tks95747 Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 (edited) I consider myself to be an old-school Rush fanatic, that is, I absolutely love their first 8 albums...Excellent material. (I am sure there are some of you that will consider an "old-school" love of their music to encompass, perhaps, less or more than their first 8 albums). In any event, I consider the next grouping of albums through CP to be great material (with the exception of Presto/RTB... just good material). After CP, it my personal opinion that Test4Music is passable at best and that VT and S&A are detritus (except for maybe one or two songs between the two of them). My real point is that when I first heard CA, I lumped it in with VT and S&A. I know that prior to first hearing it, I had pre-judged the album. Subsequently, I forced myself to listen to CA again and again with no more than a tepid reaction. However, after a few recent spins of CA, I have come to believe that it is a super album. I think my epiphany stems from the fact that I had a closed mind going in to each listen of the album. For what it's worth, I now love CA and consider it to be one of their great works, although I still cannot stomach T4Music (except for Virtuality) and I run from VT or S&A. What was your first reaction to CA? Edited January 11, 2019 by tks95747 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Segue Myles Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 I loved Clockwork Angels instantly. So much so, it made me want to explore their entire catalogue. It was my fourth Rush album (after Moving Pictures, 2112 and Permanent Waves in that order). I subsequently started to collect then all. Sad thing is, with each new purchase, starting initially with completing the run from the debut through Signals, CA sounded less and less impressive. Even now I enjoy CA, but it doesn't come close to their finest works. The best moments tend to remind me of better moments. I enjoy the album, but I think Snakes And Arrows SOUNDS more beautiful and Vapor Trails packs a mightier emotional punch. I give CA 7/10. On a good day, it can sound like the finest record ever. But its rare I enjoy it that much. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadianice Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 I loved the album from day 1. As i have said many times, it is a MASTERPIECE. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluefox4000 Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 This is an album from day 1 while everyone was frothing......i was like......WAIT A SECOND!!!!! i disliked it with a passion than....not too hot on it now. the thing. individually. i can actually enjoy songs. but as an albm? they ALL run together in a seemingly uneding wall of noise. and when i say unending the album feels like longer than the director's cuts of Lord of the Rings......it just doesn't seem to end, lol and the Production......while the less i say the more strokes i'll avoid. 5/10 but that's me being totally generous, lol Songs i like. on their own CaravanClockwork AngelsThe AnarchistThe WreckersHeadlong Flight Mick 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tks95747 Posted January 11, 2019 Author Share Posted January 11, 2019 This is an album from day 1 while everyone was frothing......i was like......WAIT A SECOND!!!!! i disliked it with a passion than....not too hot on it now. the thing. individually. i can actually enjoy songs. but as an albm? they ALL run together in a seemingly uneding wall of noise. and when i say unending the album feels like longer than the director's cuts of Lord of the Rings......it just doesn't seem to end, lol and the Production......while the less i say the more strokes i'll avoid. 5/10 but that's me being totally generous, lol Songs i like. on their own CaravanClockwork AngelsThe AnarchistThe WreckersHeadlong Flight Mick"...feels like longer than the director's cuts of Lord of the Rings".... LMAO... That's funny as hell :laughing guy: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil1972 Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 (edited) Solid late career album. 7/10. Same for VT. Both are really good. As pointed out they cannot touch their pre-Atlantic years (1974-1988). But still worth the time. As for SnA... Well, it has a nice production quality to it... Edited January 11, 2019 by Wil1972 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entre_Perpetuo Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 Loved it from day one. Not quite on par with most of the Terry Brown stuff, but better than everything else. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tks95747 Posted January 11, 2019 Author Share Posted January 11, 2019 Solid late career album. 7/10. Same for VT. Both are really good. As pointed out they cannot touch their pre-Atlantic years (1974-1988). But still worth the time. As for SnA... Well, it has a nice production quality to it..."Well, it has a nice production quality to it..." ~ LOLOL... If I were forced to come up with something nice to say about S&A.... Ok... Gimme a sec... Ok... Ummm... Uhhh.... Alright.... ummm... Ok... I'll get back to you on that one ;) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. JD Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 I have anticipated and throughly enjoyed, every single release since Fly By Night. I can honestly say that I played every release multiple times when they came out. Many times the people around me got tired of hearing it. Clockwork Angels included. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Segue Myles Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 Loved it from day one. Not quite on par with most of the Terry Brown stuff, but better than everything else. This album doesn't come close to Grace Under Pressure, or anything from HYF to Counterparts, VT and arguably SA. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tks95747 Posted January 11, 2019 Author Share Posted January 11, 2019 I have anticipated and throughly enjoyed, every single release since Fly By Night. I can honestly say that I played every release multiple times when they came out. Many times the people around me got tired of hearing it. Clockwork Angels included.Rather odd that you exclude the debut? Purposely or oversight? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planet X-1 Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 I think CA is a fine album, concept wise, but the production brings the rating down. Neil's drums, especially the toms, sound like they were recorded underwater, in a pineapple. As mentioned the wall-of-sound brings on ear fatigue rather quickly, I don't think I managed to listen through it one sitting. ...I miss old school albums/ tapes where you got a chance to flip it over, essentially an 'ear break' (ok, beer break). Oh, BU2B2 is a complete miss...it probably sounded like a good idea on paper or in pre-production... 