Why do you NOT like Vapor Trails?

[Todem]

Yeah. Passion is great. I always try to convince people to just listen to Rush or these days I push Porcupine Tree to no end. But after someone does listen and they still don't like it or "get it" I move on.

 

My bass player does not really dig Porcupine Tree.....I don't get it. But he has bought 2 albums and has told me he just does not connect with them.

 

I moved on.

 

I still tease him here and there with WTF comments. But I have given up trying to "convince him" they are the next coming of prog greatness.

 

I also can see the pressure to love each Rush album. I have been a fan for 32 years. I want to love every album.....but I don't. I can say there is not an album I dislike. I always find some (actually mostly) quality songs on every release and there are only 2 albums that to me are very average for Rush:

 

 

Caress of Steel

 

Presto

 

 

Those 2 albums are so overrated in Rush circles it is silly. But IMO on those 2 albums the band stumbled badly in the songwriting area. Average man...just really average for them overall. Some moments of Rush greatness....but overall.....the albums as a whole fall flat.

 

But I can assure you there are plenty hardcore fans who swear by those 2 albums.

 

Cool for them. It's nice to discuss it but no one will ever convince me (or in my humble opinion the band itself for that matter) that those 2 albums are masterpieces.

Edited February 17, 2012 by Todem

[Presto-a RUSH fan!]

QUOTE (Todem @ Feb 17 2012, 08:34 AM)

Yeah. Passion is great. I always try to convince people to just listen to Rush or these days I push Porcupine Tree to no end. But after someone does listen and they still don't like it or "get it" I move on. My bass player does not really dig Porcupine Tree.....I don't get it. But he has bought 2 albums and has told me he just does not connect with them. I moved on. I still tease him here and there with WTF comments. But I have given up trying to "convince him" they are the next coming of prog greatness. I also can see the pressure to love each Rush album. I have been a fan for 32 years. I want to love every album.....but I don't. I can say there is not an album I dislike. I always find some (actually mostly) quality songs on every release and there are only 2 albums that to me are very average for Rush: Caress of Steel Presto Those 2 albums are so overrated in Rush circles it is silly. But IMO on those 2 albums the band stumbled badly in the songwriting area. Average man...just really average for them overall. Some moments of Rush greatness....but overall.....the albums as a whole fall flat. But I can assure you there are plenty hardcore fans who swear by those 2 albums. Cool for them. It's nice to discuss it but no one will ever convince me (or in my humble opinion the band itself for that matter) that those 2 albums are masterpieces.

 

It's all one's opinion.

 

One man's Presto is another man's 2112.

 

I, if you can't tell by my screen name, LOVE Presto, (and actually like 2112 more) and when I got into RUSH it was on the Presto tour. Some friends convinced me to go to see them because they said I would hear the best drum solo ever. (which of course I did) I had heard some of RUSH's popular songs, ie Tom Sawyer, The Spirit of Radio, Freewill, Closer To The Heart and I think Big Money. While I enjoyed those songs, I really didn't get the brilliance of them. Then I saw the Presto concert and while I enjoyed all the other songs, the songs they played from Presto on that tour resonated with me. I went out the next day and bought the Presto cassette and wore it out in like 3 weeks (probably more to do with my shytty car cassette player, but I was young and always in my car with friends and that is ALL I (and they!) listened to.

 

After that I went out and bought Moving Pictures and hence, the journey began, one that I still am jealous of people who are just starting their own.

 

Anyway, I get what your saying and it is really kind of futile to try to "convince" someone that they should like a RUSH album, but then again, what else do we have to discuss right now!

 

 

 

 

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Feb 17 2012, 06:11 AM)

The cover art is pretty cool! There, we found common ground!

 

Holy crap!!! Mark it down now!!! rushgoober likes SOMETHING about Vapor Trails!!! It's only a matter of time now!!!

[Tony R]

Rush have been my favourite band since 1976 so it is probably natural that I connect with the albums and the style of the band that I related to at the time. Truth is Vapor Trails, even if well-recorded is not proggy enough for my personal tastes. I think the songs seem underdeveloped, but that's just me.

 

[PumpkinHead]

Awesome!

 

9 pages of Vapor Turds!

 

[PumpkinHead]

QUOTE (Tony R @ Feb 17 2012, 04:24 PM)

Rush have been my favourite band since 1996 so it is probably natural that I connect with the albums and the style of the band that I related to at the time. Truth is Vapor Trails, even if well-recorded is not proggy enough for my personal tastes. I think the songs seem underdeveloped, but that's just me.

