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Happy Birthday Vapor Trails: May 14, 2002


robertrobyn
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Some of Rush's hardest rocking songs came on this album and I love them. Earthshine, Secret Touch, Peaceable Kingdom, Freeze, and Vapor Trail kick major ass. The other songs are also fantastic. Top ten album for me.

 

Its pretty hard rockin thats for sure. Maybe their most straightforward heavy album.

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Some of Rush's hardest rocking songs came on this album and I love them. Earthshine, Secret Touch, Peaceable Kingdom, Freeze, and Vapor Trail kick major ass. The other songs are also fantastic. Top ten album for me.

 

Its pretty hard rockin thats for sure. Maybe their most straightforward heavy album.

It's the hard rocking plus the angry/sad emotion that can be heard in the songs that makes it great to me.

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Some of Rush's hardest rocking songs came on this album and I love them. Earthshine, Secret Touch, Peaceable Kingdom, Freeze, and Vapor Trail kick major ass. The other songs are also fantastic. Top ten album for me.

 

Its pretty hard rockin thats for sure. Maybe their most straightforward heavy album.

It's the hard rocking plus the angry/sad emotion that can be heard in the songs that makes it great to me.

 

Very true its just that its so dense that its hard for me to listen to past Earthshine. But the payoff til that point is pretty impressive.

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I am obsessed with this album. Close to perfect, I don't care of you hate it or hate the production or the songs or anything...I love the original 2002 release and I adore everything about every single song!

 

Absolutely in my top ten, possibly top five. For a while there last year I started to wonder if it might be my favourite Rush album full stop.

 

It's incredible. Nothing they have released since comes even close to this.

 

 

Actually Snakes and Arrows and Clockwork Angels are in the same league and just as good as anything that came before.(anything.)

 

.

 

I forgot it came out today but I've been trying to pry Vapor Trails loose from my car CD player for two weeks now. I just can't do it. I always forget that I should change the CD BEFORE I start the car otherwise it's hopeless.

 

Unfortunately, there are very few choices if I want to hear Ceiling Unlimited live. (and no chances to hear Peaceable Kingdom or Vapor Trail live.) I'd much rather hear them live at this point then something like Xanadu, but that train left the station years ago and there is zero chance now obviously.

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It's still shit.

 

This thread isn't about your breath.

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Great album imho.

Interesting to see everyone's thoughts on the songs, original mix, remix etc. I think it has his best/most consistent lyrics since the early 80's.

There is an elusive quality to the lyrics that I enjoy, and an imagery that is largely absent from other albums. There are still some clunkers lyrically, but more good than bad imho.

It's hard to put into words in a way, but I prefer when NP lays out what he wants to say more elliptically, rather than spelling everything out. (Ceiling Unlimited, Secret Touch, Earthshines) It tends to come across as less preachy/didactic/condescending than some of his other work.

 

Musically, I always felt the original was 3 or 4 songs too long and, like Digital Dad, I usually stopped with Earthshines, although the last few tunes have grown on me since the reissue.

The only ones I skip are Sweet Miracle (can't get past the lyrics), Ghost Rider (I think of the comic book, and just not a fan of the tune), and once in a while Peaceable Kingdom just because it's a little on the draggy side tempo-wise. But the rest is their most raw, energized, and emotional studio work since the debut/FBN, which is why I like it so much!

 

yay Vapor Trails!

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It's hard to put into words in a way, but I prefer when NP lays out what he wants to say more elliptically, rather than spelling everything out. (Ceiling Unlimited, Secret Touch, Earthshines) It tends to come across as less preachy/didactic/condescending than some of his other work.

 

The only ones I skip are Sweet Miracle (can't get past the lyrics), Ghost Rider (I think of the comic book, and just not a fan of the tune), and once in a while Peaceable Kingdom just because it's a little on the draggy side tempo-wise. But the rest is their most raw, energized, and emotional studio work since the debut/FBN, which is why I like it so much!

 

yay Vapor Trails!

 

You and I have very similar feelings about this album, Neil's lyrics and those songs you mentioned. I never could get into Ghost Rider.

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It's hard to put into words in a way, but I prefer when NP lays out what he wants to say more elliptically, rather than spelling everything out. (Ceiling Unlimited, Secret Touch, Earthshines) It tends to come across as less preachy/didactic/condescending than some of his other work.

 

The only ones I skip are Sweet Miracle (can't get past the lyrics), Ghost Rider (I think of the comic book, and just not a fan of the tune), and once in a while Peaceable Kingdom just because it's a little on the draggy side tempo-wise. But the rest is their most raw, energized, and emotional studio work since the debut/FBN, which is why I like it so much!

 

yay Vapor Trails!

