Customer Reviews

BU2B

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

DO NOT believe those that claim Rush has released two bad songs. I own most of Rush's catalog, and I was shocked at how Great both 'Caravan' and 'BU2B' were upon my first listen. Continuing to release harder sounding music since "Vapor Trails", Rush does not disappoint with these preview songs. I cannot wait to purchase the entire album. I saw Rush for their "Grace Under Pressure" tour at the Texxas Jam in '84, but they were even better when I saw them for their "Snakes and Arrows" tour in '08. They just will NOT quit pleasing their fans! Do yourself a favor and purchase these two songs, the upcoming album, and a ticket for their upcoming tour. Peace.

I'm a really big fan of both caravan and bu2b, but i think i like bu2b slightly better. The heavy guitar parts remind of "Armor and Sword" and "Secret Touch" from Rush's last two albums. The lyrics definitely continue the agnostic theme (bu2b = brought up to believe). The line "the watchmaker loves us all to death" carries a dark double meaning. The lyrics cycle around like the pantoum style in "the Larger Bowl." With both tracks Rush is still very much a current band, the music is heavy, unpredictable, and full of odd time signatures. One can tell producer Nick Rasculinez has really pushed the band to take some chances and play on the edge.

My one big issues with the songs is the quality of the mixing/mastering. Both songs are very loud and layered (not quite the clipping nightmare that was Vapor Trails), but there is virtually no dynamic range in the music. The guitar sound really buries the drums, vocals, and bass -- which is a shame because i can hear some really good drum and bass parts hidden in there. The songs don't sound bad necessarily, but they definitely don't have that punch and crispness that music everywhere seems to have lost in the mp3 age.

All you really need to know is, as Gene Simmons said, "its Rush!"

BU2B is already a favorite. Caravan is taking time to get used to.

As for the sound quality of both tracks, its going back to the days of
when Alex used solid state amplifiers instead of tube amps and a lot
of processing to achieve his sound. Which has that clean jangly "Lerxst"
sound to it. Neil's drums still has that snap and pop and Geddy's bass
still crashed through it all. There is still more to come with
Clockwork Angels, everyone should be patient.

I have been a diehard Rush fan since 1987 and Rush gets better and better with their music. I saw Rush for the first time on October 1, 2010 in Tampa, Florida on the Time machine tour last year and thought it was one of the best concerts I ever been too. Rush is incredible in concert and sound great live. Then I saw Rush again on their first night this year on March 30, 2011 in Sunrise, Florida on the second leg of their Time machine Tour. Love the music! Love the band! For the other Rush fans who missed them on their Time machine Tour last year and this year, a new Rush concert DVD will be out so get it. The new album Clockwork Angels will be awesome!

Both 'Caravan' and 'BU2B' continue the musical themes from Rush's last album (Snakes & Arrows). Of the two, I prefer 'BU2B'.

What I find most interesting is how Neil Peart's lyrics have changed over years. In the late 70's, 'Freewill' on "Permenant Waves" carries the theme that we need to exercise our own free will. Even earlier, 'Something for Nothing' on "2112" clearly states that we control our own destiny and need to work toward our goals. Then you get to the early 90's and "Roll the Bones" is almost an entire album exploring how luck and chance effect our lives. Now we get 'BU2B' and the question of why things happen and that perhaps we should just except fate. Interesting progression as the group and fans age.

Just saw Rush on the Time Machine tour, and they played both these songs - Caravan and BU2B. They were fantastic and the audience *loved* them - they'll be on the new "Clockwork Angels" album out in Spring 2011. These three guys are the best and just keep getting better.

PS, The album has a steampunk theme for those who are into it.

BU2B is heavy and melodic. The song is fast paced, lyrically thought provoking and a great example of the direction RUSH is going with Clockwork Angels.

Very awesome track from the famous Rush trio. I thought this track would totally effect any fans that liked songs like Tom Sawyer or freewill. This song is fresh and raw while doing a good job of snagging a few of those old 1980/81 moving pictures era fans. I recommened this as the best Rush song recorded since 1991.

As a long time Rush fan, as well as a Christian, Rush - in the lyrics of Neil Peart - has once again given me something to think about.

Peart has revealed in this song he continues to wrestle with a problem common to all of us; namely what philosophers call the Problem of Evil. Why do bad things happen to good people? And why, if there is indeed a all-loving and all-powerful God, doesn't he do anything to stop it?

The answer from his youth - which, I'm afraid, is often given by well-meaning Christians - is that the pain and suffering in one's life is *directly* attributable to one's actions. If we do good things, we get rewarded. If we do bad things, well then, the consequences are directly attributable to them. Joy and pain, as it were. Certainly this has to plague Peart, who I daresay has endured more pain and suffering than most of us will ever have to personally. Pinning all of that on him is beyond cruel.

The answer Peart gives is most definitely *not* the message of Scripture, and Peart is right in rejecting it. But the question still remains: Why do these bad things happen? Why doesn't God do something about evil? And why do those consequences affect others the way they do?

I believe that the answer lies in God's creation of people with a free will; we can either choose to follow in the ways of God by worshiping Him and being nice to our neighbors, or we can choose to go our own way. God could certainly have created a race of humans without the ability to rebel, but He chose not to. And it is this choice - this Freewill, if you like - that is the source of evil all throughout the world. God didn't create evil, for Evil is not a Thing - it is Good spoiled, as it were. Evil is a choice. Take away evil and you take away what makes us human. And the seed of it is inside each one of us.

If Peart is honest with himself - and I believe that he is based upon reading the words to "Lock and Key" - then he knows this. We all fall short of the moral standard we set for ourselves, much less God's or any other deity we care to compare ourselves to! We know what is good and right to do, yet we fail to do it. We carry guilt and shame from words spoken in anger, malicious deeds, and thoughts that plague us. This yearning to be freed from guilt isn't a Christian phenomenon; *every* man or woman has to wrestle with this one. Only by denying such absolutes as "good" and "evil" can one even attempt to avoid the problem, but I think we can all agree that I were to suddenly punch a passer-by on the street in the face for no reason, that would be wrong, evil - and for me, the consequences *would* be immediate - and painful!

But does this imply that our evil actions are always the direct cause of the consequences? Certainly this can be the case - if, for example, I attempt to fly a plane without a pilot's license, it will almost certainly cost me my life - but often times, this just isn't true. Jesus pointed this out to His disciples on at least one occasion (Luke 13:1-5). Sometimes we're the recipient of the evil brought about by others. Sometimes we're a victim of God's creation being in a state of rebellion. And sometimes, it really *is* our fault. But assigning blame based directly on one's circumstances isn't the message of the Bible.

I would also add that of all the world's religions, Christianity - in the person and work of Jesus Christ - is the only one that actually *solves* the problem of evil, not by looking down from above and choosing to stay on the sidelines, but by taking the form of a man, allowing himself to be subject to unimaginable evil, and paying the punishment for the wrong things I've done. So according to Christian doctrine, I'm not going to get what I deserve; indeed, according to what I was BU2B, I'll get far better; I'll receive the grace given to me by a God who literally loved *himself* to death. Peart can get this as well (and I really hope he does - Heaven will be a little too quiet without him!) ...and so can you. Put Jesus Christ under the microscope and see if His claims of being the actual God who created everything lived, died, and rose again are really true. Because if you choose not to decide, well... you get the idea.

And I have to add that Paley must be proud. His watch lives on in a song that shows irrefutable evidence of design.

Peace.