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"Counterparts" - What do you really think of this album?


Lorraine
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Were they getting lazy in the nineties? This album is beneath them. Counterparts makes Vapor Trails sound epic.

 

For myself, the only worthwhile songs on the album are:

 

Animate

Alien Shore

Leave That Thing Alone

 

I could not agree.....

 

LESS

 

I would throw out Animate and Speed of Love but it is by far their best sounding and feeling album.

 

The Grungy/Angry Stick it Out, the lyrcs in Nobody's Hero and Cold Fire, Cut to the Chase and Everyday Glory. Also Double Agent is an awesome example of Rush doing something truly different with Geddy's voice. I still remember listening to the album while lying in my bed and having Geddy's voice scare the crap out of me during DA. Loved it!

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Were they getting lazy in the nineties? This album is beneath them. Counterparts makes Vapor Trails sound epic.

 

For myself, the only worthwhile songs on the album are:

 

Animate

Alien Shore

Leave That Thing Alone

 

I could not agree.....

 

LESS

 

I would throw out Animate and Speed of Love but it is by far their best sounding and feeling album.

 

The Grungy/Angry Stick it Out, the lyrcs in Nobody's Hero and Cold Fire, Cut to the Chase and Everyday Glory. Also Double Agent is an awesome example of Rush doing something truly different with Geddy's voice. I still remember listening to the album while lying in my bed and having Geddy's voice scare the crap out of me during DA. Loved it!

 

If it wasn't for Animate and Speed of Love, I'd put the album at the bottom of the heap. nya%20nya.gif

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Genuinely surprised at the low regard CP has on this thread. IMHO, it blows away the two albums preceding it and is a better listen than anything they've done since. Edited by greg2112
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I just watched them do Animate on "Project R30 NY" - I don't know that they should attempt it now. He was having some trouble singing certain parts of the song back then.

I wouldn't worry too much, Ged could pull Animate off without too much trouble. I think they'll for sure play it

 

Would love to hear Animate again. Neil kills it live.

 

Why did they slow the tempo, though, from the album to live?

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I just watched them do Animate on "Project R30 NY" - I don't know that they should attempt it now. He was having some trouble singing certain parts of the song back then.

I wouldn't worry too much, Ged could pull Animate off without too much trouble. I think they'll for sure play it

 

Would love to hear Animate again. Neil kills it live.

 

Why did they slow the tempo, though, from the album to live?

 

Normally I would say because of age but when listening to the Different Stages version it was played at the same tempo as the R30 version. Who knows, maybe just a composition adjustment which they seem to like to do lol

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Genuinely surprised at the low regard CP has on this thread. IMHO, it blows away the two albums preceding it and is a better listen than anything they've done since.

 

Despite the divide of opinions this album has, I think most if not all of have agreed that the sound production on this album was pure goodness.

 

Peter Collins did a wonderful job. Test For Echo left a bit to be desired in that aspect...

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You know, Lorraine, after listening to Speed of Love again, I can see why you put it next to Grace Under Pressure. I think, just based off of Alex's playing style on that song, that it could go on either Signals or Grace.
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Were they getting lazy in the nineties? This album is beneath them. Counterparts makes Vapor Trails sound epic.

 

For myself, the only worthwhile songs on the album are:

 

Animate

Alien Shore

Leave That Thing Alone

 

I could not agree.....

 

LESS

 

I would throw out Animate and Speed of Love but it is by far their best sounding and feeling album.

 

The Grungy/Angry Stick it Out, the lyrcs in Nobody's Hero and Cold Fire, Cut to the Chase and Everyday Glory. Also Double Agent is an awesome example of Rush doing something truly different with Geddy's voice. I still remember listening to the album while lying in my bed and having Geddy's voice scare the crap out of me during DA. Loved it!

 

If it wasn't for Animate and Speed of Love, I'd put the album at the bottom of the heap. nya%20nya.gif

 

I have Speed of Love as the bottom of the heap. It has Neil's worst lyrics and is musically uninspired, for me.