 

You and I have very similar feelings about this album, Neil's lyrics and those songs you mentioned. I never could get into Ghost Rider.

 

Thanks Wil1972! I dunno how I missed your first post on the topic.

I couldn't get into Ghost Rider when I first heard it; then I read the book, and I still can't get into it! I appreciate the amount of work that went into the musical arrangement, but not the music so much. Similarly, I enjoy the musical content of Red Barchetta but lyrically, well, to quote Lawrence Welk (ha ha):

"It's not my cup of dish."

 

I know a lot of folks here love Red Barchetta in its entirety, which is fantastic! So please accept my apologies for any offense caused. What can I say? I'm obviously flawed - I like VT and I quote Lawrence Welk.

 

anna one anna two

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It's hard to put into words in a way, but I prefer when NP lays out what he wants to say more elliptically, rather than spelling everything out. (Ceiling Unlimited, Secret Touch, Earthshines) It tends to come across as less preachy/didactic/condescending than some of his other work.

 

The only ones I skip are Sweet Miracle (can't get past the lyrics), Ghost Rider (I think of the comic book, and just not a fan of the tune), and once in a while Peaceable Kingdom just because it's a little on the draggy side tempo-wise. But the rest is their most raw, energized, and emotional studio work since the debut/FBN, which is why I like it so much!

 

yay Vapor Trails!

 

You and I have very similar feelings about this album, Neil's lyrics and those songs you mentioned. I never could get into Ghost Rider.

 

Thanks Wil1972! I dunno how I missed your first post on the topic.

I couldn't get into Ghost Rider when I first heard it; then I read the book, and I still can't get into it! I appreciate the amount of work that went into the musical arrangement, but not the music so much. Similarly, I enjoy the musical content of Red Barchetta but lyrically, well, to quote Lawrence Welk (ha ha):

"It's not my cup of dish."

 

I know a lot of folks here love Red Barchetta in its entirety, which is fantastic! So please accept my apologies for any offense caused. What can I say? I'm obviously flawed - I like VT and I quote Lawrence Welk.

 

anna one anna two

 

No offense taken but really? Red Barchetta? We definitely do not see eye to eye on that! :)

 

As for Ghost Rider, I never read the book, but I know the gist of it. I think the song is just too personal. It doesn't fit the rest of the album.

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It's hard to put into words in a way, but I prefer when NP lays out what he wants to say more elliptically, rather than spelling everything out. (Ceiling Unlimited, Secret Touch, Earthshines) It tends to come across as less preachy/didactic/condescending than some of his other work.

 

The only ones I skip are Sweet Miracle (can't get past the lyrics), Ghost Rider (I think of the comic book, and just not a fan of the tune), and once in a while Peaceable Kingdom just because it's a little on the draggy side tempo-wise. But the rest is their most raw, energized, and emotional studio work since the debut/FBN, which is why I like it so much!

 

yay Vapor Trails!

 

You and I have very similar feelings about this album, Neil's lyrics and those songs you mentioned. I never could get into Ghost Rider.

 

Thanks Wil1972! I dunno how I missed your first post on the topic.

I couldn't get into Ghost Rider when I first heard it; then I read the book, and I still can't get into it! I appreciate the amount of work that went into the musical arrangement, but not the music so much. Similarly, I enjoy the musical content of Red Barchetta but lyrically, well, to quote Lawrence Welk (ha ha):

"It's not my cup of dish."

 

I know a lot of folks here love Red Barchetta in its entirety, which is fantastic! So please accept my apologies for any offense caused. What can I say? I'm obviously flawed - I like VT and I quote Lawrence Welk.

 

anna one anna two

 

No offense taken but really? Red Barchetta? We definitely do not see eye to eye on that! :)

 

 

Ha ha. Yeah I know, I'm with a very small minority on this one. I could be allergic to "gleaming alloy air-cars"!

Plus, as a very base person, the first six syllables get me every time. I blame my upbringing.

;)

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It's hard to put into words in a way, but I prefer when NP lays out what he wants to say more elliptically, rather than spelling everything out. (Ceiling Unlimited, Secret Touch, Earthshines) It tends to come across as less preachy/didactic/condescending than some of his other work.

 

The only ones I skip are Sweet Miracle (can't get past the lyrics), Ghost Rider (I think of the comic book, and just not a fan of the tune), and once in a while Peaceable Kingdom just because it's a little on the draggy side tempo-wise. But the rest is their most raw, energized, and emotional studio work since the debut/FBN, which is why I like it so much!

 

yay Vapor Trails!

 

You and I have very similar feelings about this album, Neil's lyrics and those songs you mentioned. I never could get into Ghost Rider.

