New Rush album

Does anyone have any thoughts on the new Rush album?

I personally love the music they make with some stronger then other,.... but go figure any long lasting band that can be said of. I personally am really enjoying the new album. Geddy Leee's voice seems more mellow and trained. However I think they all just are jamming, I have not picked up any of the hooks and crazy bass lines or drum sections to a song that are normal Rush traditions. I think tthe pace of this album is very much the same the whole way through which is pretty mellow. They definately dont rock out on this as I was expecting but yet I love this CD. I think for me it reminds me of Roll the Bones era but certainly not lyrically as happy. Neil Peart is officially the grumpy old man. After having read his books and his views on people life and religeon, I came to the conclusion that he simply is not a nice guy.

Guess what?? I dont care! I dont need to like his views or moodiness to enjoy the music, but lyrically he seems to want to get more bitterness off his chest. Mostly about all religeons and how rediculous we are for thinking there is a God above. He is not Atheist more Agnostic, cause in his books he expresses that something powerful could be in charge but not what his protestant upbringing taught him. it is clear he wants people to know where he stands and think he is right. With such heavily poetic lyrics this time preaching his views, I find the album darker and with its mellow pace it certainly doewsnt come across as the happy Rush we know them for.

I absolutely love the album, it is fantastic, it is nothing I expected and certainly seems like they moved into a different direction, one I would not expect of them, but in all change is good. As much as I love the album, I hope this isnt the last. It isnt the best way to go out, moody and dark. Vapor trails was hell bent of kicking your (you know what) and then if they said bye it was on a high note, this is very preachy, and jst to lyrically depressing.

Have your wife and daughter die within a year and see if your a nice guy afterwards...

Tight N' Steel wrote:

Have your wife and daughter die within a year and see if your a nice guy afterwards...

very cliched response... put some meat those bones.

I can't and neither can anyone else possibly know what that would be like. Neil is trully coming to that part of life after such a loss that either causes one to run to God or away from Him. In this case away. He is able to put those events in some kind of context for him as a human being. He's through that dark tunnel not without a few scars. He now putting some perspective on what it means.

Having your life ripped away from you leaves you raw and ragged emotionally. Having your family destroyed brings such bitterness, anger, weeping and turmoil. Especially when you have no control over those events and people. We have to live in the vacuum that is created by the choices and chances others we love have whether willfully or not participated in.

Which brings to the suggestion that 'Neil is not a nice person.' I think perhaps a better word would be 'neil has become a bitter person'. When it comes to organized religion I believe so. But what have we as Christians given him to see. Televangelists, people who can't articulate why they believe homosexuality is wrong (if you read Ghostrider or was it Travelling Music you'd understand), people who say they live by grace but practice the law, a judgemental not all embrassing belief system, where many times it seems it's more important to win the argument then LISTEN to those who are hurting, there is nothing worse in my opinion to go to church hurting and wounded hoping for a word of encouragement, HOPE and not hear that but have to hear some trully cliched 'Jesus Loves You' message.... Probably the only person who could understand those feelings would be Job.

neil doesn't need to be defended but understood as a fellow traveller on this terrestrial ball who will be here for but for a short time like you and I.
I still hope and pray that he might believe, along with Alex and Geddy.

I have been a Rush fan for over 25 years and they are my favorite I suppose. I still dig their music and their insight in life, even when it comes from a different place than my own.

Tight N' Steel wrote:

Have your wife and daughter die within a year and see if your a nice guy afterwards...

Geez that pretty harsh dude!!! I dont think I would wish that on anyone, and yeah I realize he went through that, but right back at ya!!

Besides your love of being just so pleasant, what are your thoughts on the album.

I'm not wishing that on anyone...you guys are taking my comments too seriously, or perhaps I put my words in a 'serious context' enough to seem myself as a prickly pear...though granted, ha, I was having a bad day at the time and after reading that you called him a bitter person I just figured simply that 'hey, what if that happened to you, wouldn't you be bitter?'

