Ranked Rush Albums

[GeddyLeeRoth]

1. Moving Pictures

2. Hemispheres

3. 2112

4. Permanent Waves

5. A Farewell To Kings

6. Grace Under Pressure

7. Power Windows

8. Fly By Night

9. Signals

10. Vapor Trails

11. Counterparts

12.

13. Caress Of Steel

14. Presto

15. Hold Your Fire

16. Snakes & Arrows

17. Test For Echo

18. Roll The Bones

[danielmclark]

1 Presto

2 Power Windows

3 Permanent Waves

4 Hold Your Fire

5 Vapor Trails

6 Signals

7 Moving Pictures

8 Grace Under Pressure

9 A Farewell to Kings

10 Snakes & Arrows

11 Counterparts

12 Roll the Bones

13 Hemispheres

14 2112

15 Feedback

16 Test for Echo

17 Fly by Night

18 Caress of Steel

19 Rush

[nappy2112]

1. Moving Pictures

2. Permanent Waves

3. A Farewell to Kings

4. Hemispheres

5. Signals

6. Power Windows

7. Counterparts

8. Vapor Trails

9. Snakes and Arrows

10. 2112

11. Fly By Night

12. Presto

13. Grace Under Pressure

14. Roll the Bones

15. Test For Echo

16. Caress of Steel

17. Rush

18. Feedback

19. Hold Your Fire

[ghostworks]

QUOTE (DistantEarlyRushFan @ Apr 13 2012, 01:05 PM)

1. Moving Pictures 2. Permanent Waves 3. Signals 4. Hemispheres 5. A Farewell To Kings 6. 2112 7. Fly By Night 8. Caress of Steel 9. Grace Under Pressure 10. Counterparts 11. Snakes and Arrows 12. Rush 13. Power Windows 14. Presto 15. Roll The Bones 16. Hold Your Fire 17. Feedback (EP) 18. Test For Echo Post yours and lets get a debate. I feel comfortable about my list but I'd like to hear some opinions about it.

well, I hate your list

 

you play it so safe with #1 and #2, p/g and COS just barely crack your top ten, and wtf... S&A over Power Windows!?

 

you're exactly the kind of Rush fan I despise at their live shows - nodding along to Tom Sawyer and TSOR and yelling back 'heys' at the band during Temples

 

(... in other words, you'll fit right in here)

[1 of the 7]

I was just thinking that I really need to redo my ranking. I'll put what it was and which albums I want to move, but I've got to work on placement of those. Maybe I should just wait until after Clockwork Angels is out.

 

1 or 2) Power Windows

2 or 1) Grace Under Pressure

3) Signals

4) Moving Pictures (may move down)

5) Hold Your Fire

6) Presto

7) Roll The Bones

8) Permanent Waves

9) Counterparts (needs to move up)

10) A Farewell To Kings

11) 2112 (may move down)

12) Hemispheres

13) Test For Echo (may move down)

14) Caress Of Steel (needs to move up)

15) Rush

16) Snakes & Arrows (needs to move up)

17) Fly By Night

18) Vapor Trails

 

Did not include Feedback.

Edited April 15, 2012 by 1 of the 7

[Tommy Sawyer]

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Apr 14 2012, 02:43 PM)

QUOTE (Tommy Sawyer @ Apr 14 2012, 11:16 AM) QUOTE (tel @ Apr 14 2012, 02:07 PM) QUOTE (LeaveMyThingAlone @ Apr 13 2012, 07:02 PM) Looking at the results so far for Test for Echo it seems the consensus is that may be Rush's worst ever album ...... it is!     exactly, - it's their SECOND worst album         For second worst, try Signals or Roll the Bones.

[Cyclonus X-1]

1) Caress of Steel

2) Moving Pictures

3) Permanent Waves

4) Signals

5) Counterparts

6) Snakes & Arrows

7) Rush

8) Hemispheres

9) Grace Under Pressure

10) Presto

11) Test for Echo

12) Fly By Night

13) 2112

14) A Farewell to Kings

15) Hold Your Fire

16) Vapor Trails

17) Roll the Bones

18) Power Windows

 

The top two and the bottom three are pretty much locked in. 3-5 are basically interchangeable, and the same goes for 6-9 and 10-15.

