GUP1771

As of right now, these three albums are in my top 3. 1. Power Windows 2. Grace Under Pressure 3. Clockwork Angels CA will definitely remain in my top 5 no matter what, but whether it will go up or down remains to be seen. So to answer the question, no it isn't. We'll see where it is a year from now.

It's a shame I didn't have the funds at the time to get the fan pack. It would have been nice to read all of those interviews!

QUOTE (subdivisor @ Jun 26 2012, 07:25 AM) CA songs that will NOT be played live this tour: The Garden BU2B2 Halo Efect SCOG... I think a major reason they are bringing strings out on the tour is because they want to play The Garden live...I think that's gonna be a definite. Honestly, I think the only songs they won't play will be BU2B2 and Wish Them Well. I say Wish Them Well because Neil doesn't like that song and we've heard that they had trouble with that particular song. Don't get me wrong, it's a decent song, but I bet they'd want to play other stuff live before it. Without a doubt, they'll definitely be playing: - Caravan - BU2B - Clockwork Angels - The Anarchist - The Wreckers - Headlong Flight - The Garden

Amongst the classic bands, Geddy is one of the easiest vocalists to understand what he is saying. It might be different for other people, but I was always able to hear what he is saying after a few times listening. I'm not having much of a problem with Clockwork Angels.

Hmm... Rush: only enjoy Working Man FBN: only enjoy title track and Bytor CoS: can't listen to anything on the album VT: very good songs, however held back by production, mixing, etc., so it's unlistenable SnA: Far Cry, Workin' Them Angels, The Main Monkey Business I really enjoy. Few others I'm working on CA: I love the entire album and it's in my top 5. (#3 currently, but time will tell where it ends up, but will be in my top 5 regardless.) Easy choice for me. CA pretty much carries the Modern era, while CoS hampers the early years. Also, I've always thought of the first 3 as being a period of the band "finding their sound", which was established at 2112. So because of this, that also holds back the first 3. Definitely the last 3.

QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ Jun 21 2012, 03:42 PM) If you ignore the poll and pick ANY 3 in a row it would be (easily IMO): BU2B Clockwork Angels The Anarchist ...arguably my 3 favorites regardless of order anyhow. This! The Anarchist and Clockwork Angels are in my top 4 on the record, while BU2B isn't currently purely because I'm still going crazy over the new material (even though BU2B had a face lift.) BU2B will probably move back up in my top 4 after time.

I believe iTunes corrected this problem the following day of release. My CD doesn't have a problem.

Headlong Flight single continues to move up and is now at #6 on the Mainstream Rock chart. http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=255612

80s Rush. Besides Clockwork Angels, all of my top 5 is from the 80s. It was an amazing period for them!

Headlong Flight now at #7 on Mainstream Rock charts! Up from #10 last week! http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=255612

QUOTE (Karena @ Jun 18 2012, 10:07 AM) QUOTE (Ghostnotes @ Jun 18 2012, 12:10 AM)You got to figure that they have family and friends who have stood by them for MOST of their lives, to some extent waiting for them to retire by now I'm sure. If this happened to be their last, then i say it's a terrific ending and put quite simply... Thank You. Now, why on earth would people who love you want you to stop doing something that means a lot to you? That is just mean and it's not like they are pumping out albums and touring constantly so they have plenty of time off. Cliche, but they say the biggest killer of older people is retirement. The Garden is depressing as is all of CA. It's good but still negative as was S&A. How is The Garden depressing?

Neil's playing feels so fluid and warm, which is something that he was trying to achieve differently in his drumming compared to his past. Sure, he's made a variety of drum parts that kick ass, (although he has moments of that on CA a bit for sure) he really serves the songs in a way that allow such nice transitions and again, fluidity. I'm no drummer, but I'm sure that's not as easy to do as it sounds. Neil is always trying to find ways to expand and improve himself as a drummer, and I admire that of him.

Nope, he's had so many excellent solo's over almost 40 years that even though it's a great one, it can't overcome everything that has come before it. With that said, it's probably one of the best solos he's done since Counterparts. I personally think the solos from Clockwork Angels and The Anarchist are more "cooler" than The Garden (although The Garden definitely has the most emotion), so they are my favorites above The Garden, but this view may change over time. I know that may break from the majority opinion here on this forum. (The Anarchist's solo reminds me of the 80s, which was my favorite Alex soloing era, so that was a bonus to that song.)

