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Thread: Clockwork Angels - Rush

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    Rush's new album Clockwork Angels comes out tomorrow, but my copy was shipped to me a few days early out of pure luck. I've listened to it several times and I thought I'd do a review.

    Overview
    I really love this album. On my first listen I just liked it, but the more I listen to it the more the songs are growing on me and I love it more and more each time. This album is somewhat of a return to form for Rush, and there are some moments when it really reminds of the music they put out in the 70's. A lot of the songs are pretty long (several are around 7 minutes), which is reminiscent of their old days. The instrumentation is also stripped back down to what you would expect from a power trio...just bass, drums, and 1 or 2 guitar tracks. On their last album, Snakes and Arrows (2007), there were a ton of overdubs, sometimes with 4 or 5 different guitar parts. With Clockwork Angels, the band cuts back on all the unnecessary overdubbing, and in my opinion this makes the music feel less weighted down, and more direct and powerful. The songs also just seem to have more energy...a lot of them are heavier or faster than anything you'd find on Snakes and Arrows.

    Not to mention, this is also a concept album with a fantasy/sci-fi storyline reminiscent of Rush's epics from the 70's like Hemispheres or 2112. However, the story is pretty vague, and at least in my opinion, doesn't add much to the album.

    Alright, here we go with the songs...

    Caravan (8.5/10) This song has been out already for a while now, so most of you who are going to buy this album have probably heard it already. I've always liked this song, as it has some interesting time signatures and cool grooves in the bridge section.

    BU2B (9/10) This one's also been out for a couple years. It was the B-side of the Caravan single, but I actually like it more than Caravan. The main riff is absolutely brutal...one of the heaviest riffs I've ever heard Rush play. When it comes in at the beginning of the song it hits you like a cannon ball in the stomach. The chorus melody is great and always gets stuck in my head.

    Clockwork Angels (8/10) At 7 minutes 31 seconds this is the longest song on the album. There's some awesome drumming on the toms from Neil during one section. What I would call the "main riff" in the song comes in at about 1 and a half minutes, and I'll just say it totally rocks. The only thing that prevents this song from being one of the best in my opinion, is a weird bridge section that feels out of place and doesn't really flow with the rest of the song. But luckily that gets out of the way pretty quick and the song proceeds to an epic ending.

    The Anarchist (9/10) This is one of my favorite songs on the album for sure. Geddy Lee actually drives the melody on his bass for most of the song while Alex plays rhythmically, which I think is interesting and sounds really cool. That bass melody combined with the vocal melody in the chorus is extremely catchy and gets stuck in my head a lot, in a good way.

    Carnies (8/10) I didn't think it was possible for Rush to play a riff even heavier than the opening of BU2B, but they just might have done it on this song. It opens with the lighthearted sounds of a carnival, and then BAM!, Alex comes in with this monstrous riff, and when Geddy and Neil join in it just barrels over you like an eighteen-wheeler. However, the rest of the song is not is as memorable.

    Halo Effect (7/10) Frankly this song is a little boring. It reminds me of something that could have been on Snakes and Arrows. The strings do add a lot though and help save the song. Don't get me wrong, it's great, but not quite up to par with some of the amazing material on this album.

    Seven Cities of Gold (10/10) Here we go ladies and gentlemen...this is probably my favorite track on the album. It opens with a killer bass riff and the atmosphere keeps building until a really cool chugging riff comes in for the first verse. The song's got an awesome groove that makes you want to nod your head along with it. And the bass playing is excellent throughout the whole song. The bridge has some weird stuff going on, and also brings back that sweet bass lick from the intro. Overall just a really strong, catchy, in-your-face song like Rush is known for.

    The Wreckers (8/10) One of the most melodic songs on the album. It's pretty simple by Rush standards in terms of chops, but it's still a great song. Again, the string section is really nice and adds another dimension to the song, especially when they come in full-force at the end. The bridge has an ominous feeling that contrasts with the rest of the song without feeling too out of place.

