Stealing Deckiller's Brilliant Idea

[savagegrace26]

One thing I would like to point out is your frequent use of the word "dated" as a criticism. All music is a product of it's time. I really don't think saying a song is dated means much or is a very valid criticism.

[Scars]

QUOTE (Good,bad,andrush @ Dec 25 2010, 02:08 PM)

That keyboard solo sounds incredibly outdated though; it sounds like something that would be playing in an educational 80's video about science.

By that standard, "Tom Sawyer" and "Xanadu" should be next

[That One Guy]

I haven't heard Madrigal, so it probably sucks anyway. On with the list!

[Lamelight]

QUOTE (Scars @ Jan 1 2011, 07:54 AM)

QUOTE (Good @ bad,andrush,Dec 25 2010, 02:08 PM) That keyboard solo sounds incredibly outdated though; it sounds like something that would be playing in an educational 80's video about science. By that standard, "Tom Sawyer" should be next Yes it definitely should. Over 30 songs gone already. Where's Tom Sawyer?

[Good,bad,andrush]

117.ALIEN SHORE

4.25/10

 

I think the only thing that stands out in the song is the marvelous bass line. It's so complex and difficult to play (I'm a bassist myself). But the rest of the song is just so drab and unenthusiastic. The guitar solo falls flat, and the guitar riff is forgettable. The drumming is also dull compared to other songs on the album.

 

Lyrically, it's not too impressive. Animate did this topic a lot better. Some lines in the song stick out, like "we hold these truths to be self-evident." A smart lyric there

 

The song goes on a little longer than it should, and not much really happens. The bass is epic, but it's really the same over and over. Marathon does a much better job on creating a repetitive bass line. In this song, there's really no build-up, no extraordinary bridge...nothing. Marathon, on the other hand...

 

[Lamelight]

QUOTE (Good,bad,andrush @ Jan 2 2011, 06:18 AM)

Marathon does a much better job on creating a repetitive bass line. In this song, there's really no build-up, no extraordinary bridge...nothing. Marathon, on the other hand...

I guess I know two of your top 10 now

[Good,bad,andrush]

116.HOPE

4.25/10

 

I must say this is a beautiful piece. I love it, especially the melodious key changes. The beginning of the sound clearly has middle-eastern influences, but the first key change takes on a softer melody, almost sad and yet...hopeful. Then the upbeat middle-eastern part returns.

 

But truth be told, this really is just filler. I think it serves as a brilliant interlude to the album...but that is all it is. I mean there's no bass and drums! It's hardly even a Rush instrumental! Heck, it's hardly even a Rush tune! Yes, it may be very pleasant on the ears (especially for guitarists; for others, not so much), but there's not much to this song. I rate this song very high though for two reasons:

 

1. It just sounds remarkable, and is difficult to play.

2. When combined with the next track, Faithless, it takes on a deeper meaning. In fact, I think Alex intended it this way. He said something about Faithless inspiring him to write this song.

 

[PariahDog]

QUOTE (Good,bad,andrush @ Dec 31 2010, 02:00 PM)

No, I didn't intend for them to be failing grades. I really only meant to rank them by Rush standards. I didn't think I was being too negative sorry

Okay, that's good to know. I guess starting at the "bottom" and working to the "top" creates an overall (IMO) negative tone in the thread.

[PariahDog]

QUOTE (Lamelight @ Jan 1 2011, 12:11 PM)

QUOTE (Scars @ Jan 1 2011, 07:54 AM) QUOTE (Good @ bad,andrush,Dec 25 2010, 02:08 PM) That keyboard solo sounds incredibly outdated though; it sounds like something that would be playing in an educational 80's video about science. By that standard, "Tom Sawyer" should be next Yes it definitely should. Over 30 songs gone already. Where's Tom Sawyer? Yeah, I don't get it either.   The Countdown solo was played on either a Moog or Oberheim, if I remember correctly. Both are classic analog synths that are still highly regarded by synth players. You might as well say that a Les Paul through a Marshall amp sounds outdated.

[Good,bad,andrush]

115.HAND OVER FIST

4.5/10

While rather odd lyrically, I get the message. And it's actually delivered quite well. Alex's soft guitar tones reflect the meaning of the song, and his solos even more so. The bass is practically absent though, and the thin drumming is unremarkable. Once the bass enters in the beginning it never goes anywhere. This is really just a song for Alex (and vocals). Thing is, Alex has done much better before.

