Test for Echo vs Vapor Trails

[tommyali]

Honestly they could play I think

I'm going bald for three hours and I would be fine.

[tommyali]

Goober. You're a goober

[tommyali]

I love everything rush has produced

I just happen to love some more than others.

[rushgoober]

Goober. You're a goober

 

I have no argument with that.

[Snyder80]

Test for Echo is easily my least favorite Rush album. I love Driven and Resist. The rest is forgettable and in some cases abysmmal. Vapor Trails is one my favortie albums because of how much attitude it had. You could tell the three of them were really coming through some shit on that album. Mixing issues or not, Vapor Trails is one of the most pure Rush albums ever made.

[treeduck]

VT wins this one easily.

[Pause Rewind Replay]

Have to go with Vapor trails... the songs are just better. OLV, Ceiling Unlimited, Vapor Trail, Earthshine, Nocturne, Ghost Rider, Sweet Miracle...

 

As for T4E, the title song and Driven are classics, Resist, Time and Motion, and Todem are a tier below, and the rest just rolls by like background noise. If Half the World, Carve Away the Stone, and Color Of Right were played back-to-back, I'm not sure we could tell where one song ended and the next started :P

[ShlappinDahBass]

I like songs equally from both albums. I'd probably lean towards more for Vapor Trails because Test for Echo lyrics, on most songs, are just so....not like Neil.

 

And personally, I think Counterparts and Hold Your Fire are awesome. Counterparts is def in my top 5. Hold Your Fire is pretty low but it shows how much I love their stuff....lol

 

CP has Neil's worst lyrics, and they could even be worse than Alex's and Geddy's. it has a great sound, but very few good songs. Talk about style without substance.

 

Animate, Nobody's Hero, Stick it Out, Between Sun & Moon, Double Agent? And you think Test for Echo with lyrics like the titled track, Virtuality, Carve Away the Stone, Dog Years, and Totem are better?

[Lerxster]

Which one is better? As many issues that vapor trails has with sonic quality, I find test for echo just cheesy. It's my least favorite album easily, especially following Counterparts which I feel is magnificent.

I'm sure many will disagree. Just looking for feedback...

 

This s what you said about VT in the VT thread:

 

Worst Rush album (by far) is a better way to put it. [/Quote]

 

Not that I care, but do you know what you think?

[tommyali]

I don't think that was my quote.

Or maybe too many beers.

[canadianice]

Vapor Trails hands down. I wish people would go back and re-visit the album. Perhaps some might get a new appreciation for it.

[hobo73]

Well, this is easy. No brainer for me, really.

Test For Echo, hands down.

I have always LOVED that album, I think it's a really solid effort. I enjoy Vapor Trails, just not nearly as much as T4E lol.

[Jeffrey]

Vapor Trails. Geddy who was at the Blue Jays game last night would agree.

[Lerxster]

I don't think that was my quote.

Or maybe too many beers.

Oh that's your quote. Thems the perils of drunk posting.

[ReRushed]

To my ears, Test for Echo either soars or crashes down to earth. I think it's half a great album and half among Rush's worst. Vapor Trails is far too long a listen and lacks variety. I listen to neither album very much, but what I like off of Test for Echo I like better than what I like off of Vapor Trails.

[apetersvt]

Regarding TFE - I really like Driven. I like the title track, Half The World, and Resist. The rest I can do without.

 

For VT - I really like Earthshine. I like One Little Victory and Sweet Miracle. I guess I listen to this album so little (as in never) that I can't even think in my head how Nocturne, Freeze, and Out Of The Cradle go. But I do like the reduction of keyboard and the return of some heavier guitar sounds (the Gibsons are finally back!!!)

 

Although I don't listen to either of these albums any more (but I do get the individual tunes at times while shuffling on the ipod), I will choose Vapor Trails.

[Sin City]

Vapor trails. By a mile. Said this before but Counterparts and T4E were records from a band who had run out of ideas and creativity. One question tho, does anyone from Britain like Counterparts? Seems there is lot of love over the American side of the water, but l have yet to talk to a british fan who rates this album

[driventotheedge]

_{Easily T4E for me. I like the album a lot, unlike many here. I think Driven is a killer tune and I love Resist, Totem, the title track, Half The World and think the rest are quite good. Yes, I like Dog years though I see it strictly as a fun, joke type song. And I agree that ther chorus of Virtuality is very dated.}

[theredtamasrule]

Vapor trails. By a mile. Said this before but Counterparts and T4E were records from a band who had run out of ideas and creativity.

 

From my perspective it's Presto & RTB that are clearly lacking in ideas & creativity. It's like they had nothing to say artistically and went thru the motions of recording albums.

 

Anyway as for the topic at hand: I like more songs from VT than T4E but don't think I could sit and listen to all of either at once like, say, GUP. T4E has abysmal lyrics but some kick ass riffage. VT doesn't have kick ass jams but has a spark & energy lacking in T4E. I can't separate VT from the tragedy from which it sprang and from the place in my life when it came out so it holds a special place in my musical life because of everything surrounding that album.

 

T4E should have been better but it's not. It's a 1/4 good album. I declare VT the Victor!!

[circumstantial tree]

Test for Echo is the kind of album that is written when there are no ideas flowing and it painfully shows.

[calirush]

Vapor trails. By a mile. Said this before but Counterparts and T4E were records from a band who had run out of ideas and creativity. One question tho, does anyone from Britain like Counterparts? Seems there is lot of love over the American side of the water, but l have yet to talk to a british fan who rates this album

 

Can't agree at all about Counterparts, and (For LED) Nobody's Hero" is among Peart's most heartfelt lyrics.

[Analog_Bro]

Vapor Trails is better by far

 

With Test For Echo the band sounds good but the songwriting is very shoddy and half the album I don't ever listen to beause there are so many other better Rush songs and albums to listen to

[LedRush]

Vapor trails. By a mile. Said this before but Counterparts and T4E were records from a band who had run out of ideas and creativity. One question tho, does anyone from Britain like Counterparts? Seems there is lot of love over the American side of the water, but l have yet to talk to a british fan who rates this album

 

Can't agree at all about Counterparts, and (For LED) Nobody's Hero" is among Peart's most heartfelt lyrics.

 

I'll agree on Nobody's Hero. Animate and Everyday Glory are pretty good, lyrically, as well.

 

Sitck it Out, Cut to the Chase, Alien Shore, Speed of Love, and Cold Fire are probably 5 of Peart's 10 worst lyrics, maybe even 8.

[losingit2k]

Test For Echo is a much better sounding and produced album while the writing in VT is better. Regardless, I think these album are about the same. Test for Echo: TFE, Driven, Half the World, Time & Motion, Resist and Limbo. Vapor Trails: One Little Victory, Secret Touch, Earth Shine, Vapor Trails, Ghost Rider, and Sweet Miracle. So basically Test For Echo wins by the margin of Production. At least you can listen to it. :codger: Edited June 20, 2013 by losingit2k

[Pars123]

I prefer Test for Echo, but I also appreciate Vapor Trails even though it may be the weakest Rush album because it was their first album since they went on hiatus.