    Headlong Flight (9.5/10) A lot of you have probably heard this song already. It was released in April as the "real" lead single for the album. It's an absolute monster of a song, exploding at a break-neck pace and almost never letting up. There's so many different parts to the song and yet it still feels consistent and flows well from one section to the next. And once again, awesome bass playing from Geddy Lee. There's a drum break in the middle where Neil does a little solo too. The band plays around with different time signatures in some parts of the song. Alex has a great guitar solo that I could easily see becoming an extended jam during live performances akin to what they do with Working Man. This is just an amazing song overall. The only drawback is during the chorus Geddy sings in this weird voice that I don't like.

    BU2B2 (N/A) Not a full song, but just a reprise of some of the lyrics from BU2B sung over some quiet strings.

    Wish Them Well (7/10) This is the only song I don't really dig on the album. Of course it's Rush so it's great no matter what, but it seems a little weak to me compared to the others (except for maybe Halo Effect). The band themselves have said in interviews that this song gave them a lot of trouble when they were writing it, and it shows.

    The Garden (10/10) There are lots of words I could use to describe this song...incredible, epic, beautiful, breath-taking, powerful. It starts out soft with acoustic guitar and light strings, and slowly builds over 7 minutes to a massive, epic ending. This is the only song on the album where Rush really went all-out with the overdubs, but for a song like this, it works perfectly. The way the music slowly swells and swirls around you is amazing. The moment when Neil suddenly comes in full force and the song explodes into a beautiful guitar solo by Alex Lifeson is just incredible, and the song crescendos to a powerful climax. More than any other song, the strings are really amazing on this track, as they perfectly compliment the other instruments and the feel of the song. Great closer to a fantastic album. However, as amazing as this song is, something about it just doesn't feel like Rush to me, and that's what keeps it from being my favorite song on the album. All the other songs here are undeniably the Rush we know and love, but this is something different. They're treading new ground here, and it works amazingly well, but somehow the idea of Rush and epic beautiful ballads don't mesh well for me. But if you consider the song on it's own merits, then it is in my opinion a near perfect masterpiece.
    ____

    So in conclusion, I think Rush really hit the nail on the head with this album. It has everything you could ever want out of a Rush album...insanely talented musicianship, lyrics that tell a story, extended song arrangements, and hard-rocking in-your-face prog rock. This is the first album where Rush has recorded with a string section, and I think it adds a lot to the music, especially "The Garden" and "The Wreckers", and gives a lot of the songs a really epic feel. None of the tracks are really weak, but "Halo Effect" and "Wish Them Well" are not as ridiculously amazing as the others. Highlights in my opinion are "Seven Cities of Gold", "The Garden", "BU2B", and "The Anarchist", but really the whole album is fantastic. I definitely recommend it to any Rush fan...in fact you would be doing yourself a disservice if you didn't get this album, as it really is a masterpiece.

    Overall rating - 9.5/10
    Last edited by yohin; 06-13-2012 at 04:58 PM.
    Matt

  2. #2

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    Great write up Matt! Very detailed. I listened to several tracks after we talked in the shoutbox and I agree with your comments. Seven Cities of Gold is a '10'

  3. #3

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    Awesome review. Thanks for sharing. I'm going to see them in November, here in San Antonio. Can. Not. Wait.

  4. #4

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    Yes that is a great review and they are also going to tour the U.K so all you British guys out there who always wanted to see Rush well your dream has come true so look for dates on the Rush website.

  5. #5

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    Very good and detailed review there yohin. Haven't got the album yet but really looking forward to it.

    Thanks for the heads up Pearl MCX Man,great to see the mighty Rush touring here again.Hope to see them in London and Sheffield if funds permit.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Balanced for lean View Post
    Very good and detailed review there yohin. Haven't got the album yet but really looking forward to it.

    Thanks for the heads up Pearl MCX Man,great to see the mighty Rush touring here again.Hope to see them in London and Sheffield if funds permit.
    Thanks BFL and I hope you go and see these guys cause something tells me that it will be their best tour ever. Rush rulses

  7. #7

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    Pretty spot on with the review. Sept. 9th is touchdown here for the tour. This is about the only band I go see anymore.
    Dave


    Frank "Fiacovaz" Iacovazzi
    RIP my friend


    Proud member of "PHROGGES AQUARIAN ARMY"

  8. #8

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    The one and only IMO. I will see them too when they come to the Toronto area can't wait to see what kit Neil will be using.

