What is your opinion of Vapor Trails?

[rushgoober]

[goose]

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Feb 28 2012, 01:07 AM)

Please don't get me wrong, I have great sympathy for what Neil (and the band) went through, but it doesn't change how I respond to the music one iota.

Because clearly, you have no soul...which explains your love of teen vampire movies.

 

 

 

 

 

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (goose @ Feb 27 2012, 11:24 PM)

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Feb 28 2012, 01:07 AM) Please don't get me wrong, I have great sympathy for what Neil (and the band) went through, but it doesn't change how I respond to the music one iota. Because clearly, you have no soul...which explains your love of teen vampire movies.               Seriously though, this is the reason I like a site like rateyourmusic for giving an assessment of any given album over a website devoted solely to that group, although admittedly even the ratings at the Rush page on rateyourmusic are obviously heavily skewed by hardcore Rush fans.   It's just that it's an album that can be difficult for many Rush fans to view more objectively (even though, admittedly, all opinions are ultimately subjective, including mine). There's so much emotional baggage attached to the album:   ~ 6 years after the previous album ~ many people thought they were done for ~ the tragedy Neil went through ~ viewing the album as the overcoming of tragedy ~ identifying with the lyrics based on Neil's tragedies ~ identifying with the lyrics based on Neil's books and/or blogs ~ the album being associated with the comeback tour after 6 years, including many people thinking they'd never see them again ~ being Rush fans that work like crazy to like or love every album no matter what they might think on first listen ~ thinking they know the band members somehow because they've read tons of books, magazines, interviews with the band for decades, so everything becomes more personal somehow   That's why I say, give a non-Rush fan, or a casual Rush fan Moving Pictures, Permanent Waves, Signals, 2112 and Vapor Trails and see how VT stands up. Give it to people who don't have all these extenuating emotional connections and you'll see VT get crushed when being able to be viewed more clearly based SOLELY on the quality of the recordings as a whole.   I'm not saying I'm completely objective, as those factors factor in for me as well, but obviously minimally, or I'm able to see past all of it and judge the music on its own merits. I do question that all hardcore Rush fans are able to overcome all that as successfully, however. And even if they can't, there's nothing wrong with any of that. If you love it, you love it, and it's great that you enjoy it regardless of the reasons, even if you love it completely on its own merits. I'm just saying that there's a certain lack of objectivity that CAN play in with SOME people...

Edited February 28, 2012 by rushgoober

[goose]

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Feb 28 2012, 01:40 AM)

QUOTE (goose @ Feb 27 2012, 11:24 PM) QUOTE (rushgoober @ Feb 28 2012, 01:07 AM) Please don't get me wrong, I have great sympathy for what Neil (and the band) went through, but it doesn't change how I respond to the music one iota. Because clearly, you have no soul...which explains your love of teen vampire movies.               Seriously though, this is the reason I like a site like rateyourmusic for giving an assessment of any given album over a website devoted solely to that group, although admittedly even the ratings at the Rush page on rateyourmusic are obviously heavily skewed by hardcore Rush fans.   It's just that it's an album that can be difficult for many Rush fans to view more objectively (even though, admittedly, all opinions are ultimately subjective, including mine). There's so much emotional baggage attached to the album:   ~ 6 years after the previous album ~ many people thought they were done for ~ the tragedy Neil went through ~ viewing the album as the overcoming of tragedy ~ identifying with the lyrics based on Neil's tragedies ~ identifying with the lyrics based on Neil's books and/or blogs ~ the album being associated with the comeback tour after 6 years, including many people thinking they'd never see them again ~ being Rush fans that work like crazy to like or love every album no matter what they might think on first listen ~ thinking they know the band members somehow because they've read tons of books, magazines, interviews with the band for decades, so everything becomes more personal somehow   That's why I say, give a non-Rush fan, or a casual Rush fan Moving Pictures, Permanent Waves, Signals, 2112 and Vapor Trails and see how VT stands up. Give it to people who don't have all these extenuating emotional connections and you'll see VT get crushed when being able to be viewed more clearly based SOLELY on the quality of the recordings as a whole.   I'm not saying I'm completely objective, as those factors factor in for me as well, but obviously minimally, or I'm able to see past all of it and judge the music on its own merits. I do question that all hardcore Rush fans are able to overcome all that as successfully, however. And even if they can't, there's nothing wrong with any of that. If you love it, you love it, and it's great that you enjoy it regardless of the reasons, even if you love it completely on its own merits. I'm just saying that there's a certain lack of objectivity that CAN play in with SOME people... Did you dig the punk scene at all? I did, which was mentioned prior, so that plays into my appreciation for VT. I enjoy VT more than side one of Hemispheres, for example, which strikes me as a bit silly. That's where I am clearly an outlier among RUSH fans.