1996?

 

What a Noobie.......

 

[Tony R]

QUOTE (PumpkinHead @ Feb 17 2012, 09:26 PM)

QUOTE (Tony R @ Feb 17 2012, 04:24 PM) Rush have been my favourite band since 1996 so it is probably natural that I connect with the albums and the style of the band that I related to at the time. Truth is Vapor Trails, even if well-recorded is not proggy enough for my personal tastes. I think the songs seem underdeveloped, but that's just me. 1996?   What a Noobie.......   I was already hating new Rush by 1996, pumpy old bean.   Is it true you've got donuts?   Sorry I've god a code and a blocked dose...

[Presto-a RUSH fan!]

QUOTE (Tony R @ Feb 17 2012, 05:24 PM)

Rush have been my favourite band since 1976 so it is probably natural that I connect with the albums and the style of the band that I related to at the time. Truth is Vapor Trails, even if well-recorded is not proggy enough for my personal tastes. I think the songs seem underdeveloped, but that's just me.

 

I think that is what I have come to realize about RUSH fans who don't like the newer material. It has more to do with when you became a fan and what drew you to the music originally. When they deviate from those core things that you like in the music, it makes sense that you wouldn't enjoy the newer material.

 

[PumpkinHead]

QUOTE (Tony R @ Feb 17 2012, 04:36 PM)

Is it true you've got donuts?

 

http://www.inquisitr.com/wp-content/2011/09/dunkin-donuts.jpg

 

Mmmmmmmmmm.....

 

DONUTS!!!

Edited February 17, 2012 by PumpkinHead

[Tony R]

QUOTE (PumpkinHead @ Feb 17 2012, 09:39 PM)

QUOTE (Tony R @ Feb 17 2012, 04:36 PM) Is it true you've got donuts?   http://www.inquisitr.com/wp-content/2011/09/dunkin-donuts.jpg   Mmmmmmmmmm.....   DONUTS!!! My cold has cleared now so I'll clarify for you Officer Plodhead   Is it true you have no nuts???

[PumpkinHead]

QUOTE (Tony R @ Feb 17 2012, 04:44 PM)

Is it true you have no nuts???

Yes!!!

 

http://cdn2.mamapop.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/squirrel-nuts-1-300x282.jpg

[New Digital Man]

Look it's simple , VT has good songs and good lyrics, it's the f***ing production that's shite, it really is that simple, even the band would agree! End of debate!

[Dylan2712]

i think i'd definitely love the whole album if the production was better. at first i heard the album version of One Little Victory and i didn't think it sounded bad, and then i compared it to the remixed version and i noticed/thought that it wasn't as loud or in-your-face. then i listened to VP version again but this time through better speakers, and i noticed the distortion and how loud it was and realized that the remix was much better.

 

that being said, i hope they do release a remixed/remastered version because there are some pretty decent songs on there. i still listen to Secret Touch and Peaceable Kingdom, as those are my favourites, but the lack of dynamic range kinda makes me sad when i listen to them critically.

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (Presto-a RUSH fan! @ Feb 17 2012, 02:38 PM)

QUOTE (Tony R @ Feb 17 2012, 05:24 PM) Rush have been my favourite band since 1976 so it is probably natural that I connect with the albums and the style of the band that I related to at the time. Truth is Vapor Trails, even if well-recorded is not proggy enough for my personal tastes. I think the songs seem underdeveloped, but that's just me.   I think that is what I have come to realize about RUSH fans who don't like the newer material. It has more to do with when you became a fan and what drew you to the music originally. When they deviate from those core things that you like in the music, it makes sense that you wouldn't enjoy the newer material.   I don't know if that's necessarily always the case. For example, I got into Rush right after Moving Pictures and quickly got all their back catalog. I loved every album except for FBN and COS, which both took me years to get into. Then Signals came out, which was a HUGE musical change, and one that alienated many fans, and I absolutely loved it, as well as the 3 albums that followed. A few years later, they came out with CP, which was again a very radical departure, and I loved that album too.   So yeah, them deviating from what you loved about them can be a factor, especially say if you're a metalhead that's completely allergic to keyboards, but mostly it's either a great album or it's not. I can role with the punches on changes in sound, as long as the material is great...

[Presto-a RUSH fan!]

