Blue Barchetta Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 In 1985, I went to a Tears for Fears concert and a Rush show broke out. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disk98 Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 (edited) WARNING: After rereading this, it may seem like I'm being a smarta** or a snob, but that's not what I intended at all. Sorry, JohnRogers, but I think you've got this whole synth thing messed up. I think most fans would agree that the so-called "synth era" began in 1982 with Signals and ended in 1987 with Hold Your Fire, as Presto began a transition toward more guitar-oriented music. And, for an essentials list, I think you have way too many songs in there. Subdivisions, Red Sector A, The Big Money, Marathon, Mission. That's about it. Edited June 6, 2015 by Disk98 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Barchetta Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Disk98: You don't even like "Distant Early Warning?" To me, that song kicks ass. Awesome guitar...synth era or not. Same with "Kid Gloves." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New World Kid Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Rush - 2112: Blues rock eraA Farewell to Kings - Moving Pictures: Prog eraSignals - Hold Your Fire: Synth eraPresto - Test for Echo: Return to rock eraVapor Trails - Clockwork Angels and beyond: Comeback era Essentials from Synth Era:(limit 3 songs per album) Signals:SubdivisionsNew World ManLosing It Grace Under Pressure:Distant Early WarningRed Sector ABetween the Wheels Power Windows:Big MoneyTerritoriesMystic Rhythms Hold Your Fire:Force TenTime Stand StillMission Nothing about Counterparts is synthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleMoon Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Rush - 2112: Blues rock eraA Farewell to Kings - Moving Pictures: Prog eraSignals - Hold Your Fire: Synth eraPresto - Test for Echo: Return to rock eraVapor Trails - Clockwork Angels and beyond: Comeback era Essentials from Synth Era:(limit 3 songs per album) Signals:SubdivisionsNew World ManLosing It Grace Under Pressure:Distant Early WarningRed Sector ABetween the Wheels Power Windows:Big MoneyTerritoriesMystic Rhythms Hold Your Fire:Force TenTime Stand StillMission Nothing about Counterparts is synthy. I would put Presto - Test For Echo in the "Pop Rock" category, rather than a return to rock. Much lighter weight music than previously. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Barchetta Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 EagleMoon: Really? Alex had to carry the songs before that? You are joking, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Barchetta Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 By that, I mean this: Lifeson is a brilliant guitarist, but many of the songs between FBN and Signals were driven by outstanding bass and drum playing. Alex truly shined on solos, but to say he "carried" the songs is kind of stretching it, in my book (don't wait for the movie.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YYZ Working Man Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Both recorded in LeStudio Morin heights . The SSL makes a big difference . best in the world at the time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexMike Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Rush - 2112: Blues rock eraA Farewell to Kings - Moving Pictures: Prog eraSignals - Hold Your Fire: Synth eraPresto - Test for Echo: Return to rock eraVapor Trails - Clockwork Angels and beyond: Comeback era I think you have to put PeW and MP in their own little brief era. There were still some brief prog moments, but the overall movement was toward shorter songs. Those two records were like the bridge between prog Rush and synth Rush. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YYZ Working Man Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 AFTK/HEM/PEW/MP/== HAVE THEIR OWN ERA = SIGNALS CHANGED EVERYTHING-perfect timing - near perfect album 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke1 Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 (edited) I tend to group certain albums into eras of sorts, more based on the feel I get from the albums. I sort of have 8 groupings, in terms of what albums I enjoy playing together. Some like the debut and Vapor Trails I enjoy best played on their own. The debut I think it's down to probably the 5 years or so of history before it and Vapor Trails there's just so much emotion and build up for me that it seems to also sit on its own. (That's just the way I think of them). When I think of a Sythesizer heavy period, It tends to be more the 1982-1987 years for me (ie I'd play a lot of tracks from any of these 4 albums and get a similar "feeling"). 1974 Rush1975-1978 Fly by Night-Hemispheres1980-1981 Permanent Waves/Moving Pictures1982-1987 Signals-Hold Your Fire1989-1991 Presto/Roll the Bones1993-1996 Counterparts/Test for Echo2002 Vapor Trails2007-2012 Snakes and Arrows/Clockwork Angels. Edited June 6, 2015 by Duke1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GabesCavesOfIce Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 If Ged had color coded stickers on his bass identifying certain notes, would anyone take " The Bass Era - Essential Greatness" more seriously than the Synth Era? I mean, seriously? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleMoon Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 EagleMoon: Really? Alex had to carry the songs before that? You are joking, right? I didn't mean it the way you are apparently taking it. I'm fully aware all three are integral parts of the whole. I'm talking about in the sense of a melodic instrument that is not the rhythm section. Guitar - keyboards. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraroc Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 For me it starts with Power Windows, because that's when the synth shots started to become distracting, when listening to a Rush album started to sound like hanging out in a video game arcade. But you never expect video arcade music to have lyrics like this.... The big bang took and shook the worldShot down the rising sunThe end was begun and it hit everyoneWhen the chain reaction was doneThe big shots tried to hold it backFools tried to wish it awayThe hopeful depend on a world without endWhatever the hopeless may say 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narps Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 (edited) Rush - 2112: Blues rock eraA Farewell to Kings - Moving Pictures: Prog eraSignals - Hold Your Fire: Synth eraPresto - Test for Echo: Return to rock eraVapor Trails - Clockwork Angels and beyond: Comeback era Essentials from Synth Era:(limit 3 songs per album) Signals:SubdivisionsNew World ManLosing It Grace Under Pressure:Distant Early WarningRed Sector ABetween the Wheels Power Windows:Big MoneyTerritoriesMystic Rhythms Hold Your Fire:Force TenTime Stand StillMission Nothing about Counterparts is synthy. I would put Presto - Test For Echo in the "Pop Rock" category, rather than a return