The Counterparts appreciation thread

[LedRush]

Counterparts, Rush's 1993 album, ended an era. An era that needed ending. Although the album was good, both critics and fans greeted it, as they had Roll The Bones, with yawning interest -- alt-rock was at its zenith moment and Rush was never a very alt-band. The band knew something was up.

"It had been a tough couple of years in terms of the band," Geddy Lee says. "Counterparts was not what I'd consider to be a tension-free record. There was a lot of pressure."

Pressure from the label, who wanted a chart-topper. Pressure from fans unhappy with Neil's dabbling in relationship-based song writing. And, according to rumors, internal pressure, too.

"And the previous writing sessions for Counterparts were not easy ones."

[TheWinslowOfWillowdale]

To each his own, but from that era, Presto is my favorite. Every song on Presto except Scars is awesome! I mean, like totally...;)

 

[GeddysMullet]

I've posted this before, but in case you missed it...awhile back I took the opening drum riff of "Animate", looped it, and then put other Rush tracks with similar beats underneath the "Animate" beat.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6r3Nug_Dl8

 

Nice job :cheers: It confused my parrot!

[calirush]

My favorite song from Counterparts

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Axbcg9obGf4

[Shredder2]

Counterparts is a pretty decent album, considering the difference in sound to their previous record, Roll the Bones. I fear that if Rush continued to transgress their sound into the more 'pop' direction, they would have ended up being sell outs. They saved themselves by saying "Okay, we're going back to basics!" and recorded Counterparts pretty much.

 

The album? me gusta

[rushgoober]

It's shite. Honestly, I would struggle to put anything from that record on a best of rush compilation. Sure, the production is ok, but the songs??

Animate-ok, at best.

Stick it out-stick it off.

Cut to the chase, stock rock track.

Nobodys Hero- ok but too much verse/chorus/verse.

Between sun and moon, Plodding stock rock track.

Alien shore- alien shite more like and a terribly contrived song with a totally shoed in vocal melody.

Speed of love?? Such irony- it's that slow it's in reverse gear.

Double agent- again, another stock rock song bereft of imagination

Leave that thing alone-ok but hardly in the same class as la villa and yyz.

Cold Fire, ok quirky short song.

Everyday Glory- bridge reminds me of those awful anthemic songs sung by the likes of pop-bands-masquerading-as-rock-bands like bon jovi.

It's just an opinion folks!!

 

It is just an opinion. It just happens to be the wrong opinion.

[Mika]

I've posted this before, but in case you missed it...awhile back I took the opening drum riff of "Animate", looped it, and then put other Rush tracks with similar beats underneath the "Animate" beat.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6r3Nug_Dl8

I really liked that! :) From 0:43 - 0:58, is that the mellotron music from 'Good News First'? It sounds really good, especially brought up from being more buried in the song! Do you have more remixes like this?

[Spindrift82]

Counterparts, a relationship based album? I wouldn't say so, unless you're talking about Nobody's Hero.

 

Rush has always been about interpreting human relationships. This goes back to 2112, when they were debating the possibility of humanity ending music, which ended humanity.

 

The only difference between Counterparts, and Test For Echo, is that Counterparts was rougher around the edges. Test For Echo also suffered lyrically.

[Retrospective]

Counterparts is an awesome album. Even when I first got into Rush, I really took to it.

 

I feel bad for people who hate it. You're missing out!

[Sin City]

It's shite. Honestly, I would struggle to put anything from that record on a best of rush compilation. Sure, the production is ok, but the songs??

Animate-ok, at best.

Stick it out-stick it off.

Cut to the chase, stock rock track.

Nobodys Hero- ok but too much verse/chorus/verse.

Between sun and moon, Plodding stock rock track.

Alien shore- alien shite more like and a terribly contrived song with a totally shoed in vocal melody.

Speed of love?? Such irony- it's that slow it's in reverse gear.

Double agent- again, another stock rock song bereft of imagination

Leave that thing alone-ok but hardly in the same class as la villa and yyz.

Cold Fire, ok quirky short song.

Everyday Glory- bridge reminds me of those awful anthemic songs sung by the likes of pop-bands-masquerading-as-rock-bands like bon jovi.

