Filled in a hole in my Rush collection today, but, wow, this is a thin-sounding disc. Highs are there, but bass is virtually non-existent.
Even the bass drum is weak. What a disappointment.
Opinions?
Filled in a hole in my Rush collection today, but, wow, this is a thin-sounding disc. Highs are there, but bass is virtually non-existent.
Even the bass drum is weak. What a disappointment.
Opinions?
Last edited by Finch Platte; 01-19-2016 at 04:02 PM.
You are correct! Presto is similar but even worse.
True. However, the SACD release of "Roll the Bones" is quite good. I utilize my subwoofer to bring in the low end and it shows a vast improvement in the dynamic range.
And yes, "Presto" is very thin. The sub helps with that too, but not nearly as much as the RTB SACD.
Chad
So, what's the deal? Are they planning on making even more off us with another remastered remaster release?
Wtf is wrong with these people? Good thing they don't work for NASA!
I just got off the phone with my hommie, Rupert, and he barked: "Presto is supposed to be thin! It's part of the art statement!"Originally Posted by Nearfest2
While I think Presto is too thin as well, he has a point. Well, Rush had their "synth" period and then followed by a "thin" period.
Presto is when Rush started writing the way I wish they wouldn't and someone here can explain this better than me. They started writing "songs" rather than cool, interlaced ideas. Still, I think a lot of Presto and about half of Roll the Bones is great.
Question: Why did Geddy Lee say "What were we thinking about??" with respect to 'Neurotica' and not 'Face Up'?
Agreed. I thought Neurotica was as weak as the rest of side two but the years have revealed it to be one of the more ambitious tracks on the CD.
Agreed
If you already have the original CD, do you really need to purchase a new one?
The one I bought is remastered, as the title says. What I meant was did they purposely remaster it thin, so they could release yet another version with some bass on it further down the road. Seems to be Rush's MO.
Rupert Hine's production resulted in Saga's Heads or Tales the tinniest, most low end-shy album pretty much ever. Makes Presto & RtB sound like the Allmans at the Fillmore East. I've concluded Hine had seriously screwed up ears or monitors, one or the other.
Ahh, then that's a different story. If true, that's horrible.
Or if you have one of the first two remasters, for that matter?
Or an enormous schlong.
Having been burdened with an enormous schlong myself, I'll have you know that RH is not on the Schlong Registry, indeed, he may be playing for the other team, if you know what I mean and I'm sure you do.
Tonto doesn't mind.
Sounds like they farmed the mixing job out to the dude who mixed Metallica's "And Justice For All."
The weird thing being that, on that album at least, it actually works quite well with the material. On the other hand, Hine also produced Saga's World's Apart, and the bass on that record is truly marvelous - enormously fat and with real bite and definition. I just love the moment on 'The Interview' when the bass comes in - great drum sound, too. Other than that, agree with pretty much everything that's been said about Roll the Bones and Presto: horribly anaemic sounding,and that moment where Rush (and particularly Geddy Lee, as I recall) decided that they wanted to be a 'mature' band who 'focused on songwriting over chops,' which rather neglected the fact that they weren't actually very good at it.
When they decided to focus on songwriting over chops, I wish they hadn't decided to continue cramming 10 or 11 songs on an album. I wish they'd varied song length and structure a bit more.
"Neurotica" is still better than "You Bet Your Life".
Much better! I liked" Ghost of a Chance" and "Neurotica" from the start. OK, the latter took five listens to sink in as we've come to expect from Rush since 1977. What is Geddy's problem with that slightly quirky song? Then again, I think "Dog Years" is excellent. For the dissenters out there, you try to build a bridge like that.
Last edited by yamishogun; 01-20-2016 at 10:09 AM.
The Andy VanDette remastering on the "Retrospective III" compilation have more bottom end. Check this:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/k1vOLCN1vYgnefeWsrn
(set to 1080p for best audio quality)
An similar mastering you can get on the Box Sectors, also remastered by VanDette. (Also available on HDTracks)
For me another thing I hate about that sound on Presto - Neil's drums. They are pretty ugh... reverb out the wazoo... makes the snare sound like arse.
I forgot about Ghost. That's the other good tune on side two.
Peart was still going for a Stewart Copeland sound, it seems.
The band sounds so tiny and brittle on those two Hine records, which is a shame since Presto actually is a pretty solid album (side two at least). RtB was quite a dip in quality, save for Ghost and Big Wheel.
"Dem Glücklichen legt auch der Hahn ein Ei."
almost 25 years ago..... how time flies.
Presto & RTB had that 'tinny' sound.
and some songs just didn't do it for me.
but each album had about 5 or 6 great tracks.
not songs like Scars, Superconductor, Anagram, Hand Over Fist,
Face Up, You Bet Your Life & Where's My Thing.... ugh!
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