Clash of the album covers

It is...


Rush-Hemispheres

vs.


Whitesnake-Trouble

***Which cover do you prefer?

Clash of the album covers

It is...


Rush-Caress of steel

vs.


ZZtop-Deguello


***Which album cover do you prefer?

Battle of the bands

Two long running acts in this contest. It is...


Deep Purple

vs.


Rush

***Which band do you prefer?

Clash of the album covers

Round two of the 1970's double header.


Budgie-Never turn your back on a friend

vs.


Rush-A farewell to kings

***Which cover do you prefer?

Clash of the album covers

Here you go.


Led Zeppelin-2

vs.



Rush-Moving Pictures


***Which cover do you prefer?

Underrated and overrated 70's albums

I think I did one of these lists for 80's album so now maybe I'll tackle the 70's. Here are five albums that I overrated at one time and five that I underrated.




Underrated

1-Led Zeppelin-3
This one didn't click with me for years just because it was way more mellow than I was used to. It has grown on me and I glad that it is an album with it's own personality.

2-Rush-Caress of steel
Not everyone's favorite Rush album for sure. Odd around the edges and perhaps that's why it stands out for me.

3-Aerosmith-Get your wings
This one often gets left in the shadows of album like Rocks and Toys in the attic. It's more subtle, but the grooves are solid.

4-TKO-Let it roll
Known more for their 80's output, but this 1979 release was a solid Boston inspired album that didn't work for me in the mid-80's. In recent years I came around.

5-KISS-Hotter than hell
I used to skip past this one for most of their other mid-70's albums. Now I think it's one of their 4-5 best of their long career.

Overrated
1-Deep Purple-Who do we think we are
I always put this in with their fine string of early 70's albums, but really it's a mixed bag.

2-AC/DC-High Voltage (US version)
All their other 70's efforts rock and this one has some fine songs, but some snoozers too.

3-KISS-S/T
I used to like this one just as much as the five albums after it. There is some potential there, but it's clunky too.

4-Alice Cooper-From the inside
I got really into this one for a while mainly just because I liked the concept. Then I realized the songs were not quite as good as the ideas behind them.

5-Judas Priest-Rocka Rolla
Once I saw this one a small step away from Sad wings of destiny and sin after sin. Time and repeated plays has made me realize that the distance is wider than I thought it once was. Their are some sparks here, but it's a long ways from where they would go with their other 1970's efforts.

Number 8

Number 8 is...



Alex Lifeson

Often overlooked because he is in a band with two others very talented musicians. He played different styles over the years although his peak was from about 1975-82. Rush grew greatly over that time period and so did Alex's playing. Subtle at times and spectacular when needed.

***Next week I'll have numbers 7 all the way down to number 4.

Rush-Snakes and arrows live DVD

ZOE/Rounder
2008



Let's see, I guess I should preface this review with a couple admissions on my part so you know where I stand. I am a long time Rush fan, but it's also been a long time since I have been very thrilled with their studio efforts. Last year's Snakes and arrows was no exception as I anticipated it's release and it had some moments, but it was quickly filed away on the back shelves on my collection and it has not seen the light of day in some time. Their playing is still there, but they were once so vibrant and loose and now everything seems far more stiff and even stodgy. Like they have gotten old (okay, they have) and they have taken their sound and us with them. However here is their chance to redeem themselves to some extent in this massive DVD set taken from two performances in Rotterdam, Holland back in October of 2007. The stage for this performance was huge and the crowd are about ready to burst as the show starts. The band does not disappoint, they seem to rise to the occasion and layers of dust seem to have been shaken off. The skill, the energy and the obvious joy they have in playing this music is still very much evident. Admittedly it took me a little time to come around, but they are still masters of their trade or at least they are on stage. Some older bands seem to wander around or be swallowed by such a large stage, but Rush come across like kids who have been inside for far too long being set free to play outside on a sunny day. They make the most of the space and time and pull the crowd along for the ride. Now I would have liked to have heard them perform some more older material as my favorite time in their career was 1975-1981. Still we get some at least some tracks out of the later part of that period sprinkled throughout. Obviously they still have the charm and the touch to their music as they once again work their magic. Some parts are just slightly smoothed out some, but I guess that's just a result of such a large production. The camerawork on this DVD is extraordinary as they manage to take in everything, but also they avoid the fast cuts that too many other live DVDs include. This is certainly a must have for Rush fans as there is much here to enjoy.