It's just an opinion folks!!

 

It is just an opinion. It just happens to be the wrong opinion.

 

Just as wrong as yours is!!

[Ged Lent's sis]

Counterparts thrilled me for an additional reason that none of the other records did: I had loved every album from beginning to end up until HYF, which I only partially loved. Then the next few albums lost me completely - which was disappointing in that it marked an era unlike the previous couple, in which I had been challenged by the material but won over consistently after repeated listening. This continued from Permanent Waves through to Power Windows because, like I said, Hold Your Fire had serious gaps, though I did find special value in a strangely immediate melancholic nostalgia. But Counterparts represented for me not just a great album, but a return to form that I'd not expected to come; hence the thrill.

 

Edited twice for idiocy-control

Edited July 6, 2013 by Ged Lent's sis

[theanalogmiddleagedman]

Animate, Cut to The Chase, LTTA, Between Sun and Moon, Double Agent, Cold Fire, Everyday Glory...

Just awesome.

[rushgoober]

It's shite. Honestly, I would struggle to put anything from that record on a best of rush compilation. Sure, the production is ok, but the songs??

Animate-ok, at best.

Stick it out-stick it off.

Cut to the chase, stock rock track.

Nobodys Hero- ok but too much verse/chorus/verse.

Between sun and moon, Plodding stock rock track.

Alien shore- alien shite more like and a terribly contrived song with a totally shoed in vocal melody.

Speed of love?? Such irony- it's that slow it's in reverse gear.

Double agent- again, another stock rock song bereft of imagination

Leave that thing alone-ok but hardly in the same class as la villa and yyz.

Cold Fire, ok quirky short song.

Everyday Glory- bridge reminds me of those awful anthemic songs sung by the likes of pop-bands-masquerading-as-rock-bands like bon jovi.

It's just an opinion folks!!

 

It is just an opinion. It just happens to be the wrong opinion.

 

Just as wrong as yours is!!

 

And now you're wrong twice. Want to go for three? :P

[rushgoober]

Counterparts is an awesome album. Even when I first got into Rush, I really took to it.

 

I feel bad for people who hate it. You're missing out!

 

I didn't get into it immediately. I loved the clear sound, it was an obvious HUGE improvement over the two previous albums, but I really missed the keyboards. It didn't take long before I loved it, however, as it was a refreshing (and MUCH needed) change. The songs were there, the subject matter interesting and a whole different approach for Rush.

 

I too feel bad for people who hate it. It's not their best album, but it is a great one, and they definitely are missing out.

[Geddyleegenes]

I've posted this before, but in case you missed it...awhile back I took the opening drum riff of "Animate", looped it, and then put other Rush tracks with similar beats underneath the "Animate" beat.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6r3Nug_Dl8

Fantastic video! My Golden Retriever kept tilting his head, listening to it. Wait, that was me. Counterparts is absolutely brilliant. Not a miss on it. "Cut To The Chase", as I have posted previously, is my absolute favorite Rush song. Brilliant! "Leave That Thing Alone" is my fav instrumental. Where would I rather be? Listening to Rush!

[Rhyta]

It's shite. Honestly, I would struggle to put anything from that record on a best of rush compilation. Sure, the production is ok, but the songs??

Animate-ok, at best.

Stick it out-stick it off.

Cut to the chase, stock rock track.

Nobodys Hero- ok but too much verse/chorus/verse.

Between sun and moon, Plodding stock rock track.

Alien shore- alien shite more like and a terribly contrived song with a totally shoed in vocal melody.

Speed of love?? Such irony- it's that slow it's in reverse gear.

Double agent- again, another stock rock song bereft of imagination

Leave that thing alone-ok but hardly in the same class as la villa and yyz.

Cold Fire, ok quirky short song.

Everyday Glory- bridge reminds me of those awful anthemic songs sung by the likes of pop-bands-masquerading-as-rock-bands like bon jovi.

It's just an opinion folks!!

 

It is just an opinion. It just happens to be the wrong opinion.

