http://www.prorec.com/prorec/articles.nsf/articles/8A133F52D0FD71AB86256C2E005DAF1C

Very cool analysis of how the mastering of Rush albums has changed over the years...

I think as a joke they should have included "Exit.. Stage Left" in this analysis!

Thanks for the link. I haven't read his article in depth, but from a quick skim of his thesis statement, I have to agree. It's the first thing I noticed about the album (and about the Test For Echo album before it). It's also the kind of thing discussed in this article which I link from the dynamic compression section of the FAQ. He also makes the call for "enough is enough".

The overall sound of the album is very cold and very super-saturated. The entire sonic spectrum is filled to bursting from beginning to end. There's no air, no room for a sonic "breather".

The production on the album is so oversaturated that I'm having trouble even listening to the songs themselves at all, to find out if I even like them. It's hard to see the forest for the trees.

I say bring back Broon and let's get some warmth and some air back into the production.

It's hard to see the forest for the trees.

Well don't worry about the trees, they were all kept equal by hatchet, axe, and saw. (sorry, couldn't resist.)

It's just funny to see the waveforms of the bass kicks being completely trashed by crappy mastering. Amazing how this can happen to a band like Rush... I'm surprised they'd let a CD like that make it out of the parking lot... But maybe it's not in their hands.

It's just funny to see the waveforms of the bass kicks being completely trashed by crappy mastering.

Those bass peaks are probably compressed rather than clipped, as he accuses. It's hard to tell if the damage was done in the mix or in the master. It could have been either.

i've noticed this across my cd collection and one band that really is hard to 'listen' to is the smashing pumpkins. i think they have my vote for 'best band with worst recording' a pity.

I remember commenting about this to my friends...And they thought I was crazy...I guess I'll need to shoot this article over to them to prove what I heard is true.

Unfortunately I don’t think the smashing pumpkins are any better in person. I would have to say that the 2 worst sounding concerts (different venues) I have ever heard were both smashing pumpkins - shame on me for going twice.

I've gone to many rock concerts in my time, and I've learned that often the concert sound has nothing to do with the band. A very talented band can be made to sound like crap at the sound board. Much like the problems cited above with the mastering, the concerts are often too loud when they don't need to be that loud. The worst offender I've seen is Rush, in every concert since the Presto tour, they've just been so loud that I couldn't hear any individual instruments. Coincidence?

The worst offender I've seen is Rush, in every concert since the Presto tour, they've just been so loud that I couldn't hear any individual instruments. Coincidence?

I think it depends on the venue. When I saw them on the Counterparts tour, it was in a small indoor arena - it didn't sound too well. However, on the Vapor Trails tour, I saw them at an outdoor venue. I think it sounded a lot better, and I enjoyed the concert. Then again, maybe it was because I hadn't seen them in so long.

I think it depends on the venue.

Untrue.

I've been to many concerts at the same venue (Arco Arena in Sacramento) by many different bands. Some sounded utterly fantastic (Peter Gabriel and Yes), others sounded like crap.

And I have heard many Rush concerts at the same venue, but on different tours in different years. Sometimes they sound great, other times they sound like crap.

In fact, I saw one concert there (Jethro Tull) where it was fine for most of the show, but the sound levels got progressively louder as the show went on, and for the last few songs it was nearly unlistenable.

So it's not the hall, it's the people manning the sound equipment. I will agree, though, that outdoor concerts tend to fare better than indoor ones (although I've heard my share of crappy-sounding outdoor shows, too). Outdoors, the people running the sound board don't have to deal with the internal resonance of the hall itself. It's much easier to mix an outdoor show.

That's one reason I'm looking forward to the Vapor Trails concert next week, it will be outdoors.

If you haven't seen them yet on the Vapor Trails tour, I believe you will be pleased with it. They are their same old selves, and funny as ever...

Thanks for the link. I haven't read his article in depth, but from a quick skim of his thesis statement, I have to agree. It's the first thing I noticed about the album (and about the Test For Echo album before it).

