Rush (Official Thread)

[Soot and Stars]

I've been collecting the Rush discography ever since the albums have been dirt cheap to collect! I've listened prior to 2112 and Moving Pictures but I'd had the rest of my collection resting since I'd acquired them. Tonight I went on a listening binge and have been listening to what I have in chronological order! Here's my Rush collection:

At this point I've rounded out each album except Moving Pictures! I'll be back when I've finished that and can get my thoughts together on the experience!

 

[TheWhalerfan]

^^ excellent choices! Now get out there and grab Grace Under Pressure

 

[Berserker]

Grace Under Pressure Tour Live by Rush on Spotify

Listening, pretty awesome so far. I saw Rush in concert once. 4 hours, no openers, all Rush rocking the whole time except for 20 minutes or so intermission in the middle.

They had a South Park skit on the screen to work in their return to the stage. I don't really like South Park but it was funny. Alex had a mandolin on a stand and would switch instruments mid song and Neil had a rotating stool in a 360 degree drum kit where the front drums were regular and the rears where animal skins, african style. As the stool spun the song changed and it was awesome.

I saw their first television interview in America in 30 years on comedy central, I wish I had a copy of it, they were/are great.

 

[LG]

I've been collecting the Rush discography ever since the albums have been dirt cheap to collect! I've listened prior to 2112 and Moving Pictures but I'd had the rest of my collection resting since I'd acquired them. Tonight I went on a listening binge and have been listening to what I have in chronological order! Here's my Rush collection:

At this point I've rounded out each album except Moving Pictures! I'll be back when I've finished that and can get my thoughts together on the experience!

That is a fabulous start to getting into Rush Sooty. You might want to add "A Farewell To Kings" as well then you have all their best early albums.

 

[Eoin Koenig]

Rush > Bryan Adams

Canada is a musically rich country, I suppose!

 

[Riff Raff]

Great choices Sooty in 2112, Moving Pictures, Hemispheres. I have yet to hear the other albums myself and I will be acquiring plenty more Rush over the next week or so.

 

[Soot and Stars]

Thanks guys and I have no problem getting Grace Under Pressure and A Farewell To Kings if the situation is right! Upon first listen last night I have to say surprisingly my favorite overall albums were Permanent Waves and Power Windows! My least favorite, and this was not my first attempt at it, is Hemispheres! I've always been cool with Moving Pictures and I'm warming up to 2112 more! I'll be doing blurbs on each album one at a time as I focus on one each night! Here's what I like and don't like about 2112:

The more I listen to the 20 minute centerpiece the more I can enjoy it and I think that's crucial as if you don't like that there's no chance for the rest of the album. The fact that it doesn't tie to the rest of the album says a lot about that. Keep in mind I never knew this as a listener. I mean they definitely don't have a theme one can jump into and follow right off. I mean when you read about it which I had to do it's more of a sci-fi movie than a song. A lot of songs can have space imagery but Rush is one of those bands with the modern equivalent being equivalent Coheed and Cambria that unravels a story that you have to personally dissect rather than innately follow. To me there's nothing wrong with that but I don't like that. I like more organic structures and themes where I get a feel for what I'm hearing right off.

Like Coheed does now and likely learned from Rush is if you fill in your story with enough epic riffage than you have an audience that's in for the ride regardless of what you sing about. 2112 definitely abounds in that. I could get into that and what I really like is Geddy Lees heavy vocal in this. Seriously, I don't know Rush world enough to know what people make for comparisons but shit, Axl owes this guy money. The rhythm and vocal style for many a G N' R song was created here. My favorite part was when he was wailing against with the awesome drum beats. What I didn't like was the stop and go within this song. It took me out of the journey. Even the songs felt like different parts placed together. To me I like long sounds that build and ebb and flow fluidly. I didn't get that here. Just a lot of cool song parts and ideas. The more I listen the more forgiving I get but it's still a gripe.

So now comes the rest of the album which like I said just feels tacked on. I read and it did not have anything thematically to do with the rest of the album. Here's my thing, to me if they had to do that epic piece why didn't they end with it? That way you had a build to it rather than having your main show first. Granted you could choose a side either way but it just seems weird to play your main card first, exhaust someone's focus and add songs 5 songs that seem like snacks in comparison and actually have a different tone. I mean the riffage is still there but songs like Road To Bangkok seem poppy in comparison and has an element of cheese to it. Maybe I was just tainted by the beginning da-na-na-na-na-dant-da-da!

The Twilight Zone may be my favorite followup track and seems to match the theatrical flair of the 2112 opus. I like the vocal here and the vibe is kind of smoky like a Noir film. Lessons may be the poppiest track here and while I like the vocals it's my least favorite track on the album. It throws a lot of stuff out there but does nothing for me. Tears is sweet but it just stays there and bleeds into Something For Nothing. That's not bad as continuity is good but it's the last track on the album now. I really have a weird feeling with this album as it ends on a heavy note but I'm not sure as a listener where I really am each time this ends. It's anticlimactic. I've experienced this particular album periodically well over a year and it's grown on me and parts I do like but I haven't been able to walk away fulfilled and understand your album experience. Maybe this is something you guys can tell me from personal experience? ​

 

[METALPRIEST]

Well this was to be their final nail in the coffin so to speak. With the record company and critics not too happy with Caress of Steel, being so far out there, this was their answer and compromise at the same time.

They were told they were going to be dropped if they didn't come up with some radio friendly snappy tunes and get away from the concept. The album's fist side was the big screw you to the label. Not to compromise art and music for the head honchos. Using Rand's Fountainhead as the basis for all this.

Side two gave them what they wanted as an album...a collection of songs. Not sure if it was really a give in, but it did indeed work, The entire message and music of side one, struck a nerve with fans in a BIG way, lucky for them, and BOOM...after this there was no turning back.

RUSH had assumed control

 

[Soot and Stars]

Well this was to be their final nail in the coffin so to speak. With the record company and critics not too happy with Caress of Steel, being so far out there, this was their answer and compromise at the same time.

They were told they were going to be dropped if they didn't come up with some radio friendly snappy tunes and get away from the concept. The album's fist side was the big screw you to the label. Not to compromise art and music for the head honchos. Using Rand's Fountainhead as the basis for all this.

Side two gave them what they wanted as an album...a collection of songs. Not sure if it was really a give in, but it did indeed work, The entire message and music of side one, struc with fans in a BIG way, lucky for them, and BOOM...after this there was no turning back.

RUSH had assumed control

Do you like side 2 or could you do without it? Do you get into the subject matter of the 2112 piece or does the music suffice just on it's own?

Having said what I said considering the backstory it does sound like a kudos to the bands integrity but somewhat of an awkward listen based on it's own merits. I mean it really helps to be a fan first before listening. Perhaps Moving Pictures should be everyone's first Rush experience and then hear this one later?

 

[METALPRIEST]

Possibly.....I guess you would have to be there when it came out. First time I heard it, my brother bought it and it was brand new.

I was 11 I believe. A couple years later I got my own copy. I liked the concept. Blew me away. The second side didn't bother me...I looked at it like 5 bonus tracks.