RUSH back in the studio. A new CD is on its way

[___]

I've been listening to this cd for the last 3 days, and, as usual, it's taking it some time to grow on me. While it's all good stuff, I'm hoping they'll change their style for the next cd; this is pretty much the same sound as Test For Echo and Vapor Trails. So far, 'Armor and Sword' is my favorite track, 'Malignant Narcissism' being my 2nd favorite.

[Zarathustra]

Mr Fixit, I hated Test For Echo. It's the only Rush CD I sold after buying it. But Vapor Trails was completely different. It's like the tragedy in Neil's life (death of his wife and daughter) brought a new urgency to their music and a maturity to his lyrics. I love Vapor Trails, more than any CD since Signals or Grace Under Pressure.

I hear lots of previous Rush CDs in this one. But it also sounds very different from everything that's gone before.

If they do make another CD, I'm sure it will go in a different direction, just like they've done with the 18 so far.

[___]

19, if you include "Feedback'. I think lyrically, this cd is very much like Vapor Trails; it's just not mixed like VT. And, it lacks an obvious single like 'One Little Victory'.

[aTOMiC]

Well Malik I don't think I can agree with most of your opinion. Of course it’s all about particular tastes. Counterparts and Test For Echo are two of my favourite Rush cds after Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures. Vapor Trails has a few really spectacular songs and the lyrics are both intelligent and heartbreaking but it just didn't hit me the way I would have anticipated. I've listened to Snakes and Arrows and though the music is pure excellence and the lyrics thought provoking, the songs in general have an inaccessible quality. Fixit is right when he points out that S&A doesn't have a mass market single, IMHO of course. One of the reasons I like Rush is that they are a Prog band that manages to capture genuinely memorable hooks and choruses that resonate immediately. The approach Rush took with S&A is decidedly not mainstream. After my first listen only the instrumental "The Main Monkey Business" seems to grab me like a bowl of ice cream. I'll have to listen to this cd a number of times and let it marinate a bit before it begins to seep into my consciousness.

[Zarathustra]

Of course, to each his own. The great thing about Rush is that there's so much diversity of music that lots of different tastes can be satisfied.

Fixit, I didn't really like One Little Victory. It's strange--that one and Ghost Rider were considered by many to be the "hits" off the CD, but they were two of my least favorites. My #1 fav off VT is Secret Touch. Then I suppose it's Peaceable Kingdom, Earthshine, Sweet Miracle, Vapor Trail, Freeze, Ceiling Unlimited . . . the others, and finally One Little Victory. I just can't get past that aweful chorus. "Ooone little vic. tor. EE-EE." But it does have a very cool opening. I usually listen to that and then skip to Ceiling Unlimited.

[Usivius]

One of the reasons I like Rush is that they are a Prog band that manages to capture genuinely memorable hooks and choruses that resonate immediately

what?...

Speaking both as a Rush fan and as a Prog fan, I have to deliver my opinion that Rush is not a Prog band. They are a rock band, creative as they may be.
Mr. Bungle was more Prog than Rush ever was --- well, maybe Cygnus...

[dANdeLION]

You can deliver your opinion all you want. I'm sure reality will go an alter itself to fit said opinion any time now......and, while I'm waiting, I'd like to add that I don't think Willie Nelson is country, or Brittney has nice boobs. Instead of giving opinions on Rush's genre, how about just accepting the reality of it and give your opinions on the quality of their music?

[Zarathustra]

Maybe there needs to be a new genre: accessible prog. I think Rush would be the only member.

Here's a nice article on the lyrics of S&A: www.thestar.com/artsentertainment/article/207669

And a positively tantilizing quote about the upcoming tour:

To keep things interesting, though, [Neil] promises Rush feels somewhat "liberated" from its catalogue after doing a pure greatest-hits tour three years ago, and will this time be honing in on new material and "old songs that we haven't played for years or that we've never played." One such gem from 1979 is in the works, although he won't say which."

