Maksa

Lots of love for SCoG I see. Why I think it's my 2nd least favourite song on the album. Well it's too repetitive. Too bluesy. I don't like blues. I find blues boring. And that's about it. Yawn-worthy song that I skip along with BYOB2. But it's growing on me slowly. Sloooooowly. And that's the thing with Rush, it challenges the listener. When I first started listening to Rush, I got "in" by probably their most accessible album Roll the Bones. My musical taste had to grow before I "got" their albums from the 80's. I had to learn to like prog rock before I could listen to their 70's albums. Again I had to grow as a listener before I understood what Counterparts and T4E were all about. And I think this is the thing that people forget. Rush are never going to make just another Moving Pictures after another MP after another MP. They move forward, and challenge their fans to do the same. To broaden their musical horizons. I didn't keep up with them with VT or S&A, but I'm surely loving CA. And again, I'm going to have to evolve to "get" some of the songs on the album that are a bit tricky for me.

Huh? The Wreckers is probably the best track on the album. Amazing melody, powerful. The only song I tend to skip is Seven Cities of Gold. Not a big blues fan, too repetitive. Boring. And BU2B2 of course, but that's not a song really, just an interlude. Completely unnecessary song that doesn't work at all outside the album. They should've just done a short instrumental there.

QUOTE (deslock @ Jun 13 2012, 06:34 PM)Non-Rush fans and even casual fans simply can't understand the magnitude of that statement. This is the first time I felt that way about a new Rush album since becoming a fan over 25 years ago (as a kid). Words fail to describe the sheer joy I'm experiencing. Similar feelings here. I've listened to the album now for over a week non-stop. It's on at work, it's in my headphones, I put it on when I get home. The last time I felt this strongly about a Rush album was when I first started listening to them in early 90's. I understand what Nick Raskulinecz meant when he said listening to the album makes him feel young again. I totally agree with that. It's the Rush that I know and love.

Alrighty. The TOP-5 keep changing on a daily basis. Actually TOP-8 is so close that I might as well put them all in number one spot. 1) Clockwork Angels 2) The Wreckers 3) The Garden 4) The Anarchist 5) Halo Effect 6) Wish Them Well 7) Headlong Flight 8) Caravan 9) BU2B 10) Carnies 11) Seven Cities of Gold 12) BU2B2

The Anarchist, title track and The Wreckers in a loop for the past week. Mixed in with some The Garden and Wish Them Well.

Well, it's an album by my favourite band. What else can I say? These days come along only once in five years or so, and probably will only happen again once or hopefully twice. So cherish this day. You just heard a new Rush album. I like this a lot. I like it more than VT and S&A. I like the melodies, I like that most of the songs are more up-beat than their previous two albums. After few listens The Anarchist is still my favourite song of the album. Reminds me of late 80's, early 90's Rush, which is the era when I discovered them. I can't get enough of The Clockwork Angels. Awesome work. Just awesome. But I'm biased. I'm a rabid Rush-fan.

The Prince concert rumour was true, even the tickets were supposed to be on sale in a week. Then Prince cancelled the gig, like he did those two times before. The others were, if I remember correctly, Eric Clapton and Bon Jovi. SuomiTV was the first to report on those. They must have an inside source in Livenation or whatever else promoters (?) they have here. At least I'm optimistic (wow an optimistic Finn. That must be the first time ever!).

Just a quick note, SuomiTV has been reporting lots of upcoming Helsinki gigs for big-name bands, and as far as I know, they've all come true. So I have no doubt Rush is in negotiations to play Helsinki in May. The news article said that they're asking more money this time, so the ticket prices could be higher (they were 56 euros for standard seats in S&A Tour). So it's a bigger risk to the venue. Although I don't think it's that big a risk tbh. It will be sold out, guaranteed, within a week. Their 2007 Helsinki concert was sold out. They opened up more seats with limited visibility, and they were sold out too I think. The timeline also suggests that Helsinki might even be the first city of the European Tour (rumours about Rotterdam in 26th of May). Which would be interesting, normally they go first UK, then mainland Europe and head eastward from there. I'll be in Helsinki for sure. I've already started going thru the big companies my workplace is in business with, to see if any of them get access to the venue presale VIP tickets. Front row and such...

The first 10 rows or so are sold to business partners of the venue only. So either you gotta have a friend employed in a company that has access to those tickets, or buy from scalpers. For the S&A tour I got two tickets for front row, Alex's side. 175 euros each they cost me. But when I got to the venue, walked to my seat that was right in front of the security barrier, just a few feet away from the stage, the price seemed awfully cheap.

It doesn't matter to me that much because the Boys aren't coming on the right side of the pond this year. But I'd give the RIAB "rehearsal setlist" a solid 2. Only a couple of songs I'm excited about, rest of them are a bit meh. Lots of "hey wait a second, why no songs from album xxx" and "where's song xxx?" thoughts pop to mind. The setlist feels a bit short too, compared to other live concerts. I haven't counted the minutes though so I might be wrong. Hopefully the real setlist will have some pleasant surprises in the mix, and if they do come to Europe as promised next years, I'm hoping for a majorly revamped setlist.

There was a guy passed out on the stairs of the venue in R30 concert in Stockholm. That must have been a great experience for him. Getting to see the band that you love live probably for the first time in your life and you miss it by drinking yourself unconscious? Now that I really don't understand. One or two beers before, sure.

First of all, a disclaimer. I heard the songs for the first time when it was 6am here, and the night went with very little sleep (a voice constantly shouting "new Rush songs tomorrow morning yayyyzzz!" in my brain, annoying that ) So I am a bit foggy. But I didn't get the immediate OMG-feeling I got from, let's say, Far Cry. Sounds a bit too much like any other prog-metal band out there. I was expecting a way more negative reaction on the forums to be honest, as this isn't typical Rush in my opinion. (But what is typical Rush? Well this definitely is again a new direction from The Boys, and I guess THAT is typical Rush.) We'll see how I feel after a day of listening to the new tracks. It's going to take a lot of getting used to before I could claim I like those songs. Not my favourite ones, no.