Headlong Flight Opinions 3 Weeks Later

[rushgoober]

Ok, believe it or not we've had Headlong Flight for 3 weeks now.

 

I personally find that people's opinions on first listen or first five listens aren't worthless, but they do tend to change when you've gotten to live with a song for a little while.

 

People might feel differently still in a year, but after 3 weeks, has it grown on you? Do you like it the same? Has it gone down in stature?

 

If your opinion has changed, let us know why!

[Cyclonus X-1]

I'm one of the people hoping to keep the new tunes fresh until the album comes out, so I haven't been listening to it. I think I would've listened to it at least a few times over the past three weeks if I had liked it more initially, however. Caravan and BU2B got more than just a couple of plays from me when they first came out, but I'm not as high on HF to this point and haven't felt compelled to return to it.

[rushgoober]

I hadn't listened to the song in over a week. I was hoping that it was just because I didn't want to burn myself out on the song prior to the album, but I wasn't sure if that was the reason, so I just listened again.

 

I had classified the song as "very good with room to grow" previously. Now I think I'm going to downgrade it slightly to "good." I have hope that it will grow on me still, especially when heard in context.

 

A large part is the vocals - the lyrics are just fine, quite good actually, but the vocal delivery isn't thrilling me - it's PROBABLY just the lack of enough melody.

 

Also, instrumentally the boys sound great, but the song is just a tad heavy for my tastes. I would be able to handle the heaviness a lot better if the song had more variety and was able to stretch out a bit more. Virtuosity unfortunately does not equal musical adventurousness. I was curious to hear the guitar solo again, but while playing it, it kind of passed me right by.

 

In paying closer attention to music by other groups lately, it really is the melody and how catchy a song is that makes it memorable - can I sing or hum along with it? Does it play in my head after I've heard it a couple/few times? For me this can even overcome a lack of stellar musicianship. Then again, stellar musicianship can overcome what would otherwise be a weaker song.

 

I'm finding HF doesn't have enough melody to overcome the heaviness, and it doesn't have enough musical adventurousness to overcome the lack of melody and hooks. It's a good song, but it doesn't break out and go anywhere terribly exciting to me.

[Tick]

I heard the tune when it came out a couple of times. I liked it. That's the end of it until the new album arrives.

[Stormtron]

I like it just as much. Haven't played it a ton, but still think it's great.

[rushgoober]

If you like it more or less, tell us why! Why has it grown on you or fallen somewhat out of favor??? Edited May 8, 2012 by rushgoober

[metaldad]

I like it just as much as i did. I don't listen to it everyday but i did not listen to the other songs a lot

[Merely Space]

I still enjoy it very much. Oddly, I find it very melodic and catchy. The chorus lingers in my mind after listening, and I find myself humming it.

[EmotionDetector]

I still think it's as good as ever.

 

With that said, I have also cooled off listening to it. I will be doing the same with Caravan and BU2B as well.

 

I want to have a fresh listen to everything once CA is released. Looking forward to it!

[trenken]

Everything outside of that weird 60s sounding chorus (big steel wheels) has grown on me a little bit, but I still dont love the song. I hope this is actually more of a filler song and the rest actually are better.

 

For some reason many record companies pick filler songs to be singles, and not the songs that actually sound like the best radio songs. Very strange. I know the band has nothing to do with picking singles so I dont get the record companies thinking. How random people listening to the radio do they really think are going to be into a chorus that sounds like it was written in the 60s? IT's not getting much radio play. Hmmm wonder why.

 

They would be much better off picking a song where the entire thing from start to finish sounds more modern. But anyway, I dont hate the song, just dont love it.

[GangsterOnBoats]

I have to say that although I love Snakes and Arrows, there is something starkly different about these three songs that I have a feeling will influence the rest of the album (at least how I perceive it). Instead of relying straight on a guitar chord sequence or something like that, these new songs are really just riff-rock songs which we haven't gotten from them in a long time. The riffs on S&A were hard to pick out, but on here its interesting to here them go back to a more simplistic (in a way) style. I think "Headlong Flight" is a great song, and way better than the first two songs, but I am hoping the material gets better than these three on the album.

[djtess]

It's good to hear Alex playing guitar solos again, it's been a while....

 

[Gilbertk]

I like it but not as much as I first did. It may just be the "NEW SONG" feeling has worn off, or I've gotten past the initial smack in the face of how heavy this song is but I just don't listen to it on it's own anymore.. I have it put in the same album on my iPod as Caravan and BU2B (Titled "Clockwork Angels Singles") and I listen to those two and then Headlong Flight just because it's next. Perhaps I'll like it more in the context of the full album, but for now it's gotten a bit old. Too much repetition, especially at the end. The "stoke the fires on the big steel wheel" part at the end makes it feel way too long.

 

That being said, I can't wait to see it live! I really want to see how it translates there.

