TIME STAND STILL: THE COLLECTION

I got this compilation album as a pick-up gift from a friend. I have not been in top form lately and I needed a boost, she thought. Prog rock = Rush or Queen in her view. Hence this album and hence this review.

It pains me to say this, but I am really, really enjoying this compilation album. Yes, it is a rip off and as necessary as...... well, there is no need for it whatsoever. Anyone could put this album together on their own, using a playlist program. Windows Media Player, for example. On a planet with limited resources and with this global warming looming over our heads, this compilation album is a very bad idea.

When that is said, the songs here are terrific. Really terrific. And the price is pretty low. I guess it is sold for around five pounds or ten US dollars. I cannot fault Rush for this. This compilation album is actually the perfect intro to Rush for all the newbies out there. OK, 2112 is not included here. But By-Tor has been included. None of the post Presto songs are included too due to copyright issues. But it is still a good compilation album which off course is still a total waste of resources and money. The songs are worth a four star. The idea is at best worth a two star. I cannot say more than that.

3 stars

WHY AGAIN!WHY?This is a rip off to the RUSH collectors and a deep and direct offense to all the fans of this legendary band!What brings new this type of compilation album?The answer is so simple and direct-NOTHING!Why is it useful to remind to the RUSH fans this essential songs of the band?!?!Honestly...I was absolute sure that IRON MAIDEN is a band that really steals money from the pocket of their fans with all kind of B-sides albums and singles and box sets......but I was so wrong!That's not true-RUSH is that kind of band that really smiles cynically in the face of their fans!I cannot believe also the fact that the band doesn't has anything or something to say to their record label bosses ...when they release this type of album?!?So..let me be more then straight to this album-IT'S AN ABSOLUTE WASTE OF MONEY!I'll take it as an offense and injury adressed to all RUSH fans,a prove of disrespect and cynic attitude towards RUSH fans everywhere!Hardly 1 STAR,for the value of the music,which is timeless valuable and precious...but this album is ZERO!

'Time Stand Still: The Collection' - Rush (Compilation)

Uhh... why was it necessary to make yet another compilation?

I'm sorry, but even if I was going to buy a compilation of one of my favourite bands, it wouldn't be this at all. Because disregarding some artwork that looks like it was made in Photoshop in under an hour, there is nothing here that you wouldnt be able to hear on another compilation, let alone the vastly superior studio releases these songs come from.

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I strongly believe that most (if not all) of these songs can be found on previous collections such as 'Chronicle;' and even that collection has more songs to show the band's more inventive side.

The songs themselves are indeed very good, but it doesn't take alot of prowess to do something like this. I could make a Rush playlist on my computer anyday.

It's wonderful to see a new album by Rush before the onslaught when the brand new album arrives later this year with new material, but why release a compilation like this? Who is the target audience... New Rush fans, if any exist? Surely they would be better advised to grab hold of 2 CD packages that sowcase more material such as "Rush Gold" or "Chronicle" but this is a condensed Rush comp with absolutely nothing new to offer.

Admittedly there are a lot of great songs that all Rushaholics love such as The Spirit of Radio,Tom Sawyer, Freewill, Limelight, By-Tor and the Snowdog, The Trees and Closer to the Heart. All are classics and well known as stage performance favourites and quitessential legendary Rush. Once again though any Rush fan would have these so the album is rendered obsolete.

For completionists perhaps this would look endearing among all their other Rush CDs, however this is a money grabbing exercise in shameless marketing. There could have been some rarities, oddities or live tracks to appeal to the ardent Rush fan but unfortunately there is nothing new under the sun with this release.

This compilation seemingly serves two purposes: (1) to "mildly exasperate" [replace with stronger language as appropriate] established fans and completionists hoping for something more than a cheap collection of thirteen more radio-friendly familiars and (2) as a cut-price entry point to low-income newbies who've heard the name but don't want to invest in anything more substantial. The spread of ratings on this collection presumably reflects the relative priorities of the listeners, and which of the two "purposes" is more relevant to them. While it's UTTERLY SUPERFLUOUS to the established fan, except as a re-ordering of some classics, the material it offers is not suddenly corrupted by its target audience. More to the point, nobody comes into this life an established fan.

Now, I confess I'm slightly biased: I picked this up in HMV for three or four quid aged 13 or so, having been lent "Moving Pictures" by a friend for a week and being sufficiently impressed (although my 4/4-regimented brain became quickly confused) as to wonder what else this band might have released. And it's after buying this that my interest was properly piqued (although "MP" is still my favourite by a mile). Alongside some early-era classics ("Fly by Night", "By-Tor" etc.) and obligatory 'hits' (all relative in the prog world, of course? "Spirit", "Sawyer", "Limelight"), we get what probably constitutes the best of Rush's slightly maligned '80s output (although, unfortunately, not "Subdivisions"), the brilliant 'title track', "Grace Under Pressure", "Big Money" and the like. I have to confess that, to my ear, hitherto unaccustomed to outright prog and satiated on the occasionally arty MOR of my parents, this latter category had particular appeal, although with time my interest has migrated "backwards", as it were - although I still maintain Rush offered more mature lyrics and less riffy (an adjective I almost always use pejoratively) songs in their 80s period.

Song for song, this is obviously a great album. It's perfectly fair to say that five randomly chosen songs from this CD would almost certainly beat the five songs on 2112's second half, for example. I'd go further and say that I'd rather listen to this right now than 2112 (which is, to be honest, overrated and silly). As a cohesive entity overall, though? the cover art looks dramatic if unimaginative, we have some general liner notes (good background but nothing Wikipedia can't offer) and not much else, the track ordering isn't particularly inspired, the selection far from perfect, even as a commercially-oriented release?but, then again, for the naïve and impecunious uninitiated, I can't think of many better ways of spending three pounds (or was it four?). I admit I don't share the general prog distrust of compilation albums, particularly for bands who don't make concept albums, but plurality of opinion is always useful.

That being said, if you want to get a prog-newbie into Rush, you'd probably be better off lending them Moving Pictures?