[DistantEarlyRushFan]

QUOTE (ghostworks @ Apr 14 2012, 07:58 PM)

QUOTE (DistantEarlyRushFan @ Apr 13 2012, 01:05 PM) 1. Moving Pictures 2. Permanent Waves 3. Signals 4. Hemispheres 5. A Farewell To Kings 6. 2112 7. Fly By Night 8. Caress of Steel 9. Grace Under Pressure 10. Counterparts 11. Snakes and Arrows 12. Rush 13. Power Windows 14. Presto 15. Roll The Bones 16. Hold Your Fire 17. Feedback (EP) 18. Test For Echo Post yours and lets get a debate. I feel comfortable about my list but I'd like to hear some opinions about it. well, I hate your list   you play it so safe with #1 and #2, p/g and COS just barely crack your top ten, and wtf... S&A over Power Windows!?   you're exactly the kind of Rush fan I despise at their live shows - nodding along to Tom Sawyer and TSOR and yelling back 'heys' at the band during Temples   (... in other words, you'll fit right in here) I feel that MP and PeW have zero skippable moments. Tracks like Jacob's Ladder, Natural Science and Red Barchetta, and Vital Signs have unparalleled song structure and musicianship.   In what universe does CoS and P/G beat FBN or AFTK? Both releases, especially CoS, are plagued by poor decisions by the band compared to the others.   While PoW does have very many fine moments, the use of the synth sounds are invasive at times and the band seems to have lost their identity lyrically and musically. S&A has better moments and a more proggy sound.   Just because I can recognize obvious quality, like thousands of other Rush fans, in some of their best, most successful work does not mean anything. And yes, I nod to Tom Sawyer and shout during the Temples overture because it is incredibly fun. Rush shows are the best thing ever.   The fact that you inferred what kind of fan I am I think is funny. What kind of fan are you?

[DistantEarlyRushFan]

QUOTE (Shredder2 @ Apr 14 2012, 04:28 PM)

I don't care who murders me for my list. 1. Presto 2. Grace Under Pressure 3. Hemispheres 4. Moving Pictures 5. Signals 6. 2112 7. Permanent Waves 8. Test for Echo 9. Caress of Steel 10. Fly by Night 11. A Farewell to Kings 12. Counterparts 13. Power Windows 14. Rush 15. Snakes & Arrows 16. Vapor Trails 17. Feedback 18. Hold Your Fire 19. Roll the Bones Soon to rank: Clockwork Angels

We are actually in agreement about a number of albums relatively.

 

Test for Echo in your top ten and not A Farewell to Kings puzzles me though

[DistantEarlyRushFan]

QUOTE (danielmclark @ Apr 14 2012, 07:40 PM)

1 Presto 2 Power Windows 3 Permanent Waves 4 Hold Your Fire 5 Vapor Trails 6 Signals 7 Moving Pictures 8 Grace Under Pressure 9 A Farewell to Kings 10 Snakes & Arrows 11 Counterparts 12 Roll the Bones 13 Hemispheres 14 2112 15 Feedback 16 Test for Echo 17 Fly by Night 18 Caress of Steel 19 Rush

Can someone explain this one to me?

[WCFIELDS]

QUOTE (DistantEarlyRushFan @ Apr 15 2012, 07:43 PM)

QUOTE (danielmclark @ Apr 14 2012, 07:40 PM) 1 Presto 2 Power Windows 3 Permanent Waves 4 Hold Your Fire 5 Vapor Trails 6 Signals 7 Moving Pictures 8 Grace Under Pressure 9 A Farewell to Kings 10 Snakes & Arrows 11 Counterparts 12 Roll the Bones 13 Hemispheres 14 2112 15 Feedback 16 Test for Echo 17 Fly by Night 18 Caress of Steel 19 Rush Can someone explain this one to me? What's wrong with it, other than Presto is #1 and 2112 is #14.....

Edited April 16, 2012 by WCFIELDS

[Unattractive Truth]

QUOTE (WCFIELDS @ Apr 15 2012, 06:46 PM)

QUOTE (DistantEarlyRushFan @ Apr 15 2012, 07:43 PM) QUOTE (danielmclark @ Apr 14 2012, 07:40 PM) 1 Presto 2 Power Windows 3 Permanent Waves 4 Hold Your Fire 5 Vapor Trails 6 Signals 7 Moving Pictures 8 Grace Under Pressure 9 A Farewell to Kings 10 Snakes & Arrows 11 Counterparts 12 Roll the Bones 13 Hemispheres 14 2112 15 Feedback 16 Test for Echo 17 Fly by Night 18 Caress of Steel 19 Rush Can someone explain this one to me? What's wrong with it, other than Presto is #1 and 2112 is #14..... If Presto had been recorded with some balls, it would be very high on my list too.   Maybe not #1, but in the top 5.   As it is, I still think it's a very good album.

