Rush

Harry - that is a depressing sight! Can it really be that bad? You have picked extremes of music but even so it doesn't look good. What would Hope look like off S&A?

One thought occurs to me and that is that Rush songs since about the mid '80's have been much more "typical" rock songs of a few minutes each and generally fairly powerful. They moved away from the more varied songs like Farewell to Kings and Madrigal. Mores the pity in my view but S&A is a step in the right direction for me.

As far as sound at their concerts is concerned, I've been to many and have had mixed results. At the NEC this year I was just a couple of rows back from the front and all was well until Neil hit the bass drum - then that blurred everything else. A friend of mine was much further back and the sound for him was superb. With big venues and especially big sheds like the NEC there is no way the sound will be good for everyone. When you combine a bad position with the extreme volume required to really fill the hall/shed, then you can end up with really horrible sound. It's never been that bad for me though and I think they are a great live band. They played for nearly 3 hours this time which for a bunch of old geezers is fantastic!

I really loved the early Rush releases but haven't got on with their later stuff. Moving Pictures was really the last one I fell in love with, and the earlier albums are simply awesome. I'm sure it has a lot to do with the recent stuff sounding bloody awful - you can't listen to it long enough for it to bury itself inside you. And I'm another one in the unlistenable camp where S&A is concerned. Surely they're aware that the later stuff sounds bad. If they do it's a real shame such great musicians don't exert more control over their work.
Regards,
Steve O.

quote:

Originally posted by GarryM:
They moved away from the more varied songs like Farewell to Kings and Madrigal. Mores the pity in my view but S&A is a step in the right direction for me.
At the NEC this year I was just a couple of rows back from the front and all was well until Neil hit the bass drum - then that blurred everything else. A friend of mine was much further back and the sound for him was superb.

I was further back, near the mixing desks in the center at the NEC on the 12th.

The sound was what I'd describe as "OK" just. At least I wasn't deafened - which is good.
I think S&A is a step back in the right direction and I hope for a continuation of this in the future. However, being fortunate enough to see them on their Faiwell to Kings and Hemispheres tours, I feel there is a fair way to go...... maybe I'm just a fossil!

Kind regards,

Peter

quote:

Originally posted by Cymbiosis:

I think S&A is a step back in the right direction and I hope for a continuation of this in the future. However, being fortunate enough to see them on their Farewell to Kings and Hemispheres tours, I feel there is a fair way to go...... maybe I'm just a fossil!

Kind regards,

Peter

Long live us fossils ... Farewell to Kings is my favourite Rush album.

Cheers
Scott

quote:

Originally posted by Cymbiosis:
... maybe I'm just a fossil!

Kind regards,

Peter

I thought it was just me. Fossils unite.

Mind you, it was always going to be hard for them to maintain the standards they set during that time.

Steve

quote:

Originally posted by GarryM:
Harry - that is a depressing sight! Can it really be that bad? You have picked extremes of music but even so it doesn't look good. What would Hope look like off S&A?

That's a good choice. It doesn't max out. It's the only track where I can hear space, acustic and dynamic range. The four above were chosen at random - honest! The Larger Bowl is maxed out in the second half.. the rest of the album’s tracks are hitting the limits pretty much all the time.

When you consider the evolution of the band, S&A is a fine “old age” effort. What strikes me most is the structure of the songs and skill that went into all of it. I’m happy to hear that many of us can listen and enjoy – sadly I can’t. There’s no space, little interplay and subtly – except I’m sure there is – I just can’t hear it. Right up to Test for Echo, I’ve become comfortably familiar with how the soundstage is laid out. Not always the same obviously, but the acoustic space, particularly around the drums, has always been pleasing and held it together. I can’t pick anything out in the tidal wave of loudness that rolls down the room.

Being sad, I also invested in the CD + DVD release. The CD was as dire as ever to my ears but the DVD was IMO a very well considered, informative and entertaining watch. And the bonus mixes sound a lot better coming out of the telly – although it ain’t Hi Fi.

Cheers

I think Snakes & Arrows is the most consistent Rush album in ages. The sound, while not perfect, is miles better than Vapor Trails. What the hell would that look like on the sound editor? Probably off the scale! Why has everything got to be maxed out? For god's sake someone please remaster this dreadful mix. Test For Echo is pretty muddy too.

I've ordered the MFSL release of Permanent Waves (the first Rush album I ever bought way back in 1980) to accompany my MFSL discs of Moving Pictures & Signals.

Incidentally the Rush Remaster series sound pretty good. The earlier albums were crying out to be re-released on CD. The inital release CD artwork was shockingly bad, the colours rubbish and not faithful to the original vinyl album covers. My CDs of Fly By Night and Caress of Steel contained just a single sided sheet of paper for the inlay card. The remasters recreated the original artwork.

I saw the band at Sheffield this year. I was 5 rows from the front at stage right and could hardly hear Alex Lifeson's guitar. The sound seemed to be drowned by the drums.

Great concert though.