Top 3 Songs From Each Album

[Narps]

is someone secretly compiling these lists?

I am still waiting for the perfect list so I can quote it and say "what he or she said".... :D

 

You must have missed my list. It's near the bottom of page 2. :P

I will double check. If Here Again, Lessons and Something For Nothing aren't on it then I can't use it.... :(

 

Well I hit on 2 out of 3 of those, which is probably more than anyone else can say.

You did. Your list is good. There are actually quite a few folks around here who see the songs close to how I do. I think you are one of those people. It is usually folks at least fairly close to my age.... :codger:

 

Oh man… that really hurts. :whip: :hockeygoon:

I take it you aren't? You can be young and have good taste as well. Its been known to happen.... :D

[Empty Mindless Spectre]

is someone secretly compiling these lists?

I am still waiting for the perfect list so I can quote it and say "what he or she said".... :D

 

You must have missed my list. It's near the bottom of page 2. :P

I will double check. If Here Again, Lessons and Something For Nothing aren't on it then I can't use it.... :(

 

Well I hit on 2 out of 3 of those, which is probably more than anyone else can say.

You did. Your list is good. There are actually quite a few folks around here who see the songs close to how I do. I think you are one of those people. It is usually folks at least fairly close to my age.... :codger:

 

Oh man… that really hurts. :whip: :hockeygoon:

I take it you aren't? You can be young and have good taste as well. Its been known to happen.... :D

 

Well I was 14 or 15 when I heard my first RUSH song, which was The Spirit of Radio. So I probably am close…. :sigh:

[Rutlefan]

I will double check. If Here Again, Lessons and Something For Nothing aren't on it then I can't use it.... :(

 

I could have used those songs. The trouble with 2112 through MP is that all the songs are so strong that almost any three from any of those albums could be picked. With side 2 of 2112 it was almost like flipping a coin.

 

Edit to earlier post... as if anyone cares, listened to VT on way home yesterday and realized I should have put "How It Is" instead of "Stars Looked Down." For the record.

Edited April 25, 2014 by Rutlefan

[Segue Myles]

Right...I am gonna rank these albums from 20-1, and a star rating:

 

20. Vapor Trails (2002): 3/10

 

i. The Stars Look Down

ii. One Little Victory

iii. Secret Touch

 

VT, including the 2013 remix, has yet to warm on me. Making a top three for this release has been almost impossible! But time wil tell..I used to detest Power Windows and Hold Your Fire, now I love them a lot! I just wish the songs were stronger on this one...

 

19. Rush (1974): 4/10

 

i. Finding My Way

ii. Here Again

iii. Working Man

 

An ok debut, not at all a classic or even a minor personal favourite, the three songs i have picked are ones I seem to remember liking the most.

 

18. Feedback (2004): 6/10

 

i. Summertime Blues

ii. The Seeker

iii. Seven And Seven Is

 

I really enjoy this album on occasion! It has a great vibe and energy, but loses points due to being a covers album. Not what I would call classic Rush, but still good enough to avoid being last.

 

17. Snakes And Arrows (2007): 6/10

 

i. Armor And Sword

ii. The Larger Bowl

iii. Faitless

 

Getting better as the millennium progressed, SA was a decent album let down by a lack of cohesion and far to many lacklustre songs. Still, at its best this is as good as the lesser tracks on Clockwork Angels (2012).

 

16. Test For Echo (1996): 7/10

 

i. Carve Away The Stone

ii. Driven

iii. Test For Echo

 

In the right frame of mind, I can play this album and enjoy it almost to the same extent as one of the classics. But truth be told, it isn't a classic. It is not even the best Rush album of the nineties! Still, Carve Away The Stone is one of my favourite Rush songs, and even lesser tracks such as Dog Years and Totem have a very likable charm. Good stuff!

 

15. Presto (1989): 7/10

 

i. Show Don't Tell

ii. The Pass

iii. Available Light

 

Now, I think Presto is a minor failure because, as the eighties progressed, Rush continued to evolve and evolve. Presto was the first Rush album to simply, well, not push any new boundaries. True, 1987's Hold Your Fire was verging on career suicide in terms of how far the band had changed from the sound of their late seventies peak, but at least it did so sounding like nothing else the band had ever quite sounded before. Still, songs such as The Pass and Available Light at least kept the quality levels high. Good stuff, lacks only a distinct personality.

 

14. Fly By Night (1975): 7/10

 

i. Fly By Night

ii. Anthem

iii. By-Tor And The Snow Dog

 

Ok, this is good stuff! Hard to say why I don't love this more, but it just doesn't excite me overly much! Still...some fantastic songwriting going on here, but its embarrassing just how much better the following four albums of the seventies were in comparison with this! But as the first album with Neil Peart, this is fantastic stuff! Special mention to Rivendell, another good song.

 

13. Counterparts (1993): 8/10

 

i. Double Agent

ii. Animate

iii. The Speed Of Love

 

I love quite a few of these songs! Double Agent is one of the best songs the band has ever released, I adore its dark atmosphere, and Animate is simply perfect in every way. Little to complain about here, except its astonishing how little of this album lingers in the memory once its all over. Still, brilliant stuff! Its testament to the greatness of Rush that an album as good as this remains a minor career highlight. That's meant to be a compliment, by the way!

 

12. Roll The Bones (1991): 8/10

 

i. Dreamline

ii. Bravado

iii. The Big Wheel

 

I absolutely love this album, it's everything I don't want Rush to sound like, and yet it somehow sounds absolutely brilliant! Despite what many critics say, I believe Rush to be a band largely devoid of cheesiness. If I want cheese, I turn to Toto, ABBA or something worse...however, RTB is undeniably cheesy, joyous pop! Sure, its secretly rock music but the many layers of shiny production make it clear this is closer to Rosanna or Hold The Line of Toto than such classic Rush tunes like 2112, Tom Sawyer or Red Sector A. Still, I have a lot of time for this album, and I would have ranked it higher on the list if it were not for the likes of Face Up or Neurotica. Still...Why are we here?...