to rock. Much lighter weight music than previously.Agreed or the attempt at a return to rock era. How is Caress Of Steel and 2112 not in the prog era at least from my understanding of what prog is? Don't agree with the selections of songs exception Grace Under Pressure. The Weapon, Manhattan Project would have to be on there for me from Signals and Power Windows respectively. There are 8 possibilities on HYF and exception Mission I would select a different 3. Second Nature and Turn The Page would be better choices for me anyway. Popular doesn't necessarily mean better... Edited June 6, 2015 by Narps 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaminbenb Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 OK...I'm in with a little group of "prog heads" on Facebook, and someone was talking about those 80's bands like Asia, GTR, and the 90125 version of Yes, and this stuff sort of fits into that if you really think about it. Rush's stuff was a little more accessible to someone that likes the "pop" rock sound, and I really think that Power Windows, and Hold You Fire fit into that category. Those lush synth sounds, but they still had a more creative, progressive edge to it. Less "cookie cutter" than the rest of the stuff out there, but it still was easier to listen to than the older stuff. I knew people that really got into Asia and all that, but weren't digging the ELP or Yes stuff that was out before that... In fact, I know someone that LOVED 90125, and went out and bought some prior Yes, and was totally appalled by that stuff! (I think she bought Relayer since it was usually in the "cut out" bin!) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Segue Myles Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 My choice of best synth era songs: MP-Vital Signs Signals-Analog KidNew World ManLosing ItCountdown GUP-Distant Early WarningAfterimageRed Sector AThe Enemy Within...The whole album lol PoW-MarathonMystic RhythmsGrand Designs HYF-All of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue J Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 IMHO on Signals the synth was still a support vehicle unlike GUP. Totally wrong. Guitar actually made a "comeback" on GUP despite the heavy keys. Straight from Lee and Lifeson's mouth again. Glad I'm not alone! I think this is true, too. The guitar was much more up-front on Grace Under Pressure. It's just that they were also embracing the synth technology, which happened to be exploding between 1982 and '84, to a great extent- and making it an integral part of their overall sound, at that time. Grace Under Pressure really is, for its time, a cutting-edge modern rock record. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tas7 Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 In the eighties all the big rock bands changed their sound due to synths and digital recording. The drums sounded like someone hitting Tupperware, bass went trebly and guitarists used that awful compressed chorus sound. I personally hated it but bands such as Genesis, Yes and Queen sold more records with this sound than their 70s incarnations did unfortunately. Rush were no different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digital Dad Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 IMHO on Signals the synth was still a support vehicle unlike GUP. Totally wrong. Guitar actually made a "comeback" on GUP despite the heavy keys. Straight from Lee and Lifeson's mouth again. Glad I'm not alone! I think this is true, too. The guitar was much more up-front on Grace Under Pressure. It's just that they were also embracing the synth technology, which happened to be exploding between 1982 and '84, to a great extent- and making it an integral part of their overall sound, at that time. Grace Under Pressure really is, for its time, a cutting-edge modern rock record. If you listen to the PoW demos you will hear that the rock edge is still present on most of the material. It was smoothed out and synthied up when they signed on with Peter Collins and he perhaps brought a bit more focus to the production. Then on HYF They went full bore and subsequently imo overproducd the album. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toymaker Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 For me it starts with Power Windows, because that's when the synth shots started to become distracting, when listening to a Rush album started to sound like hanging out in a video game arcade. But you never expect video arcade music to have lyrics like this.... The big bang took and shook the worldShot down the rising sunThe end was begun and it hit everyoneWhen the chain reaction was doneThe big shots tried to hold it backFools tried to wish it awayThe hopeful depend on a world without endWhatever the hopeless may say True, but then I don't recall arcade game music having any lyrics at all! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleMoon Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 OK...I'm in with a little group of "prog heads" on Facebook, and someone was talking about those 80's bands like Asia, GTR, and the 90125 version of Yes, and this stuff sort of fits into that if you really think about it. Rush's stuff was a little more accessible to someone that likes the "pop" rock sound, and I really think that Power Windows, and Hold You Fire fit into that category. Those lush synth sounds, but they still had a more creative, progressive edge to it. Less "cookie cutter" than the rest of the stuff out there, but it still was easier to listen to than the older stuff. I knew people that really got into Asia and all that, but weren't digging the ELP or Yes stuff that was out before that... In fact, I know someone that LOVED 90125, and went out and bought some prior Yes, and was totally appalled by that stuff! (I think she bought Relayer since it was usually in the "cut out" bin!) Ew. :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbine Freight Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Like some have already stated, I would say Signals is synth-era, and in my view, the best thereof. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnRogers Posted June 6, 2015 Author Share Posted June 6, 2015 Like some have already stated, I would say Signals is synth-era, and in my view, the best thereof.If you people are going to insist with this Signals is Synth Era garbage it just means five more songs added to the list. Making the Synth Era more powerful than you can possibly imagine. ;) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rftag Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Looking back and recalling how many diehard fans that started with Rush in the 70s completely lost their chit in 1982, I'd have to say The Synth Era started with Signals... :drool: So, this list...includes songs that may or may not have actually had a synth on them? The synth era definitely starts with Signals. I don't see how any list of Rush's best synth era songs could leave out "Subdivisions". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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