New Rush 5.1 Releases (Sector 1, 2, 3 Boxsets)

Completely agree.

 

I love Rush, but man, they've just schwartzy lately.

 

These are Rush's decision.

Not the "record company's".

Rush controls the masters, it's all a license deal with the "record company".

 

I don't get it. Five albums per set, but only one in hi-rez?

 

+1

 

Rush is a band that puts out their albums and likes to keep them as they were. (Also, why there is really no bonus material in the vaults).

When Universal was on the SACD bandwagon last decade, Rush was approached to have 2112 and Moving Pictures released on SACD, adding surround mixes of both.

They declined.

 

I suppose we have Steve Wilson to thank for (at least partially) getting the band into surround. I believe he got Alex to see the whole point of it and all that. I did read somewhere (forget where off the top of my head) hat Alex is a big stereo fan and at first didn't see much point in 5.1 (or how it could better Stereo for certain things).

 

Like everyone here I share the same sentiment about these releases.
I will say though that if they've taken the same care with the mastering that Gutherie
did with the Floyd remasters then I suppose I would be more accepting of them.
Aside from the three 5.1 releases it seems pointless to mention the 24/96 thing
if all they are gonna give us are 16/44.1 cd's for everything else.

 

I find it kind of strange that this release is not even listed on Rush's official website.

 

The Genesis sets are largely hated because they are remixes. The mastering isn't really that bad (certainly louder than before, and with some limiting, but nothing like the atrocious UMe Rolling Stones remasters or other purely brick-walled garbage). The hate comes from the fact that the albums no longer sound "like they used to", which was kind of the whole point of remixing the whole catalog. The mixes themselves are a matter of taste, but I don't really hate any of them.

But the biggest complaint about this sort of revisionism is one I genuinely respect: The fact that these new remixes have supplanted all availability of the original mixes. The entire Genesis catalog was permanently put out-of-print and replaced with modern-mixed albums. I think the remixes should have been confined to the boxsets, with the original mixes still available as separate CD releases, but no one asked me.

As for these Rush remasters... they are from Universal Music. Which means they are almost certainly going to suck. Hard. And the people who didn't like the open, sharp-sounding 1st batch of remasters will start to really rethink their quality compared to what UMe plans to subject us all to next.

 

I don't like the sound of the Genesis remasters at all. It's not just the remixes that are the problem for me.

 

Yeah, this is pretty much my view about these. They are remixes, so they will inevitably sound different, in various ways, and it seems curious to find that many complaints are tied to this particular issue. Sound-wise, there are pluses and minuses, but overall not a deal breaker, IMO.

The thing is, anyone with a genuine interest or opinion about these reissues will most likely already have, or have the opportunity to easily obtain the old mixes. So I would propose this to be a non-issues. If one prefers one mix over the other, one can choose and settle with one's choice.

 

So these boxes are currently selling for $45/each, and will probably sell for some discount to that when they are widely available...Maybe $35-40.

If some boutique label had announced the 5.1 mixes of the three albums at $40-50 list, people here would be trampling each other to announce "great, I'm in". Here, you get the surround album, plus four other studio albums remastered, in a nice box, for the same price...and people are complaining.

Assuming the mastering is good (and that's only an assumption, but not worth discussion until someone has heard them), I'd say these are a bargain.

Sure, you'd rather have the surround album for $20. And I'd rather not pay for marbles in my Pink Floyd box, or vinyl LPs in my CD/BluRay box, or a "Deluxe Edition" that consists of the original album on one disc, and the bonus material on the second disc.

But that's how it goes. I don't think these are a bad deal, or a mugging, or even a stupid package of worthless extras.

 

They have tons of stuff in the vault.

 

Yes, and only snippets have been released here and there on DVDs

Only Hammersmith 1978 on CD

 

Yes, I think that is exactly right. The first, and major, reason for the boxed sets were the surround mixes. i feel the same way about these Rush releases, keep the old versions just in case.

BTW, does anyone think it odd that the surround versions in these sets are DVD-A? They did Bluray for Moving Picturtes, so why revert to an older, economically failed format.

 

The mastering not really that bad? Check out the wavforms in post #49 and think again. They're some of the most brickwalled and harsh sounding releases I have ever heard.

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=251922

 

Smelly cigars? Anyway, I'll stick to my original Rush CDs thanks.

 

Why not do what King Crimson is doing? Package a CD and a DVD for each album.

Or...Is possible that they are.

Am I missing something here? I see two titles listed for each box, right? How do you get 5 cds from that?

 

Here's how the boxes shape out:

Sector 1:
Rush (CD)
Fly By Night (CD)
Caress of Steel (CD)
2112 (CD)
All the World's a Stage (CD)
Fly By Night (DVD)

Sector 2:
A Farewell to Kings (CD)
Hemispheres (CD)
Permanent Waves (CD)
Moving Pictures (CD)
Exit Stage Left (CD)
A Farewell to Kings (DVD)

Sector 3:
Signals (CD)
Grace Under Pressure (CD)
Power Windows (CD)
Hold Your Fire (CD)
A Show of Hands (CD)
Signals (DVD)

 

"Rush - All The World's A Stage" = Rush through All The World's A Stage

Took me a while to figure that out.

