cronker

OMG - the most cringeworthy lyrics this band have ever offered! As a gay man, upon first listen I was floored by the twee and try-hard of these lyrics.

This perception has long held. Some of it also had to do with radio play and chart success, rather than quality. After the masterpiece of Moving Pictures, many fans were expecting MPII, which clearly didn't happen.

I find something to enjoy on every Rush album. And I am very invested in their journey as musicians and as a band. That being said, I find S&A fairly meh. Likewise COS and HYF. I love Presto, even with the tinny production, there is some great material there. I like T4E also. Signals is a big favourite, as is Counterparts. Hmm, horses for courses?

I love how we are so divided. There are songs that Rush fans love or hate, each to their own? I think it's how they want us to be fans.

Virtuality Dog Years Here Again No One At the Bridge (awesome!) Anagram Tom Sawyer

Sorry, but have to disagree about it being a great track. For me, it's cringeable. Being gay myself, this song presents itself as a straight man writing about how "cool" he is with gay people. And failing. Neil could (and really, should) have written a deeper analysis of the plague that was, and is, HIV. To me, it comes across as twee. As another fail for me, Geddy doesn't sound convincing in his vocal. "Nobody's Hero" would have been far more powerful if it was in the style of "Losing It" or "The Pass", both of which deal with emotive situations far better.

Few things here: I like the comments about the overdubs - the vocal 1000 Geddys was becoming annoying from about Counterpoints onward. Simply chorusing your own voice doesn't add anything to the texture of the vocal arrangements. Even though Time Stand Still is commercially poppy, the addition of Aimee Mann gave the song a textural element that has been sorely missed in recent recordings. As far as their touring capabilities go, I'm sorry, but they are still going at 60, and good luck to them. But when they start moaning about how demanding and hard it is to be artists, puh-lease. I'm sure that being millionaires is a tough life, compared to nursing, teaching etc... At least Alex is grounded enough to admit that they have led a very charmed life. Retire when you want, mate, but please don't complain about how hard it is to be a rock star! In my world, I certainly don't get riders and chaueffers. Next, for those that are bass players and/or Lee followers, it's always nice to hear the story behind his No1 bass. Apparently he picked it up in a pawn shop, and it was a little bashed around, but it had an amazing tone. He said that there was some kind of error in the wiring, but it made it sound wonderful and wouldn't let anyone touch it or fix it. Years later they took it apart and examined it and it became the basis for the Geddy Lee Fender Signature model. May be wrong, but that's the story I remember. Lastly, I really like Clockwork Angels, best material in many years. However I find that catchy, singalong tunes have been missing for quite a while with Rush. Snakes And Arrows had perhaps one or two songs that I can hum in my head after the album has finished. Vapour Trails even less. I know that Geddy is the more melodic writer, but what has been lost since even T4E? Not sure. Sorry bout the long post

The Pass. Troubling song for me, because my partner had just committed suicide, so I related in too many tearful ways. I always thought that Presto had a jar full of great songs, but that Rupert Hines and the band produced it with such a "thinness" that it sounded quite lame. Neil sounds like he is playing on tin cans, Geddy sounds like Kermit the Frog, etc.

For me, easily Analog Kid. The bass line is mad. And the lyrics! I know everyone likes the "when I leave..." But just before it, "Too many hands on my time, too many feelings..too many thins on my mind" Just returns me to when I was a young man, and sums up everything I was feeling at that time. Perfect concept from Rush, perfect timing for me.

Whatever. We will still buy tickets.