CARAVAN / BU2B

At long last the new songs from the upcoming album Clockwork Angels! This day couldn't have come any sooner.

So being only two songs I suppose this can be broken up into individual reviews of both songs.

"Caravan" starts off good enough. The riff is heavy and the bass line throughout the song is very catchy. The drumming is obviously excellent because you have none other than Neil Peart pounding the skins. The lyrics are a little repetitive but that doesn't seem to matter as the music being played is so loud that it can be hard to pay attention to what Geddy is saying.

"BU2B" is an odd song title and at first I thought it was going to be an instrumental. When this song starts off it may take you a back because of how forceful it sounds. It remains this forceful even when Geddy starts singing. The song settles back out and the sound is similar to that of what you'd hear from Snakes & Arrows. The lyrics to this song are pretty good and again the bass is driving and catchy.

If the new album is like this then we are in for a quite a treat from Rush! Definitely going to be interesting to hear how these songs are live over the summer.

First review in this website. Woo.

I only began listening to Rush a couple of year ago, and I only began *listening* to them on year ago or so. As I was attempting to expand the range of my newly discovered love for Prog Rock, I evidently began listening to their earlier albums (A Farewell to Kings, Circumstances, Moving Pictures, Permanent Waves, etc.). As a result I am not familiar with their new sound which, so I have been told, is a lot heavier than their works from the late 70s early 80s. Thus, this Single is my first venture into this new sonority Lee, Peart and Lifeson have adopted. Ah, I should say I am familiar with Lee's new mellower voice, since I have the Snakes & Arrows blu-ray.

That being said: I evidently don't adore it as much as their earlier works, but it's definitely listenable.

Caravan is quite a good track. It starts off with a fantastic introduction and the rest of the song develops nicely. The hook is quite catchy (apparently Lee just "can't stop thinking big!"). Lifeson has a nice riff going on, and Lee is as awesome as always with his base. The track also benefits from a great instrumental interlude somewhere around the 3:30 minute mark, which is there to stop Lee's mellow voice from becoming repetitive, and it does its job. Also, the lyrics are as good as always, that's something that apparently hasn't changed.

BU2B is the band's second track whose title consists of turning caps lock on and randomly typing something on a keyboard with your eyes shut, then attributing some meaning to it (see YYZ: "IT'S THE AREA CODE FROM DURR HURR". Right.) That being said, I can't really adore this track. The more I listen to it the more I convince myself that if some other band had recorded this song and I listened to it, I wouldn't become a fan of the band. The song is repetitive and well... that's it. It's heavy as hell too, but I read that it's similar to the sonority in Snakes & Arrows? Again, I'm not exactly up-to-date with their works. Is there anything good about it? Yes, the lyrics. And the song in general, even if repetitive isn't *too* bad. It's just not great. And I'm trying to like it here, since I am a huge fan of this band.

In a final analysis, if the B-Side shared the same quality of the A-Side, I'd definitely love this single. Caravan is a song I definitely want to listen to again and again, but UB2ASDJ, or whatever they call it, is a heavy repetitive mess that somehow sounds OK. Thus, the final rating is 3 stars. As a matter of fact, I'll be one of those guys that goes "THREE POINT FIVE REALLY IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING ACTUALLY". I'd like to give it a higher rating, but I don't think I'll be listening to Be You Too Bee (is that what they meant?) a lot, albeit when I'll be trying my best to like it... more.

Also, I'd like to (yet again) remember anyone reading this that I am not familiar with this new sonority Rush have adopted (notice how I call an over-one-decade old thing *new*) and am still absorbing the shock. The only glimpse I had of what they sound like now was the Snakes & Arrows Live blu-ray, and I kind skipped to the songs I knew so...

Also, keyboards are back. I though there was none of that on Snakes & Arrows? Maybe I'm wrong.

Working them Clockwork Angels!

