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Rush Album Listening Contest!


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QUOTE (ioc @ May 22 2012, 06:58 PM)
Sometimes I think posting impressions of albums is tougher than listening to them. tongue.gif

I agree! By the time I finally get a chance to login, I can't remember what points I wanted to make ohmy.gif . It is more interesting to read what you guys say in any case smile.gif

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QUOTE (Animate @ May 23 2012, 11:08 PM)
QUOTE (CrossedSignals @ May 22 2012, 08:53 PM)
Oh God, another long, slow, drawn-out ballad? I'm tempted to skip "Before And After" but my willpower and taste for glory pull me through. And then all of a sudden BAM!!! The band launches into a totally different tune! I've been tricked.... this isn't a ballad at all, but yet another Zep-style rocker. The intro is tedious, but the song that emerges is fun and lively. Geddy's scream at the end is priceless.

I love it! Yeah, this is yet another song that would probably have a lot more mass-appeal if a producer had taken some trimming shears to it. But, screw mass-appeal! I would hate to loose any of it!

laugh.gif

 

I also realized just now that the title "Before & After" refers to the "Before" and "After" parts of the song.... the "before" part is the slow, gentle intro, and the "after" part is the rockin' finale!

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QUOTE (Animate @ May 23 2012, 11:31 PM)
QUOTE (ioc @ May 22 2012, 06:58 PM)
Sometimes I think posting impressions of albums is tougher than listening to them.  tongue.gif

I agree! By the time I finally get a chance to login, I can't remember what points I wanted to make ohmy.gif . It is more interesting to read what you guys say in any case smile.gif

That's why I'm doin' it live!

 

In the famous words of Bill O'Reilly.... "f**k it! We'll do it live!"

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Woo-hoo...we've finally made it. Tomorrow is where my listening quest begins! One album per day leading to the release date of June 12:

 

May 25 - RUSH

May 26 - Fly By Night

May 27 - Caress of Steel

May 28 - 2112

May 29 - A Farewell To Kings

May 30 - Hemispheres

May 31 - Permanent Waves

June 1 - Moving Pictures

June 2 - Signals

June 3 - Grace Under Pressure

June 4 - Power Windows

June 5 - Hold Your Fire

June 6 - Presto

June 7 - Roll The Bones

June 8 - Counterparts

June 9 - Test For Echo

June 10 - Vapor Trails

June 11 - Snakes & Arrows

June 12 - Clockwork Angels

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Too busy to listen to more than one album all the way through. Only listened to Rush In Rio. Actually I decided to watch the video.

 

-Rush In Rio

Nice mix of songs. Best version of Resist. Let's not forget the Alex rant. Those fans were outrageous.

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QUOTE (ioc @ May 24 2012, 06:46 PM)
Those fans were outrageous.

goodpost.gif

 

Agreed, It was great to watch the fans from Rio really getting into it.

 

When they were singing along with the instrumentals, it just gave me chills.

 

You are right, that version of "Resist" is so-o-o-o-o-o good.

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First song up today was By-Tor: the first of the Rush "epics" that told a story. While the guitar that sounds like a dog's growls is cool, the instrumental section goes on a tad too long for my taste. That Alex solo at the end of it is killer, though.

 

Fly By Night was next, and brings back memories of growing up with Rush since my early childhood.

 

Making Memories and Rivendell introduce the band's first couple acoustic pieces, which add variety that I enjoy. When I listen to Making Memories, I marvel at how the band is still smiling, being extended a welcome hand, having good days, and has a bright future, even though 40 years have gone by. Can you imagine going back in time to tell them they'd still be doing the same in their 60's? I feel thrilled that I finally became part of it myself.

