Your favourite album

[Czarcasm]

Hey guys, there must be 100's of these threads out there, but I can't look through all of those, and I want some fresh opinions.

 

I want you to list your top 5 favourite Rush albums and give as many reasons as possible for your number one pick. For me It has to be:

 

1: Power Windows.

 

-It has balanced instrumentation. Keyboards are obviously present, but the guitar still plays a large role in the general sound.

 

-It's well produced. You can clearly hear the bass, the guitar chimes clearly, and the drums still pack a punch. Everything shines equally.

 

-It has intelligent lyrics. This release still has the smartly crafted lyrics that rush is known for. No repetitive lyrics, no obvious pop radio hooks, and thought provoking ideas.

 

-A theme. I love concept albums and this is a brilliant one. The theme is cohesive, yet not overbearing, allowing for musical differentiation while not losing it's goal.

 

-The music is interesting. The songs are sometimes called overly long, but in their defense, they're interesting. Flourishes from keyboards or chimes from guitars hold the listeners interest. While the songs are all over 5 minutes, there are constant shifts in musical style, still in the vein of Rush's prog roots. This is something often absent on subsequent releases.

 

-It has an interesting cover. Not related to the music of course, but it can still affect how one interprets the music. The idea of switching windows/ Televisions and reality/ media, is intriguing and to be honest, a much better cover than some of rush's others. COUGH*Signals*COUGH

 

2. Moving pictures

 

3. Test for echo

 

4. Roll the Bones

 

5. Hold your fire

 

Honourable mention goes to signals. On some days, it outranks HYF, but not today.

 

Well, TRF?

 

What say you? Let's see your favourites!

[RushBowler2112]

I'll bite since i am guilty of being a long time lurker.

 

1) Counterparts - It's the album that got me in to Rush and it has remained my favorite album even after heavy listening of every album in the catalog. I will always remember falling asleep with the headphones in my ear and having the vocals on Double Agent literally scare the crap out of me.

 

From Double Agent and Stick it Out to the lyrics of Nobody's Hero and Everyday Glory this album will always hold the top spot in my heart.

 

2) Power Windows - I have to give this one the nod for #2 strictly because of Manhattan Project.

 

3) Hemispheres

 

4) Roll the Bones - yea I know everyone on here seems to not be able to stand the rap in RtB, but dammit it's different and I love it!

 

5) Grace Under Pressure - Enemy Within and Between the Wheels. I used to not really like this album but every time a song came up on shuffle I found myself singing along.

[PariahDog]

1. Moving Pictures

-Rush's best balancing of guitar, bass, drums, vocals, keys.

-Rush's best-sounding album: guitar, drums, everything.

-Insane musicianship: TS, RB, YYZ, etc.

-Alex's best solo: Limelight.

-Great front and back cover.

-Perfect vocal range for Ged, down from the stratosphere but not too low (Presto, RTB).

-Great lyrics, including Neil's best sci-fi/fantasy lyrics (RB).

-Analog synths instead of digital.

-Perfect blending of prog and rock.

 

2. Permanent Waves

3. Hemispheres

4. 2112

5. AFTK

 

[Tommy Sawyer]

Another one?

 

1. Hemispheres (but I think we all know the reasons)

 

2. Presto

Very crisp sound quality

Very tight vocal performance

Short, blazing solos

Good blend of hard rockers and not-so-hard rockers

The Pass.

Good length (50 min)

Interesting lyrics

 

3. Moving Pictures (reasons already stated)

 

4. Grace Under Pressure

Fabulous lyrics

Awesome drum beats/fills/etc.

Synths make the music sound very full

Guitar gives great variety

Alex has some great solos

Geddy's got a couple enormous basslines (Red Lenses, etc.)

Awesome cover

 

5. Test for Echo

Interesting lyrics (for me)

Great guitar lines

Not too much synth

Great guitar riffs

Very rocking

Resist.

Awesome cover

[micgtr71]

1. Hemispheres-This was not the first Rush album I heard in its entirety, it wasn't even the second. The first couple of years that I was into Rush found me having to do the old school research. I had to either shell out the money for the album or borrow it from a friend, then sit for the better part of an hour and absorb the album while I copied it to a maxell tape...early file sharing.

 

Hemispheres blew me away from the first chord. The melodies, the bass, the guitar. Everything worked together magically. Even though I was is junior high, the fact that there was not a Tom Sawyer or a Spirit or Radio didn't matter. It was probably the 3rd or 4th Rush album I ever bought. I still feel the same way whenever I put it on and the album never gets dated.

