marathon

Hold Your Fire: Lock and Key

Presto: The Pass

Roll the Bones: Roll the Bones

Counterparts: Nobody's Hero

Test for Echo: Driven

Vapor Trails: Earthshine

Snakes and Arrows: Armor and Sword

Clockwork Angels: The Garden

 

For a nearly complete list of my full rankings of all Rush songs, go to Spotify, search for the user ericmichael1116, and find the Playlist that says Top (number) Rush songs (the number changes as I add songs).

IN THIS ORDER

1. Circumstances, as from S&A Tour
    
   
2. Between the Wheels
    
   
3. Marathon
    
   
4. Losing It, with Jonathan Dinklage
    
   
5. In the Mood
    
   
6. Natural Science
    
   
7. Limelight
    
   
8. Xanadu
    
   
9. Hemispheres, full song
    
   
10. ENCORE: 2112, full song, and Working Man, as from the Time Machine tour
    

A lot of stuff off of Power Windows:

Middletown Dreams

Mystic Rhythms

Marathon

 

Also Between the Wheels, The Weapon, Armor and Sword, Resist, Bravado, Circumstances, Cygnus X-1 Book 1, and a plethora of others

How did you determine the seeds?

From Far Cry

 

"F***ing with strangers and speaking in tongue"

Losing It, Between the Wheels, Circumstances, The Garden, Rush song x, Rush song y, just about any Rush song honestly.

I forgot to mention Xanadu from Exit Stage Left.

1) The Fountain Of Lamneth (YYZumbi)

2) The Anarchist (Cyclonus X-1)

3) Spirit Of The Radio(Surrender74)

4) Cygnus X1 Book I (Lucas)

5) La Villa Strangiato (rushfreak101)

6) Cinderella Man (treeduck)

7) Freewill (JohnRogers)

8) Natural Science (a rocket that ignites itself)

9) Xanadu (Brucey)

10) 2112 (Airship2112)

11) Cygnus X-1 Book ll: Hemispheres (Gabrielgil513)

12) Emotion Detector (Cyclonus X-1)

13) The Camera Eye (g under p)

14) Jacob's Ladder (bean-tor)

15) The Trees (Disembodied Spirit)

16) Tom Sawyer(Surrender74)

17) The Necromancer (Lucas)

18) A Farewell to Kings (treeduck)

19) Limelight (a rocket that ignites itself)

20) Closer to the heart (Airship2112)

21) Cut To The Chase (GeddyLeeGenes)

22) Armor and Sword (wdd200)

23) Territories (KW84)

24) Red Sector A (YYZumbi)

25) Headlong Flight (g under p)

26) Animate (Cyclonus X-1)

27) Working Man(Surrender74)

28) Circumstances (Gabrielgil513)

29) Red Barchetta (treeduck)

30) Bytor and the Snow dog (Airship2112)

31) The Garden (Brucey)

32) Garden Road ( Lucas )

33) Here Again (Union)

34) Anthem (rushfreak101

35) One Little Victory (Wil1972)

36) Dreamline (a rocket that ignites itself)

37) Earthshine (g under p)

38) The Big Money(Surrender74)

39) You Can't Fight It (ReRushed)

40) YYZ (treeduck)

41 Roll the Bones (DirkPrattLerxst)

42) In The End (rushfreak101)

43) A Passage To Bangkok (Lucas)

44) Red Lenses (Union)

45) Losing It (Disembodied Spirit)

46) What You're Doing (gabrielgil513)

47) Beneath, Between & Behind (TexMike)

48) Distant Early Warning(Surrender74)

49) Ceiling Unlimited (Wil1972)

50) Fly By Night (treeduck)

51) Subdivisions (a rocket that ignites itself)

52) Cold Fire (DirkPrattLerxst)

53) Bastille Day ( Lucas )

54) The Enemy Within (KW84)

55) Prime Mover (rhyv)

56) Middletown Dreams (wdd2000)

57) Secret Touch (YYZumbi)

58) Out of the Cradle (Union)

59) Digital Man (wdd2000)

60) Kid Gloves (treeduck)

61) Between The Wheels (g under p)

62) Between Sun and Moon (Gabrielgil513)

63) Something For Nothing ( Lucas )

64) The Pass (a rocket that ignites itself)

65) The Twilight Zone (rushfreak101)

66) Mystic Rhythms(Surrender74)

67) Lock and Key (DirkPrattLerxst)

68) Leave That Thing Alone (Cyclonus X-1)

69) Witch Hunt (treeduck)

70) Afterimage (g under p)

71) Carnies (Wil1972)

72) Open Secrets (Brucey)

73) The Analog Kid (TexMike)

74) Lakeside Park ( Lucas )

75) Mission (a rocket that ignites itself)

76) Driven (Gabrielgil513

77) Double Agent (Leave my thing Alone)

78) Different Strings (Rushfreak101)

79) Entre Nous (treeduck)

80) The Color of Right (Cyclonus X-1)

81) Time and Motion (DirkPrattLerxst)

82) Time Stand Still(Surrender74)

83) The Body Electric (g under p)

84) Vapor Trail (Wil1972)

85) Caravan (Bruce)

86) The Weapon (ericimichael1116)