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Feb 18 2012, 01:25 AM)

QUOTE (Presto-a RUSH fan! @ Feb 17 2012, 02:38 PM) QUOTE (Tony R @ Feb 17 2012, 05:24 PM) Rush have been my favourite band since 1976 so it is probably natural that I connect with the albums and the style of the band that I related to at the time. Truth is Vapor Trails, even if well-recorded is not proggy enough for my personal tastes. I think the songs seem underdeveloped, but that's just me.   I think that is what I have come to realize about RUSH fans who don't like the newer material. It has more to do with when you became a fan and what drew you to the music originally. When they deviate from those core things that you like in the music, it makes sense that you wouldn't enjoy the newer material.   I don't know if that's necessarily always the case. For example, I got into Rush right after Moving Pictures and quickly got all their back catalog. I loved every album except for FBN and COS, which both took me years to get into. Then Signals came out, which was a HUGE musical change, and one that alienated many fans, and I absolutely loved it, as well as the 3 albums that followed. A few years later, they came out with CP, which was again a very radical departure, and I loved that album too.   So yeah, them deviating from what you loved about them can be a factor, especially say if you're a metalhead that's completely allergic to keyboards, but mostly it's either a great album or it's not. I can role with the punches on changes in sound, as long as the material is great... I agree with you that it's not always the case. I don't think any two RUSH fans agree on what albums they think are great, good or poor. I'm just saying that I've come to the realization that I posted above.   When I first joined TRF I figured everyone loved or at least liked all the albums, for the most part. I mean there are albums I don't love, but I like them. Like CoS. I love side one...well the first 3 songs (still thinking of cassette days) but side two took me a while to even be able to listen to it. I like The Necromancer and Fountain of Lamneth now, but I don't listen to them very often.   But I figured when I first joined TRF that most fans would agree, generally, on which albums were great and which were just good. But that is obviously not the case. So my point was over the year and a half I have been a member of TRF I have started to understand that more times than not, the fans who have been around longer are more apt to like that earlier sound and not like the keyboard era or the new era. Again, that is just a very general realization, but one that I can understand now.   But again, it's not always the case, because like I said, I doubt there are any two RUSH fans who would agree on all the albums they love, like or think are poor.   And here is where I can totally agree with you that its definitely not always the case. When I heard Presto, I was generally a heavy metal, hair metal, hard rock fan. Presto is FAR from any of those categories so for me, it was like....WOW...I really like this softer rock sound. It surprised me how much I loved it. Then I find out that they had heavy sounding albums and I was like..."I just discovered the greatest band of all time!"   But one myth that this poll dispels is the notion that Vapor Trails is one of the albums that is disliked by RUSH fans because it's a bad album. I've always seen the VT haters act like it's fact that the album is bad, not just mixing wise, but lyrically and musically. With 99 out 117 votes, 63 which LOVE IT and 36 who just don't like the mixing and sound quality I think that it can be said that most RUSH fans, at least who voted in this poll, like or love VT. And I know your answer about RYM. But this is a RUSH forum for RUSH fans and the fans have spoken!

[Snowman]

VT is beyond saving as it is. They could possibly clean up the sound but we still have all the multilayered guitars and vocals, which I am not a big fan of.....I find this a bit sad because I like VT and the album has many fine tracks.

 

What they should do is to delete most of the multilayered tracks and replace them with soft and lush synth sounds. I can hear it in my head how great it would sound!

 

 

[rushgoober]

Edited February 18, 2012 by rushgoober

[Snowman]

[rushgoober]

[patjnev]

One Little Victory made me cringe the first time I heard it . The Part where Geddy sings "One little victor----EEEEEEEEEEEEE" Earthshine is my favorite track. Ceiling Unlimited is my next favorite . I had a hard time appreciating what they were going for with the dissonant chords and stuff. If they were going for a raw sound then they succeeded . But to me at the time it didn't work. I felt the same way when Power Windows came out . And now it is one of my favorites. That year when I heard OLV in concert it kicked ass. It was like a different song. I am guessing the concert sound had no clipping like the mastering of the CD and that made a difference.

[Presto-a RUSH fan!]

[rushgoober]

[Tick]

Vapor Trails is awesome! Its light years better then the very weak effort that is, Snakes And Arrows.

[Tommy Sawyer]

[rushgoober]

[PocketWatch]

I like all the Rush studio albums except Vapor Trails. I agree that the production leaves something to be desired but it is primarily the music for me. I like about four songs on it and the rest just leave me cold. I know that Rush albums, certainly from the past 20 years, require a longer time to get into than earlier ones. Knowing this I did give VT a good run but it just didn't work for me.