Alex Lifeson - too many guitar effects?

axisus

I was a massive fan of Rush from late 70s through most of the 80s. I loved all that early proggy stuff, but my fave albums were the 82-85 threesome of Signals, Grace under Pressure and Power Windows. 

I didn't like the next album at all though (Hold your Fire) and stopped following the band. 

OK, so a couple of years ago I got the urge to start buying their post HyF albums. It's been 'interesting', however I constantly seem to feel that Alex Lifeson has way to many effects drowning out his guitar playing on the latter albums. I listen to songs and just seem to think that they would sound so much better if he just plugged his guitar into his amp and cranked it up.

I remember seeing a documentary and Alex said that he would be constantly fighting with the record engineer who wanted less effects.

Anyone else think the same or is it just me?

Alterlifeson

I think a lot of it is down to the 'era' that Rush was going through at this particular time. They were trying to move away from the synth heavy sound of PW and HYF, but didn't really manage it completely until Counterparts. The previous two albums seem to me like Alex was trying to make up for the lack of synths in some respects. Both Presto and Roll the Bones have a much thinner sound overall, which isn't what you expect from the guitar. In context I think it works with Geddy's midrange bass tone and Neil's tight snappy drums. 

Funnily enough The Pass is one of my favourite Rush songs and the guitar parts in Dreamline is one of my favourites to play!

Give Counterparts a go if you can, its basically what you said, straight into an amp!

Veganic

I always amazed that there are people who like stuff after Moving Pictures. 

I even lost interest in trying to work out who they were trying to copy after they went all "Let's do Simple Minds on this one" with Grace Under Pressure. 

Anyway, does Lifeson use too many effects?  Some say yes, some say no.  It's irrellevant because they haven't written a "song" since Signals.

Yes, I am feeling pretty miserable today.

Musicwolf

Veganic said:

I always amazed that there are people who like stuff after Moving Pictures. 

  It's irrellevant because they haven't written a "song" since Signals.
.

Much as I loved Rush in my teens I'm minded to agree with you (well, apart from the spelling of irrelevant).  Grace Under Pressure was probably the last Rush album that I bought upon its release.  I've recently come back to them but the later stuff has, by enlarge, left me a bit cold.  Initially I thought that this may be because the earlier stuff took me back to my youth whereas I had no connection to the later material, but I finally concluded that they'd just given up trying to write 'songs'.

Veganic

That was my 3rd attempt at spelling it.  Sorry.

Whitecat

Always felt his live tone since the millennium felt a little “cluttered” - too much going on, probably due to an overly complex rig. Lots of records to replicate the sound of I guess - Geddy went to amp modelling years ago, I bet Alex would have done well in the Age of Kempers...

As for records, the Rupert Hine-produced stuff has arguably his weakest tones... kind of wilderness-years for his sound I guess. The shift from Signature guitars to PRS improved things a bit, then the return to Gibson seemed to bring things back to good even if the songs weren’t yer cuppa. 

Anyway, they played together for over four decades, so I don’t think that any of this is really a big deal in the grand scheme of everything he’s accomplished... 

pintspiller

My fave Rush albums are Caress of Steel and Farewell to Kings. Earlier stuff was okay if not derived. The latter stuff with had their moments and the stuff since has lost me.

Not sure if it's song quality or Lifeson's sound or lack of guitars in the mix though. I think the most recent album I bought of theirs may have been Presto, but I still have a soft spot for them and have checked them up on YouTube and that since - even bought the R30 dvd!

prowla

After Moving Pictures, I rate Clockwork Angels as probably their best, though I do like Grace Under Pressure.

As for FX, part of their sound is to have different sounds and textures...

axisus

prowla said:

After Moving Pictures, I rate Clockwork Angels as probably their best, though I do like Grace Under Pressure.

As for FX, part of their sound is to have different sounds and textures...

I bought Clockwork angels last year, That's the CD that really got me thinking how it would sound much better (for me) with a basic guitar sound.

Alterlifeson

axisus said:

prowla said:

After Moving Pictures, I rate Clockwork Angels as probably their best, though I do like Grace Under Pressure.

As for FX, part of their sound is to have different sounds and textures...

I bought Clockwork angels last year, That's the CD that really got me thinking how it would sound much better (for me) with a basic guitar sound.

Totally agree, i find the last 2 albums too busy in terms of guitar. Something stripped back would have been a bit better suited. However this doesn't take away from the fact their last album together was a great send off. They never had a downward sprial towards the end that seems to plague many of their contemporaries. 

axisus

Alterlifeson said:

Totally agree, i find the last 2 albums too busy in terms of guitar. Something stripped back would have been a bit better suited. However this doesn't take away from the fact their last album together was a great send off. They never had a downward sprial towards the end that seems to plague many of their contemporaries. 

Yes, the album has some great moments, and I think that I will really get into it at some point, although it didn't happen at my original purchase time.

Philly_Q

Alterlifeson said:
However this doesn't take away from the fact their last album together was a great send off. They never had a downward sprial towards the end that seems to plague many of their contemporaries. 

Agreed.  I'm not sure there's any band which lasted so long with so few weak albums in their catalogue!

My own favourite remains the first one I bought when it came out, Permanent Waves.  I think they floundered just a little in the late 80s but they never really produced a dud.  Of the later albums, I very much like Counterparts.

prowla

Alterlifeson said:

axisus said:

prowla said:

After Moving Pictures, I rate Clockwork Angels as probably their best, though I do like Grace Under Pressure.

As for FX, part of their sound is to have different sounds and textures...

I bought Clockwork angels last year, That's the CD that really got me thinking how it would sound much better (for me) with a basic guitar sound.

Totally agree, i find the last 2 albums too busy in terms of guitar. Something stripped back would have been a bit better suited. However this doesn't take away from the fact their last album together was a great send off. They never had a downward sprial towards the end that seems to plague many of their contemporaries. 

Curious - I thought Clockwork Angels sounded stripped back!

prowla

Philly_Q said:

Alterlifeson said:
However this doesn't take away from the fact their last album together was a great send off. They never had a downward sprial towards the end that seems to plague many of their contemporaries. 

Agreed.  I'm not sure there's any band which lasted so long with so few weak albums in their catalogue!

My own favourite remains the first one I bought when it came out, Permanent Waves.  I think they floundered just a little in the late 80s but they never really produced a dud.  Of the later albums, I very much like Counterparts.

Feedback was a dud, I have to say.

Every other album I can listen to any time.

Alex's "Victor" is a good 'un too (if a little disturbing).

Philly_Q

prowla said:

Alex's "Victor" is a good 'un too (if a little disturbing).

I haven't listened to that for years, must dig it out sometime.  Inevitably I'll listen to Geddy's album at the same time.

I'd half-forgotten Feedback.  I don't hate it, but I've never listened to it much.  Interesting choice of songs.

Alterlifeson

Philly_Q said:

Alterlifeson said:
However this doesn't take away from the fact their last album together was a great send off. They never had a downward sprial towards the end that seems to plague many of their contemporaries. 

Agreed.  I'm not sure there's any band which lasted so long with so few weak albums in their catalogue!

My own favourite remains the first one I bought when it came out, Permanent Waves.  I think they floundered just a little in the late 80s but they never really produced a dud.  Of the later albums, I very much like Counterparts.

I suppose we are influenced by our first impressions! I still like what is univerally thought to be U2's worst album, but it was what got me hooked on them. I really like Counterparts too, some really underrated songs on there. I seems like they were trying to get away from the 'thin' sounding Presto and RTB.