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New Rush thread

#181
alas, no backstage in jersey, but he scored me seats in the vip box center stage, great view. took a bunch of pics and some vid's. he actually works for the concession company. It works out well....
I gotta say that they looked like they were really loose and having a great time, I even saw neil smile a bunch of times. they really look like they are enjoying themselves, and it was great show. Witch Hunt was GREAT....
 
#185
Hot Dog! Goin' to the White River Ampitheater/Auburn, WA concert!
On the lawn GA but what the hey. :hyper:

Now I've gotta find a campsite nearby that isn't mandatory two day booking! Geez! Might have to camp at Wal Mart before driving 3 hrs. home.

Anyone ever sat in the Handicapped area at this venue? I have a friend who is in a wheelchair with tickets, but she was wondering what she'd be able to see of the stage that section. Between 100 and 200 sections. Video screen viewing only?
I any Seattle/Tacoma area poster would know, I'd really appreciate being able to pass that on to her.

I'd also like to know if additional parking exits have been added to the lot(s). There used to be only ONE! 2 hrs. to get out of the lot after the concert.

Guess "the boys" will know that I liked "Snakes and Arrows" now:bassist:
 
#187
Papersen said:
I still fit in that category, I guess. I`ve listened it 5 times now aprox. and still find it difficult to enjoy sometimes. Only 3 or 4 song have become my favourite.
Click to expand...

OK, I'm going to explain why I'm not liking this album from a lead vocal perspective. Beginning with Test For Echo, Geddy strangely seemed to have forgotten how to write a good melodic (and memorable) vocal line. I kept the faith that he would get it back with Snakes And Arrows. Nope.

Go back and listen to Signals, Grace Under Pressure, Power Windows, Hold Your Fire, (honestly any album prior to Test) etc. Those vocal lines are immediately memorable and I can hum them and you'd be able to tell me what the song is. The vocal lines he's doing now seem like constant soloing without uniqueness, like a guitar solo almost. Even on the choruses.

Honestly the first track that actually made me smile was "The Main Monkey Business". Other than that (and I've listened many times), this new album isn't doing it for me. Don't get me wrong -- I'll always be a big Rush fan. I'm just not digging the new stuff. :bawl:
 
#188
HooBass said:
For me, the best album since Moving Pictures.

Thoughts that span the songs
Love the mix (at least though my ear buds -- we'll see when I get a chance to listen on all the other platforms).
Click to expand...

Thanks for the great review. Are you saying Snakes is better mixed than recent albums or do you like the newer Rush mixes?

The mix is the only thing that's keeping me from running out an buying it. I love the songs on Counterparts and most of them on Vapor Trails but I can't listen to either of those albums because the mix is so mushy. Looking at the wave form it's all totally compressed and hot and just sounds awful to my ears.
 
#189
I think production-wise (mixing/mastering) Snakes & Arrows is a huge improvement over Vapor Trails. Yes, it's still loud overall, but not at the expense of clipping/no dynamic range. In fact I think it's one of the best sounding Rush albums ever... I recently picked up the 5.1 surround mix and it's awesome.
 
#190
MadMark5 said:
alas, no backstage in jersey, but he scored me seats in the vip box center stage, great view. took a bunch of pics and some vid's. he actually works for the concession company. It works out well....
I gotta say that they looked like they were really loose and having a great time, I even saw neil smile a bunch of times. they really look like they are enjoying themselves, and it was great show. Witch Hunt was GREAT....
Click to expand...

I was at that Camden show, too, and I agree they really rocked and looked like they were having fun. 2 GREAT sets to satisfy a really diverse audience. I saw toddlers to grey hairs and all seemed to enjoy themselves.

I will never get tired of hearing "Natural Science" live. :bassist:
 
#191
Jim T. said:
Glad you had a great time!

Papersen, did you find driving around while listening to "Snakes and Arrows" helped any? It IS hard to get used to the "just a band on the stage" rawness after the layers and layers on "Vapor Trails".
Of course that stereo has to be at least decent :eyebrow:
Click to expand...

Well, after several turns my impressions have changed a bit.
I like the album, and I agree that production wise is a step above "Vapor Trails". It`s more song-oriented and I appreciate it. I also like the guitar work A LOT. Alex uses such a wide variety of tones and arrangements that`s simply stunning. He never seems to do "too much" and his tracks fit nicely into the song.

Bass playing wise, it`s another great perfomance by Geddy. However, I prefer VP in that aspect.

Great album overall, but musically speaking I find VP still more interesting. Maybe some more spins can change my mind :smug:
 
#192
blipndub said:
Thanks for the great review. Are you saying Snakes is better mixed than recent albums or do you like the newer Rush mixes?

The mix is the only thing that's keeping me from running out an buying it. I love the songs on Counterparts and most of them on Vapor Trails but I can't listen to either of those albums because the mix is so mushy. Looking at the wave form it's all totally compressed and hot and just sounds awful to my ears.
Click to expand...

In my opinion the mix on this album is simply the best of any Rush album. Some qualifications (which are totally subjective): I felt Geddy's Moving Picture bass tone was the best of any of their albums, and other albums have moments that may have better mixes. When I say I think S&A has the best mix of any Rush album I'm referring to the entirety of the album, across all songs, instruments, and overdubs. And some particulars -- Geddy's vox really shine (a combination of good mix and, I think, good effort at getting really takes that are expressive and full of feeling). The acoustic guitar tones are great. The mix of acoustic guitars with electric seems to work. And the drums are mixed well, too. Finally, I'm happy with Geddy's tone, but it is one item I'd note that, to my tastes, wasn't ideal. Still, very good and something I cannot replicate.

