Signals anniversary thread

[Dark Lord von Crayola]

Signals is my least favorite album from the synth era. Side one is great, but side two just bores the hell out of me. Except for Losing It, which is awesome. It's not terrible, but the albums that came after (Grace Under Pressure, Power Windows, Hold Your Fire) were just so much better.

[EagleMoon]

This album is bittersweet for me too. I love it now, but at the time it seemed so different, and not in a good way. I didn't like the synths. They were the opposite of what I thought the bands music should be. Basic, raw, guitar driven progressive rock.

Couldn't agree more. Being a fan since about 76', the direction they were headed was not a good one for me. That being said, I still liked it then and still like Signals to this day. I didn't give up until after Power Windows. I had lot's getting ready to happen (children) in my life at the time and didn't really like the music anyway.... Glad to be back on board after Clockwork Angels was released (the kids being long since grown doesn't hurt either)............. :codger:

 

Sounds like pretty much the same thing that happened with me. I liked a couple of songs on Power Windows but for the most part I couldn't really identify with it at the time. It was like they were trying to copy all the other bands that were out at the time. It sounded too generic to me. I missed the heavy guitars and the Ric bass. Hold Your Fire and Presto were pretty much nails in the coffin. Then I remember buying Vapor Trails and thinking what the heck happened to the band that I used to love? The production sucked. Once Snakes and Arrows came out I kept hearing such good stuff about it. Loved it from the first chord.

 

[CygnusGal]

For me it's a stellar album. It was the first one I bought on release date, so therefore it has always a special meaning to me.

Me too! It was the first Rush album I bought on the day of release. :cheers:

 

I was disappointed in the album when I first heard it (too synthy), but I loved Digital Man - Alex just melts during the solo :haz: Over time, the album has increased it's standing.

[Principled Man]

I hate to be the turd in the punchbowl on this thread, but I've always found Signals to be mostly dreary and drenched in chorus and echo effects with Geddy's voice drifting over the fog. I don't DISLIKE it, but its never been one of my favorites.

Song by song it's pretty good, but I can't listen to it end to end without getting a little bored

I don't think you are a "turd in the punchbowl" on this one. I can see your point but I think it's still a good album. Maybe you are just being a bite size Baby Ruth.......... :codger:

 

More like a bIte-sized Baby Ruth in Lake Michigan..... ;)

 

[Translation: Not liking a certain album is never a big deal. Differing opinions make the world go 'round.... :) ]

[Rick N. Backer]

Easily my third favorite album by the band. While the synthesizers were way more pronounced than they had been on MP, songs like The Analog Kid, Digital Man, and even The Weapon (with its very heavy synth presence) rocked hard. Subdivisions is the best synth driven song the band did. And Countdown, to my ears, is a great closer. It was downhill from here. Not like a cue ball off a table, but it was pronounced.

[Principled Man]

I remember buying Signals when it came out, and after listening to it, I knew that it was "different". It definitely took several listens to get into several of the songs. Once I understood that the band was not going to regurgitate their past albums every year, that they were going to explore new ways to rock, I was all in......

 

Subdivisions and The Analog Kid did not take several listens. They were and always will be major works of art. Flawless.... :haz:

[laughedatbytime]

Like many of you, it took me a while to get into this album, Subdivisions excluded. Although I grew to love The Analog Kid and The Weapon, and even longer to grow to love Losing It, I still consider it a significant step down from the 2112 to MP era, and I like p/g better by a significant margin. After p/g, things really fell off for me, until the transcendent CA. Since my son started getting into the band, I've reconnected with several of the later albums, VT, HYF, and PoW, to some degree, but Signals is still somewhat of a disappointment, if only because of the perfection of the previous era.

[GeminiRising79]

Funny. Lately Ive been listening to Signals before going into the gym and it really gets me going, especially the "punchy" Digital Man. Not to sound cliche', but this album flat-out kicks @ss. If they could produce another powerful album like this one, the love affair would be in full bloom.

Makes me speed when I'm driving.

 

I hear u!

Edited November 17, 2013 by GeminiRising79

[Cyclonus X-1]

I've loved this album from the start. I'd heard Subdivisions and the awesome GUP Tour version of The Weapon before buying it, so I knew I was in for something good. I ended up digging all the songs except for the "Man" ones, but even those are okay.

 

I consider Signals part of the band's peak period along with Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures. I'd happily include Grace Under Pressure, side one of which is remarkably strong, but it has a couple of tunes that I'm not at all a fan of.