10 minutes from the new rush album "Clockwork Angels" is irresistible for a Rush addict like me so here I am reviewing a Rush single, a first as I am so used to getting the albums or DVDs of this incredible trio of power. I have to say I have grown to love the single 'Caravan' with its progressive feel and time sig, killer riffs and hooks, and a dynamic chorus; "I can't stop thinking big, I can't stop thinking big..." Once this locks in to your head you might not be able to get it out and that is typical of Rush, a melody that grips the listener and easy to sing along to. The good news is this song is better than anything on "Snakes and Arrows". The lead break is great too, they sound fantastic and this is a positive sign for the album to come in 2011.

The B side, 'BU2B (brought up to believe)' is another great track. It has a heavy grungy guitar sound, one of the heavier rush riffs and I love it. The lyrics are intriguing too; "we are only human, it's not ours to understand, the universe has a plan... subtlety rewarded...." Lee sings with as much conviction as the 70s.

Lee's bass is crisp and his vocals are clear and he is definitely in full voice. Lifeson is innovative on lead guitar with lavish picking, up sweeps and string bends. The drums of Peart are pounding blissfully and the time sig changes are intricately executed. Rush are certainly in force and this is a tantalising glimpse of their new sound; heavier, progressively creative and with new thematic content. All I can say is roll on "Clockwork Angels"!

Wow, Rush has set phazers to kill! This is probably the hardest rocking Rush ever. The Caravan and BU2B single makes for an extremely tantalizing glimpse of what is coming down the pipe for fans next year with the now impending release of studio album number 19, Clock Work Angles. Both of the tracks certainly err on the commercial side. Which one might expect, you know, on a single. I have to say though in spite of that, they are both very very good. The hooks sink in and I just want to crank in right up to eleven. The musicianship and production are both top tier, nothing short of what we've come to expect from rush.

The first question that is on the minds of all Rush fans is not, is it "Moving Pictures again?" but rather the far more realistic "How does it compare to Snakes and Arrows?" My answer to that: Favourably. I like both tracks better than anything that can be found on the last album, with the exception of maybe Hope and The Main Monkey Business. Some of the same themes seem to have trickled through to this effort. The exploration of faith through the lenses of Neil Peart is back of Brought Up to Believe, although much catchier. Caravan on the other hand is like Passage to Bangkok on cocaine though.

Something interesting happened while I was listening to the single this time, instead of moving on to something else I just let my album play and the next thing that happened to come up was "Finding My Way" off of Rush (and Chronicles as it happens), and it offered an interesting comparison to their earliest work. I can't help but feel the same freewheeling spirit of a couple of kids throwing together and album and doing some touring. As shocking as it may seem, the best may still be yet to come from everybody's favourite Toronto based power trio. These guys still have what it takes to make (moving) picture perfect rock music. If you haven't already picked up this single, do so. This is rivalling Heaven and Hell for the best $2.50 ever spent.

My rating, 4 out of 5 for overall content (owing to some repetitious lyrics near the end of both tracks and the fact that two songs can't rightly be "essential") and 11 out of 10 for rock and roll!

First, I want to congratulate you on loving Rush music. They are truly a great band, but please know a little bit more before you write a blog. YYZ is the call sign for the Toronto airport. The boys were always happy to be heading back to Toronto to see their families, so they paid a special tribute to the airports call sign(all airports have them).

BU2B has a meaning. "Brought UP TO Believe". Neil Peart is pretty smart. He has written 4 books worth the read. Rush's last several albums have concentrated on the whole personal choice of weather to go to church so to speak, or be a good person on your own. Personal choice and not crammed down your throat. Basically you choose to make the right choices and be a good person because it is the right thing to do. Not just to get into heaven. Please keep listening to Rush and remember to listen to their albums(man, I must be old) from the nineties and early 2000's.

Role the Bones, Counterparts, Test for Echo, Vapor Trail and Feedback. All worth a listen and great Music. Hope to see you at a Rush concert this summer.

'Caravan / BU2B' - Rush (Single)

Suffice to say, this has rejuvenated my love and excitement of Rush; the band that got me into rock and prog in the first place. I always figured Rush would be making an album after the previous 'Snakes & Arrows' but I also figured it would have the same modern rock sound they have been pursuing for the past few years. This is something different though; the modern sound is still there but it's cranked up to make it heavier and more progressive.