Over the past few years, to my ears the Moving Pictures/Subdivisions part of Terry Brown era Rush represented the best production / recording quality. At the time Power Windows came out I really liked its production, but since then my tastes have changed to the point where my opinion flip flopped. Clearly it's a very subjective thing given I've changed and the album hasn't!

I liked Counterparts production in that was very different and bold. But the first bunch of times I listened to it I thought "wow -- it's harsh."

The rest of the albums since Subdivisions, for me, never stuck me as particularly good or bad production, but just "there" and in that sense only was it a disappointment. S&A, by contrast, sticks out positively for me and adds to the excitement. I'd say Presto sticks out as blah production, and I like a lot of folks noticed the production issues for Vapor Trails, although it didn't bother me too much.

HooBass
 
#193
OKStateBass66 said:
OK, I'm going to explain why I'm not liking this album from a lead vocal perspective. Beginning with Test For Echo, Geddy strangely seemed to have forgotten how to write a good melodic (and memorable) vocal line. I kept the faith that he would get it back with Snakes And Arrows. Nope.
Click to expand...

I've heard this from a couple of people (including folks in this thread. It's definitely not just one person sensing this).

It's interesting to me because I completely haven't noticed it. With the exception of a couple of lines that are (to me) a bit crowded I liked the melodies.

Having said that, I've never tried to analyze it, to see if the lines are complex or redundant, simple or grand, or anything. I've only reacted from a gut level. If I do analyze it maybe I'll see some things I don't like. Kind of like when I come up with a bass or guitar riff in my head that I just love, then play it and realize it's only a slight variation on something that's old and "boring" to me, it seems to lose luster. But off the top of my head I think of Larger Bowl and Workin' them Angels as examples of songs that I like more because of the vox melodies, where I look forward to sections of the songs because of their hooks. Clearly all of that is IMO.

In other news, it's been quite a few weeks since it was released and I'm still quite positive on the album. For me, it's still the best since Moving Pictures, and it's been nice that even with a couple of weeks without listening to it (and thus developing some distance from it), upon returning it still kicks me in the gut.

A good friend of mine (and fellow Moving Pictures Rush fanatic) said he likes the first five tunes and dislikes the last bunch. Like a lot of people he puts Vapor Trails as a favorite/near favorite. I've never held Vapor Trails as a favorite or near favorite

So these last two thoughts continue to prove to me that things are just very different from person to person. One positive of that, for me, is that no matter what Rush creates, I know that there will be someone who will love and support it.

HooBass
 
#194
OK, three posts in a row is a bit much, but this phrase just occurred to me and I wanted to add it while I was thinking of it.

the best way for me to succinctly express how I feel about the production of the new album is that is feels "alive" to me. Other recent albums have come across as sterile, neutral. This album makes me feel like the musicians were angry/sad/happy when they were performing, and it makes it way across the speakers to me.

Alright, I'll try to wait for someone else to post before I add more!

HooBass
 
#195
I've noticed that in later year's Geddy's melodies are pretty much rooted in the changes and follow them pretty closely. This is pretty standard for rock and I can't imagine a harmonized melody AND playing complex baselines AND triggering midi and keys and all that other crazy stuff he does. I read in a Rush biography that they always strove to make music that could be replicated live without additional musicians, and I think they've stuck to that by writing melodies that are reproducible live as well.

I'm seeing them this weekend so I should pickup up S&A.
 
#198
The "Seattle" White River Ampitheater concert on the 20th was fantastic!
I lucked out and ended up seated just behind the 200 section as I was willing (glad to) help someone in a wheelchair enjoy their concert experience.

The new material was very powerful and I think might have persuaded anyone who was "on the fence" about the "Snakes and Arrows" songs/sound that, at least live, these tunes were awesome! This was the lst arena sized rock concert I'd been to in 27 yrs. and I'm so glad I went.
I've now ordered the MVI version as I was told at the tailgate parties that the studio "making of" documentary is 40 minutes long, minimum. Oh year ordered R30 too for that Amazon free shipping. :-)

Papersen, glad it's growing on you some. Hopefully driving helped. Live...in concert forgetaboutit! Powerful stuff!!!
 
#199
Well I finally bought S&A after seeing them in Seattle/Auburn (6th row!) and really liking the new songs live, really challenging and energetic playing.

I've been listening to the cd since I bought it (the $18 "cheap" version) last night and I do like it. There are number of songs that really get me excited and really rock hard. The acoustic tracks are very good esp. when layered and I think the drumming is very interesting although I don't like the sound of the drums. I know they used a lot of vintage gear (or Alex did) on this record and there are a number of songs that definitely have homage to the old stuff they were referring to on Crossroads,but I wish they would have recorded the drums in a similar fashion rather than the huge spectrum sucking sound that they used. That said I really do like he album and think it is mixed very well with plenty of dynamics.

I'm also not crazy about the weird Geddy on Geddy harmonies that appeared in "My Favorite Headache" they work in some of the songs but they use that double tracking harmonizer thing too much but it's become a big part of Geddy's studio sound.

Overall I'm not too critical, I love Rush and this is a great album. Not mushy sounding like Counterparts or Vapor Trails and lots of good hard playing from all.
 

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