 

I do like Animate, though.

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Genuinely surprised at the low regard CP has on this thread. IMHO, it blows away the two albums preceding it and is a better listen than anything they've done since.

 

Despite the divide of opinions this album has, I think most if not all of have agreed that the sound production on this album was pure goodness.

 

Peter Collins did a wonderful job. Test For Echo left a bit to be desired in that aspect...

 

Agreed. The production is excellent, really makes the album stand out among others in its era -- as well as the ones succeeding it.

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But, I have to say this for Alex - it's always his guitar drawing me in to most of these songs.

 

This album sounds tinny. Were they trying to cut production costs when they recorded it?

 

Also, is it my imagination, or does Stick It Out and Witch Hunt sound similar in parts?

 

Sounds tinny? Counterparts is their best sounding album period, sonically-speaking.

 

P.S: The songs are pretty killer too. Honestly only maybe The Speed of Love could be a skippable track but the rest rock.

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Radio certainly doesn't recognize this album being worth much either. No matter how many Rush "blocks" the "classic rock" station plays, I can't recall any tracks from this album qualifying for a spin. I mean even "One little victory" and "Show don't tell" have gotten a spin here and there. Counterparts, and of course COS, have never gotten any love, or so it seems.

 

Not since 1993. I remember hearing "Stick it Out" on the radio during that time. It actually got heavy airplay if you can believe it.

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To be honest, I think Presto through to T4E is a very underrated album streak. Not as good as my favourite streak, CoS to MP, or Signals through to PoW (HYF I am still making my nind over), but I really enjoy those four albums. Patchy, yes, but overall full if excellence and CP perhaps has the most going for it! Not really a classic album, but for what it is (a commercial rock album) it is enjoyable!
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Radio certainly doesn't recognize this album being worth much either. No matter how many Rush "blocks" the "classic rock" station plays, I can't recall any tracks from this album qualifying for a spin. I mean even "One little victory" and "Show don't tell" have gotten a spin here and there. Counterparts, and of course COS, have never gotten any love, or so it seems.

 

Not since 1993. I remember hearing "Stick it Out" on the radio during that time. It actually got heavy airplay if you can believe it.

 

When it was released, Nobody's Hero got a bit of play as well.

 

And I still hear Bastille Day and Lakeside Park on the radio.

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To be honest, I think Presto through to T4E is a very underrated album streak. Not as good as my favourite streak, CoS to MP, or Signals through to PoW (HYF I am still making my nind over), but I really enjoy those four albums. Patchy, yes, but overall full if excellence and CP perhaps has the most going for it! Not really a classic album, but for what it is (a commercial rock album) it is enjoyable!

 

It was a commercial rock album that didn't do as well commercially as the previous album and doesn't have much catchy to grab onto.

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To be honest, I think Presto through to T4E is a very underrated album streak. Not as good as my favourite streak, CoS to MP, or Signals through to PoW (HYF I am still making my nind over), but I really enjoy those four albums. Patchy, yes, but overall full if excellence and CP perhaps has the most going for it! Not really a classic album, but for what it is (a commercial rock album) it is enjoyable!

 

It was a commercial rock album that didn't do as well commercially as the previous album and doesn't have much catchy to grab onto.

 

Exactly! But for what it is, its nice enough!

 

But give me A Farewell To Kings any day of the week please!

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Although saying it didn't do well, if I remember rightly isn't CP the bands highest charting album up to that point?
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But, I have to say this for Alex - it's always his guitar drawing me in to most of these songs.

 

This album sounds tinny. Were they trying to cut production costs when they recorded it?

 

Also, is it my imagination, or does Stick It Out and Witch Hunt sound similar in parts?

 

Sounds tinny? Counterparts is their best sounding album period, sonically-speaking.

 

P.S: The songs are pretty killer too. Honestly only maybe The Speed of Love could be a skippable track but the rest rock.