 

I know that Rivendell isn't a favorite of many, and some of you probably just can't get past the slow pace. Not much to be done there. For those of you who see it as too fantasy-laced, try doing what I do and putting the elf theme aside a bit, and imagine Rush is singing this to us. For me, it becomes very comforting - how can "Time will never touch you here in this enchanted place", "It feels so good to see the smiles of friends who never left your mind when you were far away", and "Yet you know I've had the feeling/ Standing with my senses reeling/This is the place to grow old till I reach my final day" not hit you straight in the heart? Dangit, I want to be at as many enchanted concerts as I can, and grow old with Rush! I can't be the only one getting teary-eyed here wub.gif

 

Oh, and Geddy's voice is gorgeous in this song. heart.gif GeddyFinal.gif

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QUOTE (EmotionDetector @ May 24 2012, 11:00 AM)
Woo-hoo...we've finally made it. Tomorrow is where my listening quest begins! One album per day leading to the release date of June 12:

May 25 - RUSH
May 26 - Fly By Night
May 27 - Caress of Steel
May 28 - 2112
May 29 - A Farewell To Kings
May 30 - Hemispheres
May 31 - Permanent Waves
June 1 - Moving Pictures
June 2 - Signals
June 3 - Grace Under Pressure
June 4 - Power Windows
June 5 - Hold Your Fire
June 6 - Presto
June 7 - Roll The Bones
June 8 - Counterparts
June 9 - Test For Echo
June 10 - Vapor Trails
June 11 - Snakes & Arrows
June 12 - Clockwork Angels

If you find a copy of CA on June 8th, you'll wait because you have to respect the order? rofl3.gif biggrin.gif

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QUOTE (Alexmai @ May 25 2012, 02:22 AM)
QUOTE (EmotionDetector @ May 24 2012, 11:00 AM)
Woo-hoo...we've finally made it. Tomorrow is where my listening quest begins! One album per day leading to the release date of June 12:

May 25 - RUSH
May 26 - Fly By Night
May 27 - Caress of Steel
May 28 - 2112
May 29 - A Farewell To Kings
May 30 - Hemispheres
May 31 - Permanent Waves
June 1 - Moving Pictures
June 2 - Signals
June 3 - Grace Under Pressure
June 4 - Power Windows
June 5 - Hold Your Fire
June 6 - Presto
June 7 - Roll The Bones
June 8 - Counterparts
June 9 - Test For Echo
June 10 - Vapor Trails
June 11 - Snakes & Arrows
June 12 - Clockwork Angels

If you find a copy of CA on June 8th, you'll wait because you have to respect the order? rofl3.gif biggrin.gif

 

Prepared for an early leak! tongue.gif laugh.gif smile.gif 2.gif trink39.gif

 

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QUOTE (wilb1972 @ May 25 2012, 07:17 AM)
QUOTE
The More Geddy's the better!

 

 

 

When the Zombie Apocolypse comes, they will protect us!!

 

rofl3.gif

Yes! Cause every one knows that space zombies heads explode when assaulted with super sonic frequency sound waves! laugh.gif laugh.gif laugh.gif laugh.gif

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Watched a long one. R30 is practically a marathon in itself.

 

-R30

While ESL may be the generally accepted quintessential Rush live album, I believe this one has usurped that spot. Except that -in my opinion- there is too much from Feedback, it has an incredible set list.

 

The introduction overture was outstanding! That one is on my instrumentals mix-CD, even though strictly speaking no part of it is from an instrumental. Bravado had a really nice ending solo and I liked Al's rant on this album. Typically, I think they're sort of funny, but I don't want to hear it a bunch of times. I don't mind this one. The pirate 2112 was a nice touch to have on vid. Helps mix things up when we already have the song on plenty of other albums.

 

Hard to believe I'm almost finished. This will be the first time I've marathoned including all the live albums/videos.

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Today,

 

Vapor Trails...

 

...start to finish and I loved each and every second of it.

 

A great (and under rated) record).

 

I recall the day it was released and putting on in the car after leaving FYE...

 

...just hearing the drum intro sent chills done my spine.

 

Neil was back.

 

Rush was back.

 

After reading "Ghost Rider" I realized what a great musical companion this album is to that book is.

 

Some heart-wrenching stuff in there.

 

A great record, indeed...

 

...and I don't mean that in some kind of fan boy way.

