How do we not compare New Rush to Classic Rush?

[Lerxster]

I admit to not reading any post in this thread but a couple on this page. Someone said live in the moment. I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment. I got a sticker on my computer monitor that reads "True happiness is.. to enjoy the present."

 

This thread seems to ask how can you not compare old Rush to new. That's easy- you just don't. But. that's really not that easy to someone who thinks too much about the past, or to someone's personal philosophy that can be summed up as a glass half empty. If you're stuck on the past or have a generally negative attitude, well.. good luck to you. You need all the luck this world has to offer. More or less.

 

[rushgoober]

[EmotionDetector]

It's real simple for me.

 

I don't compare new Rush to old Rush. I simply listen to it and think, do I like it? If yes...then it's a great song. If I don't like it, then I guess it's not that good.

 

Like any other song out there, I give it a listen and decide if I like it. If it sounds good, then I could care less how it stacks up to their past material. A great song is just that...a great song.

[ColdFireYYZ]

QUOTE (EmotionDetector @ May 14 2012, 11:46 PM)

It's real simple for me. I don't compare new Rush to old Rush. I simply listen to it and think, do I like it? If yes...then it's a great song. If I don't like it, then I guess it's not that good. Like any other song out there, I give it a listen and decide if I like it. If it sounds good, then I could care less how it stacks up to their past material. A great song is just that...a great song.

This exactly.

 

I do the same when I listen to any material from other bands, not just Rush.

 

[presto123]

I like RTB, Presto, Counterparts, T4E, Vapor Trails better than the first four records. Hows that for comparing old Rush to new. CA has a GOOD chance of ending up in my top 5. I'm hoping for a top 3 or so.

[Oracle]

I don't compare old Rush to new Rush for two reasons.

 

1. Old Rush is old

2. New Rush is new

 

Is this not simple enough?

[Snowman]

Agreed, why all this comparisons all the time. I am just glad they still release interesting music. It will be a sad day when I get the message of their retirement.

 

I think their new music is splendid. I still listen to and enjoy Caravan and BU2B, 2 years after the release. That is a quality stamp IMO.

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (Snowman @ May 14 2012, 10:36 PM)

Agreed, why all this comparisons all the time. I am just glad they still release interesting music. It will be a sad day when I get the message of their retirement. I think their new music is splendid. I still listen to and enjoy Caravan and BU2B, 2 years after the release. That is a quality stamp IMO.

I guess it's easier to not compare if you really love the new stuff. If you don't, it's far more challenging.

[JohnnyBlaze]

goobs, in these parts many people have never heard ANY piece of Rush music (or even the band). And probably about a dozen times I have played these 4 songs to these folks: Working Man, Limelight, Time Stand Still, and Far Cry [obviously, I was trying to be as broad as possible in the selection]. EVERY time Limelight was picked as being the best. So for whatever's that worth, that's what was chosen.

 

NOTE: I did not say when any of the songs were made. I did not say which one I liked the best before I played them. And I did not play them in order of when they were released. Oh, the people who listened were men & women between the ages of 20-50.

[ThinkingBig]

QUOTE (Snowman @ May 15 2012, 12:36 AM)

Agreed, why all this comparisons all the time. I am just glad they still release interesting music. It will be a sad day when I get the message of their retirement. I think their new music is splendid. I still listen to and enjoy Caravan and BU2B, 2 years after the release. That is a quality stamp IMO.

Yeah, totally what he said.

 

x2

[EmotionDetector]

QUOTE (rushgoober @ May 15 2012, 06:29 AM)

QUOTE (Snowman @ May 14 2012, 10:36 PM) Agreed, why all this comparisons all the time. I am just glad they still release interesting music. It will be a sad day when I get the message of their retirement. I think their new music is splendid. I still listen to and enjoy Caravan and BU2B, 2 years after the release. That is a quality stamp IMO. I guess it's easier to not compare if you really love the new stuff. If you don't, it's far more challenging. Goobs, I just don't understand your mindset.   When you listen to any new song by a band...do you automatically compare it to that band's past releases? Seriously?   Don't you just listen to the album/song and think, this sounds great, or I don't like this?   It's music...don't you just listen to it and decide whether you like or dislike the song?   For instance, I know you love 'Armor & Sword', but do you honestly only like it because somehow you think it shares similarities with Subdivisions or Xanadu? Because if you do...you need to reconsider.   The fact is, if your ears think it's a great song, then that's all, it's a great song. Who cares how it stacks up against the past material.   All just my opinion of course.