 

11. Hold Your Fire (1987): 8/10

 

i. Time Stand Still

ii. Force Ten

iii. Tai Shan

 

So, I used to really struggle with this album. Why? It just seemed shallow and, well, boring. But like Power Windows before it, this album is surprisingly complex and technical, with the need for patience on the part of the listener as it offers its rewards only with repeat listens. Why only an eight? Well...I do prefer my Rush to rock hard, but this is a beautiful album, and despite its strong eighties flourishes, I find this to be oddly timeless.

 

10. Caress Of Steel (1975): 9/10

 

i. Bastille Day

ii. Lakeside Park

iii. The Fountain Of Lamneth

 

CLASSIC! The first album on this list to approach perfection, it lacks only in the sense that the formula behind these songs would go on to be bettered over the next three albums. Still, Bastille Day is a real gem, and even I Think I'm Going Bald gets repeat plays, and bonus points for being hilarious and rocking all in one! And it's the weakest on the album...9/10 and I will have it no other way, thank you!

 

9. Signals (1982): 9/10

 

i. Losing It

ii. The Analog Kid

iii. New World Man

 

A fantastic set of great, great songs, this is a real masterpiece. But...Moving Pictures came before this, and Grace Under Pressure came after. For me, both those albums were superior. Terry Brown left on a high note, but this is slightly disappointing after the perfect streak of albums from 2112-Moving Pictures. Losing It is one of my favourite Rush songs ever, just to point out one major highlight!

 

8. Clockwork Angels (2012): 9/10

 

i. The Garden

ii. Headlong Flight

iii. Caravan

 

This is so close to a ten it is ridiculous! However, I will make one complaint: the production is a bit muddy. BUT THAT IS IT! I love everything about this album, the songs themselves, the lyrics, the vocals, the artwork. Its a real musical journey and, for me, comes impossibly close to being the bands best album on par with A Farewell To Kings. But the sound quality lets it down, and for a concept album the story itself fails to move me in the same way as 2112 does. So this could have been my number two but I feel there are six albums more deserving of a higher place. The Garden is extraordinarily powerful, a song so perfect it is my dying wish that it may outlive us all!

 

7. Power Windows (1985): 9/10

 

i. Marathon

ii. Grand Designs

iii. Mystic Rhythms

 

Go back a few months and there are several posts on this site where I completely slate this amazing work of art. Let's just say I accept I made a mistake, and now I love this album, heck, THE ENTIRE SYNTH ERA, to death! A near perfect example of how great a Rush album can be, even if they don't sound all that much like the Rush you first came to know! Excellent vocal work from Geddy throughout, and for me the synths never sounded better!

 

6. Grace Under Pressure (1984): 10/10

 

i. Red Sector A

ii. Distant Early Warning

iii. Afterimage

 

Finally, a perfect ten! The top six albums are all virtually interchangeable, and any one of them could be called my number one favourite on a good day! p/g scores so highly with me because I love to death the icy coldness of this album. It chills me to the bone, and Geddy sounds so emotional on the first three tracks that by the end of Red Sector A I am ready to give way to tears. Red Sector A is just perfection, possibly my favourite Rush song of the eighties, possibly ever! Every song is a winner, I am the rare beast who believes songs such as Kid Gloves and Red Lenses are absolute gold-standard Rush.

 

5. Hemispheres (1978): 10/10

 

i. Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres

ii. La Villa Strangiato

iii. The Trees

 

I feel bad for not saying Circumstances, but with only four tracks, one had to come last! The title track is absolutely wonderful. I have spent a long time trying to understand it and take it all in, and this is meant to be a good thing, I still don't think I love it as much as I should. But every time it plays it gets better and better. Another example of Rush perfection.

 

4. Moving Pictures (1981): 10/10

 

i. Limelight

ii. Witch Hunt

iii. Tom Sawyer

 

My first Rush album, I bought this blindly and from practically my first play became obsessed with Rush. The opening seconds of Tom Sawyer gives me a real rush of excitement, and I know that the second it starts the album has to play until the end. Limelight is one of my favourite songs ever, and Witch Hunt, alongside Double Agent and Carve Away The Stone, is one of the most underrated Rush songs of all time. I adore this album so much, even though I have come close to overplaying it!

 

3. 2112 (1976): 9.5/10

 

So I have so far ranked three 10/10 albums, from places six to four, only to follow that streak by ranking a 9.5 at number three. What is that about? Well, for starters, the first side is absolutely the greatest piece of music ever written by Rush. We are all entitled to our own opinion, and for me, the absolute platinum standard quality of side A is enough to push the album to a top three spot in spite of a lesser (though still near perfect) second side. And what an excellent second side! Something For Nothing, Tears, The Twilight Zone...all great songs but not quite deserving enough to award 2112 the full 10/10. But to place this at number six would be to completely disregard the true greatness of that epic title track. A perfect example of an album that is greater than the sum of its parts.

 

2. Permanent Waves (1980): 10/10

 

i. Freewill

ii. The Spirit Of Radio

iii. Jacob's Ladder

 

As a pure listening experience, there can be no faulting Permanent Waves. Everything is once again perfect, including the terrific artwork! Freewill is one of the best singalong songs of all time, fact! And the opening moments of The Spirit Of Radio cannot be beat. If this wasn't at number two, it would have had to be my number one!

 

1. A Farewell To Kings (1977): 10/10

 

i. A Farewell To Kings

ii. Xanadu

iii. Cygnus X-1

 

My favourite Rush album, this has an atmosphere that drives me wild with rock n roll joy every time I play it! One of my all time favourite albums, I cannot fault anything about this. I could write an essay but I will leave this brief. But that title track...beautiful intro...

