Rush

Posted by: Damian B on 20 September 2002

I was working at home yesterday and decided to delve back into my Rush collection which I hadn't done for a long time.

What a fabulous band they are.

I think I got in to them around the Permanent Waves release. I think their peak to me were the albums between Permanent Waves and Hold Your Fire...(PW, Moving Pictures, Signals, Grace Under Pressure, Power Windows, HYF)...things started to tail off a little after that from Presto onwards (though Roll Your Bones has some great moments).

Some of the eariler stuff is also very good (2112, Hemispheres, A Farewell To Kings)...but for me the aforementioned period holds the most nostalgia. The musianship on all these recordings is something to behold (and to witness live also).

With all that in mind, the latest release 'Vapor Trails' I haven't actually purhcased yet. There seems to be very divided 'love/hate' opinions from the reveiews I see on Amazon.co.uk and .com.

Anyone here have 'Vapor Trails'? What do you reckon? I hear it's a return to the older harder edged sound...before the synths really came to the fore from Signals onwards...

Damian

Posted on: 20 September 2002 by Stephen Bennett

I do love classic prog but Rush are a note too far for me!

That horrendous voice!

Then they became the Police with metal

Thanks for reminding me - I'll be hearing bloody Xanadu all day now

Stephen

Posted on: 20 September 2002 by Peter Stockwell

quote:
Originally posted by Damian B:

I think I got in to them around the Permanent Waves release. I think their peak to me were the albums between Permanent Waves and Hold Your Fire...(PW, Moving Pictures, Signals, Grace Under Pressure, Power Windows, HYF)...things started to tail off a little after that from Presto onwards (though Roll Your Bones has some great moments).

Some of the eariler stuff is also very good (2112, Hemispheres, A Farewell To Kings)...but for me the aforementioned period holds the most nostalgia. The musianship on all these recordings is something to behold (and to witness live also).

With all that in mind, the latest release 'Vapor Trails' I haven't actually purhcased yet. There seems to be very divided 'love/hate' opinions from the reveiews I see on Amazon.co.uk and .com.

Anyone here have 'Vapor Trails'? What do you reckon? I hear it's a return to the older harder edged sound...before the synths really came to the fore from Signals onwards...

Damian

I've listened to it a bit, but haven't bought it yet. I did actually order it once from CD.WOW, but cancelled the order. It's one that I'm tempted by, I too love the Rush from Signals to Power windows and a bit beyond

Peter

Posted on: 20 September 2002 by Pete

It has found its way into my collection c/o A&B and a recent thread on it here alerting me to its existence., and...

... haven't really got into it yet, to be honest, but that's not the same as saying I don't like it. Been in a reasonably mellow mood of late, and VT has noticibly hard edges (nearest thing in the back catalogue probably Counterparts, and Ged doesn't seem to have a synths/keyboards credit so it's just axes and banging this time around).
So if you like the boys' harder moments, probably worth adding to the collection. The musicianship is as good as ever and the lyrics are the sort that only Neil Peart would write, as usual (good to see Mr. P. back and in form after his rather traulmatic recent past). Though not quite so many good hooks in the music, at least to me so far. It will get played, not as much as, say, Presto, but more than P/G.

Pete.

Posted on: 20 September 2002 by Damian B

Thanks Pete.

Yes Mr Peart has suffered some of late hasn't he poor guy.

The lyrics..
"Suddenly you were gone, from all the lives you left your mark upon"

...must have really come back to trouble him. Full credit for re-energising himself and getting back into the therapeutic realm of music.

Damian

Posted on: 20 September 2002 by Keith Mattox

quote:
Full credit for re-energising himself and getting back into the therapeutic realm of music.

I agree.

I noticed that a fan's website has a forum. Think I'll join and start a stand war

Cheers

Keith.

Posted on: 23 September 2002 by Damian B

Well, I've ordered it now - so I'll wait and see.
Listened to some samples of the rather cool Rush web site - seemed pretty good to me.

Ineteresting, Dave, that Presto is you fave Rush album - I think it's probably my least favourite!
Isn't great how well all find different things in the same music !?

Damian

Posted on: 23 September 2002 by Pete

Last tour here was, I think, supporting Roll the Bones. Saw them at the SECC, and it was a very good show. IMHO much better than the other time I saw them, at Birmingham SECC for one of the dates in the series that ended up on A Show of Hands. The RtB tour was much less mechanical, to my ears.

Presto's one of my faves for similar reasons: de-synthed and rendered more human to quite an extent (though the synth-riff to "Red Tide" should be taken out and shot).
Pete.

Posted on: 03 October 2002 by NB

Best band in the universe in my opinion!!

Vapour trails is the best new album release in many years and find's Rush going back to their roots. I have played the album many times now and just cant put it down.

Regards

NB

Posted on: 03 October 2002 by Damian B

I have it now.

Well, the production is definitely muddy - maybe that was the desired outcome but personally I'm not a fan of this - there are a number of occassions where it's arguable that it gets well in the way of the music.

In terms of content, it definitely rewards patience and repeated plays. The first few times one track really did seem to merge inseperably into another - but gardually their individual identities begin to present themselves (again, this is not helped by the production).

I'm far from convinced that it's a classic Rush album - although it's definitely back to the 'older, rockier' sound of the earlier albums.

I will be giving it time to sink in yet further.

Posted on: 03 October 2002 by Mark Dunn

Hi Damian B:

I just bought the album on vinyl. It's a double album on the Atlantic lable and the production seems anything but muddy, in fact it sounds great.

You're not listening to one of those new fangled CeeDee things are you? ;-)

Best Regards,
Mark Dunn

Posted on: 04 October 2002 by Damian B

Hi Mark,

Yes it's CD...and also, well, it's actually got most of it's airplay so far in the car CD changer which probably doesn't help matters! <ducks>

However, I'm still not convinced the production is up to scratch....

Damian