  9. #9

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    They're coming to my area in November but the tickets are just so expensive. I really want to go but not sure if I can.
    Matt

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by yohin View Post
    They're coming to my area in November but the tickets are just so expensive. I really want to go but not sure if I can.
    You got 5 months to save up you just gotta cut out the beers etc. LOL

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pearl MCX Man View Post
    You got 5 months to save up you just gotta cut out the beers etc. LOL
    I'm 18...I don't think I will be spending any money on beers lol.
    Matt

  12. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by yohin View Post
    I'm 18...I don't think I will be spending any money on beers lol.
    Ok then texting or whatever it is you young fellows spend your money on. LOL

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by yohin View Post
    I'm 18...I don't think I will be spending any money on beers lol.
    I may be barking up the wrong tree but are you saying you can`t drink alcohol where you live even though your 18?..surely not.

  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by Balanced for lean View Post
    I may be barking up the wrong tree but are you saying you can`t drink alcohol where you live even though your 18?..surely not.
    Nope the drinking age in the US is 21.
    Matt

  15. #15

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    Yeah Yeah tell me another. The age to drink might be 21 but alot of you young ones break the law. Nobody waits that long to drink. We had the same laws in Canada when I was your age and we partied and drank anyway as long as we did not get caught.

  16. #16

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    Nice review. Very detailed and concise. Well written and is a tribute to the band. I agree with everything you said and not just because I am a long time Rush fanatic. I've seen them 13 times beginning with Moving Pictures in '81'. And every time I am blown away. There are not to many bands around that can duplicate every single song note for note like Rush can do, especially Neil "The Professor". I think I like the song The Garden the best. A very beautiful ballad song like Bravado. I'm going to have to get Neil's sci-fi collaboration work with Hugo Award Winning sci-fi author Kevin J. Anderson that is based on Neil Pearts lyrics and story line of the album. Comes out September 1st.
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    Quote Originally Posted by wolvie56 View Post
    I'm going to have to get Neil's sci-fi collaboration work with Hugo Award Winning sci-fi author Kevin J. Anderson that is based on Neil Pearts lyrics and story line of the album. Comes out September 1st.
    I'm thinking about getting the audiobook, narrated by Neil Peart himself.
    Matt

  18. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by yohin View Post
    I'm thinking about getting the audiobook, narrated by Neil Peart himself.
    I can't find anything that says that it will be narrated by Mr. Peart. It says Clockwork Angels: The Novel, by Kevin J. Anderson. Peart's web site has nothing on this project listed there yet. And why are there 4 versions of the audiobook? A $47.22 audio CD, a $20.24 audio CD, a $16.86 and a $26.97 MP3 on CD???? I'll take one of the 2 MP3's on CD cause you can download it to your computer. The others is a CD that holds 74 minutes of digital audio. This is all according to Barnes and Noble. From a link on the "Power Windows" Rush tribute site. Where did you read that Neil is going to tell the story?
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  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by wolvie56 View Post
    I can't find anything that says that it will be narrated by Mr. Peart. It says Clockwork Angels: The Novel, by Kevin J. Anderson. Peart's web site has nothing on this project listed there yet. And why are there 4 versions of the audiobook? A $47.22 audio CD, a $20.24 audio CD, a $16.86 and a $26.97 MP3 on CD???? I'll take one of the 2 MP3's on CD cause you can download it to your computer. The others is a CD that holds 74 minutes of digital audio. This is all according to Barnes and Noble. From a link on the "Power Windows" Rush tribute site. Where did you read that Neil is going to tell the story?
    http://www.rushisaband.com/blog/2012...-by-Neil-Peart

    Not sure what's up with the 4 different CD versions though.
    Matt

  20. #20

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    Cool, thanks. The one place I didn't look.
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  21. #21

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    Ok I'll be one to disagree here. I'll start off by saying I've been a hardcore Rush fan for 37 years. I've bought every album, VHS Tape, DVD, CD. I've seen them live countless times, twice in the front row at a price of over $300.00 a ticket.

