I need some Rush

Tash · #1 04-22-2005, 07:35 PM

I currently own only one Rush album, that's "Show of Hands". I'm not a massive Rush fan but I certainly respect their talent and sound. I want to pick up some of the original studio releases and delve into them more.

Could I get some recomendations on the essential parts of the Rush catalog, as well as any weak points that are better avoided?

Thanks.

Joe Boom · #2 04-22-2005, 07:42 PM

Moving Pictures, a must.
Permanent Waves
Fly By Night
Power Windows

WalterBush · #3 04-22-2005, 07:46 PM

Pick up "Exit Stage Left." It's another "live" album that they freely admit doing overdubs on. The songs are all excellent IMO, and could give you a good idea of which studio albums to pick up. My favorite studio albums would be Permanent Waves and Subdivisions, personally. Vapor Trails would be up there, but I don't like the recording itself...although the songs and the tour were great! Also, my opinion here, avoid Presto and Roll the Bones. These would have been great albums for a new band, but they were vast disappointments for most Rush fans, who had come to expect great things from the world's greatest rock band

Dave Siff · #4 04-22-2005, 07:53 PM

It's hard to go wrong with Rush, but "Moving Pictures" is a great place to start. Besides the other albums already mentioned, I'd check out "Caress of Steel", which is highly underrated, and "Counterparts", which marked their reemergence as a true power trio after their "experimental" phase from the mid-80's to the early 90's.

msquared · #5 04-22-2005, 08:14 PM

Get "Chronicles". It has two songs from each album from their first all the way up through "Presto", and is a good way to figure out what your favorite era is. This is kind of important with Rush, because their sound has developed quite a bit from the early days. They have a tendency to release a few albums which have a similar musical style and then release a live album, after which they evolve and do something totally different.

It doesn't seem like there's really a consensus on what their best stuff is (although "Moving Pictures" seems to get the most accolades in general).

The albums which "do it" for me are the live ones, but as far as studio stuff my top three favorites are Counterparts, Vapor Trails, and Fly By Night.

Commreman · #6 04-22-2005, 08:20 PM

2112 is one of the definitive Rush albums. I love Grace Under Pressure, although it is not a favorite of the band itself. I agree with Moving Pictures as a must have. For early Rush, a great place to start is their first live album - All the World's a Stage.

Peter Squire · #7 04-22-2005, 08:52 PM

Moving Pictures
Permanent Waves
Counterparts
Rush In Rio (DVD - a must!)
Fly By Night
Power Windows

Gives you a piece of just about every era of this great bands history.

Don W · #8 04-22-2005, 09:14 PM

Hemispheres has always been my favorite Rush album. But Moving Pictures and 2112 are also classics.

amused2KAOS · #9 04-23-2005, 12:38 AM

if you like their progressive stuff either go with caress of steel or a farewell to kings. if you like their 80's sounding stuff (nothin wrong with that, a show of hands has most of their 80's songs on their , and they're great!) get signals. some other must-owns are 2112 and moving pictures. RUSH IS AWESOME

Commreman · #10 04-23-2005, 05:01 AM

+1 on Farewell to Kings!

Gard · #11 04-23-2005, 06:58 AM

...oh hell, just get 'em all!

Actually, I go against the flow a bit, I REALLY liked the 80's stuff, when it seemed to me that they were working more on trying to write great songs than just come up with cool parts for songs (not that there is anything wrong with cool parts!

)

A favorite of mine was always "Presto", the title track starts with a line that has always struck home for me:

"I am made from the dust of the stars
And the oceans flow in my veins..."

Plus, the final track "Available Light" is such a DIFFERENT song for them, I just really dig it.

Oh, Jabberwock, the album isn't "Subdivisions", that's just a song. The album would be "Signals", another favorite of mine.

However, to me personally the one to get: "Permanent Waves". Great record, totally changed my life (I started playing music because of that record).

njdenis1 · #12 04-23-2005, 07:01 AM

ive been a die hard rush fan for about 20yrs..met them twice too which was pretty cool...recently ive been getting back into signals..especially "digital man"..other then that lately "prime mover" from hold your fire

Hambone · #13 04-23-2005, 07:58 AM

Never been a huge Rush fan. Don't know why other than they probably didn't get much airplay where I lived when I was young. I've always enjoyed individual tunes and performances and I've seen them in shows and I've always respected the crew and their overall body of work. They've just not been the "end all, be all" that a band like the Dregs were for me.

I just picked up "Counterparts" from Goodwill (the only place I buy CD's from these days!

) and I've got to say that had I heard this one when I was a young lad, it might have been different. I like Geddy's tone here much better than most of the other recordings and in general, this thing rocks. I've got it in the rotation now and it's gonna stay there for awhile.

Hey, kimonos were kool when Kool and KC wore 'em. I had some too! Didn't have any eyeshadow though.

**Mark Wilson** · #14 04-23-2005, 11:37 AM

IMO, pick up the earlier Stuff.
Fly By Night- a classic, like Anthem, which has the best bass line ever

Caress of Steel- The Fountain of Lamneth is just...wow.
A Farewell to Kings- Cygnus X-1 has the highest, clearest wail i've ever heard.

I have 20 of their CD's right now, i'm working on getting all 27. Hemispheres is a great CD too. Circumstances just blows me away, how can he play and sing that at the same time?

**embellisher** · #15 04-23-2005, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don W

Hemispheres has always been my favorite Rush album. But Moving Pictures and 2112 are also classics.

Another vote for Hemispheres. Most overlooked/underrated Rush album IMHO.

And of course you have to get Moving Pictures. No music collection is complete without that one.

metalguy2 · #16 04-23-2005, 10:11 PM

Hemisheres and Moving Pictures. Cannot go wrong.

Peter Squire · #17 04-23-2005, 11:02 PM

Yeah, just get em all. Every Rush album has something to commend it.

I recently put together a compilation of my faves from each album and it comes in at about two hours long. Its on my iPod and i listen to it regularly.

FireAarro · #18 04-25-2005, 01:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by southpaw1

Yeah, just get em all. Every Rush album has something to commend it.

I recently put together a compilation of my faves from each album and it comes in at about two hours long. Its on my iPod and i listen to it regularly.

What Rush songs did you choose?

lildrgn · #19 04-25-2005, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jabberwock777

Pick up "Exit Stage Left." It's another "live" album that they freely admit doing overdubs on.

?? I've never heard that before... curious where you heard about it.

Red Wonder · #20 05-17-2005, 09:45 AM

Its hard to pick the "essentials" considering every album RULES! However, when new fans are cutting their teeth on Rush the CD's I recommend are:

Counterparts

2112

Moving Pictures (Vital Signs is so hip!)

Vapor Trails (but wait until the remastered version is released, the album is pure genius but it sounds HORRIBLE)

Presto is an amazing album

But seriously every album by the worlds greatest band has a serious statement to make. Lyrically, every album is a gem. I worship everything they've ever done. But I must admit that Test for Echo didn't do it for me.