Gedneil Alpeart Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Since SA was their most recent album, thought Id start a thread about how CA is diff from SA....musical direction, etc. What are the main differences that come to mind? For me, CA is a very inspired album with the energy, attitude, anger, passion and vigor of a young band and the maturity, focus, depth, confidence, and sensitivity of an older band. When SA first came out, while it did receive praise from me and many others, I remember specific comments here about how the band really sounded their age. Over time, I have come to agree. Compared to CA, SA sounds plodding and kind of dull with a few exceptions. CA sounds very upbeat, fresh, vigorous, and on a mission....and angrier. It does NOT sound like a 60 something band, with an exception here and there. Felt like Rush drank some of that Fountain of youth, except for Ged's voice, which does strain at places, but to me, still sounds great. I still like SA, but I dont love it and it did not age well for me. Hope CA ages much better and I think it will, because it has a lot more of the core elements of Rush that I just love..... much more in abundance than SA. Maybe Rush needs to do only concept albums from now on (if they keep going hopefully) to keep them as inspired, focused, and charged like we hear in CA. CA also sounds a lot more cohesive and bound, given the concept nature of it, and it flows a LOT more fluidly and beautifully than SA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadianice Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 In my mind they are both very cool albums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushgoober Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 QUOTE (canadianice @ Jun 9 2012, 08:43 PM) In my mind they are both very cool albums I agree, AND my mind is so wrapped up in CA right now that I don't want to go listen to any other album or try to compare it to anything else. I need more time for this kind of perspective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losingit2k Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Clockwork Angels is everything that S & A lacked. It's like the Peddlar visited S & A and asked "What do you lack?". The answer was: I need to rock harder, I need to jam, I need to be Epic. And the Peddlar provided! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCFIELDS Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 QUOTE (rushgoober @ Jun 9 2012, 09:46 PM) QUOTE (canadianice @ Jun 9 2012, 08:43 PM) In my mind they are both very cool albums I agree, AND my mind is so wrapped up in CA right now that I don't want to go listen to any other album or try to compare it to anything else. I need more time for this kind of perspective. you like S&A now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCFIELDS Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 CA is a step above VT, and a huge step above S&A..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jebren72 Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 (edited) Not much wrong with Snakes though I enjoy VT a little bit better. I listen to SA and VT both quite alot. There really is greatness on every Rush album if you want to find it. That being said I really love most of the songs on CA and cant wait to hear them in the clarity of an actual cd. You really have to hand it to Alex. Since starting on VT he has turned into the greatest rhthym guitarist I have ever heard. It seems like every song has 3 or 4 or more really cool, hard guitar riffs in it. Really the whole band has moved toward a much harder approach since they came back in 2002. Edited June 10, 2012 by jebren72 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushgoober Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCFIELDS Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losingit2k Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 QUOTE (WCFIELDS @ Jun 9 2012, 10:49 PM) CA is a step above VT, and a huge step above S&A..... Those aren't steps they are Skyscrapers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushgoober Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangster of Goats Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 I love me some S&A, but in retrospect I think my sole complaint is that it was kind of going back to a more restrained, "polite" sound reminiscent of RTB. (Though I firmly believe the songwriting on S&A is far superior to RTB.) CA melts your face off. The two big things I think play a part in CA's revitalized sound is Neil playing like he's a hungry 20-something again a la Fly By Night, and Alex and Geddy paring back the guitar orchestrations/Geddychoirs and letting the songs *breathe*. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shreddy Lee Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 S&A is the very definition of a mixed bag for me. There are some really great standouts like Far Cry and Mal Nar, a couple others I like, and a good chunk I think is pretty weak. I think CA is far better in just about every way. There's not a single track I would call weak, and I prefer the overall direction of it to S&A's largely acoustic sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadlongMark Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 After hearing this album and going back to listen to S&A, there are some very good songs on S&A but there aren't any EPICS like CA has. The title track, The Anarchist, Headlong Flight, Seven Cities of Gold, The Garden; those are epics. I also like that most of the songs on CA melt my face off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 I hate the word plodding. S&A is not plodding. There are at least 2 tracks that comes up in my top 30 Rush songs, Armour & Sword and Working Them Angels. Listened to these tracks yesterday and they are increadibly strong tracks. As well as 5-6 other top quality tracks. What S&A lacks compared to CA is everything. The energy in how they treat their instruments, elaborated instrumental themes, solid, strong melodies throughout, use of strings/synths, etc.... Obviusouly CA sweeps floor with S&A. They are 2 completely different albums so I cant really compare them against each other. They are equally different as VT was to S&A. I still love the good songs on S&A and it still is an very good album. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enemy Within 77 Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 QUOTE (Bangster of Goats @ Jun 9 2012, 11:12 PM) I love me some S&A, but in retrospect I think my sole complaint is that it was kind of going back to a more restrained, "polite" sound reminiscent of RTB. (Though I firmly believe the songwriting on S&A is far superior to RTB.) CA melts your face off. The two big things I think play a part in CA's revitalized sound is Neil playing like he's a hungry 20-something again a la Fly By Night, and Alex and Geddy paring back the guitar orchestrations/Geddychoirs and letting the songs *breathe*. Nice avatar! Fire Walk With Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bastille Dave Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 (edited) QUOTE (WCFIELDS @ Jun 9 2012, 10:49 PM) CA is a step above VT, and a huge step above S&A..... I can agree with that. CA is the best thing they've put out since Counterparts. I need more time to determine if it is better than Counterparts or not. Edited June 10, 2012 by Bastille Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeddyLeeFender Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 QUOTE (Snowman @ Jun 10 2012, 12:05 AM)I hate the word plodding. S&A is not plodding. There are at least 2 tracks that comes up in my top 30 Rush songs, Armour & Sword and Working Them Angels. Listened to these tracks yesterday and they are increadibly strong tracks. As well as 5-6 other top quality tracks. What S&A lacks compared to CA is everything. The energy in how they treat their instruments, elaborated instrumental themes, solid, strong melodies throughout, use of strings/synths, etc.... Obviusouly CA sweeps floor with S&A. They are 2 completely different albums so I cant really compare them against each other. They are equally different as VT was to S&A. I still love the good songs on S&A and it still is an very good album. CA bombs on Snakes and Arrows, but I still love them for their differences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vital signz Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 QUOTE (losingit2k @ Jun 9 2012, 11:47 PM) Clockwork Angels is everything that S & A lacked. It's like the Peddlar visited S & A and asked "What do you lack?". The answer was: I need to rock harder, I need to jam, I need to be Epic. And the Peddlar provided! man that is well said... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CygnusX-1Bk2 Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 After my initial listen yesterday I must say that CA is nowhere near as focused as S&A. It is much more meandering. There is a disconnect between much of the vocal lines and the supporting music. There is no real sense of cohesion. There are some great textures and some parts are intriguing but I think the strongest tracks are the first two and the Wreckers, which is the least Rush like track on the album. It has the most impactful melody. For the most part there is a wash of guitars. I like the the really rare instances of bare, punchy guitars which only happens occasionally. I would say it doesn't suck, but it's not great. But that's me. I expect a lot from Rush. I rank it higher than HYF which is really the only bad Rush album. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gedneil Alpeart Posted June 10, 2012 Author Share Posted June 10, 2012 QUOTE (CygnusX-1Bk2 @ Jun 10 2012, 03:19 PM) After my initial listen yesterday I must say that CA is nowhere near as focused as S&A. It is much more meandering. There is a disconnect between much of the vocal lines and the supporting music. There is no real sense of cohesion. There are some great textures and some parts are intriguing but I think the strongest tracks are the first two and the Wreckers, which is the least Rush like track on the album. It has the most impactful melody. For the most part there is a wash of guitars. I like the the really rare instances of bare, punchy guitars which only happens occasionally. I would say it doesn't suck, but it's not great. But that's me. I expect a lot from Rush. I rank it higher than HYF which is really the only bad Rush album. Opposite view of yours. I find CA focused, flowing, and cohesive and much more concentrated Rush than SA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanaseb Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Great thread... because I just got very depressed from my Brother recently who didn't like his first listen of CA.... and said that he prefered S&A... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedro2112 Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 QUOTE (CygnusX-1Bk2 @ Jun 10 2012, 02:19 PM) After my initial listen yesterday I must say that CA is nowhere near as focused as S&A. It is much more meandering. There is a disconnect between much of the vocal lines and the supporting music. There is no real sense of cohesion. There are some great textures and some parts are intriguing but I think the strongest tracks are the first two and the Wreckers, which is the least Rush like track on the album. It has the most impactful melody. For the most part there is a wash of guitars. I like the the really rare instances of bare, punchy guitars which only happens occasionally. I would say it doesn't suck, but it's not great. But that's me. I expect a lot from Rush. I rank it higher than HYF which is really the only bad Rush album. Same thing I was thinking the first time I heard it. Of course, after many listens, I think it is far superior to S&A (for the time being). Heck, it wasn 't until this morning that I finally "got" Carnies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeminiRising79 Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 CA vs SA, Discuss the differences: One starts with C, the other with S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThinkingBig Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 SA has one good song and two good instrumentals. CA has 6 good songs and no instrumentals. As much as I like RUSH instrumentals, I'll CA over SA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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