 

So this has been fun! My hand is killing me...I look forward to the criticism and debates...

 

 

 

 

 

[sun dog]

wasn't with you on all of those points but was very much a nice read

[Segue Myles]

SILLY POST Edited April 26, 2014 by Segue Myles

[Segue Myles]

DOUBLE POST

[Narps]

Right...I am gonna rank these albums from 20-1, and a star rating:

 

20. Vapor Trails (2002): 3/10

 

i. The Stars Look Down

ii. One Little Victory

iii. Secret Touch

 

VT, including the 2013 remix, has yet to warm on me. Making a top three for this release has been almost impossible! But time wil tell..I used to detest Power Windows and Hold Your Fire, now I love them a lot! I just wish the songs were stronger on this one...

 

19. Rush (1974): 4/10

 

i. Finding My Way

ii. Here Again

iii. Working Man

 

An ok debut, not at all a classic or even a minor personal favourite, the three songs i have picked are ones I seem to remember liking the most.

 

18. Feedback (2004): 6/10

 

i. Summertime Blues

ii. The Seeker

iii. Seven And Seven Is

 

I really enjoy this album on occasion! It has a great vibe and energy, but loses points due to being a covers album. Not what I would call classic Rush, but still good enough to avoid being last.

 

17. Snakes And Arrows (2007): 6/10

 

i. Armor And Sword

ii. The Larger Bowl

iii. Faitless

 

Getting better as the millennium progressed, SA was a decent album let down by a lack of cohesion and far to many lacklustre songs. Still, at its best this is as good as the lesser tracks on Clockwork Angels (2012).

 

16. Test For Echo (1996): 7/10

 

i. Carve Away The Stone

ii. Driven

iii. Test For Echo

 

In the right frame of mind, I can play this album and enjoy it almost to the same extent as one of the classics. But truth be told, it isn't a classic. It is not even the best Rush album of the nineties! Still, Carve Away The Stone is one of my favourite Rush songs, and even lesser tracks such as Dog Years and Totem have a very likable charm. Good stuff!

 

15. Presto (1989): 7/10

 

i. Show Don't Tell

ii. The Pass

iii. Available Light

 

Now, I think Presto is a minor failure because, as the eighties progressed, Rush continued to evolve and evolve. Presto was the first Rush album to simply, well, not push any new boundaries. True, 1987's Hold Your Fire was verging on career suicide in terms of how far the band had changed from the sound of their late seventies peak, but at least it did so sounding like nothing else the band had ever quite sounded before. Still, songs such as The Pass and Available Light at least kept the quality levels high. Good stuff, lacks only a distinct personality.

 

14. Fly By Night (1975): 7/10

 

i. Fly By Night

ii. Anthem

iii. By-Tor And The Snow Dog

 

Ok, this is good stuff! Hard to say why I don't love this more, but it just doesn't excite me overly much! Still...some fantastic songwriting going on here, but its embarrassing just how much better the following four albums of the seventies were in comparison with this! But as the first album with Neil Peart, this is fantastic stuff! Special mention to Rivendell, another good song.

 

13. Counterparts (1993): 8/10

 

i. Double Agent

ii. Animate

iii. The Speed Of Love

 

I love quite a few of these songs! Double Agent is one of the best songs the band has ever released, I adore its dark atmosphere, and Animate is simply perfect in every way. Little to complain about here, except its astonishing how little of this album lingers in the memory once its all over. Still, brilliant stuff! Its testament to the greatness of Rush that an album as good as this remains a minor career highlight. That's meant to be a compliment, by the way!

 

12. Roll The Bones (1991): 8/10

 

i. Dreamline

ii. Bravado

iii. The Big Wheel

 

I absolutely love this album, it's everything I don't want Rush to sound like, and yet it somehow sounds absolutely brilliant! Despite what many critics say, I believe Rush to be a band largely devoid of cheesiness. If I want cheese, I turn to Toto, ABBA or something worse...however, RTB is undeniably cheesy, joyous pop! Sure, its secretly rock music but the many layers of shiny production make it clear this is closer to Rosanna or Hold The Line of Toto than such classic Rush tunes like 2112, Tom Sawyer or Red Sector A. Still, I have a lot of time for this album, and I would have ranked it higher on the list if it were not for the likes of Face Up or Neurotica. Still...Why are we here?...

 

11. Hold Your Fire (1987): 8/10

 

i. Time Stand Still

ii. Force Ten

iii. Tai Shan

 

So, I used to really struggle with this album. Why? It just seemed shallow and, well, boring. But like Power Windows before it, this album is surprisingly complex and technical, with the need for patience on the part of the listener as it offers its rewards only with repeat listens. Why only an eight? Well...I do prefer my Rush to rock hard, but this is a beautiful album, and despite its strong eighties flourishes, I find this to be oddly timeless.

 

10. Caress Of Steel (1975): 9/10

 

i. Bastille Day

ii. Lakeside Park

iii. The Fountain Of Lamneth

 

CLASSIC! The first album on this list to approach perfection, it lacks only in the sense that the formula behind these songs would go on to be bettered over the next three albums. Still, Bastille Day is a real gem, and even I Think I'm Going Bald gets repeat plays, and bonus points for being hilarious and rocking all in one! And it's the weakest on the album...9/10 and I will have it no other way, thank you!

 

9. Signals (1982): 9/10

 

i. Losing It

ii. The Analog Kid

iii. New World Man

 

A fantastic set of great, great songs, this is a real masterpiece. But...Moving Pictures came before this, and Grace Under Pressure came after. For me, both those albums were superior. Terry Brown left on a high note, but this is slightly disappointing after the perfect streak of albums from 2112-Moving Pictures. Losing It is one of my favourite Rush songs ever, just to point out one major highlight!