 

Thanks Wil1972! I dunno how I missed your first post on the topic.

I couldn't get into Ghost Rider when I first heard it; then I read the book, and I still can't get into it! I appreciate the amount of work that went into the musical arrangement, but not the music so much. Similarly, I enjoy the musical content of Red Barchetta but lyrically, well, to quote Lawrence Welk (ha ha):

"It's not my cup of dish."

 

I know a lot of folks here love Red Barchetta in its entirety, which is fantastic! So please accept my apologies for any offense caused. What can I say? I'm obviously flawed - I like VT and I quote Lawrence Welk.

 

anna one anna two

 

No offense taken but really? Red Barchetta? We definitely do not see eye to eye on that! :)

 

 

Ha ha. Yeah I know, I'm with a very small minority on this one. I could be allergic to "gleaming alloy air-cars"!

Plus, as a very base person, the first six syllables get me every time. I blame my upbringing.

;)

 

I just spoke this out loud and now I want to punch myself.

 

Haha you just ruined this song for me forever now haha

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It's still shit.

 

Yeah I agree. Even with the remix it sounds terrible. The songs are slightly better in concert but that's all I can say about them.

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I remember I struggled for days to get all the way through it due to the atrocious production.Also I thought some of the songwriting was below par.And where were the guitar solos?I had the same problem with Metallica's St Anger.If it had been some other band I would have filed it away and probably wouldn't have played it again.But this was my favourite band rising from the ashes and I persevered and gradually various songs found their way into my head.The remix was like another album finding new things among the stripped wall of sound.Now I love both mixes but not the whole albums as I feel there are still some weak areas in songwriting.I can listen to TFE all the way through VT I can't.
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It's hard to put into words in a way, but I prefer when NP lays out what he wants to say more elliptically, rather than spelling everything out. (Ceiling Unlimited, Secret Touch, Earthshines) It tends to come across as less preachy/didactic/condescending than some of his other work.

 

The only ones I skip are Sweet Miracle (can't get past the lyrics), Ghost Rider (I think of the comic book, and just not a fan of the tune), and once in a while Peaceable Kingdom just because it's a little on the draggy side tempo-wise. But the rest is their most raw, energized, and emotional studio work since the debut/FBN, which is why I like it so much!

 

yay Vapor Trails!

 

You and I have very similar feelings about this album, Neil's lyrics and those songs you mentioned. I never could get into Ghost Rider.

 

Thanks Wil1972! I dunno how I missed your first post on the topic.

I couldn't get into Ghost Rider when I first heard it; then I read the book, and I still can't get into it! I appreciate the amount of work that went into the musical arrangement, but not the music so much. Similarly, I enjoy the musical content of Red Barchetta but lyrically, well, to quote Lawrence Welk (ha ha):

"It's not my cup of dish."

 

I know a lot of folks here love Red Barchetta in its entirety, which is fantastic! So please accept my apologies for any offense caused. What can I say? I'm obviously flawed - I like VT and I quote Lawrence Welk.

 

anna one anna two

 

No offense taken but really? Red Barchetta? We definitely do not see eye to eye on that! :)

 

 

Ha ha. Yeah I know, I'm with a very small minority on this one. I could be allergic to "gleaming alloy air-cars"!

Plus, as a very base person, the first six syllables get me every time. I blame my upbringing.

;)

 

I just spoke this out loud and now I want to punch myself.

 

Haha you just ruined this song for me forever now haha

 

sorry Segue Myles! I'll try to use my questionable powers only for good from here on in.

I hope you weren't at work when you said that out loud! oops!

Please accept my sincerest apologies for being a "Ssorb" (sixth syllable of Red Barchetta).

:LOL:

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I have mixed (ha!) feelings about Vapor Trails. It has some powerful music in it, more so if the listener knows the tragic backstory to Neil's lyrics and themes. But it still doesn't really sound or feel like a proper "Rush" album and sort of sticks out of the catalog like a sore thumb. It's too raw and has none of their trademark humor or lighthearted moments or space to breathe or guitar solos. It's pretty much a loud BLAM BLAM BLAM from start to finish. It's almost like three musicians who can sort of sound like Rush put together an album.

 

That being said, I really do enjoy OLV, How It Is (one of the best songs about depression I've ever heard), Secret Touch, The Stars Look Down. As is the story with pretty much every album since HYF, there are at least two or three songs that easily could've been left on the studio floor and not affected the quality of the album at all. In this case, VT shouldve ended appropriatly with Sweet Miracle.

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If I build a time machine, I will go back and burn that recording studio down

 

I feel the same way about almost everything they've recorded with Nick "Needs more compression and layers of guitar and vocals and then some more compression" Whateverhislastname is :hi:

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