Okay, I understand that. I guess I should've rephrased my question; why was there extra instrumentation added to a few songs? I get that these overdubs were recorded during the album sessions, so perhaps the mixing engineer decided to add them in at one point after the standard mixes were finished. Whether the alternate versions were intended to be released back in 1987, or even released at all, is what I'm curious about. Regardless, I'm glad that both the original and Sector versions are available so people can pick and choose which mixes to listen to.
I think it was simply the case of experimentation in the studio. I don't think there's any reason to read more into it. Besides, I doubt Geddy or Alex would remember 32 years later!
I didn't really like HYF when it came out, the summer between high school and college for me...it's grown on me over the years, I did like "Force Ten" and "Time Stand Still" from the get-go (and, oddly, "Tai Chan"), also "Turn The Page," but over the years have come to really dig "High Water" and "Second Nature" as well, even "Prime Mover." Didn't see them on this tour, I think they somehow skipped Northern California for some reason.
I kind of understand that. Sometimes the band seemed very uptight until the end of Territories and then YYZ kicks in and they are just so thrilled to be free of the technology. There was definitely seemed to be a shift in attitude at that point when they finished pulling off the new stuff and they were just so happy to rock out for the rest of the show and not have to remember when to trigger everything. For me, I thought the performances in general and possibly the setlist was more to my liking during the Hold Your Fire Tour. I always thought Presto's set was kind of safe though as you said I suppose there was an effort to pull out more of the oldies.I just don't think the performances of those songs met their usual standard a lot of the time. The Presto songs seemed to be inspired choices but they (to me anyway) just didn't seem their heart in a lot of the older material at that point for whatever reason (Save for maybe Red Barchetta, Overture and La Villa.) Haven't given it a lot of thought, but Hold Your Fire might be my second to least favorite tour even though Birmingham is a killer performance when everything seemed to come together.
I listened a few more times than that but I totally get the sentiment. Might sound a bit better, but it's gutted of all of the original context and intent.
I really don't think anyone including the band even realizes they are different. (I also wonder if those were some of the masters were in really bad shape/ and or may have been lost in that fire.)
If you can get past the fact that it's a sonic mess I'd say the original because the band was more heavily involved in the making of it as opposed to just signing off on it. You really need both to decide for yourself which one you like better and to compare the differences. But if fidelity is a major factor in whether you would enjoy something, I seriously wouldn't bother. I think the original completely succeeds in spite of that huge flaw, but that's just me.
I never liked the remix aside from the uncovered guitar solo in Ceiling Unlimited. Ill take the remastered version on HDTracks for $5000, Trebek.
The hi-res remaster of the original mix is probably your best bet. If you can find it cheap and if you have a decent deck, the cassette may also be a good choice. I've got an Indonesian copy, and it's a slight improvement over the CD (though side 2 has slightly less high end than side 1). IMO, Vapor Trails will never sound great unless it gets a dynamic remix that's more faithful to the original than the Dave Botrill one was.
The 2 tracks that were remixed for Retrospective 3 sound the best to me. For the whole album, I prefer the remix. I understand what people are saying about it not being true to the original, but I just can't listen to the original. Having said that, copies of the original CD are very easy to find cheap, so it doesn't take much of an investment to decide for yourself on that one
Agreed on the high-res. The original vinyl is a slight improvement on the CD too but still a sonic mess. I wish I grabbed a copy when it was new. A friend has one and I have played it on my system. It’s way too expensive now.
I bought my copy years ago and I can't say it sounds any better (or even any different) from the original CD...
Slight tweak to the high end and centered bass frequencies. The usual vinyl cutting stuff. It gives the low end a little more punch and the high end isn’t as sizzley.
Original Japanese CD is my go to for this as it slightly softens the problems with it. I imagine the HD is better but I've not heard it.
The Vapor Trails re-mix was an utter travesty. Certain vocals were mixed to where they sounded so unnatural (in a way where Geddy would have never delivered them like that). I will take the brute force of the original over that. I think the remaster that came out around the same time as the re-mix is my go-to version of it now.
For those who want to get some more insight on Geddy's opinion on Tai Shan, here's something from a recent article: "It's just one of those songs that Alex and I like to make fun of," Lee explained in response to a question about why he once called the song a "mistake." He added with a laugh, in reference to the song's chorus, "At the time I was singing it, I wasn't standing on a mountain top." Lee added that Peart wrote the lyrics about a very sincere moment of awe that he experienced. But it was so personal for the drummer that Lee and Lifeson couldn't quite put themselves "in that moment." "Guys in bands really need all the ammunition we can get to make fun of each other," he continued. "It just sort of landed on 'Tai Shan.' I recognize that some people love that song, and I don't feel as harshly about it as I may have. It's really a good reason to kid Neil." www.iheart.com/alternate/amp/2019-08-22-neil-pearts-rush-bandmates-never-stopped-teasing-him-over-tai-shan/
oh all i have to say is wow.ive been listening to this album lately and it is really growing on me! like its getting to be one of my top rush albums.
It's the first of Rush's "CD-era" albums, wherein I think it should have been culled a bit, but I do think that most of what's there expresses the aesthetic they were going for really well.
Any more info or links to the possible break up? I’ve not heard this before, would be interested in further information.