[DistantEarlyRushFan]

You have to realize that the band is founded on the principle of constant change. Every album is a time capsule of their creativity at a certain point. You can only judge an album by comparing the best song on the album to the others.

 

So, you can't even compare two albums made 30 years apart any better than you can two albums made 1 year apart

[HemispheresserehpsimeH]

QUOTE (DistantEarlyRushFan @ May 15 2012, 11:32 AM)

You have to realize that the band is founded on the principle of constant change. Every album is a time capsule of their creativity at a certain point. You can only judge an album by comparing the best song on the album to the others. So, you can't even compare two albums made 30 years apart any better than you can two albums made 1 year apart

I understand that point very well, and appreciate each album for how it sounds at the particular time it's released.

 

But still, it's my nature to compare the band now to how they were back in the day. Might not be everyone's instinct, and like I said before, I love Rush's new music, so it's not about like and dislike. I just naturally compare each release to what they have done in the past.

 

Even going on your point, each album is a snapshot of their creativity at that particular point in their careers, which is a great way to put it. However, I also see that as being my chance to compare snapshots and see what the band sounds like now as compared to back whenever.

[Bastille Dave]

I tend to compare various eras of every band I like, not just Rush. I have an open mind about new music, but I always find myself going back to the classic eras.

 

I don't believe in "instant classics", for me an album has to stand the test of time.

[BigBob]

QUOTE (Bastille Dave @ May 15 2012, 06:40 PM)

I tend to compare various eras of every band I like, not just Rush. I have an open mind about new music, but I always find myself going back to the classic eras. I don't believe in "instant classics", for me an album has to stand the test of time.

Bingo!

[CantStopThinkingBig]

RIP Rush 1974-1982

[Snaked]

If you sit around waiting for RUSH to release another Xanadu you're going to be waiting around a long time. They've already written and recorded Xanadu and they wont do it again.

 

If you enjoy each new release on it's own merits you are far more likely to be able to appreciate it for what it is.

 

 

Xanadu is Xanadu. Red Barchetta is Red Barchetta. Animate is Animate and Headlong Flight is Headlong Flight.

 

 

 

Personally, if they ever released another Xanadu I'd probably be pissed. At that point RUSH would be no better than AC/DC, simply regurgitating old material in a sad attempt to hold onto some mystical strand of success.

[Presto-digitation]

...the same way you don't compare your 50 year old wife to her 22 year old self.

[Snaked]

QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ May 15 2012, 09:29 PM)

...the same way you don't compare your 50 year old wife to her 22 year old self.

BINGO!

[losingit2k]

If Michaelangelo would paint another Mona Lisa with a different smile, It would still just be another Mona Lisa! Why would you want Rush to write another Xanadu?

 

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (EmotionDetector @ May 15 2012, 09:16 AM)