 

I do retract my comment about the album sounding "tinny." It depends on what I use to listen to music. My first choice on listening to Counterparts did it no justice.

 

The Speed of Love is one of the best songs on that album.

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To be honest, I think Presto through to T4E is a very underrated album streak. Not as good as my favourite streak, CoS to MP, or Signals through to PoW (HYF I am still making my nind over), but I really enjoy those four albums. Patchy, yes, but overall full if excellence and CP perhaps has the most going for it! Not really a classic album, but for what it is (a commercial rock album) it is enjoyable!

 

Segue, I agree with you.

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I just watched them do Animate on "Project R30 NY" - I don't know that they should attempt it now. He was having some trouble singing certain parts of the song back then.

I wouldn't worry too much, Ged could pull Animate off without too much trouble. I think they'll for sure play it

 

Would love to hear Animate again. Neil kills it live.

 

Why did they slow the tempo, though, from the album to live?

 

Normally I would say because of age but when listening to the Different Stages version it was played at the same tempo as the R30 version. Who knows, maybe just a composition adjustment which they seem to like to do lol

 

They might have felt it had a better groove at that tempo.

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To be honest, I think Presto through to T4E is a very underrated album streak. Not as good as my favourite streak, CoS to MP, or Signals through to PoW (HYF I am still making my nind over), but I really enjoy those four albums. Patchy, yes, but overall full if excellence and CP perhaps has the most going for it! Not really a classic album, but for what it is (a commercial rock album) it is enjoyable!

 

Segue, I agree with you.

 

Yay! Is CP still a top five effort for you?

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To be honest, I think Presto through to T4E is a very underrated album streak. Not as good as my favourite streak, CoS to MP, or Signals through to PoW (HYF I am still making my nind over), but I really enjoy those four albums. Patchy, yes, but overall full if excellence and CP perhaps has the most going for it! Not really a classic album, but for what it is (a commercial rock album) it is enjoyable!

 

Segue, I agree with you.

 

Yay! Is CP still a top five effort for you?

 

As of today, yes. And in case you are wondering, Snakes & Arrows is still at the bottom. I don't know that I can ever again bring myself to listen to that seemingly endless album all the way through. But, who knows? In a year, it might be one of my top five! :)

Edited by Lorraine
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To be honest, I think Presto through to T4E is a very underrated album streak. Not as good as my favourite streak, CoS to MP, or Signals through to PoW (HYF I am still making my nind over), but I really enjoy those four albums. Patchy, yes, but overall full if excellence and CP perhaps has the most going for it! Not really a classic album, but for what it is (a commercial rock album) it is enjoyable!

 

Segue, I agree with you.

 

Yay! Is CP still a top five effort for you?

 

As of today, yes. And in case you are wondering, Snakes & Arrows is still at the bottom. I don't know that I can ever again bring myself to listen to that seemingly endless album all the way through. But, who knows? In a year, it might be one of my top five! :)

 

I am not a fan of SA, it has no purpose except to last longer than the directors cut of Ben Hur. Some awesome moments, but I wouldn't miss it if it got lost.

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To be honest, I think Presto through to T4E is a very underrated album streak. Not as good as my favourite streak, CoS to MP, or Signals through to PoW (HYF I am still making my nind over), but I really enjoy those four albums. Patchy, yes, but overall full if excellence and CP perhaps has the most going for it! Not really a classic album, but for what it is (a commercial rock album) it is enjoyable!

 

Segue, I agree with you.

 

Yay! Is CP still a top five effort for you?

 

As of today, yes. And in case you are wondering, Snakes & Arrows is still at the bottom. I don't know that I can ever again bring myself to listen to that seemingly endless album all the way through. But, who knows? In a year, it might be one of my top five! :)

 

I am not a fan of SA, it has no purpose except to last longer than the directors cut of Gone With The Wind. Some awesome moments, but I wouldn't miss it if it got lost.

 

Ben-Hur is one of my all time favorite movies. In light of that fact, you will please take note of the change I made in your post. ;)

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