Of course I don't wish that on anyone, all I was simply pointing out was that the man has his reasons and/or excuses for being dodgy, if you will.

I recently purchased Ghost Rider, Travelling Music, and Roadshow all in one craze but haven't gotten to them as of yet...figure it'll be a decent summer read.

You all owned me on your rebuttals, which is cool, cause mine was fairly cheesy in the first place.

Tight N' Steel wrote:

I'm not wishing that on anyone...you guys are taking my comments too seriously, or perhaps I put my words in a 'serious context' enough to seem myself as a prickly pear...though granted, ha, I was having a bad day at the time and after reading that you called him a bitter person I just figured simply that 'hey, what if that happened to you, wouldn't you be bitter?'

Of course I don't wish that on anyone, all I was simply pointing out was that the man has his reasons and/or excuses for being dodgy, if you will.

I recently purchased Ghost Rider, Travelling Music, and Roadshow all in one craze but haven't gotten to them as of yet...figure it'll be a decent summer read.

You all owned me on your rebuttals, which is cool, cause mine was fairly cheesy in the first place.

Hey man,

It takes a man to have a cool responce such as you just did, and that is major credit in my book. I realize we all can have bad days or feel defensive (not to say you did) or any other major reasons to say things that may appear worse then intended.

Having small children and a wife myself, I was offended cause that is a thing we all fear and know is a possibility. It is all cool, and a very kind responce on your part to come back and explain it! Thank you!

On a different note, I am really interested in your thoughts once you read those books. I have read many reviews where people have become anti-Neil from them, but might I just suggest go in with the notion that Neil is reclusive and a very private person, arrogant to express his discontent, which is part of him being so intelligent. I think he is one of those guys that are so smart they tend to have a harder time dealing with normal society. Go in with that and I think you will see he has an incredible talent, a brilliant mind and a bigger heart then he shows or tries to show. Esp with Anne from Masked Rider. You will know what I mean when you get there.

One spoiler, Neil seems to have issues with heavy people LOL!!! He is known to always point out anyone who is overwieght in his books LOL!!!

Cheers Mez.

After recently reading Kurt Cobain's 'Heavier Than Heaven', Neil Young's 'Shakey', 'Chemistry - Rush' by Jon Collins and just finishing up 'Inside Out - A Personal History of Pink Floyd' by Nick Mason in the past few months, I'll definetly throw in my 2 kegs worth by the time I'm finished all three hardcovers...

I'm taking off to work a provinical park in northern Ontario next Friday so no dice on the net as far as I know, which, who knows, could be a decent break...and would give me more time on dishin' into the Peart books with more focus.

...and Neil's got a beef with heavy people eh...lol no doubt, Neil's what...140lbs...wouldn't be surprised if, for some reason or another, bein' nerf'd outta the way by an obease gentleman...for which I am not.

Tight N' Steel wrote:

Cheers Mez.

After recently reading Kurt Cobain's 'Heavier Than Heaven', Neil Young's 'Shakey', 'Chemistry - Rush' by Jon Collins and just finishing up 'Inside Out - A Personal History of Pink Floyd' by Nick Mason in the past few months, I'll definetly throw in my 2 kegs worth by the time I'm finished all three hardcovers...

I'm taking off to work a provinical park in northern Ontario next Friday so no dice on the net as far as I know, which, who knows, could be a decent break...and would give me more time on dishin' into the Peart books with more focus.

...and Neil's got a beef with heavy people eh...lol no doubt, Neil's what...140lbs...wouldn't be surprised if, for some reason or another, bein' nerf'd outta the way by an obease gentleman...for which I am not.

All is good Tight..... I read Ghost Rider when my career was taken away from me, after working for several years to get my degree, along when my wife (at the time) decided she didn't want to be married and took my 3 children..... crushing, devasting and down right punishing. (don't fear I see my children everyweek!). Ghost Rider was a bit of bright light to me.

New Rush lp is very, very, very good. Not ready to say great yet. But there is much to it. wow....