Rush Headlong Flight VS Astra Barefoot in the Head

[rushgoober]

Ok, this might be an odd poll, but I'm truly curious.

 

I can't imagine anyone here (other than the ascetic self-deprivation nuts who are holding out to hear the full album) hasn't heard Headlong Flight yet, but just in case:

 

 

Most of you I imagine have not heard the new Astra album, a retro prog-rock group from San Diego who just released their 2nd album, The Black Chord. Here is the final song on the album, Barefoot in the Head. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the song by itself, so if you don't want to hear the instrumental track that leads up to it (Bull Torpis), skip to 2:54 and listen from there. Please listen to the entire song before voting, especially the last 3 minutes.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkrMlawJBjQ

 

 

I highly suspect Rush will be the runaway winners in this poll, because, well, it's a Rush board, but I'm curious to see how many votes Astra will get. While I personally think Headlong Flight is a very good song, and perhaps a great one (still deciding), it's kind of blown away by this other song IMHO. What say YOU?

Edited April 22, 2012 by rushgoober

[rushgoober]

Edited April 22, 2012 by rushgoober

[rushgoober]

Rush - Headlong Flight

 

All the journeys of this great adventure

It didn't always feel that way

I wouldn't trade them because I made them

The best I could, and that's enough to say

 

Some days were dark

I wish that I could live it all again

Some nights were bright

I wish that I could live it all again

 

All the highlights of that headlong flight

Holding on with all my might

To what I felt back then

I wish that I could live it all again

 

I have stoked the fire on the big steel wheels

Steer the airship right across the stars

I learned to fight, I learned to love and learned to feel

Oh I wish that I could live it all again

 

All the treasures, the gold and glory

It didn't always feel that way

I don't regret it - I'll never forget it

I wouldn't trade tomorrow for today

 

Some days were dark

I wish that I could live it all again

Some nights were bright

I wish that I could live it all again

 

I have stoked the fire on the big steel wheels

Steer the airship right across the stars

I learned to fight, I learned to love and learned to feel

Oh I wish that I could live it all again

 

The days were dark

And the nights were bright

Hey man...

I would never trade tomorrow for today

 

All the highlights of that headlong flight

Holding on with all my might

Some days were dark

I wish that I could live it all again

Some nights were bright

I wish that I could live it all again

 

I have stoked the fire on the big steel wheels

Steer the airship right across the stars

I learned to fight, I learned to love and learned to feel

Oh I wish that I could live it all again

 

I have stoked the fire on the big steel wheels

Steer the airship right across the stars

I learned to fight, I learned to love and learned to steal

Oh I wish that I could...

 

Oh I wish that I could live it all again

[rushgoober]

Also, please let us know your thoughts!

[vital signz]

I liked the Astra tune a lot....reminded me of old Pink Floyd quite a bit.

 

I have to say that they are a lot different in feel.

 

I would go with Rush on this one.

[Snaked]

sounds like Ostrich Testicles... I mean Ozric Tentacles.

[Snaked]

ok.. I've gone farther into this song and it's really not my thing at all.

they're supposedly from san diego... then why the (fake?) english accent from the vocals?? parts of the music have nearly been ripped off directly from Pink Floyd.... but hey, if you like them then great.

 

 

 

 

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (Snaked @ Apr 22 2012, 08:44 AM)

ok.. I've gone farther into this song and it's really not my thing at all. they're supposedly from san diego... then why the (fake?) english accent from the vocals?? parts of the music have nearly been ripped off directly from Pink Floyd.... but hey, if you like them then great.

 

How can you FAKE an English accent while singing? Even the Brits themselves sound American when they sing!

[Snaked]

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Apr 22 2012, 11:51 AM)

QUOTE (Snaked @ Apr 22 2012, 08:44 AM) ok.. I've gone farther into this song and it's really not my thing at all. they're supposedly from san diego... then why the (fake?) english accent from the vocals??  parts of the music have nearly been ripped off directly from Pink Floyd.... but hey, if you like them then great.   How can you FAKE an English accent while singing? Even the Brits themselves sound American when they sing! listen to the vocals. the dude is trying to sound English.   Something was bothering me when I was listening to the last 3 minutes of that song like you asked in your OP and it took a minute and then I figured it out.... I've heard that before (well, not exactly but you know what I mean).       Go back and pull out King Crimson's RED. They do it better anyway.

[Tigershark2112]

These 2 songs are NOTHING alike. Why don't we all pick some of our personal favorite songs and have polls to see if we think our faves are better than Headlong Flight? I don't get the point here...

 

Plus, some of the editing sucks in that song, 2:54 in particular made me cringe little.

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (Tigershark2112 @ Apr 22 2012, 08:58 AM)

Plus, some of the editing sucks in that song, 2:54 in particular made me cringe little.

That's because that's a transition from Bull Torpis into Headlong Flight - if I could have found the latter song by itself, I would have.

[Tigershark2112]

So this band also has a song called Headlong Flight?

 

Either way, I don't care for it. Too much droning and weedle-lee-deeing on guitar. I'll stick with my Rush, thanks.

