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[Metallus Maximus]

Metallus Maximus � Metallus Maximus Forums � Metal On Metal (Moderator: Hellboy)
Rush Fans...

[Venom]

I want your thoughts on each of these Rush albums individually:

1985's Power Windows
1987's Hold Your Fire
1989's Presto
1991's Roll The Bones
1993's Counterparts
1996's Test For Echo
2002's Vapor Trail
2004's Feedback

Personally, I think the band has been lost in a pop world since Grave Under Pressure with albums that are very consistent throughout.  But also, I am not a huge Rush fan either so that is why I bring this up to you guys here.  So give me your thoughts on each of the 8 albums listed above...

[Hellboy]

Out of that list, I only go back to Presto, maybe it's because I saw them on the Presto tour... 

I really like that one because it was a return to the Alex Lifeson's signature guitar sound and the keyboards were almost gone!

Show Don't Tell
Chain lightning
The Pass
Superconductor
and even the title track are all great tracks

I also like a few tracks off Counterparts and  Test For Echo

[Venom]

another problem I have with these albums is I don't ever more than like 1 or possibly 2 songs from them.

[Hellboy]

I really don't like the 80s production on Power Windows and Hold Your Fire...

I'll probably get flamed for this but Moving Pictures is probably the last Rush album I truly enjoyed as a whole, musically and production wise. 

[Venom]

I really don't like the 80s production on Power Windows and Hold Your Fire...

I'll probably get flamed for this but Moving Pictures is probably the last Rush album I truly enjoyed as a whole, musically and production wise. 

Me too, but I was giving them the benefit of the doubt for the next 2 albums and not calling them out on this list! 

[Firefarter]

Counterparts is the only real essential Rush album out of those.Vapor trails would be too except the production is lacking on that one.

[The True Fortress]

1985's Power Windows: The 80s material is in dramatically stark contrast to the band's 70s / very early 80s music, obviously. Rush is the granddaddies of progressive and epic heavy metal, but these records went far away from this architecture, into poppy hard rock territory, with much emphasis on keyboards. I both hated and loved it in my teens (the 80s). Power Windows has some fantastic songs. They were at the height of the clean, suited-jacket stage of their career.   

1987's Hold Your Fire: Of the 80s records, Hold Your Fire is probably my favourite. The songs, despite being, again, poppy, and wimpy, are so close to my heart. Some of Neil's best lyrics, too.
 
1989's Presto: Again, great songs. The production, like many Rush albums, could be more powerful and punchy, however. A little more of a "power trio" feel on this one. 

1991's Roll The Bones: Like Presto II, really. Clean and antiseptic songwriting. Not without fantastic music, as usual. I dig it. 
1993's Counterparts: Some of Rush's best "modern" music, and some of its lamest. The production is much improved.

1996's Test For Echo: Weak production, but one of my favourite batches of modern Rush songs. The album was released at a crucial time in my life. Still means a lot to me.

2002's Vapor Trail: Don't like it.

2004's Feedback: Boring. I appreciate its worth to the members, and support their releasing it, but never listen to it.

Bear in mind Rush is my all-time favourite band (since 1980) and I have see all the tours to support these records (well, not Feedback, of course).

[mak28]

Power Windows is about as big 80s as Rush got.  It's got some more bouncy upbeat rhythms to it with slick production and keyboards dominating the mix above the guitars.  Never the less I find the writing here to be immaculate without a weak song on the album.  Possibly my favorite 80s Rush.

Hold Your Fire was still very much in the 80s pop rock vein with Geddy's bass creeping back into prominence.  This album is very introspective thoughtful.  It contains Neil's best lyrics IMO and songs like Time Stand Still, Mission, High Water and Force Ten are classics in my book.  This is also perfection in the songwriting realm.  It does get a bit samey through a full listen as the recording does not emphasize the dynamics.  It's pretty sterile.

Presto took the same song writing approach from Hold Your Fire and cut the keys in favor of a more guitar centered approach.  However, the recording this time is about as thin and limp-wristed as your going to find.  A number of fantastic songs here but I find it a difficult listen thanks to the recording.  Again, thin is the word.

Roll The Bones was, as Rob TTF said, was in some ways Presto two.  It's actually a little jumbled between Presto, Hold Your Fire and what was to come on Counterparts.  It's got some more rocking tunes, the remaining keyboard dominated tracks and suffers again from an immaculate recording stripped of personality.

Counterparts is my favorite Rush album post Moving Pictures.  It's got it's balls back and combines a return to more progressive arrangements with the tight songwriting of those mid 80s albums.  I like every song here but The Speed of Love and Alien Shore always struck me as Rush walking a safe line while tracks like Stick It Out, Cut To The Chase and Double Agent found them venturing out again.  Sticking their necks out again was where they found the most success IMO.

Test For Echo has a more beefy production even if it's a little more compressed.  Still more adventurous writing pops up and the band finds themselves all over the map succeeding at most every turn.  I still don't like Dog Years, in fact I hate it, and Totem and Carve Away The Stone don't do a whole lot for me but the remainder is very good.  Yes, I really like Virtuality despite the lyrics.  It's great to hear Geddy's bass way out front moving the songs again.

Vapor Trails is a recording debacle in physical form.  This album is as dense and compressed as it gets.  In fact it can be suffocating at long exposure.  With no real guitar solos to speak of that effect is magnified because there is no break to to loosen up the flow and atmosphere.  Never the less I find this to be an awesome collection of songs.  This album is even more guitar oriented and the melodies and playing even more complex.  I much prefer this to Snakes and Arrows.  I'm in the minority there but I find it to be an excellent album.  Too bad the recording makes it only listenable in small doses.