[danielmclark]

QUOTE (DistantEarlyRushFan @ Apr 15 2012, 07:43 PM)

QUOTE (danielmclark @ Apr 14 2012, 07:40 PM) 1 Presto 2 Power Windows 3 Permanent Waves 4 Hold Your Fire 5 Vapor Trails 6 Signals 7 Moving Pictures 8 Grace Under Pressure 9 A Farewell to Kings 10 Snakes & Arrows 11 Counterparts 12 Roll the Bones 13 Hemispheres 14 2112 15 Feedback 16 Test for Echo 17 Fly by Night 18 Caress of Steel 19 Rush Can someone explain this one to me? Sure, I'll give it a shot   Presto is number one because that was the first Rush album for me. I discovered them with that. It might not be as popular as Moving Pictures, but I'm sick and tired of probably 75% of Moving Pictures because it's been drilled into my head for the past 20 years. Presto has sentimental value to me, and I like the production values. People say it's too thin - I like it that way. People say it's too soft - I like it that way. If every album was a clone of Moving Pictures or Hemispheres I would hate Rush.   I remember a time when people lauded the band's progression, experimentation and willingness to take risks. More and more over the past two decades, everyone seems to resent those things and bitch about the band not stagnating. It's bizarre.   Power Windows has some of my favorite songs from any era on it - Middletown Dreams, Grand Designs, Emotion Detector... great stuff.   Permanent Waves I shouldn't have to explain being in the top three. It's under Presto for reasons I explained and under PoW because I just like the 80's better than the 70's, for the most part.   Hold Your Fire, same thing. I like the 80's. Prime Mover is in my top five songs. Time Stand Still and Force Ten are perfect.   Vapor Trails, I love that it's not perfect. It has heart. The music is great and I don't lament the lack of solos. I don't dock it points for the mastering, either. It's loud and abrasive, but what the hell, for that particular record, it kinda makes sense in a way.   That's the top 5.   There's nobody else that can explain my list to you.

[CrossedSignals]

OK, this is a damn-near impossible task, but I'll give it a whirl.

 

 

1 Grace Under Pressure

2 Power Windows

3 Hemispheres

4 Moving Pictures

5 Permanent Waves

6 Signals

7 Vapor Trails

8 Counterparts

9 Hold Your Fire

10 A Farewell To Kings

11 2112

12 Roll The Bones

13 Presto

14 Fly By Night

15 Snakes & Arrows

16 Caress Of Steel

17 Rush

18 Test For Echo

[danielmclark]

QUOTE (WCFIELDS @ Apr 15 2012, 07:46 PM)

QUOTE (DistantEarlyRushFan @ Apr 15 2012, 07:43 PM) QUOTE (danielmclark @ Apr 14 2012, 07:40 PM) 1 Presto 2 Power Windows 3 Permanent Waves 4 Hold Your Fire 5 Vapor Trails 6 Signals 7 Moving Pictures 8 Grace Under Pressure 9 A Farewell to Kings 10 Snakes & Arrows 11 Counterparts 12 Roll the Bones 13 Hemispheres 14 2112 15 Feedback 16 Test for Echo 17 Fly by Night 18 Caress of Steel 19 Rush Can someone explain this one to me? What's wrong with it, other than Presto is #1 and 2112 is #14..... I just explained Presto, but 2112... the song itself is fine. Most of it is awesome. Some of it is so boring it's comatose. I've already pissed off enough people in another thread with my opinion about the story, so I won't rehash that here. The second side of the album? Something For Nothing is the only one worth a damn, and maybe Passage to Bangkok if I'm in the mood for it, which is rare. It's another song that is musically good (except for the cheesy "oriental" da-da-da-da-da-da bits) but the lyrics are trite. Tears and The Twilight Zone are terrible. Lessons is merely okay.   That's why it ranks low for me.

[WCFIELDS]

QUOTE (danielmclark @ Apr 15 2012, 08:08 PM)

QUOTE (WCFIELDS @ Apr 15 2012, 07:46 PM) QUOTE (DistantEarlyRushFan @ Apr 15 2012, 07:43 PM) QUOTE (danielmclark @ Apr 14 2012, 07:40 PM) 1 Presto 2 Power Windows 3 Permanent Waves 4 Hold Your Fire 5 Vapor Trails 6 Signals 7 Moving Pictures 8 Grace Under Pressure 9 A Farewell to Kings 10 Snakes & Arrows 11 Counterparts 12 Roll the Bones 13 Hemispheres 14 2112 15 Feedback 16 Test for Echo 17 Fly by Night 18 Caress of Steel 19 Rush Can someone explain this one to me? What's wrong with it, other than Presto is #1 and 2112 is #14..... I just explained Presto, but 2112... the song itself is fine. Most of it is awesome. Some of it is so boring it's comatose. I've already pissed off enough people in another thread with my opinion about the story, so I won't rehash that here. The second side of the album? Something For Nothing is the only one worth a damn, and maybe Passage to Bangkok if I'm in the mood for it, which is rare. It's another song that is musically good (except for the cheesy "oriental" da-da-da-da-da-da bits) but the lyrics are trite. Tears and The Twilight Zone are terrible. Lessons is merely okay.   That's why it ranks low for me. it wasn't my attempt for an explanation....hence the