 

The harder guitar sounds at around 40 seconds occur rather often. Again, these do a good job of reflecting the theme and offering a decent contrast. But Alex has done better! This song is just lacking punch, I think. That is pretty much all. The guitar tones are wonderful a little before and after 3 minutes, when Geddy says "I feel my spirit resist." That sound should be brought out a little more, and be a little more focused.

 

 

[Good,bad,andrush]

114.BETWEEN SUN AND MOON

4.5/10

 

I've always thought this sounded like a heavy Rush-ified country song. Some of S&A sounds this way too, but those on S&A have a darker and more fitting tone about, whereas Between Sun And Moon is just...odd.

 

The drums can be catchy on this song, but after the song is over, they become impossible to remember. Some fills are really nice, but again...you forget them. The bass line isn't too memorable either. Alex's guitar chords and solo are nice, but they sound country. Not that that's a bad thing. In fact, It's Rush doing country better than country does country.

 

I could be the only one to think that this sounds country (even the name of the song sounds country)...but for this reason the song is just...there. I know Neil didn't really write the lyrics for the song; our friend Pye DuBouis (sorry if that is the incorrect spelling) penned them down as a poem originally. I don't know precisely how much Neil contributed to the lyrics. But the "ah yes to yes" does not seem like Neil. And while the chorus is catchy...it just falls flat compared to what Rush is capable of.

 

Otherwise, this is a very interesting Rush-country song, and rather impressing.

[Good,bad,andrush]

Sorry, I had written the list down, and I won't have access to it until tomorrow. I'll post three songs tomorrow. Sorry for not posting for a while.

 

Edited to say: DISREGARD THIS!

Edited January 6, 2011 by Good,bad,andrush

[Good,bad,andrush]

113.ANAGRAM (FOR MONGO)

4.75/10

The intro to the song falls flat. It gets a little better when Alex takes on a heavier tone, but it still very thin sounding. There's no bass in the song, and the drumming is lacking balls. It's tricky, but when is Neil not tricky? Nothing too original.

 

The chorus sounds really nice sometimes, but can be rather tacky...kind of like The Big Wheel. The keyboard solo in the song (it hardly is one) seems out of place in the Rush catalog, but not so much in the song.

 

Lyrically though...this is a masterpiece. Many of you may dismiss it as just clever puns and anagrams...but I think they're actually put together in a way that makes sense. Unfortunately, the way the music is put together doesn't make much sense. From the lyrics, I get the feeling that there is an inverse to so many things we take for granted. From the music, I get the feeling of...sigh.

 

 

112.CEILING UNLIMITED

4.75/10

The intro pulls you in after the that is One Little Victory, but afterwords, the song just becomes a mess. Rush's music doesn't have to follow a specific format...but Alex's guitar here is just unacceptable. I feel like he kind of threw a million and one rhythms on top of each other.

 

That said, it actually sounds pretty good. The song is just not that memorable because so much is going on, and it's not tied so well together. On top of that, there are no "moving parts" of the song, no insane solo, nothing that truly stands out. The bass sounds awesome, but again...it feels as if it was just thrown in last minute (but that bass solo is pretty neat). The drums are good, but not too memorable.

 

The lyrics are pretty neat, if you can catch what Neil's trying to do. The "like malice through the looking glass" lyric is clever and pretty deep. One of my favorite lines. I just don't think the music fits in very well. It's a little too upbeat.

 

If the production cleared up these noises and strung them together in a more melodious way, this would be a better song. Not by much, but a better song nonetheless.

[Good,bad,andrush]

111.BRAVEST FACE

5/10

The opening guitar chords are very strong and fitting of the lyrics, even if they sound a little generic. The acoustic guitar that kicks in soon after is great too, but still a little generic. The dark entrance is the highlight of the song, as it presents itself here and there, contrasting the more upbeat parts of the song, and fitting in with the lyrical theme.

 

But this song just sounds too country. Especially the solo and the part after. Obviously, this was what they were going for. After all, they were inspired by their Feedback album and therefore decided to throw in some blues rock.

 

It fits decently, but I think these bluesy country parts just kill the theme of the song. It's a very powerful song, lyrically at least...but the music falls flat because of the experimentation.

