Snakes & Arrows


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Hey I know there are a few Rush fans who post here regularly. Any of you listened to the short, but awesome, clip from the upcoming album on rush.com? Impressions? I was cautiously optimistic after reading a few interviews with Alex and Neil...after listening to the clip I am totally stoked!


I don't think it needs to be said that I cannot wait for the album and the tour.


farewell2kings wrote:
I don't think it needs to be said that I cannot wait for the album and the tour.

Me too. Hope they come somewhere near my location (Prince Edward Island). A road trip to Montreal, Toronto or Boston to see Rush sounds like a great summer excursion. BTW farewell2kings what's your favourite Rush period? I'm partial to the F2K to Grace Under Pressure period...although it's all good!


It's all good as well, but I do like the early 80's as well, mainly because I really enjoyed that time in my life. Signals and Moving Pictures are my favorite Rush albums from the 80's, 2112 and Hemispheres from the 70's, Roll the Bones from the 90's and I'll have to see if I like Snakes & Arrows better than Vapor Trails (Sweet Miracle is an awesome song!)

Contributor

Wha?! Let me go check it out. Be right back...

Contributor

Well, what I heard was a super short snippet, but it was totally reminiscent of the beginning of Cygnus X-1 Book II from the Hemispheres album. I'll buy it regardless of whether the rest follows like that or not, but I'd love to hear a little bit of that return to the roots kind of thing in this new album.


I can't be more excited about it. Although that short clip was....entirely too short! The last couple seconds sounds like "Hemispheres"...


I am very excited about the new Rush. Lots of stuff circulating about multiple instrumentals, and keyboards, and solos...it'll be interesting to see what the album brings...


Might as well list favorites. From the 70's it would have to be 2112 and Hemispheres. From the 80's Signals.

I saw them a few years ago at Jones Beach. They played so long they kind of wound up opening for themselves. The guys love to play.


The Jade wrote:

Might as well list favorites. From the 70's it would have to be 2112 and Hemispheres. From the 80's Signals.

I saw them a few years ago at Jones Beach. They played so long they kind of wound up opening for themselves. The guys love to play.

For me, my fave 1970's release is Caress of Steel. Followed by A Farewell to Kings.

1980's: Grace Under Pressure.

1990's: Counterparts.


Let's not forget the In The Mood/Working Man live track with the Working Man drum solo... yes, please.


1970's - Hemispheres (with a soft spot for Fly By Night)

1980's - Moving Pictures (clearly)

1990's - Counterparts

Yes I love that F#7+11 chord (or whatever the heck you call that most awesome chord) on the clip from Snakes & Ladders. It is the opening chord from Hemispheres (actually features prominently in a number of Rush songs from the F2K-Hemispheres period)


Rocinante wrote:

1980's - Moving Pictures (clearly)

Ack. Forgot about Moving Pictures!!! Okay... add it to my list.


The new single "Far Cry" is up and fully available to listen to via streaming from the band's website:

http://www.rush.com/


It rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


farewell2kings wrote:
It rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I like it.

I need to hear it in the context of the rest of the album.

But I like it.


prjt2501 wrote:
farewell2kings wrote:
It rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I like it.

It's got a groove from "Crossroads" from "Feedback", but it's also got their own hooks into it. Its like they combined Test For Echo with Vapour Trails abit.

Oh, and I like it the more and more I listen to it (thank god for streaming audio!)

Greg


GregH wrote:

It's got a groove from "Crossroads" from "Feedback", but it's also got their own hooks into it. Its like they combined Test For Echo with Vapour Trails abit.

Oh, and I like it the more and more I listen to it (thank god for streaming audio!)

Greg

It's certainly got more space and "ambiance" than any of the material from Vapour Trails, which suffered greatly from the horrendous mix. I'm encouraged, but I definitely want to hear more...


prjt2501 wrote:
It's certainly got more space and "ambiance" than any of the material from Vapour Trails, which suffered greatly from the horrendous mix. I'm encouraged, but I definitely want to hear more...