[ReflectedLight]

QUOTE (trenken @ May 8 2012, 07:56 AM)

Everything outside of that weird 60s sounding chorus (big steel wheels) has grown on me a little bit, but I still dont love the song. I hope this is actually more of a filler song and the rest actually are better. For some reason many record companies pick filler songs to be singles, and not the songs that actually sound like the best radio songs. Very strange. I know the band has nothing to do with picking singles so I dont get the record companies thinking. How random people listening to the radio do they really think are going to be into a chorus that sounds like it was written in the 60s? IT's not getting much radio play. Hmmm wonder why. They would be much better off picking a song where the entire thing from start to finish sounds more modern. But anyway, I dont hate the song, just dont love it.

i consider caravan and bu2b filler and we haven't even heard the rest of it yet.

[tjtull]

I've liked it more with each listen. I hadn't listened to it in a couple of days so I just put it on just now...I like it more than I did when I first heard it.

 

I'll probably cool it for a while, so I don't get burned out on it. Can't wait to hear it in the context of the album!

[CrossedSignals]

Where's the "my opinion hasn't changed, and it was lukewarm to begin with" option?

 

Out of the 3 songs we've heard, BU2B has grown on me the most.... I think it's the best of the bunch. Hard rocking and catchy, with some interesting rhythmic switcheroos. That synth (?) pad is also really cool-sounding.... I hope we get more of that on the album.

Edited May 8, 2012 by CrossedSignals

[GeddyRulz]

QUOTE (Storm Shadow @ May 8 2012, 06:49 AM)

I like it just as much. Haven't played it a ton, but still think it's great.

Yeah, I still like it the same, I think... although I haven't been spinning it a lot. I still think the musicianship, especially the bass, is great on "Headlong Flight." It's a fast and fun song to listen to.

 

But I'm off listening to different stuff these days, and seldom listening to Rush. It could even be said that Rush music doesn't have the same pull on me anymore than it did when I was in my teens and twenties or even my thirties. (Gasp!) They'll probably always be "my favorite band of all time," because of their impact on my formative years (if nothing else), but I'm not a daily Rush listener anymore by any means. When the full album comes out, perhaps it'll take over my listening time and maybe even dominate it for awhile. We'll see.

 

 

 

[SlyJeff]

I like it about the same. A "good" Rush song, 4 out of 5 stars, which is how I feel about 1/3 of tHhe Rush catalog.

 

I like the heaviness, don't care for the lack of melody.

 

I think Caravan is much better, and Far Cry is way better than both (FC is 5/5 stars).

[lifeson90]

i didnt think it would matter but the lack of a consistent and regular sort of tune to the track hasnt done it any good with me

 

even now when i try to think of headlong flight in my head i dont know how the tune goes

 

its like a mish mash of various jamming sessions that sound ok individually but arent really coherent as a whole

 

and believe me i dont criticize rush too much at all i worship these guys and caravan and bu2b are just great no problems at all

 

dont get me wrong i can still listen to it and marvel at what Al and Ged in particular are doing here the track is well worth a listen.... it just doesnt have the balance and flow a great rush tune normally has, thats all.

 

said it before though, if headlong flight the worst track on CA it'll be a classic rush album

[BigBob]

THis song is just gettin better ever time I play. It's fast becoming one of favorite tunes to listen while driving through the Appalachians!

[losingit2k]

I like it just as well, if not a bit more! I've placed it on serveral playlist on Itunes just to ge a feel of how it plays off other songs. I can clearly tell you this song ROCKS! Its a great Opener and an even greater Closer. It gets you fired up as an opener and as a closer it leaves you in awe wanting more!!!

 

[losingit2k]

QUOTE (BigBob @ May 8 2012, 10:40 AM)

THis song is just gettin better ever time I play. It's fast becoming one of favorite tunes to listen while driving through the Appalachians!

Watch out for those deers BIGBOB! Don't send them on a headlong Flight!! I know what you mean though! When I heard the song in my car, I hit 95mph and didn't even noticed. I had to hit the breaks real quick!

 

Edited May 8, 2012 by losingit2k

[BrightAntennae]

I liked this song when I first heard it. But after each listen I like more than than the first.

 

This song punches me in the belly and then holds me and tells me it's going to be alright.

 

I have no idea what that means.

[CrossedSignals]

QUOTE (BrightAntennae @ May 8 2012, 01:37 PM)

I liked this song when I first heard it. But after each listen I like more than than the first. This song punches me in the belly and then holds me and tells me it's going to be alright. I have no idea what that means.

Sounds like you and Headlong Flight are in quite the abusive relationship.

[rushgoober]

I didn't start this thread to prove this particular point, as honestly I had no idea what the results would be, but so far one thing is interesting.

 

Only 1/3rd of the people who've heard this like the song as much as when they first heard it - everyone else either likes it more or likes it less. I would imagine if you conducted this poll in 6 months or a year, it would be even less than 1/3rd who held the same opinion as their initial one.

 

It just goes to show that initial impressions aren't worth that much, and I would also apply that to people reviewing the album. There's just something that happens after hearing a song or album a couple dozen times spaced out over a 6 month or 1 year period that doesn't happen after 1 or 5 or 10 excited listens within the first week of release.