theredtamasrule Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 Yes, yes, yes...I know: like the world needs another thread about Roll The Bones? Apparently so. I've crapped on RTB pretty relentlessly (and literally once) since it was released. But last week I heard "Face Down" on Pandora listening to my Rush channel and I actually liked it. I liked it enough to the point that I couldn't stop wondering if I'd been wrong about RTB in general all these years. I had boxed and stored the CD and had removed most of the songs from my iTunes library so I couldn't really give it a fresh listen from beginning to end so I ended up getting a remastered version (sounds better IMO at least a little). I have to say that even though RTB may not have the kick ass power of their past albums it is pretty good...entertaining...better than I remember with some great compositions and execution. Even the dreadful & schlocky "looking for love/the way the Big Wheel spins" chorus doesn't completely ruin that song for me now. I still could do without the rapping skeleton although I view it with humor, preferring to see it at musical whimsy, rather than get embarrassed for the old white guys trying to be hip. Face Up starts out with a drum solo for pete's sake; whens the last time that happened in a Rush song? Anyway it's not the total disaster that I remember so I'm coming out, so to speak, to give my reluctant kudos to RTB. Where does it rank for me now? Dunno, probably still near the bottom simply because of all the more formidable work that came before it (and some after) but no more throat punches for RTB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnus_thegodofbalance Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 RtB is a great album, in my opinion Dreamline Bravado Roll the Bones Face Up Where's My Thing? The Big Wheel Ghost of a Chance All great songs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReflectedLight Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 QUOTE (theredtamasrule @ Sep 24 2009, 08:49 PM) Yes, yes, yes...I know: like the world needs another thread about Roll The Bones? Apparently so. I've crapped on RTB pretty relentlessly (and literally once) since it was released. But last week I heard "Face Down" on Pandora listening to my Rush channel and I actually liked it. I liked it enough to the point that I couldn't stop wondering if I'd been wrong about RTB in general all these years. I had boxed and stored the CD and had removed most of the songs from my iTunes library so I couldn't really give it a fresh listen from beginning to end so I ended up getting a remastered version (sounds better IMO at least a little). I have to say that even though RTB may not have the kick ass power of their past albums it is pretty good...entertaining...better than I remember with some great compositions and execution. Even the dreadful & schlocky "looking for love/the way the Big Wheel spins" chorus doesn't completely ruin that song for me now. I still could do without the rapping skeleton although I view it with humor, preferring to see it at musical whimsy, rather than get embarrassed for the old white guys trying to be hip. Face Up starts out with a drum solo for pete's sake; whens the last time that happened in a Rush song? Anyway it's not the total disaster that I remember so I'm coming out, so to speak, to give my reluctant kudos to RTB. Where does it rank for me now? Dunno, probably still near the bottom simply because of all the more formidable work that came before it (and some after) but no more throat punches for RTB. no you weren't wrong about roll the bones all these years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steevo Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 RTB ranks as one of my least fave albums BUT Dreamline, Bravado, Roll the Bones and Wheres My Thing are all fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blenderhead Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 It's my least favorite Rush album, but I like 6/10 songs, so it's not all bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowdog2112 Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 Ghost of a Chance is one of the best songs they've ever written in my opinion. I think the album overall is one of their weaker ones but there's still some great stuff on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReRushed Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 Like most of Rush's worst albums, it's half good and half bad. I like "Dreamline", "Bravado", "Where's My Thing?", "Ghost of a Chance" and "The Big Wheel". Everything else is mediocre, at best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeddyRulz Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 I usually rank it dead last, or at least in the bottom three. I'll stand by that. If it weren't for the excellent "Dreamline" and the fairly good "Where's My Thing," it would be TOTAL shit. (In my opinion, of course.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KlanKaos Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 I love RTB. I wouldn't put it in my bottom three at all, though I might put it near the top of the bottom half. The only song I strongly dislike is The Big Wheel. I know others think it's one of the better ones from the album, but it's just not Rush enough for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaitlyn Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 Great: Dreamline, Bravado. Good: Ghost Of A Chance, Roll The Bones, Face Up, Where's my Thing, The Big Wheel Average: Heresy, Neurotica, YBYL. Bad: None! I like them all...just some more then others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metaldad Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 I use the Roll The Bones c.d. as a Beer coaster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circumstantial tree Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 Roll the Bones is one of those albums where I'd rate it as "good", not necessarily great, but not bad. It didn't grab me when I first heard it, then I started to like it. I felt for awhile that I liked it better than Presto. But over the years, Presto had more "staying power" and I can say that I like Presto over Roll the bones. As far as the songs go, I feel that some of them have been played too often on tours. My favorite song is "Heresy". I think the sequence of songs beginning with "Face Up" through "Neurotica" makes for a good "run" of tunes. I was never too fond of "You Bet Your Life" because of the never ending gibberish by Geddy. Had that been left of out the song I would like it much better. Dreamline and Bravado are good songs but overplayed. Roll the Bones would be another decent tune if it didn't have the rap section and not played on every tour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fridge Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 Your thread inspired me to dig it out and give it a spin for the first time in years........It's still a pile of shite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