[BigBob]

Dude Thanks for the link, this song sounds awesome! But I got to go with Rush because Headlong Flight kicks Ass! But Astra sounds like an interesting band, worthy of checking out.

[ReflectedLight]

i got through the first two minutes and than got a headache.

[presto123]

Goober I don't understand your thinking sometimes. It's like you are doing anything you can to discredit anything that comes off of CA. Just admit it is a great Rush song and captures their classic mojo in a lot of respects.

[Tarkus406]

Yikes. Not often I see hatred and negativity toward Astra!

 

Barefoot in the Head is great and whereas I don't understand the purpose of comparing it with headlong flight, HF is getting my vote because of my musical mood right now. Hard riffing, powerful bass playing and drumming and kickass Geddy wailing takes the cake right now. Astra is a totally different band from Rush. I love both, though

[losingit2k]

I already gave you my thoughts on "The Black Chord" and you never responded!

 

[Tommy Sawyer]

I listened to the whole Astra song...

 

but I'm going to have to give this one to Rush. I don't know Astra at all, but that was a really great song! The guitar solo was great, almost reminded me of Isle of Everywhere by Gong, which is a good thing. However, Headlong Flight wins due to the vocals. Astra's singer is (sadly) drab, droning, and boring. Also, the first 6 min of the song were a bit too drawn out as well. Awesome, but a little too long. However, Headlong Flight has a little bit of that as well, but wins due to Geddy's stellar vocal delivery.

 

I just might have to check Astra out.

[Tarkus406]

Hey I thought I told you to listen to Astra a long time ago!

 

See what you were missing? And if you ask me BFitH was one of the weak songs on the album! Check out "Cocoon" or "Quake Meat"

 

"The Black Chord" kicks some nards too!

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (losingit2k @ Apr 22 2012, 06:48 PM)

I already gave you my thoughts on "The Black Chord" and you never responded!

Are you talking to me? If so, I'm sorry, I don't recall - REpost or REsend and I promise I'll REspond!

[Silas Lang]

The Astra song was cool, not bad at all. But it isn't as distinctive with its own individual identity, but rather reminiscent of a style that flourished in the '70s. In comparison, the older band's 'Headlong Flight' sounds much more energetic, fresh and hungry - more contemporary and yet distinctly Rush. Despite their going back to a more conceptual approach, Rush musically aren't trying to relive the '70s again. 'Headlong Flight' I think is the better constructed song and makes better use of its 7:20 than Astra's which kinda rambled a bit. It's also much more interesting lyrically and a lot of fun to sing along to.

[Babycat]

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Apr 22 2012, 04:10 PM)

Rush - Headlong Flight All the journeys of this great adventure It didn't always feel that way I wouldn't trade them because I made them The best I could, and that's enough to say Some days were dark I wish that I could live it all again Some nights were bright I wish that I could live it all again All the highlights of that headlong flight Holding on with all my might To what I felt back then I wish that I could live it all again I have stoked the fire on the big steel wheels Steer the airship right across the stars I learned to fight, I learned to love and learned to feel Oh I wish that I could live it all again All the treasures, the gold and glory It didn't always feel that way I don't regret it - I'll never forget it I wouldn't trade tomorrow for today Some days were dark I wish that I could live it all again Some nights were bright I wish that I could live it all again I have stoked the fire on the big steel wheels Steer the airship right across the stars I learned to fight, I learned to love and learned to feel Oh I wish that I could live it all again The days were dark And the nights were bright Hey man... I would never trade tomorrow for today All the highlights of that headlong flight Holding on with all my might Some days were dark I wish that I could live it all again Some nights were bright I wish that I could live it all again I have stoked the fire on the big steel wheels Steer the airship right across the stars I learned to fight, I learned to love and learned to feel Oh I wish that I could live it all again I have stoked the fire on the big steel wheels Steer the airship right across the stars I learned to fight, I learned to love and learned to steal Oh I wish that I could... Oh I wish that I could live it all again

I've got this to say:

 

 

That is all.

 

 

Except, who is Astra?

[Babycat]

QUOTE (Snaked @ Apr 22 2012, 04:41 PM)

sounds like Ostrich Testicles... I mean Ozric Tentacles.

[rushgoober]

Alright, I guess I started this thread to highlight the deficiencies I'm finding in Headlong Flight, and how a modern day song (by a band that is truly prog) blows Rush out of the water, at least IMHO, even though obviously the songs have little to do with each other - I guess that's kind of the point.

 

I LIKE Headlong Flight, but compared to Astra and some other modern retro groups people are introducing me to (like Wobbler), Rush songs just seem so structured and constricted. They weren't always like that, the songs had a lot more room to breathe, had more range, more light and shade, were less repetitive, etc. It's very good within the structure, as long as I don't get disappointed that it never really breaks out of the structure, and that for as great instrumentation as there is, in the end it's really pretty straight ahead hard rock, though done very well.

Edited April 24, 2012 by rushgoober

[druid13]

Actually it sounded to me like:

 

Tales from Topographic Crimson Red Ostrich Testicles VI