Wrong to you. :codger: I wouldn't be as harsh as Sin City but I find it very dull. Only two good cuts for me but if others like it have a party. I just won't be playing it except for Stick it out and Leave that thing alone. Animate sounds like Neil got out his rhyming dictionary..kind of a mess IMHO

[rushgoober]

It's shite. Honestly, I would struggle to put anything from that record on a best of rush compilation. Sure, the production is ok, but the songs??

Animate-ok, at best.

Stick it out-stick it off.

Cut to the chase, stock rock track.

Nobodys Hero- ok but too much verse/chorus/verse.

Between sun and moon, Plodding stock rock track.

Alien shore- alien shite more like and a terribly contrived song with a totally shoed in vocal melody.

Speed of love?? Such irony- it's that slow it's in reverse gear.

Double agent- again, another stock rock song bereft of imagination

Leave that thing alone-ok but hardly in the same class as la villa and yyz.

Cold Fire, ok quirky short song.

Everyday Glory- bridge reminds me of those awful anthemic songs sung by the likes of pop-bands-masquerading-as-rock-bands like bon jovi.

It's just an opinion folks!!

 

It is just an opinion. It just happens to be the wrong opinion.

Wrong to you. :codger: I wouldn't be as harsh as Sin City but I find it very dull. Only two good cuts for me but if others like it have a party. I just won't be playing it except for Stick it out and Leave that thing alone. Animate sounds like Neil got out his rhyming dictionary..kind of a mess IMHO

 

[Ged Lent's sis]

It's shite. Honestly, I would struggle to put anything from that record on a best of rush compilation. Sure, the production is ok, but the songs??

Animate-ok, at best.

Stick it out-stick it off.

Cut to the chase, stock rock track.

Nobodys Hero- ok but too much verse/chorus/verse.

Between sun and moon, Plodding stock rock track.

Alien shore- alien shite more like and a terribly contrived song with a totally shoed in vocal melody.

Speed of love?? Such irony- it's that slow it's in reverse gear.

Double agent- again, another stock rock song bereft of imagination

Leave that thing alone-ok but hardly in the same class as la villa and yyz.

Cold Fire, ok quirky short song.

Everyday Glory- bridge reminds me of those awful anthemic songs sung by the likes of pop-bands-masquerading-as-rock-bands like bon jovi.

It's just an opinion folks!!

 

It is just an opinion. It just happens to be the wrong opinion.

Wrong to you. :codger: I wouldn't be as harsh as Sin City but I find it very dull. Only two good cuts for me but if others like it have a party. I just won't be playing it except for Stick it out and Leave that thing alone. Animate sounds like Neil got out his rhyming dictionary..kind of a mess IMHO

Please, taste is taste, so that's all well and good, we don't all have to like the album, but if your reasoning involves Neil's rhyming scheme, you may as well join the "Rush sucks" crowd; let's face it, a poet he ain't, at least not until the other two guys arrange the songs and take his wordsmith-ship from palatable to sublime if we're lucky. He's a nice guy, more than capable of the occasional profound observation, but like most of us, suffers from the naiveté of his own pretentious predilections (and, yes, that twist of phrase is meant to be ironic) I mean, we're talking about a guy who as recent as this summer still thinks Karl Marx is responsible for the gulag.

[LedRush]

It's shite. Honestly, I would struggle to put anything from that record on a best of rush compilation. Sure, the production is ok, but the songs??

Animate-ok, at best.

Stick it out-stick it off.

Cut to the chase, stock rock track.

Nobodys Hero- ok but too much verse/chorus/verse.

Between sun and moon, Plodding stock rock track.

Alien shore- alien shite more like and a terribly contrived song with a totally shoed in vocal melody.

Speed of love?? Such irony- it's that slow it's in reverse gear.

Double agent- again, another stock rock song bereft of imagination

Leave that thing alone-ok but hardly in the same class as la villa and yyz.

Cold Fire, ok quirky short song.

Everyday Glory- bridge reminds me of those awful anthemic songs sung by the likes of pop-bands-masquerading-as-rock-bands like bon jovi.

It's just an opinion folks!!

 

It is just an opinion. It just happens to be the wrong opinion.