I'm not an audiophile, so I'll take your word on the mixing on VT. However, they'll have to come up with something to top "Sweet Miracle" if this album is to rank above VT in my books. IMHO, that is quite possibly one of the best songs they've ever written.

Greg


I love the new track. It sounds more organic than the songs on the last few albums. I read an interview in which Alex said that he and Geddy arranged many of the songs on the new album acoustically at first, which they probably haven't done since A Farewell to Kings. That may have something to do with it.


Wow a thread with two of my favorite subjects, RUSH and Dungeons and Dragons. Yeah from what I have heard so far sounds great. Can't wait for the new album I heard there are like 3 Instrumentals on this new album, that will be a treat! And It's going to be as heavy as hell, basically they let Alex off his leash and he's just tearin' It up! I heard some nice solos from him as well. "Far Cry" doesn't have the muddy over-layered sound that Vapor trails did. So It's looking good for the rest of the album. On youtube.com type In Rush-far cry and click on the first video nice fan vid someone made with footage from the intro to R30.


FWI, the tour dates are posted on rush.com now. I think I'll be going to the last North American date, Sept. 21st in Ottawa. Shockingly, my wife wants to go too (seriously, this is a major development...I told her that a Rush show is about 3 hours long, and she still wanted to go!).


ESPN has a TV commercial out right now for Fantasy Baseball. If I am wrong I certainly mean no disrespect but,

is that Geddy Lee singing at the very end?


Rocinante wrote:
FWI, the tour dates are posted on rush.com now. I think I'll be going to the last North American date, Sept. 21st in Ottawa. Shockingly, my wife wants to go too (seriously, this is a major development...I told her that a Rush show is about 3 hours long, and she still wanted to go!).

When I got into work Monday, my friend looked at me and said "Got anything planned for Sept 15?" I had to look at him for a bit before it clued in. Rush in Montreal! (He even highlighted my calendar for me. :) I haven't missed a show since Test for Echo - including two on Vapor Trails, one in T.O. outdoors, and then one later that year here in Mtl - so I am definitely in.

Nothing like 3 hours of solid joy!

Greg


I'll be going to the July 27th Phoenix show. Gotta go on the cheap so my wife and I and possibly 2-3 more friends are going to split the gas bill (6 hour drive) instead of flying, but I wouldn't miss Rush for anything. I haven't missed a single tour since 1981 and I am certainly not going to start now.


d13 wrote:

ESPN has a TV commercial out right now for Fantasy Baseball. If I am wrong I certainly mean no disrespect but,

is that Geddy Lee singing at the very end?

Could be, he sang the Canadian national anthem at the All Star game a few years ago.

Liberty's Edge

I picked up my tickets to the August 6th show in Salt Lake City this weekend. I can't wait! I haven't seen them since the Test for Echo tour 11 years ago.


FYI, the short instrumental track, Malignant Narcissism, has leaked and is on youtube. You thought Far Cry was good? You should hear this. Awesome.


Tickets bought and payed for this morning! Sept 15! WooHoo!

(Incidently, we used the on-line presale advertised through the mailing list, and within 1 minute of tickets going on sale there were no floor seats avaiable! :O Unless of course, they are holding them for the regular sale on Sat. :( )

Greg


I got tickets for the columbus show, I can't wait...

BTW (rant on)

I hated vapor trails. There I said it. Who ever produced that album needs to never work again in the music industry. It felt like he totally hated Lee's voice and tried his best to distort and change it any chance he got. I know he can't hit the notes he used to but the album felt way to overproduced. The are an awesome threesome and the whole album sounded dirty / crowded.

Am I wrong or did I just get a badly copied CD?


Vapor Trails was a mixed bag, but it still Rush.

Remember how the production quality between Moving Pictures and Signals was so different? Moving Pictures as just incredible and Signals was....still a great album...but it sounded fuzzy. Of course, it was an album that I bought as I didn't get my first CD player until 1987.

I will be at the Phoenix show on July 27th. My wife and two friends are driving in from El Paso to meet our long time friend who lives in Phoenix.

Of course, all of us are gamers and big time Rush fans, which often seems to go hand in hand. It'll be fantastic, as usual.

