17 - Best Song From Vapor Trails

[Room 34]

QUOTE (Snowman @ Dec 16 2006, 03:44 AM)

Another Rush album suffering from bad sound.    I've read that many people doesnt like this album. That is just because they are too lazy to listen to the quality of the songs. There are NO FILLERS on VT!  But the sound.......

Agreed. I like absolutely every song on the album. I think it's probably their best album since Grace Under Pressure, as far as the compositions and lyrics go. I think overall this album may have Neil's best lyrics ever, and I really like the chances Geddy and Alex took with the roles of bass and guitar in the arrangements.

 

But the sound is horrible. I realized the other night as I was listening to it on the stereo for the first time in a long time that it actually does sound better through speakers than headphones. But the sound is still saturated, muddy and distorted. So disappointing.

 

I really don't understand what happened. Wasn't the album produced (or at least co-produced) by Paul Northfield? His work with Porcupine Tree is superb.

 

A couple of specific issues I have:

 

1. Multi-multi-multi-tracked guitars sound muddy and occasionally saturate the signal.

2. Geddy's multi-tracked vocals could have been a cool replacement for synths but because of the way they're recorded and mixed they end up sounding very shrill and grating.

 

I've tried setting up various EQ settings in iTunes to try to improve the sound, and I have made it marginally better, but there's only so much EQ can do.

 

It's interesting to hear these songs live on Rush in Rio. You realize that for the first time, the band didn't record the album with consideration for how they could play the songs live. But I actually think the stripped-down sound of the songs in their live versions works much better. (And, of course, the live mix is cleaner... which is a strange statement in itself.)

Edited December 16, 2006 by Room 34

[deadwing2112]

I think Earthshine is kinda overated.

[powermetalwarrior2112]

One Little Victory

[thesweetscience]

Ghost Rider

[Hatchetaxe&saw]

Considering the flak it's taking on other threads, it's very pleasing to see Earthshine in a VERY commanding lead!

[Nickslikk2112]

If I'd got a vinyl copy, mine would be the run out groove, probably the one at the end of side two

[Snowman]

the best song: Ghost Rider (imagine this song with keys....)

[drummerboy]

Ghost Rider is a good song!

[failte]

freeze

[Retrospective]

One Little Victory

 

Ceiling Unlimited

 

Peaceable Kingdom

 

Stars Look Down

 

Earthshine

 

Secret Touch

 

Out of the Cradle

[Melll]

I'll go with Earthshine.

[YYZ Working Man]

Earthshine

[willowroolz]

Earthshine

 

Ghostrider is awesome, as well, and I really like Ceiling Unlimited, One Little Victory, And The Stars Look Down, Peacable Kingdom, How It Is, Out of the Cradle...

 

Sorely underrated album, IMO

[Icarus]

I'm having difficulties separating my favourites Earthshine and Ghost Rider. Ghost Rider was the first song that stood out but later I realised that Earthshine was a masterpiece.

 

Earthshine it is. Followed by Ghost Rider, Sweet Miracle and Vapor Trail.

 

Some might laugh, but I was playing W.O.W. around the time I bought Vapor Trails, so I created a female Tauren druid character and called her "Earthshine".

[thedoorsdk]

Another difficult one.

One Little Victory always makes me grin like an idiot, though, so it wins.

[bytor1965]

My Favorite is How it is. I guess I'm in the minority, But I loved that song as soon as I heard it! I wish they would play it on the radio.

[steelcaressed]

Vapor Trail.

 

Ceiling Unlimited a close second.

[GeddyRulz]

"Secret Touch" and "Earthshine" pack a powerful one-two punch, coming back-to-back as they do.

 

"Ceiling Unlimited" is probably my third favorite.

 

With the new album coming soon, I'm listening to VT again in preparation; it's in the car CD player right now.

Edited February 19, 2007 by GeddyRulz

[Weatherman2112]

It's still new enough for me that it will change for a few more years but right now it's "How It Is"

[LaVilla]

This has been one of my favourite albums, With very personal lyrics, The song that stood out the most for me is 'Peaceable Kingdom.' Now that i've voted for that i want to vote for

 

Earthshine

Secret Touch

Vapor trails

Freeze

Nocturne

 

[Echnaton]

Earthshine rocks!

[Sun_Dog_2112]

although all the songs on this album are visual, How It Is is probably the one that envokes the most imagination in me.

[ILSnwdog]

When I first got Vapor Trails, I was running all over the house as I was passively listening to it. Then I heard Nocturne, and stopped what I was doing and planted myself in front of the stereo. That is one hell of a tune. OLV is awfully good too.

 

[yyz311]

Ceiling Unlimited for me.

 

Who was the lonely soul that voted for Stars Look Down

Edited March 23, 2007 by yyz311

[The O' Sullivan Factor]

ALL of them!! This album has grown on me SO much, I play it start to finish everyday while jogging. "How It Is" is a very special song to me, as are "Vapor Trail", "Sweet Miracle", and "Nocturne", "The Stars Look Down", "Secret Touch, "Freeze" aw hell the whole album is perfect, from start to finish, all the way. I'll never understand the bashers, so what? the sound isn't perfect oooooo

 

All that said I voted for "Vapor Trail"