Wrong to you. :codger: I wouldn't be as harsh as Sin City but I find it very dull. Only two good cuts for me but if others like it have a party. I just won't be playing it except for Stick it out and Leave that thing alone. Animate sounds like Neil got out his rhyming dictionary..kind of a mess IMHO

Please, taste is taste, so that's all well and good, we don't all have to like the album, but if your reasoning involves Neil's rhyming scheme, you may as well join the "Rush sucks" crowd; let's face it, a poet he ain't, at least not until the other two guys arrange the songs and take his wordsmith-ship from palatable to sublime if we're lucky. He's a nice guy, more than capable of the occasional profound observation, but like most of us, suffers from the naiveté of his own pretentious predilections (and, yes, that twist of phrase is meant to be ironic) I mean, we're talking about a guy who as recent as this summer still thinks Karl Marx is responsible for the gulag.

 

Many people enjoy Rush for the lyrics, and it's an important feature of their music to me. The lyrics on CP are among the band's worst...Rutsey era included. Thats one importNt measure Of a song, and it's one reason I think this is their worst album

 

To me, you sound much more like a member of the "Rush sucks" crowd than fans who appreciate the lyrics generally, but have an issue with a few songs or albums.

[coventry]

Counterparts, a relationship based album? I wouldn't say so, unless you're talking about Nobody's Hero.

 

Rush has always been about interpreting human relationships. This goes back to 2112, when they were debating the possibility of humanity ending music, which ended humanity.

 

The only difference between Counterparts, and Test For Echo, is that Counterparts was rougher around the edges. Test For Echo also suffered lyrically.

 

Of course it's a relationship album. The whole thing just screams about Neil's preoccupation about gender roles and sexual contexts. I mean, this is Neil we're talking about - the closest thing he ever wrote to an intimate love song is "Ghost of a Chance" or "Sweet Miracle" (excluding the intimacy of "Chain Lightning").

 

But from the analysis of a softened masculine identity in"Animate" to a sophomoric exposition on the opposie gender in "Alien Shore" to the exploration of how the 97% gets along in "Everyday Glory", the whole album is about relationships between opposites.

[LedRush]

Counterparts, a relationship based album? I wouldn't say so, unless you're talking about Nobody's Hero.

 

Rush has always been about interpreting human relationships. This goes back to 2112, when they were debating the possibility of humanity ending music, which ended humanity.

 

The only difference between Counterparts, and Test For Echo, is that Counterparts was rougher around the edges. Test For Echo also suffered lyrically.

 

Of course it's a relationship album. The whole thing just screams about Neil's preoccupation about gender roles and sexual contexts. I mean, this is Neil we're talking about - the closest thing he ever wrote to an intimate love song is "Ghost of a Chance" or "Sweet Miracle" (excluding the intimacy of "Chain Lightning").

 

But from the analysis of a softened masculine identity in"Animate" to a sophomoric exposition on the opposie gender in "Alien Shore" to the exploration of how the 97% gets along in "Everyday Glory", the whole album is about relationships between opposites.

 

Yeah, I was pretty surprised to see someone argue that it's not a relationship based album. If the title of the album or the album art didn't give it away, even the most cursory examination of the lyrics makes it very clear.

[LedRush]

It's shite. Honestly, I would struggle to put anything from that record on a best of rush compilation. Sure, the production is ok, but the songs??

Animate-ok, at best.

Stick it out-stick it off.

Cut to the chase, stock rock track.

Nobodys Hero- ok but too much verse/chorus/verse.

Between sun and moon, Plodding stock rock track.

Alien shore- alien shite more like and a terribly contrived song with a totally shoed in vocal melody.

Speed of love?? Such irony- it's that slow it's in reverse gear.

Double agent- again, another stock rock song bereft of imagination

Leave that thing alone-ok but hardly in the same class as la villa and yyz.

Cold Fire, ok quirky short song.

Everyday Glory- bridge reminds me of those awful anthemic songs sung by the likes of pop-bands-masquerading-as-rock-bands like bon jovi.

It's just an opinion folks!!

 

It is just an opinion. It just happens to be the wrong opinion.

Wrong to you. :codger: I wouldn't be as harsh as Sin City but I find it very dull. Only two good cuts for me but if others like it have a party. I just won't be playing it except for Stick it out and Leave that thing alone. Animate sounds like Neil got out his rhyming dictionary..kind of a mess IMHO

 

 

[Rhyta]

It is just an opinion. It just happens to be the wrong opinion.

