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Vapor Trails vs. S&A


Analogkid1123
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I see so many people say VT is better than S&A and i cant understand this.Which is your fav?  

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  1. 1. I see so many people say VT is better than S&A and i cant understand this.Which is your fav?

    • Snakes and Arrows
      108
    • Vapor Trails
      62


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Snakes and arrows by far....i dont understand how VT can be considered better. Sure its a good album, but geddy's voice is too over produced,his voice has that same little pitch echo thing in EVERY song. +, the music just isnt as good as S&A. I just dont understand it.

 

 

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QUOTE (Analogkid1123 @ Mar 10 2008, 02:09 AM)
Snakes and arrows by far....i dont understand how VT can be considered better.  Sure its a good album, but geddy's voice is too over produced,his voice has that same little pitch echo thing in EVERY song.  +, the music just isnt as good as S&A.  I just dont understand it.


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You don't need to understand it. And you probably never will. I like vanilla ice cream better than chocolate. No big deal.

BTW, Vapor Trails is vanilla. It tastes better to me. But you know what? Chocolate is pretty damn good! smile.gif

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i go back and forth on this one..........i really do love Vapor Trails, every song except Sweet Miracle for me really just rocks, its so creative and different, but i dont care for the production too much.

 

Snakes & Arrows on the other hand is just extremely well written and produced, and there is not one song on the album that i genuinely dont like.

 

 

it was tough for me, but i voted for S&A.

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V.T. anyday trink39.gif
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Well, if you're following my thread about Snakes and Arrows, you'd know that I feel it's a steril, adult contemporary cd. And while it's a brilliant one, it doesn't have the balls that VT has.

 

So I go with VT.

 

The flak about VT being produced badly doesn't take away from how good the music is on this. Even without Alex soloing like I would like him to do, the riffs and lyrics kick so much ass that I can get past the lack of Alex soloing.

 

Maybe I'm just sick of SnA cuz CeeJ plays it so damn much. laugh.gif

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Well, I like S&A very much but I like VT for a different reason. S&A is very slick and has better songs by far IMO but VT is more interesting in terms of instrumentation and the reversal of roles between Ged an Al which was an intentional thing. The guitar sounds on VT are much more abstract and meant to fill up space where with S&A, the guitars are very up front and they lead the song.

 

In addition, from a personal standpoint, I connect with VT on a certain level because of it being the "come back" album after Neil's tragedies. I was so happy that the band I love was able to return after all that. Reading Ghost Rider also gave me an insight in to Neil that I never had. The songs on the VT album are all about that whole period and evoke a certain feeling in me that the S&A album does not.

 

So, in short, S&A, better songs, better production and more of the guitar hero we all know and love. VT, almost a concept album from an instrumental and emotional standpoint..At least for me anyway.

 

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Personally, I like Snakes & Arrows better, but Vapor Trails has become so much more rewarding on repeated listenings. At first, I hated all the layering, but now I find so many cool things in there! Alex certainly does shine, despite no solos. It is still too relentless to my ears. I have a hard time listening to it in one sitting. I have to take it in small doses! laugh.gif
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QUOTE (JohnnyBlaze @ Mar 9 2008, 06:17 PM)
QUOTE (Analogkid1123 @ Mar 10 2008, 02:09 AM)
Snakes and arrows by far....i dont understand how VT can be considered better.  Sure its a good album, but geddy's voice is too over produced,his voice has that same little pitch echo thing in EVERY song.  +, the music just isnt as good as S&A.  I just dont understand it.


2.gif  2.gif  2.gif

You don't need to understand it. And you probably never will. I like vanilla ice cream better than chocolate. No big deal.

BTW, Vapor Trails is vanilla. It tastes better to me. But you know what? Chocolate is pretty damn good! smile.gif

biggrin.gif i sencond that opinion. VT is just my favourite album. but, also, snakes and arrows is AWESOMELY COOL, and i listen to the album more than VT even though i prefer VT. if that makes sence.