I agree about the King Crimson - actually wish everyone followed their model.

 

Ok, thanks guys. I won't be interested in this box set. I have most of their stuff on cd or vinyl already. New high-res releases would be the way to go. I would prefer vinyl from the high-res files, rather than cds.

 

From: Bravewords.com

RUSH - Sectors Box Set Coming In November; Details Revealed

Rarities

Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 15:11:25 EST

On November 21st, Universal Music Canada celebrates the legacy of Canadian rock trio RUSH with the release of three separate six-disc box sets which together spans their entire historic Anthem Records recording career.

Each “Sector” contains five of their 15 Anthem albums in chronological order. In addition, each volume includes an exclusive booklet packed with unpublished photos, original album lyrics and credits, and features one album from each set specially remixed on DVD. Each album is packaged in a replica vinyl mini-jacket of the original album release with all three box sets forming a Rush CD road case.




Sector 1:

Rush (1974) – Their hard-rocking, self-titled 1974 debut hit the Billboard 200 and features classics such as 'Working Man' and 'Finding My Way'.

Fly By Night (1975) – Released in 1975, Fly By Night sees the debut of drummer Neil Peart who would help drive the band towards more complex material. Included are fan favorites such as the title track, 'Anthem', and the eight-minute composition 'By-Tor And The Snow Dog', which shows the band’s musical growth and progression.

Caress Of Steel (1975) – Also released in 1975, Caress Of Steel hit the Top 200 and gives a further glimpse of the band leaning toward prog rock and features Rush classics such as 'Lakeside Park' and 'Bastille Day'.

2112 (1976) - One of Rush’s all-time classics, 2112 was the band’s commercial breakthrough reaching the Top 100 on the album chart and remains one of their most popular albums successfully merging prog rock with their hard rock roots, a first for its time. 2112 features epic tracks such as the 20-minute title track '2112', taking up the entire first side of the original vinyl album.

All The World's A Stage (1976) - Hitting Top 50, this was Rush’s first live album and features classics such as 'Fly By Night/In The Mood' which reached Top 100, '2112', 'Bastille Day' and 'Something For Nothing'.

DVD: Fly By Night – Their classic 1975 sophomore release is now, for the first time, presented in high-resolution 96kHz/24-bit 5.1 surround sound and stereo.

Sector 2:

A Farewell To Kings (1977) – Their 1977 Top 40 release features their hit 'Closer To The Heart', 'Xanadu' and the title track, 'A Farewell To Kings'.

Hemispheres (1978) – Reaching Top 50 on the album chart, Hemispheres includes the 20-minute opus 'Cygnus X-1Book II – Hemispheres' and the metaphoric social commentary 'The Trees'.

Permanent Waves (1980) – This 1980 release hit #4 on the Billboard 200 and features classics such as 'Freewill' and 'The Spirit Of The Radio'.

Moving Pictures (1981) – Considered one of the greatest hard rock albums of all time, this quadruple platinum- selling masterpiece features rock radio staples 'Tom Sawyer', 'Red Barchetta', 'Vital Signs' and 'Limelight'.

Exit... Stage Left (1981) – Released in 1981, this Top 10 live album features performances of favorites such as 'Tom Sawyer', 'Freewill', 'YYZ' and deeper album tracks such as 'La Villa Strangiato' and 'Broon’s Bane'.

DVD: A Farewell To Kings – The album that set their musical course and signature songwriting style is now presented in high-resolution 96kHz/24-bit 5.1 surround sound and stereo.

Sector 3:

Signals (1982) - The synthesizer-driven Signals reached Top 10 and produced their #1 hit 'New World Man' and the Top 20 hits 'Subdivisions' and 'The Analog Kid'.

Grace Under Pressure (1984) – This 1984 release hit Top 10 on Billboard’s album chart and features classics such as 'Red Sector A' and 'Distant Early Warning'.

Power Windows (1985) – Released in 1985, Power Windows features Top 10 hits 'Marathon' and 'Big Money', plus the Top 50 hits 'Territories' and 'Mystic Rhythms'.

Hold Your Fire (1987) – The Top 20 album includes 'Force Ten' and 'Time Stand Still' with both reaching #3 on the Mainstream Rock chart, plus the Top 50 hits 'Lock And Key' and 'Mission'.

A Show Of Hands (1988) – While 1976’s All The World’s A Stage shows Rush’s hard rock roots and 1982’s Exit... Stage Left showcases their mix of synth and prog rock, the Top 50 double live album A Show Of Hands concentrates on the band’s later synth-driven era with tracks such as 'Subdivisions', 'Force Ten', 'Red Sector A' and 'Marathon'.

DVD: Signals – The 1982 Top 10 album Signals is also featured in high-resolution 96kHz/24-bit 5.1 surround sound and stereo.

 

Under the headline on that press release is the word "rarities." Why? There are no rarities here.

 

do we have confirmation that the titles not going on the DVD have been remastered and if so...any word who?