Wrong to you. :codger: I wouldn't be as harsh as Sin City but I find it very dull. Only two good cuts for me but if others like it have a party. I just won't be playing it except for Stick it out and Leave that thing alone. Animate sounds like Neil got out his rhyming dictionary..kind of a mess IMHO

Please, taste is taste, so that's all well and good, we don't all have to like the album, but if your reasoning involves Neil's rhyming scheme, you may as well join the "Rush sucks" crowd; let's face it, a poet he ain't, at least not until the other two guys arrange the songs and take his wordsmith-ship from palatable to sublime if we're lucky. He's a nice guy, more than capable of the occasional profound observation, but like most of us, suffers from the naiveté of his own pretentious predilections (and, yes, that twist of phrase is meant to be ironic) I mean, we're talking about a guy who as recent as this summer still thinks Karl Marx is responsible for the gulag.

 

Many people enjoy Rush for the lyrics, and it's an important feature of their music to me. The lyrics on CP are among the band's worst...Rutsey era included. Thats one importNt measure Of a song, and it's one reason I think this is their worst album

 

To me, you sound much more like a member of the "Rush sucks" crowd than fans who appreciate the lyrics generally, but have an issue with a few songs or albums.

 

I'm not sure if you are referring to me or Led Rush...I am certainly NOT a member of the Rush Sucks crowd. I just was commenting on Rush goober's usual insistence that everyone who doesn't agree with him is not only wrong but misguided. He thinks VT is horrible but loves Counterparts, I think the opposite. I think we need a bit more of agree to disagree here, just because I said I didn't like a couple of Rush songs then it becomes I think Rush sucks? That's a pretty big assumption to make and not supported by my posts. Unlike others here, I don't post to start arguments. This thread is about Counterparts the album and that is what I was commenting on. I wouldn't be posting here if I thought Rush sucks, geez :sigh: :eyeroll:

[coventry]

It is just an opinion. It just happens to be the wrong opinion.

Wrong to you. :codger: I wouldn't be as harsh as Sin City but I find it very dull. Only two good cuts for me but if others like it have a party. I just won't be playing it except for Stick it out and Leave that thing alone. Animate sounds like Neil got out his rhyming dictionary..kind of a mess IMHO

Please, taste is taste, so that's all well and good, we don't all have to like the album, but if your reasoning involves Neil's rhyming scheme, you may as well join the "Rush sucks" crowd; let's face it, a poet he ain't, at least not until the other two guys arrange the songs and take his wordsmith-ship from palatable to sublime if we're lucky. He's a nice guy, more than capable of the occasional profound observation, but like most of us, suffers from the naiveté of his own pretentious predilections (and, yes, that twist of phrase is meant to be ironic) I mean, we're talking about a guy who as recent as this summer still thinks Karl Marx is responsible for the gulag.

 

Many people enjoy Rush for the lyrics, and it's an important feature of their music to me. The lyrics on CP are among the band's worst...Rutsey era included. Thats one importNt measure Of a song, and it's one reason I think this is their worst album

 

To me, you sound much more like a member of the "Rush sucks" crowd than fans who appreciate the lyrics generally, but have an issue with a few songs or albums.

 

I'm not sure if you are referring to me or Led Rush...I am certainly NOT a member of the Rush Sucks crowd. I just was commenting on Rush goober's usual insistence that everyone who doesn't agree with him is not only wrong but misguided. He thinks VT is horrible but loves Counterparts, I think the opposite. I think we need a bit more of agree to disagree here, just because I said I didn't like a couple of Rush songs then it becomes I think Rush sucks? That's a pretty big assumption to make and not supported by my posts. Unlike others here, I don't post to start arguments. This thread is about Counterparts the album and that is what I was commenting on. I wouldn't be posting here if I thought Rush sucks, geez :sigh: :eyeroll:

 

One thing that's always bugged me about CP is its musical monochromatic nature. I don't know what key each song is in, but there doesn't seem to be tto much range, variety, or nuanced sonic palette within and between the tunes - with the exception of the melodramatic tension of "Nobody's Hero".

[Ged Lent's sis]

It is just an opinion. It just happens to be the wrong opinion.