    Here in Portland 1984 the Grace Under Pressure tour I was allowed inside to watch the sound check, I had a gig that night just down the street so I told one of the road crew that I would not be able to attend the show so he let me in.. Geddy spotted me sitting way down at the end of the arena and made a point to walk over and chat for a few minutes after the sound check.

    Neil Peart is the drummer I credit the most with my love for drumming and his huge influence is obvious in my playing.

    I love this band, heck my forum name is NPYYZ!!!!!

    That said , Rush lost me back in 2002 with Vapor Trails and has continued to do so with Snakes and Arrows and now Clockwork Angels. The band that was famous for having no two albums sound the same, now has three that sound like they could have been released as a triple album.

    I just don't like their sound since Vapor Trails, every thing from that point on sounds the same. I have to try and force myself to like it, and it just doesn't happen for me. Clockwork Angels is the first Rush album that I will not buy. I've heard it a handful of times and I'm left never wanting to hear it again.

    So for me I'll just pick up any new DVD's and live albums as long as they feature a lot of the old and less of the new, and I keep on listening to the Rush album through Test For Echo. I'll always be a fan but this new Rush is just not my cup of tea.

  22. #22

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    Maybe you don't care for their music anymore but it is obvious that thousands do or they would not be making anymore albums or tours. I love some of their stuff, not crazy about the beginning years 1974 but when they hit the 80's that is when I became a die hard fan. I haven't heard any of the Clockwork music yet so I can't comment on that.

  23. #23

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    I agree with you with the Vapor Trails album, but not because of the content. The album mixing is terrible as well as with Snakes and Arrows a little. They sound a bit muddled and poorly mixed to me. As long as the songs themselves, I have to disagree hugely. They still sound like Rush. The lyrics are awesome as usual. Composition is still perfect. Not every Rush album can be like Hemispheres and Moving Pictures. Vapor Trails and Snakes and Arrows are just as different within their own time frame as was Signals, Grace Under Pressure and Power Windows were in their era. But they were still great albums in their own right. Right? Oh, and I think that Clockwork Angels not only sounds like older Rush, with high energy, bombastic drumming, shredding guitar solo's, and impossible bass lines. And is right up there as one of their best albums so far IMO. Maybe you need to sit down and listen to the whole album uninterrupted in order to maybe make a new connection.
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  24. #24

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    Rush is just like any other big band name. They have made great songs and not so good ones but then that is part of it. They can't be spewing out good music on all the albums and these guys work hard to come up with new stuff. They try to please everyone the best they can and you got to give them credit for that. I still love those guys especialy Neil.

  25. #25

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    I can't say I've been a Rush fan as long as some. I would say it goes back to around 80 or 81. I heard 2112 and I was hooked. Vapor Trails was ok imo. I thought Snakes and Arrows was a great album. Clockwork is growing on me. But one album I just can't get into is Hold your Fire. I just saw them Sunday night and after hearing Force Ten live I decided to give it another go today. Wrong. I still can't dig it. One thing I noticed the other night is that the band looked tired and a lot older than than did just two years a go on the Time Machine tour. I really think they will do a 40th Anniversary tour sometime in 2014 and hang it up. I don't look for them to announce it as a farewell tour because that's just not how they do things. Either way I will catch them every tour I can because there will be a day when I wont have that chance.
    As for the show it was ok. Being the second date on the tour the sound still had some issues. At times it just sounded like noise. The CA set, along with YYZ was performed with a string ensemble which sounded awesome. Below is a vid posted of The Pass the other night. I could safely say this is one of my favorite songs by them. BTW this was not shot by me. :D

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAL_FsAOVoE
    Dave


    Frank "Fiacovaz" Iacovazzi
    RIP my friend


    Proud member of "PHROGGES AQUARIAN ARMY"

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