 

8. Clockwork Angels (2012): 9/10

 

i. The Garden

ii. Headlong Flight

iii. Caravan

 

This is so close to a ten it is ridiculous! However, I will make one complaint: the production is a bit muddy. BUT THAT IS IT! I love everything about this album, the songs themselves, the lyrics, the vocals, the artwork. Its a real musical journey and, for me, comes impossibly close to being the bands best album on par with A Farewell To Kings. But the sound quality lets it down, and for a concept album the story itself fails to move me in the same way as 2112 does. So this could have been my number two but I feel there are six albums more deserving of a higher place. The Garden is extraordinarily powerful, a song so perfect it is my dying wish that it may outlive us all!

 

7. Power Windows (1985): 9/10

 

i. Marathon

ii. Grand Designs

iii. Mystic Rhythms

 

Go back a few months and there are several posts on this site where I completely slate this amazing work of art. Let's just say I accept I made a mistake, and now I love this album, heck, THE ENTIRE SYNTH ERA, to death! A near perfect example of how great a Rush album can be, even if they don't sound all that much like the Rush you first came to know! Excellent vocal work from Geddy throughout, and for me the synths never sounded better!

 

6. Grace Under Pressure (1984): 10/10

 

i. Red Sector A

ii. Distant Early Warning

iii. Afterimage

 

Finally, a perfect ten! The top six albums are all virtually interchangeable, and any one of them could be called my number one favourite on a good day! p/g scores so highly with me because I love to death the icy coldness of this album. It chills me to the bone, and Geddy sounds so emotional on the first three tracks that by the end of Red Sector A I am ready to give way to tears. Red Sector A is just perfection, possibly my favourite Rush song of the eighties, possibly ever! Every song is a winner, I am the rare beast who believes songs such as Kid Gloves and Red Lenses are absolute gold-standard Rush.

 

5. Hemispheres (1978): 10/10

 

i. Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres

ii. La Villa Strangiato

iii. The Trees

 

I feel bad for not saying Circumstances, but with only four tracks, one had to come last! The title track is absolutely wonderful. I have spent a long time trying to understand it and take it all in, and this is meant to be a good thing, I still don't think I love it as much as I should. But every time it plays it gets better and better. Another example of Rush perfection.

 

4. Moving Pictures (1981): 10/10

 

i. Limelight

ii. Witch Hunt

iii. Tom Sawyer

 

My first Rush album, I bought this blindly and from practically my first play became obsessed with Rush. The opening seconds of Tom Sawyer gives me a real rush of excitement, and I know that the second it starts the album has to play until the end. Limelight is one of my favourite songs ever, and Witch Hunt, alongside Double Agent and Carve Away The Stone, is one of the most underrated Rush songs of all time. I adore this album so much, even though I have come close to overplaying it!

 

3. 2112 (1976): 9.5/10

 

So I have so far ranked three 10/10 albums, from places six to four, only to follow that streak by ranking a 9.5 at number three. What is that about? Well, for starters, the first side is absolutely the greatest piece of music ever written by Rush. We are all entitled to our own opinion, and for me, the absolute platinum standard quality of side A is enough to push the album to a top three spot in spite of a lesser (though still near perfect) second side. And what an excellent second side! Something For Nothing, Tears, The Twilight Zone...all great songs but not quite deserving enough to award 2112 the full 10/10. But to place this at number six would be to completely disregard the true greatness of that epic title track. A perfect example of an album that is greater than the sum of its parts.

 

2. Permanent Waves (1980): 10/10

 

i. Freewill

ii. The Spirit Of Radio

iii. Jacob's Ladder

 

As a pure listening experience, there can be no faulting Permanent Waves. Everything is once again perfect, including the terrific artwork! Freewill is one of the best singalong songs of all time, fact! And the opening moments of The Spirit Of Radio cannot be beat. If this wasn't at number two, it would have had to be my number one!

 

1. A Farewell To Kings (1977): 10/10

 

i. A Farewell To Kings

ii. Xanadu

iii. Cygnus X-1

 

My favourite Rush album, this has an atmosphere that drives me wild with rock n roll joy every time I play it! One of my all time favourite albums, I cannot fault anything about this. I could write an essay but I will leave this brief. But that title track...beautiful intro...

 

So this has been fun! My hand is killing me...I look forward to the criticism and debates...

Nicely done grasshopper..... :ebert:

[Segue Myles]

Right...I am gonna rank these albums from 20-1, and a star rating:

 

20. Vapor Trails (2002): 3/10

 

i. The Stars Look Down

ii. One Little Victory

iii. Secret Touch

 

VT, including the 2013 remix, has yet to warm on me. Making a top three for this release has been almost impossible! But time wil tell..I used to detest Power Windows and Hold Your Fire, now I love them a lot! I just wish the songs were stronger on this one...

 

19. Rush (1974): 4/10

 

i. Finding My Way

ii. Here Again

iii. Working Man

 

An ok debut, not at all a classic or even a minor personal favourite, the three songs i have picked are ones I seem to remember liking the most.

 

18. Feedback (2004): 6/10

 

i. Summertime Blues

ii. The Seeker

iii. Seven And Seven Is

 

I really enjoy this album on occasion! It has a great vibe and energy, but loses points due to being a covers album. Not what I would call classic Rush, but still good enough to avoid being last.

 

17. Snakes And Arrows (2007): 6/10

 

i. Armor And Sword

ii. The Larger Bowl

iii. Faitless

 

Getting better as the millennium progressed, SA was a decent album let down by a lack of cohesion and far to many lacklustre songs. Still, at its best this is as good as the lesser tracks on Clockwork Angels (2012).

 

16. Test For Echo (1996): 7/10

 

i. Carve Away The Stone

ii. Driven

iii. Test For Echo

 

In the right frame of mind, I can play this album and enjoy it almost to the same extent as one of the classics. But truth be told, it isn't a classic. It is not even the best Rush album of the nineties! Still, Carve Away The Stone is one of my favourite Rush songs, and even lesser tracks such as Dog Years and Totem have a very likable charm. Good stuff!