[danielmclark]

QUOTE (WCFIELDS @ Apr 15 2012, 08:10 PM)

QUOTE (danielmclark @ Apr 15 2012, 08:08 PM) QUOTE (WCFIELDS @ Apr 15 2012, 07:46 PM) QUOTE (DistantEarlyRushFan @ Apr 15 2012, 07:43 PM) QUOTE (danielmclark @ Apr 14 2012, 07:40 PM) 1 Presto 2 Power Windows 3 Permanent Waves 4 Hold Your Fire 5 Vapor Trails 6 Signals 7 Moving Pictures 8 Grace Under Pressure 9 A Farewell to Kings 10 Snakes & Arrows 11 Counterparts 12 Roll the Bones 13 Hemispheres 14 2112 15 Feedback 16 Test for Echo 17 Fly by Night 18 Caress of Steel 19 Rush Can someone explain this one to me? What's wrong with it, other than Presto is #1 and 2112 is #14..... I just explained Presto, but 2112... the song itself is fine. Most of it is awesome. Some of it is so boring it's comatose. I've already pissed off enough people in another thread with my opinion about the story, so I won't rehash that here. The second side of the album? Something For Nothing is the only one worth a damn, and maybe Passage to Bangkok if I'm in the mood for it, which is rare. It's another song that is musically good (except for the cheesy "oriental" da-da-da-da-da-da bits) but the lyrics are trite. Tears and The Twilight Zone are terrible. Lessons is merely okay.   That's why it ranks low for me. it wasn't my attempt for an explanation....hence the Oh I know... it's just that I almost wrote that bit in my first response, but left it out. When you called it out, even jokingly, I thought... screw it, I don't want to get back to work quite yet so I'll explain

[Czarcasm]

I mainly listen to 10 Rush albums. I've ranked them as shown:

 

Counterparts

Power Windows

Hold Your Fire

Signals

Grace Under Pressure

Test For Echo

Permanent Waves

Moving Pictures

presto

Roll The Bones

 

I have most of Rush's other albums, but these are the only ones that see frequent rotation. And by rotation I mean plays on my iPod.

[Geddyleegenes]

Here's my list based on how I'm feeling today. This could change at any moment.

 

1. Non-Stagnant Visual Remembrances

2. The Hairdo Album

3. Yin and Yang or This and That

4. One Hundred Years From Now

5. The Two Sections Of The Brain

6. Electrified Framed Glass Pieces

7. The Hurried Album

8. Native Americans Sent Them In Smoke

9. Chem Lines

10. Jones Not Over Over-Worked

11. Turned Clavicles, Femurs and Fibulas

12. Red-Eye Travel Time

13. Adios Henry the VIII and Richard the III

14. Car-Constructing Material With A Soft Touch

15. Politicians and Plymouth Automobiles

16. Let's See If This Works: HELLO??? Hello?? hello?

17. Results In Bandaged Hands

18. Hold Down Tightly On A Digit On One's Foot

19. Microphone To The Speaker System

 

I'm already thinking I need to change the order of some in the middle.

 

[Unobtrusive Companion]

QUOTE (Geddyleegenes @ Apr 16 2012, 06:38 PM)

Here's my list based on how I'm feeling today. This could change at any moment. 1. Non-Stagnant Visual Remembrances 2. The Hairdo Album 3. Yin and Yang or This and That 4. One Hundred Years From Now 5. The Two Sections Of The Brain 6. Electrified Framed Glass Pieces 7. The Hurried Album 8. Native Americans Sent Them In Smoke 9. Chem Lines 10. Jones Not Over Over-Worked 11. Turned Clavicles, Femurs and Fibulas 12. Red-Eye Travel Time 13. Adios Henry the VIII and Richard the III 14. Car-Constructing Material With A Soft Touch 15. Politicians and Plymouth Automobiles 16. Let's See If This Works: HELLO??? Hello?? hello? 17. Results In Bandaged Hands 18. Hold Down Tightly On A Digit On One's Foot 19. Microphone To The Speaker System I'm already thinking I need to change the order of some in the middle.

Brilliant! Just sat here for about 5 minutes trying to decipher all of them