 

2. Signals

 

3. Moving Pictures

 

4. Hold Your Fire

 

5. Caress of Steel

 

It's interesting how this list changes from year to year or even from month to month. Regardless of what happens, Hemispheres remains either in the 1 slot or maybe the 2 slot. It never slips below that.

[drbirdsong]

1. Permanent Waves

 

Alex sounds like he is conquering the world on this album. There are better solos or songs, but on this album he consistently rules the day. At moments he can peel the paint off the wall. Whatever they did on this album makes his guitars sound so balls to the wall. It floors me every time.

 

The keyboards are there, but stay in a supportive role for the most part and they are analog.

 

Neil and Geddy are tight and awesome for the whole thing. Geddy is way down on the bottom anchoring the whole thing and Neil is creating a whole new vocabulary for his drums. Best of all there is great separation in the mix so you can hear all the parts. On headphones this album is a wonder and the conversation between the instruments is outstanding.

 

Geddy's singing is half way between the old wail and the new actual singing he would develop in the 80s.

 

The entire album never gets old. As soon as it is over I want to start again. It always leaves me wanting more. I often find myself playing my second favorite right after Permanent Waves ends which leads me to number 2:

 

2. Moving Pictures

 

I used to think that this was the most perfect album I ever heard. My opinion is a little different now, but it still is a big favorite. Like everyone else I have probably listened to it too much. Permanent Waves is a teenager and Moving Pictures is that teenager becoming an adult. It is hard for me to separate the pair. They were my favorite one-two punch when I was teenager and they still mean a lot to me.

 

3. The rest depend on what I'm in the mood to hear. Some days I want to hear some old school Rush and blast All The World's A Stage. Other days I'm mellow and go for Hold Your Fire. It's hard to pick a top five with so many great albums to choose from.

Edited August 31, 2011 by drbirdsong

[ColdFireYYZ]

1. Signals

Nice blend of guitar and synth. Even the so called filler tracks - New World Man, Chemistry, & Countdown - are great. Neil is on fire and even though there's plenty of synths, Geddy's bass was amazing like always.

 

2. Permanent Waves

Starts off with 2 great, well written radio friendly tracks. 3 other awesome songs, and then the grand finale. Natural Science is one of Rush's greatest. All around great album.

 

3. Counterparts

Even though I like the synth era, I love the guitar dominated sound of CP. Some great solos by Alex, especially CF. Only 1 clunker, TSOL.

 

4. Hemispheres

Starts off with Rush's greatest epic. Circumstances is the weakest track but still very good. The Trees has a great acoustic intro courtesy of Alex with great analog synths. La Villa is Alex's masterpiece. Neil's drumming is superb, as is Geddy's bass playing.

 

5. Grace Under Pressure

Couldn't decide whether to include this or AFTK. Even though there is a lot of electronic drums, synths, and sequencers, the music is still great. Many have criticized the production, but I think it goes great with the cold, dark feel of this album.

[laughedatbytime]

1. Permanent Waves

 

1a. Hemispheres

 

3. A Farewell to Kings

 

4. Moving Pictures

 

5. 2112

[Silas Lang]

1. Permanent Waves - It just overflows with positivity and confidence. It shows the band finally moving out from the shadow of their influences to create a sound that was uniquely Rush while maintaining a perfect balance between complexity and a more direct streamlined approach. And it simply rocks with SoR, FW, JL and NS all among my top 10 favorites.

 

2. Moving Pictures - for me the equal of the previous album in every respect

 

3. 2112 - Emotion, Energy, Explosiveness

 

4. Grace Under Pressure - Again the emotion contained within it is very palpable and apparent. A real peak in terms of songwriting. I love its aggressiveness, intensity and uniqueness.

 

5. Caress of Steel - great stuff from beginning to end

Edited August 31, 2011 by Silas Lang

[trenken]

QUOTE (PariahDog @ Aug 29 2011, 07:35 PM)

1. Moving Pictures -Rush's best balancing of guitar, bass, drums, vocals, keys. -Rush's best-sounding album:  guitar, drums, everything.    -Insane musicianship:  TS, RB, YYZ, etc. -Alex's best solo:  Limelight.  -Great front and back cover. -Perfect vocal range for Ged, down from the stratosphere but not too low (Presto, RTB).  -Great lyrics, including Neil's best sci-fi/fantasy lyrics (RB). -Analog synths instead of digital. -Perfect blending of prog and rock. 2. Permanent Waves 3. Hemispheres 4. 2112 5. AFTK

Jesus, exact same order I would put them.