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Okay my wife and I took a break from the albums and decided to try and "catch up" on the band's videos. It can be very annoying to attempt a chronological viewing of their videos when one realizes that they are spread out over so many different DVDs. But it was fun and also a visual revelation to see them grow. And the clothes.... wow!

 

So here are the videos we watched back-to-back before tiredness overtook us:

 

Need Some Love (Rutsey live version)

Best I Can (Rutsey live version)

Working Man (Rutsey live version)

Finding My Way(live Neil version 74)

In the Mood (live Neil version 74)

Anthem

Fly by Night

A Farewell to Kings

Xanadu

Closer to the Heart

The Trees

Circumstances

La Villa Strangiato

Tom Sawyer

Limelight

Vital Signs

Red Barchetta (live, 81)

Subdivisions

 

We hope to continue with the videos at some point but we have a full weekend ahead of us.

 

Next video to watch: Distant Early Warning

Next album to hear: Test for Echo

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Day 2 - Fly By Night

 

Anthem - Thrown in at the deep end here, electric start to the song and the album. Softens down a bit when the vocals enter, Geddy giving us a scream or two to keep us going. Big transition IMO between melody of the verse and the melody everywhere else. Bit of shredding from Lerxst over some interesting bass work from Ged. Neil introduces himself nicely on this song as well.

 

Best I Can - Catchier than Anthem, this one is more of a foot-tapper. Neil is showing us what was missing on the debut. Nothing against John Rutsey's playing, but Neil is a different class I believe. I like this one, not much more to say.

 

Beneath, Between & Behind - Another catchy number, I like how the title consists of the first word in the first three lines of the chorus. A good song, but not as good as Best I Can.

 

By-Tor and the Snowdog - Now we're talking! Widely regarded as the first time Rush showed us what was to come, this is a brilliant song. Great riff, strange lyrics, and top quality musicianship from the three of them all the way through. The instrumental break in the middle.... something else, this is the Rush we all know and love. The stop-start thing they got going on - another stroke of genius, preceded by some serious fills from Neil. We think the song had ended, but no, we are only half way! Bit of mysterious guitar stuff from Lifeson, then a super-duper drum roll from Neil takes us into a proper Lerxst solo. Well thought out, and brilliantly executed. We then return to another verse a la the start of the song, more singing about a dog by Geddy, before some chimes end the song.

 

Fly By Night - Nice bass work on the intro to this. Uplifting song, catchy chorus. Great song. And yes, it's "my ship is a coming" laugh.gif

 

Making Memories - Bit of fast-paced acoustic voodoo to start this song, before some groovy vocal from the Ged. Bass work is, again, nice on this track. Solo from Alex plays over the acoustic, which stays all song. Nice. Geddy reminds us he's still there during the solo by chipping in with some "Oh yeah!"s etc.

 

Rivendell - A slow one. Acoustic guitar, vocal and some higher pitched electric guitar create the sombre ambiance for this one. I know I said I wasn't fussed on the slower ones on Rush, but this one's a corker. Great vocal from Geddy, no room for error here, there not enough instrument to drown it out. I'm happy to report he nails it. Good on ya Ged! In fact, he may over pronounce some things, but I'll let that go this time. Soft high-pitched stuff, not something you hear from Geddy often. Exectued beautifully here though.

 

In The End - An appropriate name for the final song on the album, we are again introduced to it by some acoustic guitar, though this time it is louder, as is Ged's vocal. All that nonsense stops after almost 2 minutes, and we get a hard rockin' riff from the axe of Mr. Lifeson. The vocal is also stepped up nicely, and all of a sudden, you can tap your foot to this song. I must admit though, not my favourite song. I can't really put my finger on why, but I just get the urge to skip it.

 

Overall, a better album than Rush. Catchier songs, and less that bore me.

 

Ratings:

Rush 7/10

Fly By Night 8/10

 

These reviews take a lot of time, time which I haven't really got, so from now on I'll give an overall view of the albums, then rate them out of 10 as I have been doing.

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