QUOTE (rushgoober @ May 15 2012, 06:29 AM) QUOTE (Snowman @ May 14 2012, 10:36 PM) Agreed, why all this comparisons all the time. I am just glad they still release interesting music. It will be a sad day when I get the message of their retirement. I think their new music is splendid. I still listen to and enjoy Caravan and BU2B, 2 years after the release. That is a quality stamp IMO. I guess it's easier to not compare if you really love the new stuff. If you don't, it's far more challenging. Goobs, I just don't understand your mindset.   When you listen to any new song by a band...do you automatically compare it to that band's past releases? Seriously? Yes, of course I do.   QUOTE (EmotionDetector @ May 15 2012, 09:16 AM) Don't you just listen to the album/song and think, this sounds great, or I don't like this? I do, but the comparisons are inevitable. Honestly, I don't know people DON'T compare?   QUOTE (EmotionDetector @ May 15 2012, 09:16 AM) It's music...don't you just listen to it and decide whether you like or dislike the song? For instance, I know you love 'Armor & Sword', but do you honestly only like it because somehow you think it shares similarities with Subdivisions or Xanadu? Because if you do...you need to reconsider. At first I realized it's incredible awesomeness. It was a little later that I started figuring out where it stood in the Rush pantheon of classic tracks.   Honestly, I thought most people did that with new songs and new albums - they listen and get to know them, and at some point they figure out where they stack up with what came before. Aren't people ALWAYS talking about what album or song is better than others, what a person's favorite album is, making lists of songs and albums in order of preference, etc.? If you truly don't do that, that's cool, I didn't even know that was an option!   QUOTE (EmotionDetector @ May 15 2012, 09:16 AM) The fact is, if your ears think it's a great song, then that's all, it's a great song. Who cares how it stacks up against the past material. Well, if it's a REALLY GREAT song, it doesn't matter. I guess it only really matters if it doesn't match up by a small or wide margin. Even if it's REALLY GREAT, however, I'm still going to compare - seems like human nature to me...

[GUP1771]

QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ May 15 2012, 08:29 PM)

...the same way you don't compare your 50 year old wife to her 22 year old self.

 

Excellent analogy!

Edited May 16, 2012 by GUP1771

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (Snaked @ May 15 2012, 06:00 PM)

If you sit around waiting for RUSH to release another Xanadu you're going to be waiting around a long time. They've already written and recorded Xanadu and they wont do it again.

I don't want them to write another Xanadu, but I would love another song or songs that were as high quality as Xanadu. I'm not holding my breath, however. It's an EXTREMELY high standard to live up to.

 

QUOTE (Snaked @ May 15 2012, 06:00 PM)

If you enjoy each new release on it's own merits you are far more likely to be able to appreciate it for what it is.

I do that. For example, I really appreciate Counterparts a LOT for what it is. It's not as solid an album as their 1974-1987 material, but it's still great. If the album is great, it's great, no matter when it was recorded. For me with Rush they've been incredible and they've been awful (admittedly much more of the incredible than of the awful), so I'm still going to compare each new album while also judging it on its own merits. Seriously, if it's great, I'm going to enjoy it - I'm not going to deprive myself of enjoying it just because it's not as genius as their very best work. And if it is, awesome, it just hasn't happened for me like that very often in recent years.

 

QUOTE (Snaked @ May 15 2012, 06:00 PM)

Xanadu is Xanadu. Red Barchetta is Red Barchetta. Animate is Animate and Headlong Flight is Headlong Flight.

Very true. And Headlong Flight is NOWHERE NEAR as good as those other songs IMHO.

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ May 15 2012, 06:29 PM)

...the same way you don't compare your 50 year old wife to her 22 year old self.

Sorry, but I don't think this analogy works.

 

The difference is, you can't go hang out with your 22 year old wife because she doesn't exist anymore except in your memory. You love her for who she is now.

 

You CAN, however, go listen to 2112 and Hemispheres and Moving Pictures and Signals and Hold Your Fire just as easily as you can listen to S&A or CA when it comes out. You can play the albums one after the other - comparisons are easy, and in my mind, inevitable.

[losingit2k]

QUOTE (rushgoober @ May 15 2012, 09:21 PM)

QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ May 15 2012, 06:29 PM) ...the same way you don't compare your 50 year old wife to her 22 year old self. Sorry, but I don't think this analogy works.   The difference is, you can't go hang out with your 22 year old wife because she doesn't exist anymore except in your memory. You love her for who she is now.   You CAN, however, go listen to 2112 and Hemispheres and Moving Pictures and Signals and Hold Your Fire just as easily as you can listen to S&A or CA when it comes out. You can play the albums one after the other - comparisons are easy, and in my mind, inevitable. Hey,. Goobs, You can also look at movies and pictures of your 22 year old wife! That basically the same as listening to a cd just a different medium!

Edited May 16, 2012 by losingit2k