Feedback is one Rush recording I will only own if I see it VERY cheap.  I have no interest in covers albums and no interest whatsoever in these songs being cover.

[The True Fortress]

Power Windows is about as big 80s as Rush got.  It's got some more bouncy upbeat rhythms to it with slick production and keyboards dominating the mix above the guitars.  Never the less I find the writing here to be immaculate without a weak song on the album.  Possibly my favorite 80s Rush.

Hold Your Fire was still very much in the 80s pop rock vein with Geddy's bass creeping back into prominence.  This album is very introspective thoughtful.  It contains Neil's best lyrics IMO and songs like Time Stand Still, Mission, High Water and Force Ten are classics in my book.  This is also perfection in the songwriting realm.  It does get a bit samey through a full listen as the recording does not emphasize the dynamics.  It's pretty sterile.

Presto took the same song writing approach from Hold Your Fire and cut the keys in favor of a more guitar centered approach.  However, the recording this time is about as thin and limp-wristed as your going to find.  A number of fantastic songs here but I find it a difficult listen thanks to the recording.  Again, thin is the word.

Roll The Bones was, as Rob TTF said, was in some ways Presto two.  It's actually a little jumbled between Presto, Hold Your Fire and what was to come on Counterparts.  It's got some more rocking tunes, the remaining keyboard dominated tracks and suffers again from an immaculate recording stripped of personality.

Counterparts is my favorite Rush album post Moving Pictures.  It's got it's balls back and combines a return to more progressive arrangements with the tight songwriting of those mid 80s albums.  I like every song here but The Speed of Love and Alien Shore always struck me as Rush walking a safe line while tracks like Stick It Out, Cut To The Chase and Double Agent found them venturing out again.  Sticking their necks out again was where they found the most success IMO.

Test For Echo has a more beefy production even if it's a little more compressed.  Still more adventurous writing pops up and the band finds themselves all over the map succeeding at most every turn.  I still don't like Dog Years, in fact I hate it, and Totem and Carve Away The Stone don't do a whole lot for me but the remainder is very good.  Yes, I really like Virtuality despite the lyrics.  It's great to hear Geddy's bass way out front moving the songs again.

Vapor Trails is a recording debacle in physical form.  This album is as dense and compressed as it gets.  In fact it can be suffocating at long exposure.  With no real guitar solos to speak of that effect is magnified because there is no break to to loosen up the flow and atmosphere.  Never the less I find this to be an awesome collection of songs.  This album is even more guitar oriented and the melodies and playing even more complex.  I much prefer this to Snakes and Arrows.  I'm in the minority there but I find it to be an excellent album.  Too bad the recording makes it only listenable in small doses.

Feedback is one Rush recording I will only own if I see it VERY cheap.  I have no interest in covers albums and no interest whatsoever in these songs being cover.

I enjoyed reading your commentary, Mark. Thanks.

[mak28]

I enjoyed reading your commentary, Mark. Thanks.

...and I yours.  It'd be great to read in depth commentary on the band's full catalog from various fans.  It's interesting and heart warming to read someone's commentary on a favorite band you share and hear how passionate they are about what draws them to the band.  I absolutely love Rush and everything they've done but what I gain and enjoy in one album may be completely different from another devoted fan.  It's great stuff.

[The True Fortress]

I enjoyed reading your commentary, Mark. Thanks.

...and I yours.  It'd be great to read in depth commentary on the band's full catalog from various fans.  It's interesting and heart warming to read someone's commentary on a favorite band you share and hear how passionate they are about what draws them to the band.  I absolutely love Rush and everything they've done but what I gain and enjoy in one album may be completely different from another devoted fan.  It's great stuff.

Cool. Thanks.

Yeah, I dig listening to others spout about bands for which we share an affection. Has your Rush-a-holic nature intensified since we last saw each other?

[Claymore]

another problem I have with these albums is I don't ever more than like 1 or possibly 2 songs from them.

Yep. That's why I don't listen to anything older than Signals.

[mak28]

Has your Rush-a-holic nature intensified since we last saw each other?

Not really.  They've been one of my top 7-8 bands for a long time, basically since 93 when Counterparts hit the airwaves.  I've owned everything in their back catalog since 94 and have been a faithful fan since.  Obviously the date of my arrival as a fan has colored my view of those 80's albums.  Others may have seen them as disappointments year after year but picking them up in a matter of months right along side their classic material helped me to enjoy them on the same level as anything in their catalog.  It's kind of cool to come into a band that way.

[The True Fortress]

Has your Rush-a-holic nature intensified since we last saw each other?

Not really.  They've been one of my top 7-8 bands for a long time, basically since 93 when Counterparts hit the airwaves.  I've owned everything in their back catalog since 94 and have been a faithful fan since.  Obviously the date of my arrival as a fan has colored my view of those 80's albums.  Others may have seen them as disappointments year after year but picking them up in a matter of months right along side their classic material helped me to enjoy them on the same level as anything in their catalog.  It's kind of cool to come into a band that way.

That's cool. I know you're a big fan. Just wonderin', that's all.

[zekeyou]

YEAAAHHHHHHH.

Finally seeing Rush-- picked up two tickets to see them in the Atlanta 'burbs at the end of September.

 

Release, I may have a drink or 3, but will not follow your lead.