 

15. Presto (1989): 7/10

 

i. Show Don't Tell

ii. The Pass

iii. Available Light

 

Now, I think Presto is a minor failure because, as the eighties progressed, Rush continued to evolve and evolve. Presto was the first Rush album to simply, well, not push any new boundaries. True, 1987's Hold Your Fire was verging on career suicide in terms of how far the band had changed from the sound of their late seventies peak, but at least it did so sounding like nothing else the band had ever quite sounded before. Still, songs such as The Pass and Available Light at least kept the quality levels high. Good stuff, lacks only a distinct personality.

 

14. Fly By Night (1975): 7/10

 

i. Fly By Night

ii. Anthem

iii. By-Tor And The Snow Dog

 

Ok, this is good stuff! Hard to say why I don't love this more, but it just doesn't excite me overly much! Still...some fantastic songwriting going on here, but its embarrassing just how much better the following four albums of the seventies were in comparison with this! But as the first album with Neil Peart, this is fantastic stuff! Special mention to Rivendell, another good song.

 

13. Counterparts (1993): 8/10

 

i. Double Agent

ii. Animate

iii. The Speed Of Love

 

I love quite a few of these songs! Double Agent is one of the best songs the band has ever released, I adore its dark atmosphere, and Animate is simply perfect in every way. Little to complain about here, except its astonishing how little of this album lingers in the memory once its all over. Still, brilliant stuff! Its testament to the greatness of Rush that an album as good as this remains a minor career highlight. That's meant to be a compliment, by the way!

 

12. Roll The Bones (1991): 8/10

 

i. Dreamline

ii. Bravado

iii. The Big Wheel

 

I absolutely love this album, it's everything I don't want Rush to sound like, and yet it somehow sounds absolutely brilliant! Despite what many critics say, I believe Rush to be a band largely devoid of cheesiness. If I want cheese, I turn to Toto, ABBA or something worse...however, RTB is undeniably cheesy, joyous pop! Sure, its secretly rock music but the many layers of shiny production make it clear this is closer to Rosanna or Hold The Line of Toto than such classic Rush tunes like 2112, Tom Sawyer or Red Sector A. Still, I have a lot of time for this album, and I would have ranked it higher on the list if it were not for the likes of Face Up or Neurotica. Still...Why are we here?...

 

11. Hold Your Fire (1987): 8/10

 

i. Time Stand Still

ii. Force Ten

iii. Tai Shan

 

So, I used to really struggle with this album. Why? It just seemed shallow and, well, boring. But like Power Windows before it, this album is surprisingly complex and technical, with the need for patience on the part of the listener as it offers its rewards only with repeat listens. Why only an eight? Well...I do prefer my Rush to rock hard, but this is a beautiful album, and despite its strong eighties flourishes, I find this to be oddly timeless.

 

10. Caress Of Steel (1975): 9/10

 

i. Bastille Day

ii. Lakeside Park

iii. The Fountain Of Lamneth

 

CLASSIC! The first album on this list to approach perfection, it lacks only in the sense that the formula behind these songs would go on to be bettered over the next three albums. Still, Bastille Day is a real gem, and even I Think I'm Going Bald gets repeat plays, and bonus points for being hilarious and rocking all in one! And it's the weakest on the album...9/10 and I will have it no other way, thank you!

 

9. Signals (1982): 9/10

 

i. Losing It

ii. The Analog Kid

iii. New World Man

 

A fantastic set of great, great songs, this is a real masterpiece. But...Moving Pictures came before this, and Grace Under Pressure came after. For me, both those albums were superior. Terry Brown left on a high note, but this is slightly disappointing after the perfect streak of albums from 2112-Moving Pictures. Losing It is one of my favourite Rush songs ever, just to point out one major highlight!

 

8. Clockwork Angels (2012): 9/10

 

i. The Garden

ii. Headlong Flight

iii. Caravan

 

This is so close to a ten it is ridiculous! However, I will make one complaint: the production is a bit muddy. BUT THAT IS IT! I love everything about this album, the songs themselves, the lyrics, the vocals, the artwork. Its a real musical journey and, for me, comes impossibly close to being the bands best album on par with A Farewell To Kings. But the sound quality lets it down, and for a concept album the story itself fails to move me in the same way as 2112 does. So this could have been my number two but I feel there are six albums more deserving of a higher place. The Garden is extraordinarily powerful, a song so perfect it is my dying wish that it may outlive us all!

 

7. Power Windows (1985): 9/10

 

i. Marathon

ii. Grand Designs

iii. Mystic Rhythms

 

Go back a few months and there are several posts on this site where I completely slate this amazing work of art. Let's just say I accept I made a mistake, and now I love this album, heck, THE ENTIRE SYNTH ERA, to death! A near perfect example of how great a Rush album can be, even if they don't sound all that much like the Rush you first came to know! Excellent vocal work from Geddy throughout, and for me the synths never sounded better!

 

6. Grace Under Pressure (1984): 10/10

 

i. Red Sector A

ii. Distant Early Warning

iii. Afterimage

 

Finally, a perfect ten! The top six albums are all virtually interchangeable, and any one of them could be called my number one favourite on a good day! p/g scores so highly with me because I love to death the icy coldness of this album. It chills me to the bone, and Geddy sounds so emotional on the first three tracks that by the end of Red Sector A I am ready to give way to tears. Red Sector A is just perfection, possibly my favourite Rush song of the eighties, possibly ever! Every song is a winner, I am the rare beast who believes songs such as Kid Gloves and Red Lenses are absolute gold-standard Rush.