Wrong to you. :codger: I wouldn't be as harsh as Sin City but I find it very dull. Only two good cuts for me but if others like it have a party. I just won't be playing it except for Stick it out and Leave that thing alone. Animate sounds like Neil got out his rhyming dictionary..kind of a mess IMHO

Please, taste is taste, so that's all well and good, we don't all have to like the album, but if your reasoning involves Neil's rhyming scheme, you may as well join the "Rush sucks" crowd; let's face it, a poet he ain't, at least not until the other two guys arrange the songs and take his wordsmith-ship from palatable to sublime if we're lucky. He's a nice guy, more than capable of the occasional profound observation, but like most of us, suffers from the naiveté of his own pretentious predilections (and, yes, that twist of phrase is meant to be ironic) I mean, we're talking about a guy who as recent as this summer still thinks Karl Marx is responsible for the gulag.

 

Many people enjoy Rush for the lyrics, and it's an important feature of their music to me. The lyrics on CP are among the band's worst...Rutsey era included. Thats one importNt measure Of a song, and it's one reason I think this is their worst album

 

To me, you sound much more like a member of the "Rush sucks" crowd than fans who appreciate the lyrics generally, but have an issue with a few songs or albums.

 

I'm not sure if you are referring to me or Led Rush...I am certainly NOT a member of the Rush Sucks crowd. I just was commenting on Rush goober's usual insistence that everyone who doesn't agree with him is not only wrong but misguided. He thinks VT is horrible but loves Counterparts, I think the opposite. I think we need a bit more of agree to disagree here, just because I said I didn't like a couple of Rush songs then it becomes I think Rush sucks? That's a pretty big assumption to make and not supported by my posts. Unlike others here, I don't post to start arguments. This thread is about Counterparts the album and that is what I was commenting on. I wouldn't be posting here if I thought Rush sucks, geez :sigh: :eyeroll:

Unless you used

It is just an opinion. It just happens to be the wrong opinion.

Wrong to you. :codger: I wouldn't be as harsh as Sin City but I find it very dull. Only two good cuts for me but if others like it have a party. I just won't be playing it except for Stick it out and Leave that thing alone. Animate sounds like Neil got out his rhyming dictionary..kind of a mess IMHO

Please, taste is taste, so that's all well and good, we don't all have to like the album, but if your reasoning involves Neil's rhyming scheme, you may as well join the "Rush sucks" crowd; let's face it, a poet he ain't, at least not until the other two guys arrange the songs and take his wordsmith-ship from palatable to sublime if we're lucky. He's a nice guy, more than capable of the occasional profound observation, but like most of us, suffers from the naiveté of his own pretentious predilections (and, yes, that twist of phrase is meant to be ironic) I mean, we're talking about a guy who as recent as this summer still thinks Karl Marx is responsible for the gulag.

 

Many people enjoy Rush for the lyrics, and it's an important feature of their music to me. The lyrics on CP are among the band's worst...Rutsey era included. Thats one importNt measure Of a song, and it's one reason I think this is their worst album

 

To me, you sound much more like a member of the "Rush sucks" crowd than fans who appreciate the lyrics generally, but have an issue with a few songs or albums.

 

I'm not sure if you are referring to me or Led Rush...I am certainly NOT a member of the Rush Sucks crowd. I just was commenting on Rush goober's usual insistence that everyone who doesn't agree with him is not only wrong but misguided. He thinks VT is horrible but loves Counterparts, I think the opposite. I think we need a bit more of agree to disagree here, just because I said I didn't like a couple of Rush songs then it becomes I think Rush sucks? That's a pretty big assumption to make and not supported by my posts. Unlike others here, I don't post to start arguments. This thread is about Counterparts the album and that is what I was commenting on. I wouldn't be posting here if I thought Rush sucks, geez :sigh: :eyeroll:

You missed the point, which is that the specific lyricism criticism you made is one that - in my opinion, obviously - one could apply to the lyrics from any album. Clearly you disagree. I wasn't saying you think they suck, I'm saying that basing your distaste for one album on the rhyming dictionary aspect is like saying you don't like Oscar Mayer hotdogs because they taste like processed meat remains.