Makes up for the fact that I can't swing the GenCon trip this year.


It's really interesting, 'cause I never seem to pick up on "production issues". I'm a musician, have been playing along to Rush albums since Moving Pictures came out (lo those many years ago :) and yet It's never occurred to me to pay attention to production values.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking anyone, I just never hear that sort of thing. The sound of an album is "the sound" and I just sorta accept it as is.

Guess I don't have any ranks in Knowledge (Audiophile). :-)

Greg

P.S. Who here would pay a year's salary to hear "Losing It" live? They almost knocked me on the floor last tour with "Between the Wheels" and I think that if they played "Losing It" on this tour, I'd be forever a happy man. (I know they'd need to have Ben Mink's violin on a backing track, but it'd be amazing, nonetheless.)

P.P.S. And please, no more covers. I know it's their favourite tunes, but I just wanna hear Rush. :-)


Holy s#^t the new album is good!!! I love it. I feel somewhat like a teenager again listening to it.


I couldn't buy it yesterday as I got home too late, but today is the day!!! I can't wait!


farewell2kings wrote:
I couldn't buy it yesterday as I got home too late, but today is the day!!! I can't wait!

Well man you are in for a treat. Pay special attention to Faithless, Armour and Sword, and Hope. Hope was the most pleasant surprise I've had listening to a new Rush album since I first got into them.

This album has some real passion to it, besides just stellar musicianship, that I feel has been lacking for a long time.

Liberty's Edge

Rocinante wrote:


This album has some real passion to it, besides just stellar musicianship, that I feel has been lacking for a long time.

I picked my copy up last night and I have to agree. This is their best work in awhile. It is a lot more fun than "Vapor Trails".

As a note, I did like "Vapor Trails", just not as much as "Snakes and Arrows" or "Test of Echo"... or "Moving Pictures" or "Farewell to Kings" or "2112" or "Permanent Waves" or "Signals" or some other Rush CDs I could list.


So what do you think? Freewill/Limelight/Faithless - possibly the ultimate Rush trilogy? These songs have a lot in common thematically and sonically (sp?).


I think Snakes and Arrows is much better than Vapor Trails. Yes, "Hope" was a nice surprise. I really liked "The Main Monkey Business." It's weird how the "featured single" of almost every Rush album ends up not being one of my favorites. "Far Cry" is good, but there are at least 4-5 songs on this CD that are much better.

I think Rush not being in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame yet is one of the greatest injustices of modern pop culture. Good God, who still puts out first rate music 33 years after their first album?

Liberty's Edge

farewell2kings wrote:

I

I think Rush not being in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame yet is one of the greatest injustices of modern pop culture. Good God, who still puts out first rate music 33 years after their first album?

You are preaching to the choir on that one. How many bands that have been around that long are still recording new music and and NOT on the stick a fork in it your done tour?

According to the Rush entry in the Wikipedia, "Rolling Stone" magazine has a lot to do with Rush not getting into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I'm not terrible surprised to hear that. I just remember 22 years ago getting very angry when "Rolling Stone" dismissed them a Led Zeppelin knock off with a lead singer that sounded like Robert Plant on helium. I am still pissed off at "Rolling Stone" for dismissing my favorite band of all time like that.


I understand, but I can't be angry at any magazine I've never read. Never.......it seems like reading about rock 'n roll to be about as interesting as hearing people talk about books.


farewell2kings wrote:

I understand, but I can't be angry at any magazine I've never read. Never.......it seems like reading about rock 'n roll to be about as interesting as hearing people talk about books.

I'm of similar mind, but I'll go one further. I kinda feel that the RnR hall of fame is as much a popularity contest as top 40 radio is. And I can't care about either. When I want to hear my favourite music, I just put on my headphones and fire up the iPod. Who cares what anybody else thinks? I know what I like and as long as no one stops me from listening to what I like, the establishment (which is what Rolling Stone pretty much has become) can do what ever it feels like.