 

5. Hemispheres (1978): 10/10

 

i. Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres

ii. La Villa Strangiato

iii. The Trees

 

I feel bad for not saying Circumstances, but with only four tracks, one had to come last! The title track is absolutely wonderful. I have spent a long time trying to understand it and take it all in, and this is meant to be a good thing, I still don't think I love it as much as I should. But every time it plays it gets better and better. Another example of Rush perfection.

 

4. Moving Pictures (1981): 10/10

 

i. Limelight

ii. Witch Hunt

iii. Tom Sawyer

 

My first Rush album, I bought this blindly and from practically my first play became obsessed with Rush. The opening seconds of Tom Sawyer gives me a real rush of excitement, and I know that the second it starts the album has to play until the end. Limelight is one of my favourite songs ever, and Witch Hunt, alongside Double Agent and Carve Away The Stone, is one of the most underrated Rush songs of all time. I adore this album so much, even though I have come close to overplaying it!

 

3. 2112 (1976): 9.5/10

 

So I have so far ranked three 10/10 albums, from places six to four, only to follow that streak by ranking a 9.5 at number three. What is that about? Well, for starters, the first side is absolutely the greatest piece of music ever written by Rush. We are all entitled to our own opinion, and for me, the absolute platinum standard quality of side A is enough to push the album to a top three spot in spite of a lesser (though still near perfect) second side. And what an excellent second side! Something For Nothing, Tears, The Twilight Zone...all great songs but not quite deserving enough to award 2112 the full 10/10. But to place this at number six would be to completely disregard the true greatness of that epic title track. A perfect example of an album that is greater than the sum of its parts.

 

2. Permanent Waves (1980): 10/10

 

i. Freewill

ii. The Spirit Of Radio

iii. Jacob's Ladder

 

As a pure listening experience, there can be no faulting Permanent Waves. Everything is once again perfect, including the terrific artwork! Freewill is one of the best singalong songs of all time, fact! And the opening moments of The Spirit Of Radio cannot be beat. If this wasn't at number two, it would have had to be my number one!

 

1. A Farewell To Kings (1977): 10/10

 

i. A Farewell To Kings

ii. Xanadu

iii. Cygnus X-1

 

My favourite Rush album, this has an atmosphere that drives me wild with rock n roll joy every time I play it! One of my all time favourite albums, I cannot fault anything about this. I could write an essay but I will leave this brief. But that title track...beautiful intro...

 

So this has been fun! My hand is killing me...I look forward to the criticism and debates...

Nicely done grasshopper..... :ebert:

 

Thanks buddy bud bud!

[Chronos]

I will double check. If Here Again, Lessons and Something For Nothing aren't on it then I can't use it.... :(

 

I got 2 out of 3 of those as well. But I must give precedence to Bangkok over Lessons, for it's one of my fave 70s tunes.

Edited April 26, 2014 by Chronos

[J2112YYZ]

In no particular order.

 

RUSH: Finding My Way, What You're Doing, Working Man

 

FLY BY NIGHT: Anthem, Beneath Between Behind, Fly By Night

 

CARESS OF STEEL: Bastille Day, Lakeside Park, Fountain Of Lamneth

 

2112: 2112, A Passage To Bangkok, Something For Nothing

 

A FAREWELL TO KINGS: A Farewell To Kings, Xanadu, Cinderella Man

 

HEMISPHERES: Hemispheres, Circumstances, La Villa Strangiato

 

PERMANENT WAVES: The Spirit Of Radio, Freewill, Natural Science

 

MOVING PICTURES: Red Barchetta, YYZ, The Camera Eye

 

SIGNALS: Subdivisions, The Analog Kid, The Weapon

 

GRACE UNDER PRESSURE: The Enemy Within, The Body Electric, Between The Wheels

 

POWER WINDOWS: Manhattan Project, Marathon, Territories

 

HOLD YOUR FIRE: Time Stand Still, Open Secrets, Mission

 

PRESTO: Chain Lightning, Presto, Available Light

 

ROLL THE BONES: Dreamline, Bravado, Ghost Of A Chance

 

COUNTERPARTS: Cut To The Chase, Double Agent, Cold Fire

 

TEST FOR ECHO: Test For Echo, Driven, Totem

 

VAPOR TRAILS: Ghost Rider, Secret Touch, Earthshine

 

SNAKES & ARROWS: Far Cry, Armor & Sword, The Way The Wind Blows

 

CLOCKWORK ANGELS: Clockwork Angels, The Anarchist, Headlong Flight

[gangsterfurious]

Rush | Finding My Way - Need Some Love - Working Man

 

Fly By Night | Anthem (!!!) - Best I Can - By-Tor and he Snow-Dog

 

Carees of Steel | Bastille Day - I Think I'm Going Bald - The Necromancer

 

2112 | 2112 - Something For Nothing - Tears

 

A Farewell to Kings | A Farewell to Kings - Closer to the Heart - Cygnus X-1

 

Hemispheres | Hemispheres - The Trees - La Villa Strangiato

 

Permanent Waves | The Spirit of Radio - Different Strings - Natural Science

 

Moving Pictures (Just three? Seriously?!) | YYZ - Limelight - Vital Signs

 

Signals | The Analog Kid - New World Man - Losing It

 

Grace Under Pressure (Just three? Seriously!?| Red Sector A - The Enemy Within - Kidglovesredlenses

 

Power Windows | Manhattan Project - Marathon - Middletown Dreams

 

Hold Your Fire | Time Stand Still - Prime Mover - Force Ten

 

Presto | Chain Lightning - The Pass - Hand Over Fist

 

Roll the Bones | Dreamline - Bravado - Ghost of a Chance

 

Counterparts | Animate - Leave that Thing Alone - Alien Shore

 

Test for Echo | Resist and uh.... well... yeah.... what can I say? We all have one, right?

 

Vapor Trails | Ghost Rider - One Little Victory - Earthshine

 

Feedback | Er, uhm, maybe we all have one or two, right?