[Snowman]

QUOTE (TheAccountant @ Feb 27 2012, 08:34 PM)

QUOTE (Unattractive Truth @ Feb 27 2012, 10:49 AM) QUOTE (rushgoober @ Feb 27 2012, 03:47 AM) QUOTE (Snowman @ Feb 27 2012, 02:07 AM) QUOTE (rushgoober @ Feb 27 2012, 01:37 AM) QUOTE (goose @ Feb 26 2012, 10:38 PM) QUOTE (An Enemy Without @ Feb 27 2012, 12:34 AM) I wonder how many like it just because it's Rush? That is part of the equation for sure, but not "just because...". I think it's a VERY fair question. Some people will absolutely refuse to dislike a Rush album, or they will listen to it many, many times until they grow to appreciate it, and hence "like" it.   Even I listened to it a LOT more times than I would have if it were anything other than a Rush album. If it was any other band, I never would have gotten past listen 1, and maybe not even that far. But, because it's Rush, and because I don't ever want to dislike anything Rush, I persevered, trying desperately to fall in love with the album, especially after 6 years of waiting. For me, it was all for nothing, but for others they grew to like it or appreciate it, or at least tolerate it. Hell, some even love it, and they did on the first listen.   When I first came on TRF, which was only maybe 3 years after VT came out, I assumed it would be a given that everyone thought VT was the heartbreaking, embarrassing, disastrous clusterf*ck of an album that I did, and I was deeply, deeply shocked to find so many people liked it or loved it. It still blows my mind. I seriously do not get it. Sometimes it really makes me question people's sanity or think that it's fanboyism run rampant. I do accept that lots of Rush fans, many of who are good friends of mine sincerely do like it or love it, however, so I know they're not really crazy, but sometimes it does makes me wonder. There are Rush albums I don't like that I can understand why people like, but not this one.   http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f72/rushgoober5/zoolander-mugatu-crazy-pills.jpg   Maybe it is time to revisit the album? Since you hate it that much I guess you havent given it a listen for years upon years.   I had also many issues with VT. After it was released I listened to it maybe 20-30 times, and I couldnt crack it. Then, I think I liked it because it was Rush.   In the last years I have almost not listened to it all. Maybe once every second year.   Half a year ago I picked it out again and found that the songs have aged well. There is so much gold in the songs that is buried under that bad production! Alas, such has been suggested to me many times on TRF, and in the past I took up people's challenge several times. I listened to it again... and again... and again... At some point I had to ask myself why I was torturing myself, and I stopped trying.   Seriously, take an album that you've heard once or twice that you really didn't like by some group other than Rush. Now, go listen to that album 15 times and try to get to like it. Sounds crazy, right? That's what people do. Hell, that's what I did. That's what people want me to do. Why? How many times do you have to beat your head against a wall to know that it hurts? I'm glad that you eventually got to like it, but I'm just not enough of a masochist to keep at it. There's too much great music out there that I don't have to work so hard at, ya know? If it helps, I don't care what other people like/dislike. Why should I? We all have our own subjective tastes. If you don't like VT, more power to you.   As for liking everything Rush does just because it's Rush or we've got "fanboyism running rampant", well, I think that's silly.   There are several albums I don't particularly like. Again, so what?   I'd rather listen to VT than CoS any day. So how's that?   *Braces for Impact*         Right on!!! Good post!!   I agree with much of what you said. Assuming that you are not kidding about CoS I sort of agree with you on that one. I like it more than VT but their are 2 (long) songs on it that I don't care for at all. The rest of the album is good but those 2 songs really damage that album.   By the way, it may sound like a don't like Rush. Just the opposite. Other than the 2 long songs off CoS, most of VT, and a song here and there (mostly from ST, Counterparts and RTB) I love their work.   Put another way, I like ST, love FBN, like a few songs off CoS, love 2112 through Presto, like some songs off RTB, like the majority of Counterparts, T4E and S & A. Thats liking / loving a huge body of their work. No other group has that level of consistently good / great music. At least not to my ears.           Liking it just because it is Rush would be stupid, yes. However, I hardly think that is the main and only reason for most people that likes VT??   Regarding Rush, I see the 3 first releases as a curosity. I wether like nor dislike them. IMO, COS was the first real Rush album. Their first release gives me nothing and this kind of music I dont listen to. But it is hardly a reason for me to hate it.   I was just curious to hear reasons to hate an album just because it is Rush. Though VT clearly has its issues, it is not that crappy.   Butt, taste is like the but. It is divided.

