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Which album most says 'Rush' to you?


Mika
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In your opinion, which album best describes Rush to you, whether in sound or style?

 

Not necessarily your favourite album, mind, but the album that best matches what you perceive to be the 'Rush sound'. For instance, maybe you were introduced to Rush in the 'Roll the Bones' era, and so that's the sound you associate with them. Or maybe you became a fan in the 70s (good gravy, I wasn't even born then! tongue.gif ) and your Rushiest choice might be 'A Farewell to Kings'. Or maybe you've just gotten into them, and 'Snakes and Arrows' is what defines the Rush sound to you.

 

Me, I pick 'Hemispheres'. Probably the first Rush album I heard. It contains everything I associate with them: awesome musicianship, long, story-telling songs, and high, powerful vocals. That's the sound I 'default' to when I think of Rush.

 

Otherwise, as a kid growing up in the late 80s - early 90s, I heard a fair bit of 80s Rush, with full synthesizers, so the 'Power Windows' era is my secondary Rush association. Not my favourite, as I'm more a fan of less synths, but that sound has been ingrained pretty well.

 

So, what's your 'Rush sound' association album?

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I got into RUSH on Presto and I LOVE it. I knew some of the popular songs by RUSH and liked them, but until I went and saw them LIVE on the Presto tour, did I realize what an amazing band that they really were.

 

That said, I go almost right to the middle...Moving Pictures, says "RUSH" to me the most.

 

Just tight, precise, amazing music with intelligent lyrics.

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Album, probably Permanent Waves. To me, it's the bridge between 'Old Rush' and 'New Rush', in as much as those descriptions mean anything.

 

I've said before actually that IMO, the essence of Rush is captured on one song, and that's Prime Mover.

 

Great musicianship, and the lyrics (particularly "the point of the journey is not to arrive") are typical of Neil's themes over the years.

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QUOTE (madra sneachta @ Feb 4 2012, 12:21 PM)
Album, probably Permanent Waves. To me, it's the bridge between 'Old Rush' and 'New Rush', in as much as those descriptions mean anything.

I've said before actually that IMO, the essence of Rush is captured on one song, and that's Prime Mover.

Great musicianship, and the lyrics (particularly "the point of the journey is not to arrive") are typical of Neil's themes over the years.

bekloppt.gif

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DEFINITELY Moving Pictures for many reasons:

 

~ it's their most popular, successful, enduring album. jeez, they chose it as a full album to play last tour.

 

~ it was the culmination of all they had done up to that point. after that, things would be different.

 

~ their prog roots still show.

 

~ their hard rock roots still show.

 

~ it has enough keyboards to reflect the few albums before it and signals ( wink.gif ) their upcoming increased usage

 

~ it's incredibly well produced - the vocals are crystal clear, the instrument separation is flawless. it just sounds amazing. this is the rush sound, or what it should be at least in terms of audiophile sound quality!

 

~ side one. i want to say "enough said" but seriously, those 4 songs are all time rush classics. when any casual fan thinks of rush, at least one of those songs will pop up. hardcore fans can't ignore the importance, majesty and classic nature of those songs.

Edited by rushgoober
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QUOTE (madra sneachta @ Feb 4 2012, 05:21 AM)
Album, probably Permanent Waves. To me, it's the bridge between 'Old Rush' and 'New Rush', in as much as those descriptions mean anything.

I've said before actually that IMO, the essence of Rush is captured on one song, and that's Prime Mover.

Great musicianship, and the lyrics (particularly "the point of the journey is not to arrive") are typical of Neil's themes over the years.

i don't agree that prime mover is the essence of rush in one song, not even close, but that said, it's a GREAT song and my favorite on HYF.

 

and hi madra, wtf are you doing here? tongue.gif trink39.gif 1287.gif

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Well, Hemispheres has my favorite sound, but I'd say that Moving Pictures has the sound that best "sums up" the band. It just seems to combine most of the elements that I'd typically associate with Rush. There's synth use, but lots of strong riffs and distinctive solos from Alex as well. Plenty of stand-out drum, bass, and vocal passages too.
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QUOTE (rushgoober @ Feb 4 2012, 08:35 AM)
DEFINITELY Moving Pictures for many reasons:

~ it's their most popular, successful, enduring album. jeez, they chose it as a full album to play last tour.

~ it was the culmination of all they had done up to that point. after that, things would be different.

~ their prog roots still show.

~ their hard rock roots still show.

~ it has enough keyboards to reflect the few albums before it and signals ( wink.gif ) their upcoming increased usage

~ it's incredibly well produced - the vocals are crystal clear, the instrument separation is flawless. it just sounds amazing. this is the rush sound, or what it should be at least in terms of audiophile sound quality!

~ side one. i want to say "enough said" but seriously, those 4 songs are all time rush classics. when any casual fan thinks of rush, at least one of those songs will pop up. hardcore fans can't ignore the importance, majesty and classic nature of those songs.

goodpost.gif

 

Even though you just copied my answer, great post and great reasons. wink.gif

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QUOTE (rushgoober @ Feb 4 2012, 08:35 AM)
DEFINITELY Moving Pictures for many reasons:

~ it's their most popular, successful, enduring album.  jeez, they chose it as a full album to play last tour.

~ it was the culmination of all they had done up to that point.  after that, things would be different.

~ their prog roots still show.

~ their hard rock roots still show.

~ it has enough keyboards to reflect the few albums before it and signals ( wink.gif ) their upcoming increased usage

~ it's incredibly well produced - the vocals are crystal clear, the instrument separation is flawless.  it just sounds amazing.  this is the rush sound, or what it should be at least in terms of audiophile sound quality!

~ side one.  i want to say "enough said" but seriously, those 4 songs are all time rush classics.  when any casual fan thinks of rush, at least one of those songs will pop up.  hardcore fans can't ignore the importance, majesty and classic nature of those songs.

+ 1

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If this was a poll, I would vote Permanent Waves, for one of the reasons mentioned above...it is the transition album from side length songs to a more condensed format, but still with longer songs like Natural Science and Jacob's Ladder. In some ways, that makes it no different from AFTK but the transition this time seemed to stick and in fact even move further in the direction toward shorter songs.
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Hmm, that's a tough one. I love Rush's 80s period and it screams Rush to me.

 

However, I think the essential Rush sound is displayed on Hemispheres. It has the epic (Hemispheres), the two shorter but rocking songs (Circumstances and The Trees), and has what is considered one of the best instrumentals in rock music to close the album (La Villa Strangiato). It just shows everything that Rush has to offer. Obviously other albums have these chunks on them, but Hemispheres has that brilliant sound to it.

 

It's unmistakable perfection.

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Good question..depends on the decade.

 

70's--2112 or Hemispheres

80's--MP or PRW

90's--RTB or CP

2000's--S&A or VT

 

Out of all those, I'd pick either 2112 of MP...

with MP over 2112..but not by much.

 

goodpost.gif

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QUOTE (go2wrk@95974 @ Feb 4 2012, 03:39 PM)
Good question..depends on the decade.

70's--2112 or Hemispheres
80's--MP or PRW
90's--RTB or CP
2000's--S&A or VT

Out of all those, I'd pick either 2112 of MP...
with MP over 2112..but not by much.

goodpost.gif

Well, for the 2000s, it would definitely have to be VT or S&A tongue.gif

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