launchpad67a Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 QUOTE (theredtamasrule @ Sep 24 2009, 06:49 PM) But last week I heard "Face Down" on Pandora It's "Face UP" .... and yes it's a great song. I love RTB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonatine Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 QUOTE (Steevo @ Sep 25 2009, 03:04 AM) RTB ranks as one of my least fave albums BUT Dreamline, Bravado, Roll the Bones and Wheres My Thing are all fine Although I wouldn't say it was their weakest albums. I think it just takes time to grow on you. For example when I first heard Vapor Trails and in particular, Snakes & Arrows, nothing really grabbed me from either of them. But over time and a little patience I grew to love both of them, especially the latter. What I really do like about RTB is the album cover: one of their best designs in my op. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanadoood Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 Its a shame, because i like the sound of RTB, but there are some weak tracks on there. Its my least listened to album by them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenken Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 I think that album is decent, but its REALLY stretching the limits of what I can learn to like. It's so hokey and light. So far different from what I love about rush and music in general, but it being different is probably a good thing, but I can definitely see why many rush fans do not like that album. Light rock isnt easy for some of us to swallow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonatine Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 QUOTE (trenken @ Sep 27 2009, 01:42 PM) I think that album is decent, but its REALLY stretching the limits of what I can learn to like. It's so hokey and light. So far different from what I love about rush and music in general, but it being different is probably a good thing, but I can definitely see why many rush fans do not like that album. Light rock isnt easy for some of us to swallow. That's another good thing about Rush, they're not afraid to try new things. Sometimes it works brilliantly: Signals, for example. And sometimes a new concept gets mixed reviews, such as RTB. But am glad they like to evolve their music every few years, othewise they'd still be playing prog rock & concept stuff from the 70s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReflectedLight Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 when rtb first came out i bought the cassette. at that time i was excited to listen to anything new from rush. it didn't stand the test of time and rather quickly after the tour ended, it became a dust collector. i like the lyrics but the music......i understand the whole progressive thing but damn, there are only 2 songs i can stomach on rtb. i don't even own the album anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rush! Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 QUOTE (ReRushed @ Sep 24 2009, 10:37 PM) I like "Dreamline", "Bravado", "Where's My Thing?", "Ghost of a Chance" and "The Big Wheel". Everything else is mediocre, at best. Switch "The Big Wheel" with the title track and you've got my favorite half of the album. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushgoober Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 I avoided buying RTB for years. I hated the last two songs on HYF, making me think my infallible Rush who previously hadn't made a song I didn't like for 12 years could actually make mistakes. Then Presto came out which I thought was very mediocre, especially by Rush standards. I heard the song Roll the Bones on the radio, including the rap section, and I gave up on Rush for awhile. I admit it. I didn't buy the album. A couple of years later and they redeemed themselves with Counterparts, but still it took me many years before I got around to buying Roll The Bones. It's an album I've rarely listened to all the way through: One of their best songs ever: Dreamline What would have been a great song destroyed by stupid rap: Roll the Bones What would have been a great song that I seriously disagree with philosophically: Ghost of a Chance Very good song: Bravado Decent song: Where's My Thing All the rest of the songs range from merely substandard to embarrassingly bad. In the end I listen to Dreamline often, Bravado and Where's My Thing on rare occasion, and totally ignore the rest. NOT their finest moment by a long shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg2112 Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 I really really cant stand roll the bones overall. though ghost is a decent tune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circumstantial tree Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 QUOTE (rushgoober @ Sep 27 2009, 11:07 AM) A couple of years later and they redeemed themselves with Counterparts, but still it took me many years before I got around to buying Roll The Bones. I felt the opposite way. Counterparts was a disappointment to me. The spirit within the music they'd been creating was minimal on CP, and practically absent on Test for Echo. I bought Counterparts the same day as I bought the Cranberries' first album. I ended up listening to the Cranberries and putting Counterparts on the shelf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Money Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 At least it's better then feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushgoober Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 QUOTE (bigmoney2112 @ Sep 27 2009, 09:12 AM) At least it's better then feedback. I don't listen to Feedback often at all, but when I do, I don't have to skip any tracks. With RTB, I have to skip most of them. Feedback wins, but of course I'd rather listen to Dreamline than any track on Feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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