 

Snakes & Arrows | The Larger Bowl - Faithless - Workin' Them Angels

 

Clockwork Angels | The Anarchist - Wish Them Well - The Garden.

[Rutlefan]

Right...I am gonna rank these albums from 20-1, and a star rating:

 

20. Vapor Trails (2002): 3/10

 

i. The Stars Look Down

ii. One Little Victory

iii. Secret Touch

 

VT, including the 2013 remix, has yet to warm on me. Making a top three for this release has been almost impossible! But time wil tell..I used to detest Power Windows and Hold Your Fire, now I love them a lot! I just wish the songs were stronger on this one...

 

FYI, Vapor Trails is their best album since Moving Pictures. It's a fact! (It's a Canadian fact, brought to you by the Canadian Bureau of Facts.) Seriously though, there's some really cool sh*t on that album -- "Ceiling Unlimited," "That's How it Is," etc. If I had not heard anything they'd done since 1981, and then heard VT, I'd have been really impressed with how they'd progressed, not guessing that they might have made albums in between that didn't interest me. While so many bands turn into a shadow of their glory years as they age, Rush made something that was really strong and ground-breaking (to me at any rate). Listening to it for this list made me appreciate it even more (Counterparts was also a winner, whereas my low estimation of everything from Power Windows to RTB was re-enforced). I think it's the one post-MP album that would turn me into a Rush fan if I hadn't already been one.

 

Obviously there's whole threads beating this debate into the ground, but I'm just throwing this in for you. So keep listening, maybe you'll see the light some day. ;)

Edited April 27, 2014 by Rutlefan

[Segue Myles]

Right...I am gonna rank these albums from 20-1, and a star rating:

 

20. Vapor Trails (2002): 3/10

 

i. The Stars Look Down

ii. One Little Victory

iii. Secret Touch

 

VT, including the 2013 remix, has yet to warm on me. Making a top three for this release has been almost impossible! But time wil tell..I used to detest Power Windows and Hold Your Fire, now I love them a lot! I just wish the songs were stronger on this one...

 

FYI, Vapor Trails is their best album since Moving Pictures. It's a fact! (It's a Canadian fact, brought to you by the Canadian Bureau of Facts.) Seriously though, there's some really cool sh*t on that album -- "Ceiling Unlimited," "That's How it Is," etc. If I had not heard anything they'd done since 1981, and then heard VT, I'd have been really impressed with how they'd progressed, not guessing that they might have made albums in between that didn't interest me. While so many bands turn into a shadow of their glory years as they age, Rush made something that was really strong and ground-breaking (to me at any rate). Listening to it for this list made me appreciate it even more (Counterparts was also a winner, whereas my low estimation of everything from Power Windows to RTB was re-enforced). I think it's the one post-MP album that would turn me into a Rush fan if I hadn't already been one.

 

Obviously there's whole threads beating this debate into the ground, but I'm just throwing this in for you. So keep listening, maybe you'll see the light some day. ;)

 

I am glad you feel that way! I am convinced every album from Rush has been great as, unlike any other band I know who have lasted this long, every single release seems to have its die hard supporters!

 

I won't disagree with you, as I had some gentle mocking for my love of "lesser" Rush albums such as Roll The Bones and even Test For Echo. But for me, Vapor Trails just isn't an enjoyable listening experience. I don't like the songs. But to be fair I don't skip songs on this album.

 

I get to track five and simply turn the whole thing off!

 

But still, I think Signals through to Test For Echo were all much stronger releases. Seriously, nothing on this album appeals to me (aside from a few of the live performances on the Rush In Rio DVD).

 

Vapor Trails the best album since Moving Pictures? Well...each to their own. Fact.

[Rutlefan]

" Well...each to their own. Fact. "

 

Indeed. My best friend is happily married, yet I find spending even five minutes with his wife difficult (feeling is mutual no doubt). I love the styling of the 3rd gen Ford Taurus whereas I wouldn't drive a Camry if given one for free. My favorite ice cream is black licorice and my favorite candy is "Snaps," yet they are both so unpopular that you can't find either in stores anymore. I have an irrationally (admittedly) intense aversion to Billy Joel and Pearl Jam (I flee the sound of either), yet both are very popular and generally well thought-of. Personal taste is indeed a mystery and I don't pretend mine holds up well to objective scrutiny at times. BUT, in this case, I'm right of course ;) .

Edited April 27, 2014 by Rutlefan

[Segue Myles]

" Well...each to their own. Fact. "

 

Indeed. My best friend is happily married, yet I find spending even five minutes with his wife difficult (feeling is mutual no doubt). I love the styling of the 3rd gen Ford Taurus whereas I wouldn't drive a Camry if given one for free. My favorite ice cream is black licorice and my favorite candy is "Snaps," yet they are both so unpopular that you can't find either in stores anymore. I have an irrationally (admittedly) intense aversion to Billy Joel and Pearl Jam (I flee the sound of either), yet both are very popular and generally well thought-of. Personal taste is indeed a mystery and I don't pretend mine holds up well to objective scrutiny at times. BUT, in this case, I'm right of course ;) .

 

Well...sorry...tried it again. I really do not like it...at...all...

