Bigwheel Spins wrote:The song Presto is one of my favorite Rush songs. The album, however, is horribly produced and sounds tinny. Rupert redeemed himself on RTB. I like Show Don't Tell and teen suicide song (name escapes me right now).
Presto started a new 4-album cycle by getting away from synthesizers- it was a definite change from Hold Your Fire. With a much cleaner sound, it has become one of my favorites even without any real "in-yer-face" rock tunes.
One of my least played albums, empty sound and reminds me of not a good time (full of cheer this evening arent I?). The Pass and Available Light are the stand out tracks in my opinion. Presto and RTB's, least played albums.
Rupert Hine put Alex in a can. From that vantage it was hard to get heard. He climbed out of the can seveal years later.
But I'll say a few things about Presto in its defence. In terms of elegance few albums come close. There is also more variation musically than most. Lyrically, I find Presto a riddle sometimes-which I like. There are always high points on Rush albums. Presto is littered with them, but there lacks overall richness and punch. I also think in some ways it was as "far away" as they got. Later albums brought them back to centre.
Presto is beautiful - but its not Rush as we knew before it or today!
Am I the only one who hears absolutely no similiarity at all between albums? each sound is completely different, there is no token sound, thus this album i like as any other rush album.
I understand that each has it's own distinct sound and I share your believe that each is it's own to hold high. It's one reason I can never reply to favorites threads. I can't separate either and i really don't care what they play live. It's all good.
But Presto does lack punch. That's not a critisim, it's an observation.
When I first heard VT I was taken back to the MP era. There were plenty of signatures that were similar. I would love to hear that album remastered, but I accept it as is and I don't enjoy that conversation.
There is no token sound - your right. But I, for one, most like the "wall of sound" approach. Layers are fine with me. Songs like Freeze have me hopeful for more.
I like most of the songs on Presto although the production by Rupert "bass, what's bass?" Hine kept the songs from having the "punch" that was missing. Roll the Bones was a little better but still didn't have that "in your face" sound they got back with Counterpart, Test For Echo, and Vapor Trails.
That being said there are still some great moments on Presto. Some of their very best choruses are on this album, they way the music and lyrics flow together on Chain Lighning, The Pass, Presto, Anagram, and Available Light always sends chills down my spine.
I was lined up for glory, but the tickets sold out in advance.
Musically, it is brilliant with some great songs and fantastic performances. The production is good and clear and, all in all, it is a very enjoyable listen. However, at times I find it to be a little cold and souless. Its almost as if all tha passion and energy has been leeched out aslong with an overall sense of direction.
Still, I'll take an average Rush album over a lot of other band's classics any day.
'Do not despise the snake for having no horns, for who is to say it will not become a dragon?'
Personally, i LOVE the song Red Tide. Actually, Presto is one of my favorite albums and I like almost every song on it. Available Light is very good too.
Science, like nature
Must also be tamed
With a view towards it?s preservation
Given the same
State of integrity
It will surely serve us well
Presto was never a big favorite of mine, but the album was the beginning of Geddy getting out from behind his Berlin Wall of synths, and for Alex's guitar to once again have a presence in the sound, so it has my respect. Also, you can't fault the great cover artwork, and I'd be damned if "Show Don't Tell" wasn't such an impressive song.
THUS sang the magician; and all who were present went like birds
unawares into the net of his artful and melancholy voluptuousness.
Only the spiritually conscientious one had not been caught: he at once
snatched the harp from the magician and called out: "Air! Let in
good air! Let in Zarathustra! Thou makest this cave sultry and
poisonous, thou bad old magician!
Thou seducest, thou false one, thou subtle one, to unknown desires
and deserts. And alas, that such as thou should talk and make ado
about the truth!