God, I hope that "gem" is all of Hemispheres in its glorious entirety!!!

Anyone feel like doing the set-list wish list game?

[Zarathustra]

Okay, I'll go first:

Besides Hemispheres, I'd love to hear: Different Strings, The Necromancer (not likely), The Fountain of Lamneth (not likely), Cinderella Man, Circumstances, Entre Nous, Jacob's Ladder, Witch Hunt, Vital Signs, Chemistry, The Weapon, Marathon, Manhatten Project, Mission, Turn the Page, Presto, Hand Over Fist, Ghost of a Chance, Cut to the Chase, Double Agent, Cold Fire, Alien Shore, Peaceable Kingdom, Sweet Miracle, Freeze,

and most of S&A.

[dANdeLION]

1979? That's rather ambiguous. Hemispheres came out in late 1978, and Permanent Waves came out in early 1980, making me think they might actually be talking about Permanent Waves, because '79 is when they did the actual recording of it. If that's the case, I'm crossing my fingers that Neil's talking about 'Jacob's Ladder'. I really think that song is the one I've always wanted to hear live, but never have. If there's any set list preferences I have, they'd be more along the lines of what not to play, like anything off of "Feedback", or that acoustic version of 'Nobody's Hero' where Neil gets a break; maybe they'll do an acoustic version of a new song instead this time. Oh, and 'Xanadu'. I'd definitely like to see that done again.

[danlo]

Right now I'd like to listen to:
Lakeside Park
Bytor and the Snowdog
Train to Bangcock
and the song about the cruise missle (whatever it's called... Signs? )

[dANdeLION]

"A Passage to Bangcock", danlo. The only one I know about any specific weapon is "Manhattan Project".

[danlo]

Ah! Thanks! I stand (or sit) corrected. What's the song in the video where the boy is riding the cruise missle?

[dANdeLION]

Distant Early Warning!

[danlo]

I LOVE that song!!!

[Zarathustra]

They did Distant Early Warning in 2002. And Xanadu in 2004. Unlikely that either will be played.

I really hope they give Roll the Bone a rest. I'd say the same about Tom Sawyer, but you can't have a rush show without it.

Others to discard: Resist, Bravado, all of Feedback, Dreamline, Ghost Rider, anything off Test For Echo, Neil's drum solo (JUST KIDDING), Working Man.

"Hits" I never get tired of: Freewill, Spirit of Radio, Trees, Xanadu, YYZ, La Villa Strangiato.

[dANdeLION]

They haven't done Xanadu in Tampa since '96, or maybe even '94.

[Zarathustra]

Did the R30 tour not pass through there? Xanadu was close to the end finale. One of the last 4 or so songs. Pick up the wonderful R30 DVD if you don't have it. The version of Xanadu is excellent, especially in surround sound.

[dANdeLION]

Yes, the bloody tour came through here. They didn't play Xanadu. I already have the freaking dvd, plus a triple-cd bootleg of them in '04 in Canada. Jeez, you act like they play the same set the same way every night! Actually, they usually do the same set....well, I remember wanting to see them do it, and hearing from the fan sites at the time that they were doing it, with at least Alex using his doubleneck Gibson, but he definitely never used that guitar down here, making me think that because it was an outdoor thing, maybe he didn't think it would stay in tune. Anyway, my memory is of them not doing it, and me being disappointed. I went with a friend who I'll ask to verify.

[Zarathustra]

Wow, I'm sorry you missed it. Maybe I'm misreading the tone of your post, but I don't understand the sudden vehemence. I'm not disagreeing with you or challenging you. I'm sure you're right about a concert you were at. My only point was they did play it in 2004--which you seemed to have been contradicting with your own personal experience. I do hope they play it again. I hope it is one of the exceptions to their claim to play music they haven't played in a while. Like I said above, it's one of their "hits" I never get tired of hearing.