Favorite Rush Era

Caress of Steel to Presto.

True story man, Vapor Trails is my least favorite Rush album. Having said that, Rush is my favorite band, and Vapor Trails is still much better than say, the best Mastadon album. Lol, I'm glad though to see so many Rush fans appreciating different aspects of their career. Presto is my favorite album as I write this, and Power Windows/Vapor Trails are tied at the moment for my least favorite Rush albums (this changes about 3 times a month). My favorite Rush is Different Stages (I know it probably doesn't really count) but it's the best in my opinion because it covers amterial from the "Classic" period of Rush (from Fly By Night to Test for Echo( Rush being the sole album from their "early" period and Vapor Trails to Clockwork Angels being their "Post Hiaus" period)). I also disagree with the way the thread starter divided the Rush eras, but If I had to choose on of his I would certainly pick the one that spans 2112 to Hemispheres. Too easy. Farewell to Kings is my favorite of that era, and most often my favorite Rush album of all time lol.

Early 80's for me. Every aspect was at a peak and was applied with flawless consistency. No doubt in My mind!

Ya lol I really have to give Vapor Trails a few more spins before I can truly judge it. I always find that my favorite Rush album is the one that gets the most time in my cd player. I'm thinking I'll have a Power Windows/Vapor Trails-athon this week. Probobably watch A Show Of Hands and Rush In Rio to really give those albums the edge. I didn't appreciate Hold Your Fire, for instance, until the first time I heard A Show Of Hands. When you hear, or better yet see the tracks live, it goes a long way.

Rush are one of my favourite bands, ever since I first saw them live way back in 1977 at the Hammersmith Odeon in London.

the recent rush tour must have been a god-send for you 80s fans.  i enjoyed hearing all the power windows stuff.  playing most of clockwork angels with the strings was a real buzz kill for me though.  time machine tour was just amazing.

Hmm, I always considered 2112 to Moving Pictures to be one era - like it was their proggy era.  And that's always been my favorite section of their catalog.

Vapor Trails is lacking progressiveness just as much as any album after it. 

ProgKev wrote: Well, of course that I like 80`s era, but as a person that live in Europe, I've never had a chance to catch Rush live because they are not touring that part of the world too often. And since I am going to see Rush in July 2013 I had hoped  that they would play more 'evergreens ' . Because you know, it's great to hear rare gems such as " Middletown Dreams " , " Territories " , " Body Electric " , " Where's My Thing ' , " The Analog Kid "  Grand Designs " , " Bravado " or " Manhattan Project " for people who already have seen Rush for quite few times.  But to be honest, I would prefer to hear more classics like  " Xanadu " , " Limelight " , "Red Barchetta " , " A Passage To Bangkok " " Closer To The Heart " "Freewill " , " Natural Science " " Circumstances " etc for my first show. But anyway, I hope that my first meeting with boys will be great. And I cross my fingers for R40 Tour including brilliant setlist !

Horizons wrote: Vapor Trails is lacking progressiveness just as much as any album after it.  Rush, since 2002, have been in the same vein as bands like Muse.

I've always thought of VT as a full-blown prog album;  sure, it's not "progressive" on a grand epic scale like Hemispheres, but it's easily Rush's most complex album ever, complete with layers upon layers of instruments and vocals and tricky time changes you don't even know are there until you actually try to count them.