VAPOR TRAILS

Yet another "blah" sounding album by Rush in their late decline. This is not a particularly bad album but it is probably the worst album they've ever made. Yes, it is even worse than Test for Echo, at least that album sounded unique in a sense, but this one sounds alternative or something of the sort. As I've already said, it just sounds "blah." Now as I've said in other Rush reviews, nothing I've heard by Rush I would consider BAD, just, as with this album, pathetic compared to anything they've made before. And thus it gets a single star. For a Rush album it is, dare I say, a piece of trash, and only the most die hard of Rush fans and collectors should even consider getting this album. There is almost nothing progressive about it whatsoever, and the only song that would otherwise keep it from getting zero stars is Earthshine for having mediocre craft. Many seem to think of this album as a comeback. Not me. Just because Neil Peart and the rest of the band had personal problems before it, I don't think it has anything to do with the music except that he was still recovering when the album was produced. I will probably be accused of being a classic progressive snob for this rating but there was nothing that hit me as worthwhile to listen to in this album. Some also claim that this is just Rush moving in a new direction. I might agree with that - in a not progressive nor remotely artistic direction. And even Snakes and Arrows had some of that. Rush is my favorite band of all time, all of their music is indeed unique and almost all of it enjoyable, and I'm not saying that there was anything bad about the album. There just isn't anything good. Except the cover maybe.