Rush - Presto CD

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 Under-rated.
Very tasty cohesive album. Lots of textural variation, with the 'tizz' factor now tamed- you can crank it up and not get fatigued. AVAILABLE LIGHT is probably the best track the band have ever come up with- how come it is not better known.
Submitted by David Martin (Mt. Martha, Australia.)
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 Remasters?
I thought I would never ever rate anything by Rush less than 4 1/2 stars but I will have to say never say never. The original version of this album is one of my all time favorites because of the timing of the album. Rush truly are "Legends of the Fall" when it comes to album releases. This album and Counterparts were both released in the fall of 1989 and 1993 and both hit like a "Force Ten". Presto hit hard because we the Rush Fan got to hear an old friend come back to the fold, Alex Lifeson. All Rush fans were accustomed to the new direction album that came after every live album and Presto was just that. Even with the "British" mix, "Show Don't Tell" made us remember why we all fell in love with Rush to begin with, a great intro jam w/excellent vocal arrangements and then the ever patented Rush chorus/bridge arrangement. After that the clever "Chain Lightning" and then probably one of the staple pieces of the album, "The Pass". This is one of the best Rush songs ever written because it's simple yet so darn effective in getting it's message across. If you never saw them play this live, you really missed out! "War Paint" is a song that tries to explain the difficulties teenagers have coping with their own perception of themselves. "Scars" was a pleasant surprise! Eventhough it was bass track recording layered w/keyboards, this African-driven piece really showcases Neil Peart's diverse range of percussion knowledge. "Presto", the title track was one of the best arrangements on the album and really set the tone for the rest of the album. "Superconductor" was a funny take on how much influence entertainment has on modern society. "Anagram for Mongo" is a song that really didn't do it for me and could have been left off the album and not missed. Don't get me wrong, it's an ok song but not memorable. "Red Tide" is a good song which gave this album a Grace Under Pressure-like feel which is an album that seems dark but has great melodic moments. "Hand Over Fist" is a song starts out kind of like "Anagram" but it actually picks up strength the more you get into it and by the end you rewind and listen again. And the last piece is arguably the best track on the album and maybe of the Atlantic years! "Available Light" is an epic lyrical tour de force that truly captures the true essence of Rush. If Rush was smart, they would perform this song live and record it on their next live album! Now to the reason why I gave this 3 stars. The remasters don't enhance the overall volume difference between this album and a album like Counterparts. I think if they remastered all the albums as if they were all on one album, this reissue of the Atlantic years would have been "One Big Victory"!
Submitted by slydogcu (Bedford, Texas) 
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 RELIVE THE MAGIC!
This fantastic collection was the soundtrack of my life from late 1989 through 1990. Although it's not one of the band's favorites (although they do consider "The Pass" one of the best they've EVER done), many fans consider this to be one their best works. Fifteen year after it's release, tunes like "Show Don't Tell", "The Pass", and "Presto" resonate beautifully - with Peart's eloquent lyrics just as relevant today as they were back then. Sonically, the disc lacked in depth and punch. The "crisp factor" was taken to extremes in both guitar and drums. THANKFULLY - that has been somewhat corrected with the REMASTERED release. I still find myself punching up the lower frequencies on my EQ, but the overall presentation is fuller and significantly louder than the original (not to the point of distortion!). This is a MUST HAVE for Old fans and those just discovering one of the greatest rock bands of all time.
Submitted by Incrediblydiversemusiclover (Ashland, KY, USA) 
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 Major upgrade!
Definitely a major upgrade, as the overall sound of the original CD is extremely sterile. The bass, guitar, and bass are a LOT punchier and come out at you a lot clearer - most notably Show Don't Tell and Superconductor(the latter I always thought was much better sounding live, but finally sounds great on album). They also didn't just crank up the overall volume to the point of distortion, but left it much the same. However, they did greatly improve the individual instruments....ooooohhh - just heard one of the sound effects to Red Tide - so crisp! Finally they've sonically vindicated one of my favs!!!! Package notes : exactly the same as the original CD, the only way to tell the difference is the "The Rush Remasters" on the spine(or whatever you would call the clear part of the case) that looks exactly like the '97 remasters.
Submitted by emholio (Birmingham, AL, USA) 
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 Excellent
Still excellent.
Submitted by nevets101 (MD, USA) 
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