[Todem]

In no particular order:

 

Rush - Working Man, Finding My Way, What Your Doing

 

Fly By Night - Anthem, By Tor and The Snow Dog, In The End

 

Caress of Steel - Bastille Day, Lakeside Park, The Necromancer

 

2112 - 2112, Passage To Bangkok, Something For Nothing

 

A Farewell To Kings - A Farewell To Kings, Xanadu, Cygnus X-1

 

Hemispheres - Cygnus X-1 Book 2 Hemispheres, The Trees, La Villa Strangiato

 

Permanent Waves - The Spirit Of Radio, Freewill, Natural Science

 

Moving Pictures - Tom Sawyer, Red Barchetta, Limelight

 

Signals - Subdivisions, The Analog Kid, Digital Man

 

Grace Under Pressure - Afterimage, Red Sector A, Between The Wheels

 

Power Windows - Marathon, Middletown Dreams, The Manhattan Project

 

Hold Your Fire - Mission, Turn The Page, Time Stand Still

 

Presto - Show Don't Tell, The Pass, Available Light

 

Roll The Bones - Dreamline, Bravado, Ghost of a Chance

 

Counterparts - Animate, Cold Fire, Alien Shore

 

Test For Echo - Test For Echo, Driven, Totem

 

Vapor Trails - Vaportrail, Nocturne, Earthshine

 

Snakes and Arrows - Armor & Sword, Far Cry, The Main Monkey Business

 

Clockwork Angels - Clockwork Angels, The Anarchist, Headlong Flight

[Narps]

In no particular order.

 

RUSH: Finding My Way, Here Again, Working Man

 

FLY BY NIGHT: Anthem, Beneath Between Behind, In The End

 

CARESS OF STEEL: Bastille Day, Lakeside Park, Fountain Of Lamneth

 

2112: 2112, Lessons, Something For Nothing

 

A FAREWELL TO KINGS: A Farewell To Kings, Xanadu, Cinderella Man

 

HEMISPHERES: Hemispheres, Circumstances, La Villa Strangiato

 

PERMANENT WAVES: Entre Nous, Freewill, Natural Science

 

MOVING PICTURES: Witch Hunt, YYZ, The Camera Eye

 

SIGNALS: Subdivisions, The Analog Kid, The Weapon

 

GRACE UNDER PRESSURE: The Enemy Within, The Body Electric, Between The Wheels

 

POWER WINDOWS: Manhattan Project, Marathon, Territories

 

HOLD YOUR FIRE: Time Stand Still, Open Secrets, Mission

 

The Dark Years... No Opinion

 

 

CLOCKWORK ANGELS: The Garden, The Anarchist, Halo Effect

My list above ^^^^^^. J2112YYZ appreciate you allowing me to copy and change your list some to fit my taste and opinions. I was to lazy to type mine from scratch and yours was good to begin with anyway.... :)

[Citizen of the World]

In order:

 

Rush: Here Again, Before and After, Working Man

Fly By Night: By-Tor and the Snow Dog, Anthem, Fly By Night

Caress of Steel: Bastille Day, The Necromancer, The Fountain of Lamneth

2112: 2112, Something for Nothing, A Passage to Bangkok

A Farewell to Kings: Xanadu, A Farewell to Kings, Closer to the Heart

Hemispheres: La Villa Strangiato, Hemispheres, The Trees

Permanent Waves: Natural Science, Freewill, The Spirit of Radio

Moving Pictures: Limelight, Witch Hunt, YYZ

Signals: Subdivisions, The Analog Kid, The Weapon

Grace Under Pressure: Distant Early Warning, Red Sector A, Kid Gloves

Power Windows: Territories, Marathon, Mystic Rhythms

Hold Your Fire: Turn the Page, Force Ten, Mission

Presto: The Pass, Show Don't Tell, Available Light

Roll the Bones: Dreamline, Ghost of a Chance, Bravado

Counterparts: Leave That Thing Alone, Animate, Alien Shore

Test for Echo: Driven, Resist, Limbo

Vapor Trails: Secret Touch, Earthshine, One Little Victory

Snakes & Arrows: The Main Monkey Business, Malignant Narcissism, Far Cry

Clockwork Angels: The Garden, Caravan, Headlong Flight

Edited April 27, 2014 by Citizen of the World

[ThinkingBig]

CoS doesn't have but one good song...

[Segue Myles]

CoS doesn't have but one good song...

 

Eat my poo

[Rutlefan]

" Well...each to their own. Fact. "

 

Indeed. My best friend is happily married, yet I find spending even five minutes with his wife difficult (feeling is mutual no doubt). I love the styling of the 3rd gen Ford Taurus whereas I wouldn't drive a Camry if given one for free. My favorite ice cream is black licorice and my favorite candy is "Snaps," yet they are both so unpopular that you can't find either in stores anymore. I have an irrationally (admittedly) intense aversion to Billy Joel and Pearl Jam (I flee the sound of either), yet both are very popular and generally well thought-of. Personal taste is indeed a mystery and I don't pretend mine holds up well to objective scrutiny at times. BUT, in this case, I'm right of course ;) .

 

Well...sorry...tried it again. I really do not like it...at...all...

 

Try skipping Ghost Rider and get to the last 2/3 of the album. It's reeeally good.

[Zeppster]

I'm not sure I can pick just 3 from Grae Under Pressure or Moving Pictures. Or Clockwork Angels. Or any songs from Hold Your Fire Edited April 30, 2014 by Zeppster

[Segue Myles]

" Well...each to their own. Fact. "

 

Indeed. My best friend is happily married, yet I find spending even five minutes with his wife difficult (feeling is mutual no doubt). I love the styling of the 3rd gen Ford Taurus whereas I wouldn't drive a Camry if given one for free. My favorite ice cream is black licorice and my favorite candy is "Snaps," yet they are both so unpopular that you can't find either in stores anymore. I have an irrationally (admittedly) intense aversion to Billy Joel and Pearl Jam (I flee the sound of either), yet both are very popular and generally well thought-of. Personal taste is indeed a mystery and I don't pretend mine holds up well to objective scrutiny at times. BUT, in this case, I'm right of course ;) .

 

Well...sorry...tried it again. I really do not like it...at...all...

 

Try skipping Ghost Rider and get to the last 2/3 of the album. It's reeeally good.

 

will try that later!

[Brucey]

CoS doesn't have but one good song...

 

Eat my poo

 

 

 

I don't like 1 second of it, it's my least favourite Rush album by a distance.