[ColdFireYYZ]

QUOTE (Good,bad,andrush @ Jan 7 2011, 01:23 PM)

111.BRAVEST FACE 5/10 The opening guitar chords are very strong and fitting of the lyrics, even if they sound a little generic. The acoustic guitar that kicks in soon after is great too, but still a little generic. The dark entrance is the highlight of the song, as it presents itself here and there, contrasting the more upbeat parts of the song, and fitting in with the lyrical theme. But this song just sounds too country. Especially the solo and the part after. Obviously, this was what they were going for. After all, they were inspired by their Feedback album and therefore decided to throw in some blues rock. It fits decently, but I think these bluesy country parts just kill the theme of the song. It's a very powerful song, lyrically at least...but the music falls flat because of the experimentation.

I thought this was one of the better songs on Snakes and Arrows. I like the bluesy parts of the song, but it doesn't really sound too country to me at least.

[GeddysMullet]

Country?

 

What country would that be, then?

[Good,bad,andrush]

110.TOTEM

5/10

The entrance is lacking a little something, but it's better than other entrances on the album. The song cuts straight to the point, keeping a nice and cheerful and very upbeat rhythm. A real feel good song especially for those that aren't too religious. The lines "I believe in what I see/I believe in what I hear/I believe that what I'm feeling/changes how the world appears" are among Neil's best, as simple as they may seem. These lines fit in with the religious talk on the song.

 

Alex's guitar tones are very enjoyable on the song, as are the bass licks and drumming. So what's bad about it? Not much really. But what's excellent about it? Not much really. Earning a perfect 5 out of 10, this song I think is the halfway point in the catalog. The guitar solo is really nice, but along with the rest of the music, it doesn't stand out too much.

 

After awhile, the song begins to drag on, nothing happens after the guitar solo, and then the song just ends. It's really just a feel good song...but it can't compare to upcoming feel good Rush songs.

[Good,bad,andrush]

ALMOST 2112 views!

[GrandDesigner]

Keep going! I'm curious.

 

I feel the same way about a lot of these middle songs. There's nothing really wrong with a lot of the later period songs, but there's nothing that stands out either. On VT alone, I can maybe pick out only a few hair-raising moments, but nothing is truly bad either. Except for Stars Look Down, that song just sucks

[barchetta90480]

Wonder which Vapor Trails song will come up nexct. You've already rated two of the best songs they've recorded in the last 20 years (Cradle, Kingdom). I agree with The Stars Look Down, though.

Which VT favourite of mine will get a bashing next? Miracle? Victory? Ghost rider? Freeze? The title track?

All better than Earthshine or most on S&A ...

 

Keep going, though. My respect for the time and brains involved in such a project!

 

[Good,bad,andrush]

109.CINDERELLA MAN

5/10

The intro can knock you off your feet, and the song continues to rock, even when the acoustic sections kick in. Lyrically, it's pretty strong compared to Geddy's other lyrics, even if it's just the story of Mr. Deeds.

 

The song is pretty much a rocker, except for the chorus, in which it slows down. It fits in with the album pretty well, but it's just one of the weaker cuts on the album. The highlight of the song is the jazzy bass solo in the middle of the guitar solo. But the song goes off on a weird tangent that doesn't tie in so well compared to the rest of the song. It's an awesome groove, but Geddy's given us better before.

 

Anyway, this song is just there. I don't think it really stands out. It's just a song that you listen to and say, "man, Rush rocks!" It's not a song that you can analyze further or actually "feel." But that just may be me.

 

 

 

108.TIME AND MOTION

5/10

This song is HEAVY! For Rush, at least. The opening guitar riff is pretty strong, and the weird little keyboard thing actually fits the song, unlike half the songs in RTB. Lyrically, it's I guess decent for Peart. Musically, it's also pretty decent. It's just heavy. The riffs are awesome, but they're kind of forgettable. Geddy's not doing much on the bass, except following Alex.

 

But the guitar solo...oh boy...I wish Alex made it longer. It would shut metalheads up for good. Too bad he didn't shred more or at least elongate it. It's just begging for that. After the guitar solo, the song alternates back and forth between the heavy riffs and a softer bass groove, which is also pretty cool. I just feel that the rest of the song is lacking. It's heavy, but it's not that fast. Maybe that could be it? I'm not saying it has to be fast, but the song is definitely lacking something.

 

It kind of seems like the boys were bored when they wrote the song. Alex's solo is awesome, but why didn't he do more with it? It seems as if he just wanted to get it over with. Same thing with the rest of the song, especially the uninspired ending.

 

This really could be a much more powerful song.

 

[Good,bad,andrush]

[That One Guy]

The list goes on...

[slappa_da_bass]

Obviously everyone's going to have one or two picks they don't agree with, but I really think you're doing a bangup job so far. Keep going!

[tkdryan]

U like 80s era huh?