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VT by alot. The lyrics are WAY better than S&A's (which are still excellent) and the hugely dense layered stuff combined with the intensely personal atmosphere just works for me (not to mention that every song has some sort of amazing hook(s)). A top 5 Rush release easily for me. Would likely be no. 2 to Power Windows if not for the production. yes.gif
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Such a hard decision, as I love both a lot...

 

IMHO, all the songs on VT are very strong... the only pitfalls of that album would be too many overdubs (both for bass and vocals) as well as the crappy production job (clipping in the mix)... inspite of all that, I still thing it is one of their strongest albums lately...

 

SnA I like a lot also... great followup to VT...

 

 

If I have to chose, today I am going to select VT, but just by a hair.

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A month ago I popped in VT for the first time since playing the hell out of S&A. While I still love S&A, I had forgotten how HEAVY Vapor Trails is, while at the same time being quintessentially Rush. Geddy's bass is more prominent and busy. Neil is classic Neil, playing all those fills that we've come to love over the years, and treating each verse or chorus differently. Those things are there on S&A, but not nearly as much.

 

Plus, VT has more songs that are uptempo and rocking. The songwriting and lyrics on S&A are top shelf, but the feel is predominantly mid-tempo. There is a lot more tempo variety on VT, and I prefer that. I like the lyrics on both equally.

 

The production differences are night and day, of course. S&A is pristine and clear and punchy -- it sounds wonderful. VT is ugly and distorted, and I wish I could hire Rich Chycki and Brian Gardner (the S&A guys) to re-mix and remaster it, respectively. But as a few have said, the songs shine through if you can get past the distorted production.

 

So, the more laid-back, mid-tempo feel of S&A has made me appreciate VT even more. And that's not taking anything away from S&A -- I'm sure when I revisit it I'll pick up on things I haven't heard before and gain new appreciations. But I've always liked the faster, heavier Rush, and VT really fits the bill.

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QUOTE (1-0-0-1-0-0-1 @ Mar 9 2008, 02:47 PM)
A month ago I popped in VT for the first time since playing the hell out of S&A. While I still love S&A, I had forgotten how HEAVY Vapor Trails is, while at the same time being quintessentially Rush. Geddy's bass is more prominent and busy. Neil is classic Neil, playing all those fills that we've come to love over the years, and treating each verse or chorus differently. Those things are there on S&A, but not nearly as much.

Plus, VT has more songs that are uptempo and rocking. The songwriting and lyrics on S&A are top shelf, but the feel is predominantly mid-tempo. There is a lot more tempo variety on VT, and I prefer that. I like the lyrics on both equally.

The production differences are night and day, of course. S&A is pristine and clear and punchy -- it sounds wonderful. VT is ugly and distorted, and I wish I could hire Rich Chycki and Brian Gardner (the S&A guys) to re-mix and remaster it, respectively. But as a few have said, the songs shine through if you can get past the distorted production.

So, the more laid-back, mid-tempo feel of S&A has made me appreciate VT even more. And that's not taking anything away from S&A -- I'm sure when I revisit it I'll pick up on things I haven't heard before and gain new appreciations. But I've always liked the faster, heavier Rush, and VT really fits the bill.

goodpost.gif

 

I fully agree. I guess VT doesn't embarrass everyone huh? Well... probably not many fans at all really. no.gif

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I like them both equally, mainly for the reasons 1001 mentioned.

 

VT has a special place for me as it was the first Rush album I willingly took from the rack to listen to. S&A is special as it was the first album I got caught up in all the hype.

 

Couldn't really choose between them.

 

Luckily, I have an extra-special, superdooperly fantastic version of VT which allows all the layers to be heard clearly, and It's all the better for it.

Edited by Mandalorian Hunter
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VT for me. I like SnA a great deal, but for me the lyrics on VT make the difference. Much of SnA depresses me. The lyrics on VT "feel" better to me.

 

Of course, this is totally subjective.

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VT is the pinnacle of Rush's musicmanship. Their playing in it is their most skillful, and the sound of the album is energetic, fun, and neoprog. They took a new direction with VT, and it was a masterpiece.

 

Yes, VT was poorly produced, and terribly mixed. But as far as Alex, Geddy, and Neil go; it's their best work. EVER.

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