PA's Battle to Stardom B5: Rush v. Kayo Dot

One of the most unique modern progressive metal bands and possibly the most influential progressive hard rock band of all time are against each other this round. Make sure to vote in order to make the results happen!

Please: If you are not familiar with one or both of the band's material, I urge that you use the links provided and at least listen to the samples on their respective pages (or Youtube if the particular band has no online streaming).

Rush's PA page: http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=609
Kayo Dot's PA page: http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=1870

As always, discussions are encouraged.

Recap:
Round 2
B1: Marillion v. Area       (32-35)
B2: Emerson, Lake and Palmer v. Tangerine Dream    (37-25)
B3: Can v. Opeth      (31-34)
B4: Van der Graaf Generator v. Samla Mammas Manna    (47-12)

B1: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52648&PN=1
B2: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52714
B3: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52795
B4: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52869


Round 1
A1:  Mahavishnu Orchestra v. Marillion      (24-28)
A2:  Gong v. Area    (18-19)
A3:  Emerson, Lake and Palmer v. The Flower Kings      (22-14)
A4:  The Residents v. Tangerine Dream    (12-15)
A5:  Can v. Dream Theater    (42-37)
A6:  Echolyn v. Opeth    (11-18)
A7:  Van der Graaf Generator v. The Mars Volta    (54-18)
A8:  Samla Mammas Manna v. Radiohead      (27-26)
A9:  Rush v. Tool    (55-21)
A10: Meshuggah v. Kayo Dot     (15-21)
A11: Henry Cow v. Amon Duul II      (17-12)
A12: Soft Machine v. Magma      (23-25)
A13: Ayreon v. Le Orme      (26-29)
A14: Ozric Tentacles v. Hawkwind         (21-27)
A15: Koenjihyakkei v. Univers Zero       (10-17)
A16: Gentle Giant v. Camel        (41-29)

A1: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=51423&PN=2
A2: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=51492&PN=1
A3: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=51567&PN=1
A4: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=51630&PN=1
A5: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=51711&PN=1
A6: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=51778
A7: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=51855
A8: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=51928&PN=1
A9: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52011
A10: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52091
A11: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52158&PN=1
A12: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52246
A13: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52336
A14: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52411&PN=1
A15: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52487&PN=1
A16: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=52571

Rush

Mamma Mia!

Probably the easiest poll yet...

Much as I do like Rush, and as important to me as the band was to me in my teens, Kayo Dot's Choirs Of The Eye is definitely a good enough album for me to give KD a vote. It also has the advantage over Rush albums, when it comes to my tastes, with the instrumentation.  Rush does well with synths and keyboards, but I love having non-typical rock instruments in a line-up -- it makes it much richer and more diverse for me.

Logan wrote: Much as I do like Rush, and as important to me as the band was to me in my teens, Kayo Dot's Choirs Of The Eye is definitely a good enough album for me to give KD a vote. It also has the advantage over Rush albums, when it comes to my tastes, with the instrumentation.  Rush does well with synths and keyboards, but I love having non-typical rock instruments in a line-up -- it makes it much richer and more diverse for me.

I tried Dowsing Anemone with Copper Tongue and just found it to be a mess.  There were some interesting passages in there but overall the album couldn't hold my interest.  Yes it's far more avant, out-there, whatever, but it didn't do it for me.  I'll take Rush's solid, consistent output in a heartbeat.

I could easily vote for Rush, but I've got to admit, what little I've heard from Kayo Dot has really got me interested.

NaturalScience wrote: Logan wrote: Much as I do like Rush, and as important to me as the band was to me in my teens, Kayo Dot's Choirs Of The Eye is definitely a good enough album for me to give KD a vote. It also has the advantage over Rush albums, when it comes to my tastes, with the instrumentation.  Rush does well with synths and keyboards, but I love having non-typical rock instruments in a line-up -- it makes it much richer and more diverse for me. I tried Dowsing Anemone with Copper Tongue and just found it to be a mess.  There were some interesting passages in there but overall the album couldn't hold my interest.  Yes it's far more avant, out-there, whatever, but it didn't do it for me.  I'll take Rush's solid, consistent output in a heartbeat.

I much prefer Choirs of the Eye to Dowsing Anenome....  You've found Rush consistent? I haven't been able to get into modern Rush.  Even their latest, which some considered a return to form, I found unimpressive and not satisfyingly progressive (the former ones more mediocre), but to each his or her own taste.

Logan wrote: I much prefer Choirs of the Eye to Dowsing Anenome....  You've found Rush consistent? I haven't been able to get into modern Rush.  Even their latest, which some considered a return to form, I found unimpressive and not satisfyingly progressive (the former ones more mediocre), but to each his or her own taste.

Yes, I have found Rush consistent.  Their latest is indeed not progressive, but rather a good rock album that I do enjoy.  I could say more, but as you said ultimately it's just a taste thing.  They've been a favorite band of mine for almost 20 years.  That's not going to change just because of my newfound enjoyment of bands like Henry Cow or Univers Zero.

edit:  listened to the Choirs of the Eye sample and unfortunately I wasn't really taken with it either.



Edited by NaturalScience - October 29 2008 at 16:34

Rush was a favourite band of mine through most of the 80's, but I went off hard rock in the 90's -- was more into jazz and electronic then (subsequently I've been moving back into hard rock more).  I'm still big on early Prog bands I loved when I was a kid such as Focus and Gryphon, but my tastes have changed quite a bit throughout the years as I've gone through different musical phases (sometimes I return to music I once loved, then lost interest, then regained interest).  As for Kayo Dot, I still don't have Blue Lambency Downward, but like what I've heard: http://www.myspace.com/kayodot