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (goose @ Feb 27 2012, 11:45 PM)

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Feb 28 2012, 01:40 AM) QUOTE (goose @ Feb 27 2012, 11:24 PM) QUOTE (rushgoober @ Feb 28 2012, 01:07 AM) Please don't get me wrong, I have great sympathy for what Neil (and the band) went through, but it doesn't change how I respond to the music one iota. Because clearly, you have no soul...which explains your love of teen vampire movies.               Seriously though, this is the reason I like a site like rateyourmusic for giving an assessment of any given album over a website devoted solely to that group, although admittedly even the ratings at the Rush page on rateyourmusic are obviously heavily skewed by hardcore Rush fans.   It's just that it's an album that can be difficult for many Rush fans to view more objectively (even though, admittedly, all opinions are ultimately subjective, including mine). There's so much emotional baggage attached to the album:   ~ 6 years after the previous album ~ many people thought they were done for ~ the tragedy Neil went through ~ viewing the album as the overcoming of tragedy ~ identifying with the lyrics based on Neil's tragedies ~ identifying with the lyrics based on Neil's books and/or blogs ~ the album being associated with the comeback tour after 6 years, including many people thinking they'd never see them again ~ being Rush fans that work like crazy to like or love every album no matter what they might think on first listen ~ thinking they know the band members somehow because they've read tons of books, magazines, interviews with the band for decades, so everything becomes more personal somehow   That's why I say, give a non-Rush fan, or a casual Rush fan Moving Pictures, Permanent Waves, Signals, 2112 and Vapor Trails and see how VT stands up. Give it to people who don't have all these extenuating emotional connections and you'll see VT get crushed when being able to be viewed more clearly based SOLELY on the quality of the recordings as a whole.   I'm not saying I'm completely objective, as those factors factor in for me as well, but obviously minimally, or I'm able to see past all of it and judge the music on its own merits. I do question that all hardcore Rush fans are able to overcome all that as successfully, however. And even if they can't, there's nothing wrong with any of that. If you love it, you love it, and it's great that you enjoy it regardless of the reasons, even if you love it completely on its own merits. I'm just saying that there's a certain lack of objectivity that CAN play in with SOME people... Did you dig the punk scene at all? I did, which was mentioned prior, so that plays into my appreciation for VT. I enjoy VT more than side one of Hemispheres, for example, which strikes me as a bit silly. That's where I am clearly an outlier among RUSH fans. Outlier? Damn, had me scrambling for the online dictionary with that one! Great word, but not one that's spoken in the common parlance.   Anyway, no, I can't stand punk. For a long time, however, in my younger years, I was really into heavy metal, and this album actually seems to be very popular among more metalhead Rush fans because of its overt heaviness, so I'm not sure where that leaves us.   VT better than side one of Hemispheres?

[Snowman]

[goose]

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Feb 28 2012, 01:49 AM)

VT better than side one of Hemispheres?

 

Well, you know me and spaceship songs...oil and water.

[Silas Lang]

[Snowman]

QUOTE (Tommy Sawyer @ Feb 27 2012, 08:44 PM)

Listening to VT again right now. On How It Is. Only song so far that I actively dislike is Peaceable Kingdom.

I love How It Is.

 

It gives such a happy feeling listening to it....Almost like Spirit of Radio.........

[goose]

[rushgoober]

[New Digital Man]

listened to it today and i have to say i REALLY enjoyed it, so much so that some of the songs are stuck in my head, so now i think it's a great record and if they re-mix it then even better!