 

I like some modern Rush, post MP, but nothing as much as the albums prior to it. They peaked in their late 20's, did some interesting things after it, but im a big sucker for young energetic bands at the peak of their abilities.

Edited August 31, 2011 by trenken

[1 of the 7]

My top 5 are all synth era, because it's my favorite kind of music and I'm totally moved by the atmosphere of it.

 

1. Power Windows - My top two faves are on here; Marathon and Emotion Detector. I keep thinking that the thrill of Marathon is going to wear off someday, but every time I listen to it, I'm still blown away by the end, and feel like I did the first time I heard on the Time Machine tour last year. Emotion Detector describes exactly a situation I was in a few years ago. Very personal for me. I totally relate to Middletown Dreams (don't we all)?

 

2. Grace Under Pressure - LOVE the release of emotion here (Afterimage, RSA for examples, but all are incredible). Between The Wheels is absolutely fabulous. HAVE to play air keyboards to DEW. The Body Electric is totally underrated.

 

3. Signals - The Weapon is another big fave. Subdivisions brings back memories of my friend quoting "nowhere is the dreamer or the misfit so alone", and the "drawn like moths" verse totally describes how I act now. Analog Kid does indeed "move me". Loves how he sings that with those synths going. Chemistry is SO underrated.

 

4. Moving Pictures - How can you grow up in the 80's and not have this in your life? Big points to this one for the Limelight video being the first time I saw Rush, and thinking as a 10-year-old girl that Geddy looked as sweet as his voice sounded (little did I know how much I'd fall under his spell )! I still remember him trying to keep the headphones on his head of beautiful long hair. His vocals are just awesome in The Camera Eye. Witch Hunt was another incredible live experience. Vital Signs is just so quirky, and I love that "evelate from the norm" play on words.

 

5. Hold Your Fire - Prime Mover is another that got me through a big transition in life. LOVE the energy of Turn The Page - it's one of the first songs I discovered digging deeper in the Rush catalog. Would LOVE to hear Lock and Key live. Open Secrets is another underrated gem. Then there's Second Nature...I don't care if none of the rest of you AND the band hate it; I love it enough to make up for ALL of you. Every time I listen to it, I blurt out "God, I love that song!"

 

I could go on for twice as long, but that's just a taste...

 

 

[An Enemy Without]

QUOTE (1 of the 7 @ Aug 30 2011, 10:45 PM)

My top 5 are all synth era, because it's my favorite kind of music and I'm totally moved by the atmosphere of it. 1. Power Windows - My top two faves are on here; Marathon and Emotion Detector. I keep thinking that the thrill of Marathon is going to wear off someday, but every time I listen to it, I'm still blown away by the end, and feel like I did the first time I heard on the Time Machine tour last year. Emotion Detector describes exactly a situation I was in a few years ago. Very personal for me. I totally relate to Middletown Dreams (don't we all)? 2. Grace Under Pressure - LOVE the release of emotion here (Afterimage, RSA for examples, but all are incredible). Between The Wheels is absolutely fabulous. HAVE to play air keyboards to DEW. The Body Electric is totally underrated. 3. Signals - The Weapon is another big fave. Subdivisions brings back memories of my friend quoting "nowhere is the dreamer or the misfit so alone", and the "drawn like moths" verse totally describes how I act now. Analog Kid does indeed "move me". Loves how he sings that with those synths going. Chemistry is SO underrated. 4. Moving Pictures - How can you grow up in the 80's and not have this in your life? Big points to this one for the Limelight video being the first time I saw Rush, and thinking as a 10-year-old girl that Geddy looked as sweet as his voice sounded (little did I know how much I'd fall under his spell )! I still remember him trying to keep the headphones on his head of beautiful long hair. His vocals are just awesome in The Camera Eye. Witch Hunt was another incredible live experience. Vital Signs is just so quirky, and I love that "evelate from the norm" play on words. 5. Hold Your Fire - Prime Mover is another that got me through a big transition in life. LOVE the energy of Turn The Page - it's one of the first songs I discovered digging deeper in the Rush catalog. Would LOVE to hear Lock and Key live. Open Secrets is another underrated gem. Then there's Second Nature...I don't care if none of the rest of you AND the band hate it; I love it enough to make up for ALL of you. Every time I listen to it, I blurt out "God, I love that song!" I could go on for twice as long, but that's just a taste...

I wouldn't consider MP to be synth era.

[An Enemy Without]

This totally hasn't been done 800 times.

[Invisible To Telescopic Eye]

Permanent Waves.....'cuz you can see her panties.

