TheAccountant Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 QUOTE (Priest of Syrinx @ Apr 26 2012, 06:10 PM) QUOTE (TheAccountant @ Apr 25 2012, 08:06 PM) QUOTE (New World Kid @ Apr 25 2012, 07:02 PM) 6. The whole first side is just meh. Musically it's repetitive, and considering it's 20 minutes long, it could do so much more. The concept is silly. Guy flies into a blackhole and comes out the other side as a Greek God. And the underlying message is the same thing as the "I'm a Mac and I'm a PC" commercials, and those got the point across in 30 seconds! Just silly. It's one credit is how tight the band sounds on this track. It may be repetitive, but it is complex. Circumstances is good. Musically it moves with tempo and dynamic changes. The lyrics are concise and carry a message. This song works. The Trees is a good parable, and works in the same execution as Circumstances. La Villa Strangiato is musically brilliant. Just absolutely brilliant as music. But there's no weight to it. It doesn't mean anything. It's just an assemblage of AMAZING musical passages. But it's jsut the sum of it's parts. So, this album is a 6 in my book. Most of you won't like that, but ask the lot in SOCN, that never stops me from spewing my perspective I for one don't have any problem with your post. Its well written and to the point. Its not Rush worship and its honest. You had the courage to take an unpopular position and, rather than just voting and leaving, you explained your self. As one who likes the album more than you but clearly less than many on TRF, I greatly respect you for taking an unpopular position and explaining it. Except his assertion "... the underlying message is the same thing as the "I'm a Mac and I'm a PC" commercials, and those got the point across in 30 seconds!" is ridiculous. Completely different messages. I will agree that the Mac / PC part of the post was the weak part of it. Still, I respect the willingness of New World Kid to take an unpopular position with respect to this album and explain it (unlike the 2 folks who voted it a 1 and then ran and hid). Got to say, I have really enjoyed these "Rate ABC album" threads that Gompers has started. They (plus Deckillers great thread in which he is rating all 156 Rush songs) have really got me thinking. I have a feeling that when these are all done I may wind up re-ranking some of the albums and perhaps trying to rank all of Rush's songs. I have already ranked the top 10 Rush songs. That was easy. I also have a fairly good idea of what is a the very bottom of the barrel. Ranking everything in-between is going to b the hard part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
That One Guy Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 When I was getting into Rush a few years ago, I bought Hemispheres right out of the store. I was amazed to see that the track listing included... Four tracks. I popped that hoe in the stereo, and listening to what was arguably the finest 36 minutes of music ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Avatar Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 It's a 9, since only "Moving Pictures" is a perfect 10 as far as I'm concerned. But Hemispheres is part of the trio of awesomeness - Hem/PW/MP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Sawyer Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 QUOTE (TheAccountant @ Apr 26 2012, 07:54 PM)<snip> I have already ranked the top 10 Rush songs. That was easy. <snip> Easy? There are like 30 top-10 worthy songs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 of the 7 Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 I'm another black sheep - 8 for me. I love side 1, especially when played on the heels of Cygnus X-1, but as far as epics go, I like Fountain better...it's more relatable to my life at this moment, I suppose. Circumstances is great, but there are many other Rush songs I love even more. The Trees I am not crazy for, and I can't even really say why, though the change in volume over the course of the song makes it tough to hear (part of this is my hearing). La Villa is also a great song, but I'm very much attracted to vocals/lyrics and miss them in most songs without them, including this one. I do love my red vinyl of this album, though - it makes it fun to play in more ways than one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyBlaze Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 imho, RUSH has made 3 perfect 10s. This is one of them. The other two follow it right up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Not Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 I'll do this the same way I did PeW Hemispheres, 5/5, 1 Circumstances, 4/5, .8 The Trees, 5/5, 1 La Villa Strangiato, 5/5, 1 Average: 0.95 95% - Near Perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
English Muffin Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 Everyone rating it less than 10, go listen to the album. Right now. You will change your mind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tas7 Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 Heavily criticised at the time if I remember, it is the Rush album I always go back and visit.Alex's guitar sound is heaven.I often play the opening chord at the beginning of la villa Strangiato over and over as it is the most beautiful chord, a six string arpeggio!!!!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Presto-digitation Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 Solid 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAccountant Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DistantEarlyRushFan Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 Anyone rating this bellow 8 has issues and shouldn't be here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SchemingDemon Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 10, easily. This is my favorite album 6/7 days of the week. I gotta give the other albums some love once and a while Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Not Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 as of this date, excluding those who voted "1" the overall TRF rating of this album is: 95% Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyfriar Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 10 - Amen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merely Space Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 (edited) This is a tough one for me because I really don't like Hemispheres itself. I find the lyrics cheesy and childish, and musically, they are trying too hard to be clever. Terrible answer to the promise of Cygnus X-1. But side two is 100% brilliant. Edited May 7, 2012 by Merely Space Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GangsterOnBoats Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 If this album didn't exist, and can't say I would listen to Rush. This was the gateway to getting into them when I first did, given my progressive and fusion tastes. I think that they really hit a good mark with this record, and it is the first album I learned on guitar from beginning to end. It also opened me up to enjoying the other Rush records, although I am not a fan of Presto, Roll the Bones, or Test For Echo that much I think that although some of it may seem cheesy, it really was Rush's highest musical achievement. I mean Alex hardly uses any power chords in the epic on the first side, which is unusual now as thats basically all he uses.. a dyad for goodness sake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staunchally Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Brilliant album ruined by dated and "CHEESY" 1978 synths and production values. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gompers Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushlady23 Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 Most certainly a 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushgoober Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 A perfect 10, obviously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Na na na Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 10 - Shhh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluefox4000 Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 Have to give it a 6....LOVE LOVE that 2nd side. I really really do. But that title track....ummmmmmm.....stop. now. I'm sorry folks. I hate it. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeduck Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 Does this make sense? I AM KING? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babycat Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 10! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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