After a sequence of ambience, the title track's proggy main riff kicks off and leads into a pretty standard Rush song structure. It's easy to notice that this is quite a bit heavier than the Rush we came to know on 'Snakes & Arrows' and there's quite a bit more ambition in terms of the time signatures. This is very guitar based until the chorus where the 'I can't stop thinking big' hook takes over, backed by some ethereal playing at the hands of Lifeson.

The second song here (titled an abbreviation of 'Brought Up To Believe') is probably the heaviest Rush has ever gotten. The main riff sounds akin to djinty math metal, which really blew me away. Unlike a band like Meshuggah however, Rush carries this technicality and makes a real song with it. This really ends up being Geddy Lee's song; his vocal melodies shine here as does his bass, which really gets a chance to be heard throughout all of the heaviness.

Despite this is only a two song sneak preview of 'Clockwork Angels,' Rush has amazed me with this. Most bands of their age and seniority generally take a dive downwards and end up only recording mediocre material to cater to their dwindling, aging fanbase. 'Caravan' and 'BU2B' have proven to me that this band is certainly not out of the picture, and are only continuing to explore different aspects of their music together.

Rush is back! After steadily improving this new rock sound, starting with Test For Echo, then to Vapor Trails, then Snakes & Arrows, and now the upcoming Clockwork Angels, Rush has perfected it. This EP shows two excellent songs which bring great hope for the new album.

1. Caravan (9/10) An exciting rock song thats full of energy and life. The main guitar riff is very catchy, Pearts drumming is all over the place and just so good, and Geddy's voice is actually quite good considering his age. It sounds like an improved Snakes & Arrows song due to the hard rocking guitar, but it does slow down for the chorus, "I can't stop thinking babe..." which is very soothing and enjoyable. At the end there is a long instrumental section which just shows the sheer excellence of Rush. All in all a wonderful song, the best of the two on this EP.

2. BU2B (9/10) You thought the great music was over? Think again! Another exciting track that is a fitting follow up to Caravan. The song starts off with more hard guitars and drums (no problem there) and more excellent singing from Geddy. Much like in Caravan, BU2B slows up at times (which is enjoyable) but then takes off again with the awesome rock. While not as good as Caravan (by comparison), still a top 5 Rush song from the hard rock era (Echo-Clockwork).

Overall: 18/20, 9/10, 4.5/5

An exciting look into the future of Rush! A must have for fans of not only the band but of good music.

My 3rd review, yes! Okay here it goes.

"Caravan" and "BU2B" are great because these songs are hard rock, but still progressive like Rush's albums from the mid-1970's to early 1980s. As we all know, Rush during this past decade, has been reconnecting with their music and roots such as their recent album, "Snakes And Arrows". But while it still does have the rock energy from early 70s and 90s Rush, it also.... well forget it! I'll just review the songs!

"Caravan" starts out with the synth-laden riffs from "Permanemt Waves" and "Moving Pictures" and then Alex Lifeson comes out with this huge, ballsy riff and then, the song jogs into your memory. Geddy Lee's vocals on that song really seem to have fit in the song, with his harmonized tone carring the heavy song. And who doesn't like the lines from the lyrics, "I can't stop thinking big"? Probably a bunch of garage and emo's who cut themselves while listening to My Chemical Romance. "BU2B" isn't bad either. In fact is the great follow up to "Caravan", with solid drumming, cramping guitar riffs, deep-dark bass sounds, and of course Gaddy's soothing vocals.

Well, the album doens't come out until 2011, but we are pretty close. And hopefully Rush's new album will soon get things back on track, and by that, I mean I'm hoping that this album will CRUSH all of those lame artist's so-called "musical talent", and we can finally go back to listening to the music that matters the most, and that's a good ol' fashion of Rock 'n Roll!

Heavy and calculated

Rush have long been known for their instrumental prowess and precision, as well as their heavier outlook on the progressive rock sound. Over 40 years, the band developed into a massive force in the genre, attracting millions of fans and millions of record sales. Today, the band is still able to flesh out killer tracks. Three years after the band's 18th studio record "Snakes & Arrows", the first single for their 19th album "Clockwork Angels" was released, Caravan, with the B-Side BU2B. The tracks have a crisp production and a precise execution. The song have a harder edge as well, with a more hard rock feel than anything else. Both tracks are superb, and set up the forthcoming album with great suspense.

