Vapor Trails
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- Alternate meaning: see contrail
The release of Vapor Trails marked the first studio album for the band in six years (since Test for Echo in 1996). Long known for purposeful stylistic changes that defined individual albums as well as delineated the larger-scale phases of their recording career, Vapor Trails brought a shift in many fundamental aspects of the Rush sound as it had evolved over the years. On Vapor Trails there are no keyboards, no traditional guitar solos, and no processed-guitar tones. Instead, Vapor Trails uses a more purified guitar tone, lots of vocal, guitar and even bass overdubs, and an overall darker tone to the music and lyrics. All in all, Vapor Trails offers a dramatic rethinking of Rush's fundamental musical mores, suggesting that they have embarked on yet another new direction. However, it seems that Rush still will maintain a progressive edge as many of the songs feature odd meters: 7/4 in the song "Freeze" for instance.
- ["One Little Victory"] ([file info])
- *
- * Problems listening to the file? See [Media helpmedia help].
Track listing
- "One Little Victory" - 5:08
- "Ceiling Unlimited" - 5:28
- "Ghost Rider" - 5:41
- "Peaceable Kingdom" - 5:23
- "The Stars Look Down" - 4:28
- "How It Is" - 4:05
- "Vapor Trail" - 4:57
- "Secret Touch" - 6:34
- "Earthshine" - 5:38
- "Sweet Miracle" - 3:40
- "Nocturne" - 4:49
- "Freeze (Part 4 Of Fear)" - 6:21
- "Out Of The Cradle" - 5:03
Personnel
- Geddy Lee - bass guitar, vocals
- Alex Lifeson - electric and acoustic guitars, mandola
- Neil Peart - drums, percussion
Controversy
The production of Vapor Trails has been highly criticized due to the album's 'loud' sound quality, as compared to other modern recordings, which is very unusual for a major label release. The damaged production is the result of overly-compressed (clipped) audio levels during mastering, though Rush have admitted that there was digital distortion during recording, which also contributed to the damage. Remastering the album would not correct the damage from digital distortion that was introduced during recording, but it could correct the other, more destructive damage that is the result of overly-compressing the audio during mastering. Fans continue to pan the sound of Vapor Trails and many are outraged that uncertainty remains whether the album will be remastered and reissued.Chart positions
Album
Billboard Music Charts (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | The Billboard 200 | 6 |
| 2002 | Top Internet Albums | 29 |
| 2002 | Top Canadian Albums | 3 |
Singles
Billboard (North America)| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | "Secret Touch" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 25 |
| 2002 | "One Little Victory" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 10 |
External links
- ''[Statement by Alex Lifeson] on the album's recording process.
- [Over the Limit], Rip Rowan's examination of the album's sound.
| Rush |
| Geddy Lee | Alex Lifeson | Neil Peart |
| John Rutsey |
| Discography |
|---|
| Albums: Rush | Fly by Night | Caress of Steel | 2112 | A Farewell to Kings | Hemispheres | Permanent Waves | Moving Pictures | Signals | Grace Under Pressure | Power Windows | Hold Your Fire | Presto | Roll the Bones | Counterparts | Test for Echo | Vapor Trails |
| Live albums: All the World's a Stage | Exit...Stage Left | A Show of Hands | Different Stages | Rush in Rio | | Rush Replay X 3 |
| Compilations: Archives | Chronicles | Retrospective I | Retrospective II | | Gold |
| Other records: Not Fade Away (Single) | Feedback (Cover album) |
| Related articles |
| ' | ' | Victor | My Favorite Headache | A Work In Progress | Anatomy of A Drum Solo |
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