Interesting.
I have purchased every. single. Rush. album... until the last two.
I just couldn't stomach TFE or Vapor Trails.
I assumed it was for other reasons, but maybe the mastering had a little something
to do with it, too.
Two and a half decades of Rush CDs on my shelf come to an abrupt end at that point.

Nonetheless, I have gone to every Rush tour for almost 20 years, and I'll be at
this one also. But that's just because they go light on the crappy stuff from their
last couple of albums, and time it properly so that I can be out of earshot buying
a beer when they do. ("stuff *this* message in a modem, buddy" What kind of
crap is that?!)

Last time they played an entire side of 2112. That was quite a surprise, and quite
cool. Doubt they'll try anything like it again. It seemed to confuse the crowd
who had seemingly never heard those songs.

And I'm definitely going to see them in an outdoor venue to help decrease the
chance of lousy mixing.

It took me a long time to warm up to TFE, and I'm still not a huge fan of all of its tracks. But even out of the tracks I do like, the oversaturated production makes it hard to hear the song through the sound.

For Vapor Trails, I still haven't heard the songs through the sound. It's really hard for me to make an effor to listen to it.

And I'm definitely going to see them in an outdoor venue to help decrease the
chance of lousy mixing.

You should consider yourself lucky to have a choice of venues

What's sad about this trend is that the CD medium has such dynamic range, that by doing this, they're reducing the range to a very small (pinching thumb and pointer finger together) bit. You might as well go back to cassette tapes.

Calvin

Interestingly, I have had trouble as well getting into Vapor Trails, but I thourougly enjoyed the songs they played on it at the concert. Of course, I didn't fork out the cash to sit close and we were out in the cheap seats so I can't say what anything sound like closer, but I really enjoyed the show.

As for the CD's, I still have trouble listening to Vapor Trails all the way through, though TFE I love (though I didn't like it at all at first). Counterparts I liked a lot the first time around, all of which might be due to the observations in that interesing article.

by doing this, they're reducing the range to a very small (pinching thumb and pointer finger together) bit. You might as well go back to cassette tapes.

Completely agreed.

Funny thing is, I've heard recent albums (arguably in different genres than Rush, though) which subscribe to the "louder is better" mentality, but they really sound great.

For instance, the new Sheryl Crow album is probably the one with the most "perceived loudness" in my whole collection, yet it production and mastering are fantastic. Everything is crisp and clear, and I can hear individual instruments clearly.

Being a guitarist and having done a little bit of mixing work myself, I think I know what's going on in the mix of Vapor Trails. There are problems in the main mix that have been compounded by the mastering. A lot of it is the choices they've made in the guitar and bass arrangements, and how the vocals are being mixed. I know why they've made those choices, I just happen to disagree with them.

As for the CD's, I still have trouble listening to Vapor Trails all the way through, though TFE I love (though I didn't like it at all at first). Counterparts I liked a lot the first time around, all of which might be due to the observations in that interesing article.

I've had exactly the same experience.

but I thourougly enjoyed the songs they played on it at the concert.

And I get to find out if I have the same experience... TONIGHT!!!

I'm so excited.

Bring your T-shirt money!

-Z

Bring your T-shirt money!

Oh heck yeah. I plan on getting three T-shirts (me, wife, daughter). In fact, I was already discussing the importance of getting extra cash out of the bank with my wife yesterday and did a secondary e-mail confirmation of same today. I also always get a program from every Rush concert...

Do you happen to know what prices they are charging for T-shirts and programs these days?

PS: I'm close enough that I'm even hoping I might even get one of the shirts out of the dryers. I'm in section 103 here.

Damn you guys!! You're right. Now, everytime I listen to Vapor Trails, I think about what you've said and it DOES sound sub-par compared to other recordings. At least I have a nice alternative in Spock's Beard's new album, Snow which I would highly recommend...