Caravan opens with a quiet atmosphere and back tracks of the main riff, before exploding into an amazing display of progressive hard rock. The main riff of the song is infectious, with a slight avant quality that is Rush's and Rush's alone. Lee's soaring vocals really fit the growling music of this track, especially with the fantastic contrasts between the depth of Lifeson's guitar lines and Lee's vocal height. Each member works effortlessly together, as has been seen on countless other occasions, which is pretty incredible seeing as they have been making so much music for so long. Overall, the track is pretty incredible, combining all the classic elements of Rush with some fantastic new ones.

BU2B (acronym for Brought Up to Believe) is even harder than the previous track, with near metal riffs and harmonies. One of my favorite aspects of this track is the lyrics, with poignant messages of beliefs and philosophical problems of understanding. Away from Peart's genius at both rhythmic prowess and literary genius, the song truly fleshes out the amazing essence of Rush. Again, I can't wait for this album!

ALBUM OVERALL: Two magnificent tracks make up this single. That's really the only flaw, that there are only two tracks. The music is near flawless, albeit a little popularly leaning. The band really still has it in them to dish out more near-perfect music, making it truly understandable why this band will go down in music history as one of the greatest progressive bands in history. Although I usually auto-rate singles 3 stars because, well, they're only singles, I will make an exception for this superb single. 4 stars.

When i heard Rush was releasing two new songs from their newest album "Clockwork Angels" i became a giddy girl (no pun intended). When i heard these new songs my jaw dropped because of the sheer quality of everything. It had the heaviness of Vapor Trails but the progressive edge of Snakes & Arrows. It took the best of those last 2 albums and really delivers. Caravan is just a killer track that has such an epic mood and does feel like the start of an epic story. BU2B (Brought Up To Believe) is another fantastic song that is a little heavier than Caravan but also has a great lyric like the previous song. This lyric is more of a philosophical lyric and not a story telling one like Caravan was but they both are just as good. Overall, these singles are just superb and I can't wait for the rest of the album. 5 stars. Highlights: Caravan, BU2B

These compositions do not bode well for me as a Rush fan. They have good aspects, but Rush cannot be about good pieces only- the magic of this Triforce is that all three triangles must work together. On this release, they sludge through it gracelessly. Instrumentally, the individuals of the band are as they should be, but together they fail to shine. The compositions are just dumpy. "Caravan" left a poor impression on me- this is nothing near what "Vapor Trails" or "Far Cry" did for me even though the modern Rush feel was there. It has a sneaky film noir flavor to it that doesn't work as a rock song. The melody is rough, and "I can't stop thinking" this might be the worst Rush release in the past two decades. "BU2B" has the same muddy sound but is far more coherent. That said, it falls into the same trap as before- adopting a modern sound whilst sacrificing that something that makes them Rush. The composition is flatfooted and like Blue Oyster Cult in their transitional moments- one can only hope something better is on the horizon.

(7/10)

Decent, but "Headlong Flight" was the single that really got me interested in "Clockwork Angels". These two songs are the first two tracks off that album, and serve well as the opening one-two.

Caravan is the fun kind of loud to start off. Geddy Lee's bass is strong, the rhythm is pounding, and pretty compelling. I enjoy the chorus a lot, and it's good to see that although we are never going to get the shrieking highs of Rush's glory days, Geddy Lee has learned to work within his more mature voice in a way that fits the new music.

The same goes for the b-side, BU2B (which stands for 'brought up to believe', though I can't see why this needed an acronym), which is in a similar vein. It's sort of similar to the new Rush sound they have been developing since "Snakes and Arrows", heavier fuller sounds.

Both songs do a reasonably good job of representing "Clockwork Angels", we even get a lyrical taste of what the story is going to be about with references to the Watchmaker in BU2B, and the protagonists desire to explore the world (e.g. "I can't stop thinking big" in the chorus of "Caravan"), but as I said before, "Headlong Flight" is the most exciting single from the album.