7.5/10 Pros: another Rush album to bitch about Cons: the last Rush album to bitch about 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tks95747 Posted January 11, 2019 Author Share Posted January 11, 2019 I think CA is a fine album, concept wise, but the production brings the rating down. Neil's drums, especially the toms, sound like they were recorded underwater, in a pineapple. As mentioned the wall-of-sound brings on ear fatigue rather quickly, I don't think I managed to listen through it one sitting. ...I miss old school albums/ tapes where you got a chance to flip it over, essentially an 'ear break' (ok, beer break). Oh, BU2B2 is a complete miss...it probably sounded like a good idea on paper or in pre-production... 7.5/10 Pros: another Rush album to bitch about Cons: the last Rush album to bitch about"BU2B2 is a complete miss..." Couldn't agree more. I just don't get it... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apetersvt Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 I have anticipated and throughly enjoyed, every single release since Fly By Night. I can honestly say that I played every release multiple times when they came out. Many times the people around me got tired of hearing it. Clockwork Angels included.Rather odd that you exclude the debut? Purposely or oversight? JD was a fan way back when when the first album was out. Therefore, he has anticipated the release of every subsequent album. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apetersvt Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 I too identify as old school fan. My favorite 8 albums are the first 8 albums. I was, however, really impressed with CA and have loved it ever since first listen. I might even put it my top 8 and bump the debut to the 9 spot. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thizzellewashington Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 I think Clockwork Angels and Vapor Trails are in a different tier from the rest of their post-80s work. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnoble Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 I still have never and will never be able to listen to CA start to finish. Its a tedious chore. To be fair I've felt the same way with VT and Snooze & Snoreows All three of the last studio albums could've easily had two or more weaker songs left off without affecting anything 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entre_Perpetuo Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 Loved it from day one. Not quite on par with most of the Terry Brown stuff, but better than everything else. This album doesn't come close to Grace Under Pressure, or anything from HYF to Counterparts, VT and arguably SA. GuP, HYF, Presto, and VT are all good, but a step below CA. PoW comes close, but doesn’t quite match its highs. RTB and CP just aren’t very good by Rush’s standards, especially RTB. Sounds like Huey Lewis And The News without any gusto. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tangy Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 I think Clockwork Angels and Vapor Trails are in a different tier from the rest of their post-80s work. I agree. For me its hard to describe but they are more emotional? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HemiBeers Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 It's a good album, conditionally. By conditionally, I mean that it's a solid, adventurous effort for their age and declining abilities. A SnA version 2.0 would have been a real disappointment. Hanging it up after Testicles For Echo, because of Neil's situation, would have been a travesty. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thizzellewashington Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 I think Clockwork Angels and Vapor Trails are in a different tier from the rest of their post-80s work. I agree. For me its hard to describe but they are more emotional?Vapor Trails certainly is. That one falls off somewhat by the end (after "Sweet Miracle") but the first nine songs are all so good and so unlike anything else they had ever done, sound-wise, that it's way up there for me. Clockwork is just phenomenal from a songwriting and sequencing standpoint. The rest of the post-HYF stuff is really uneven to me. Presto and Roll the Bones sound dated and thin and only some of the songs are at the level of their best stuff. Counterparts is musically one of the best albums they ever made, but it's also the worst lyrics Neil has ever written. Test for Echo has a great sound but the songs aren't there. "Driven" and "Resist" are the only songs that are up their with their best. Snakes, a lot of the songs individually are really good, some even great, but they're all midtempo and so it's hard to listen to from start to finish. Not enough variety. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyBlaze Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 Here are the only songs I actually like from their 21st century albums... Vapor Trails1) OLV2) Ceiling Unlimited3) Ghost Rider4) Peaceable Kingdom5) Vapor Trail6) Secret Touch7) Earthshine - There aren’t any songs on VT that I dislike but the others are just okay or forgettable. Snakes & Arrows1) The Main Monkey Business2) The Way The Wind Blows3) Hope 4) Malignant Narcissism - Some forgettable fluff here + a couple of just “okay” level tunes + a trio of songs I dislike. Clockwork Angels 1) Caravan2) BU2B3) CA4) The Anarchist5) Carnies6) Headlong Flight - the rest: one tune that I dislike while the others are just okay or forgettable 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ytserush Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 Masterpiece. But then I had the same reaction when Vapor Trails and Snakes and Arrows came out too. Those three are among the best they've ever recorded. Test For Echo is probably slightly below that. Didn't totally love it right away, but like Hold Your Fire and Presto it was a slow burner. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormtron Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 I love the first five songs and Headlong Flight. The rest is just aight, but nothing I dislike besides the production. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theredtamasrule Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 I think CA is one of Rush’s best albums. Period. The playing from the Boys at Work is inspired, especially Neil & Ged. Some of Ged’s note choices are hair-raisingly perfect and this is some of Peart’s most vibrant & busy drumming since MP. Is the production great? No. Rush hasn’t had a great sounding album since MP...IMO. Too many instruments, too many layers...too much “stuff”. That being said I think it’s a very inspired work. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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