Now, onto the other topic at hand. After finally having listened to SaA several times through, I'm surprised to admit that it is much better than Vapor Trials (I had originally thought the opposite). Standout tracks for me are definitely Faithless and The Way the Wind Blows (at least those are the two tunes I end up humming the most).

Definitely looking forward to hearing some of these in concert.

Greg

Contributor

Damn! I forgot this was out in stores now. Gotta get out and pick it up.


S&A is still growing on me. The first 2 or 3 listens left me feeling decidedly "meh," but as time goes on and I grow more acquainted with the material, I find myself warming up to it slightly. I like it better than Vapor Trails by far though...


It takes about 10-15 listens for a Rush album to settle in. I say it is better than Vapor Trails...not as good as Roll the Bones....almost as good as Counterparts, better than Test For Echo, but not by much.

Of course, I only mention Rush albums from the last 17 years, since the first 17 years were incomparable. I don't think it'll ever get better than "Moving Pictures" "2112" and "Signals." If it does, I would be overwhelmed with delight.


farewell2kings wrote:
It takes about 10-15 listens for a Rush album to settle in. I say it is better than Vapor Trails...not as good as Roll the Bones....almost as good as Counterparts, better than Test For Echo, but not by much.

For me, there's no real pattern. Some Rush albums take me only a few listens, some more. And in the end, it doesn't correllate to how much I like it. For example, Vapor Trails took less time (only two or three listens) than Test for Echo and I like it (VT) a lot more. However, SaA has taken a good 5 to 10 times for it to "settle in" and, as far as I'm concerned, its their best album in a long time. (At least going back to Grace Under Pressure.)

farewell2kings wrote:
Of course, I only mention Rush albums from the last 17 years, since the first 17 years were incomparable. I don't think it'll ever get better than "Moving Pictures" "2112" and "Signals." If it does, I would be overwhelmed with delight.

While I fundamentally agree with you, there is a "freshness" of a new Rush album that makes it so much more enjoyable to listen to than an older one (MP included). I haven't listened to another Rush album since SaA came out. (Except for game night, but then its all just background music - I'm not really listening.)

Greg


I find myself going through Rush listening phases like that as well. Sometimes I listen to nothing but old stuff from the 70's for weeks on end and then I really get into one or two albums for a while.

All I know is that I can't wait for July 27th and my 6 hour drive to Phoenix to see them live!!!


farewell2kings wrote:
I find myself going through Rush listening phases like that as well. Sometimes I listen to nothing but old stuff from the 70's for weeks on end and then I really get into one or two albums for a while.

Actually, that pretty much describes my behaviour toward my whole record collection. (Right now I'm focussed on Rush and Marillion - new albums on both accounts - but soon, I'll pop over to something else.)

farewell2kings wrote:
All I know is that I can't wait for July 27th and my 6 hour drive to Phoenix to see them live!!!

Sadly I have to wait until Sep 15. But then, on the bright side, its only a 25min drive to downtown Montreal!

Greg

Liberty's Edge

Just found this thread!

I'm also a huge Rush fan. I have tickets for the June 29th show at Montage Mountain in PA. I'm taking my 12 year old son for his first real concert (he also loves RUSH) ... I can't wait.


Yeah, huge fan here, I have to say that it's one of the best albums in awhile, I hated vapor trails, still do.

BTW I got tickets row Y seat 25, and 26 in Columbus

YYZ baby...Karma.


I LOVE the new album, my favorite song has got be "Spindrift" with "The Main Monkey Buisness" closing In fast at second. who here thinks "Spindrift" could have been a bit longer? If they play this In concert I can picture them doing what they did to "Bravado" and jamming a couple extra minutes In there! The passion and clarity and power of "Snakes and Arrows" has everything that Vapor Trails missed too bad cause I did like the material on that album but just very crowded and muddy sounding. The only problems I have with the new album Is "Malignant Narcissm" was WAY too short, and the songs "Bravest Face" and "Good News First" weren't very good! I didn't like the way Geddy sang on certain verses of each song yet on some parts of each song he really moved you, and too bad the best guitar solo on the whole album was on "Good News First". All in all great Effin' Rush Album keep up the good work guys!!!
DAve

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