It was released on May 14, 2002, on Anthem Records, and was their first studio release since Test for Echo (1996), the longest gap between two Rush albums. After a side-by-side comparison Vapor Trails-Remixed far surpasses the original and offers such a new experience Rush fans can expect the Vapor Trails – Remixed tour.Vapor Trails is the seventeenth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush. Rush completely under represented this album on the Vapor Trails tour in 2002 playing just four songs off an album with 13 tracks and most were worthy of the live show. Indeed, Rush devotees may scratch their heads, but by the third listen the fire will be brighter than ever. The melodic jam-tempos of “Secret Tough” and “Peaceable Kingdom,” the dreamy, almost whimsical “Ghost Rider” and the reflective approach to “Sweet Miracle” explore adventurous territory proving the band has a new directive. The band not only has created a new sound, but has managed to blend a little bit of ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s Rush into the 13-song effort.
But heed this warning: Vapor Trails does not continue in the same vein as the fresh “One Little Victory,” released last month as the first single. After a five-year absence to allow drummer and lyricist Neil Peart to recover from the deaths of his wife and daughter, the power trio releases yet another gem. Long dismissed as irrelevant in mainstream music, Rush continues to plunge ahead. In fact, below is my review of the album in May 2002 for the Orange County Register: Vapor Trails – Original was never a bad album and stood out well on its own as another fine effort by Rush. “Out of the Cradle,” the album’s last track, is almost completely made-over and its new life makes this track a hidden gem.
His solo on “Earthshine” was always simplistically elegant but all the production grime from the original is wiped away.
Guitarist Alex Lifeson probably fared the best on the original but the clean feel to the album really allows his guitar work to bust through. It easy to recognize the remix’s contribution to Peart with how cutting the snare and cymbals emerge from the muck. The new mix shows Peart with fashionable in your face percussion with lots of poignant play finally emerging – the “Lost Sounds” if you will.
Peart takes charge on track opener “One Little Victory” as if to say “I’m Back” but for much of the original album his work comes across as timid and more comfortable in the shadows, almost a re-thinking of whether he was ready to return to the limelight. Vapor Trails (Remixed) breaths and is one of the best examples of what remixing an album accomplishes. The whole album, but especially Lee’s vocal, sounds like the recording was performed through a trumpet mute. The remix reveals the true nature of the vocals, bass, guitar work and percussion as each stand out on their own, then come together as one, to produce the final intention of the Vapor Trails album. Listening to Vapor Trails – Original it’s hard to tell just how muddy the contribution from all three band members is.
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