[circumstantial tree]

1. Hold Your Fire is my favorite. Hard to put into words why I like it. It was a great album to come out after high school graduation. "Turn the Page" has become a kind of personal anthem because the song makes me think of all the phases we go through in our personal lives - graduation, marriage, perhaps a move to a different town or state, leaving old friends and making new ones. Basically, our lives go through major changes at one time or another and this song make me think of that. I love the melodies and the memories that the album evokes. "Mission" is a great song about deciding what your dreams are, setting goals and working towards meeting those goals. Overall, the album has a positive vibe to it. Sometimes it's nice to look back and remember or look through old high school yearbooks or family photo albums. I'm nostalgic about this album which is about nostalgia.

 

2. Signals - my first ever Rush album and the first where lyrics had significant meaning beyond just something to sing along to.

 

3. Fly By Night

 

4. Moving Pictures

 

5. A Farewell to Kings

[towenstark]

That's a tough one since I love almost all of them. I always think of 'Permanent Waves' first because of 'Natural Science' which may be my favorite Rush song. I just think that album contains all the great elements of Rush...even though MP was them reaching their peak.

[Undemanding Contact]

QUOTE (drbirdsong @ Aug 30 2011, 02:15 PM)

1. Permanent Waves Alex sounds like he is conquering the world on this album.  ... At moments he can peel the paint off the wall.

 

Oh Yes! What a way to describe his work on that album. Thank you for putting it that way - it sums up my thoughts precisely. He is absolutely on-fire on PeW, and the opening riff to The Spirit of Radio was the first Rush I ever heard; I was hooked irrevocably from that point onwards.

[ILSnwdog]

MP - One listen and you know why.

 

Perm Waves - Nat Science...Freewill...SoR....nuff said

 

Signals - The bass work on Digital Man, the guitar on Analog Kid. And Sudivisions just flat out rocks.

 

AFWTK - Xanadu and Cygnus...nuff said

 

Power Windows - First time I saw Rush was on this tour, so there is sentimental reasons for this pick. Big Money, Manhattan Project, Marathon, and Mystic Rhythms helps too.

 

Snakes and Arrows - I have a little trouble putting this ahead of Hemispheres, but there are so many good songs on S&A. Far Cry, A&S, Spindrift, Workin them angles, TMMB, Mal Nar, and We hold on. Plus...it's relatively fresh. I've been playing the hell out of Hemispheres for the last 30 + years.

 

 

[Khan]

Thinking Signals....it's just gitchy.

[LyndseyG]

QUOTE (RushBowler2112 @ Aug 30 2011, 01:07 AM)

4) Roll the Bones - yea I know everyone on here seems to not be able to stand the rap in RtB, but dammit it's different and I love it!

 

Excuse me! Hello! Someone else here who likes the rap in Roll The Bones!

 

You ain't alone!!

[Tommy Sawyer]

QUOTE (LyndseyG @ Aug 31 2011, 03:06 PM)

QUOTE (RushBowler2112 @ Aug 30 2011, 01:07 AM) 4) Roll the Bones - yea I know everyone on here seems to not be able to stand the rap in RtB, but dammit it's different and I love it!   Excuse me! Hello! Someone else here who likes the rap in Roll The Bones!   You ain't alone!! I also the rap! Just the thought of a rapping skeleton!

[MovingSignals]

1: Signals (5 stars)

 

The music is big and "penetrating", the melody is great, and there always happen so awesome things on the instruments all the time . Overall it is just magic. Every track is awsome, except The Weapon (i just skip it)

 

2: Moving Pictures (5 stars)

 

Same reasons

 

3: Permanent Waves (5 stars)

 

Same reasons

 

4: Hemispheres

 

Same reasons, but it is a little different melodywise, but still great (4,5 stars)

 

5: Can't choose between these: GUP, PoW, HYF, TFE (3,5 stars)

 

Not as great as the above, but solid albums, nice too listen to. Good all the way through, but not as intense (penetrating, active, good melody)

 

The rest i choose not to own, because i dont like at least half of the songs, but there's a couple of decent songs on most albums i enjoy.

 

And yes, i think TFE i clearly better than Counterparts. It has a nice melody too it, Counterpart i just think is a bit boring compared to it.

[Tommy Sawyer]

QUOTE (MovingSignals @ Aug 31 2011, 03:28 PM)

The rest i choose not to own, because i dont like at least half of the songs, but there's a couple of decent songs on most albums i enjoy.

 

QUOTE

And yes, i think TFE i clearly better than Counterparts. It has a nice melody too it, Counterpart i just think is a bit boring compared to it.