QUOTE (DistantEarlyRushFan @ Jun 17 2012, 10:18 PM) I like it, but in the end it sounds like it suffers from "sounds-like-snakes-and-arrows syndrome" that's why it is in the bottom half of songs on CA for me It definitely has a heavy Snakes feel (i.e. acoustic guitars and the use of the mandolin) to it compared to the other songs on Clockwork Angels, but I feel it's more tight and well written. It's a good example of what some of the SnA songs could have been, in my humble opinion. (I definitely hear a Test for Echo influence on the song too. It's like SnA meets T4E, and then enhanced from what was made on those two records.) I like the song, but there are so many great songs on this album, that is unfortunately is on the bottom of my list. Still a good song though! Love the mandolin solo!

It's kind of unfair for me to list the top 3 since there are so many excellent songs on here. It's the most consistent album for me since Power Windows (although Territories is merely listenable, and not enjoyable) or maybe as far back to Hemispheres. That's saying a lot right there. I have to add one more and do a top 4 since all 4 of these constantly change places with one another, but none ever fall below the 4th spot: In no specific order: - The Anarchist - Clockwork Angels - The Garden - The Wreckers

QUOTE (Dscrapre @ Jun 15 2012, 10:42 PM)Damn guys? Why the hell does it matter? Adele is a great natural talent who put in the work, ignored the naysayers, and achieved fantastic success. You can't deny that. If you don't like her music, that's a different thing altogether, but it seems like some of you are lumping her in with the talentless whores like Katy Perry, which is just wrong. As for whether Rush "deserves" more sales? They don't "deserve" anything. They worked hard to be where they are and they're all damn proud of what they accomplished. So what if they never got #1 albums, or chart topping singles with huge crossover success? They did what they wanted to do, without compromise, no matter what was popular at the time and we wouldn't want it any other way. Well said! I can't understand how people can be so senseless and bash Adele. I have the utter most respect for her and if any contemporary artist/band is going to sell that many records today, I'd want it to be her. The first time I heard that woman sing, I actually felt a sense of hope for the future in the pop world. She truly is a gifted artist. I love Clockwork Angels more than anything Adele has done, and while it would be great for Rush to sell many more albums, they're achieving quite a feat for a 40+ year old band releasing a new album with that many projected sales in this music environment. It's not really a big deal. The music is great and that's all that matters.

More on the single, 'Headlong Flight', looks like it's cracked the top 10 of Mainstream Rock chart at #9! http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=255612

QUOTE (ThinkingBig @ Jun 14 2012, 09:03 PM)QUOTE (Jmo2112 @ Jun 14 2012, 07:15 PM) I have been a hardcore Rush fan since 1983 when at age 13 I was blown away upon hearing Tom Sawyer while at summer camp. I was fortunate enough to get to see Rush at Radio City Music Hall that year when Rush was previewing songs that would end up on the Grace Under Pressure album. I remained a rabid fan up to and including Counterparts (even though I felt queasy about Presto along the way). Test for Echo is where the band lost me. Vapor Trails didn't win me back either, but Snakes and Arrows came along and yanked me back onto the train. For the most part. And now we have Clockwork Angels which is growing on me literally by the minute (have Headlong Flight in the headphones as I type this). But a few things nag at me from the recesses of my subconscious. What's keeping me from fully loving the recent output and feeling that deeper connection with my favorite band ever? I believe it boils down to the following points: 1. Rush are no longer giving me a *Rush*. In other words the chills I used to get upon hearing a new song/album aren't there. Not a one. I love the music, admire the musicianship and respect the songwriting but something is still missing. I attribute this in part to the fact that (as Neil admitted in his recent Rolling Stone interview) the boys are making music for different reasons these days. They need to make albums without necessarily wanting to so much. To my mind these leads into issue #2 2. Lack of experimentation. Not to be confused with lack of progressiveness. The boys still kill it with odd time signatures and concepts but where's the experimentation? Whether it be Neil's fills, Alex's solos or Geddy's vocals I'm not hearing the boundary pushing. Maybe this is connected to point #3... 3. KEYBOARDS! Where are they and will they ever make a comeback??? From 2112-Counterparts keyboards played a *crucial* role in defining Rush's sound. That leaves Rush-COS and Test For Echo-Clockwork Angels keyboard-less. Their catalog is kind of like meat lined with fat in this respect. 4. Production: call me a curmudgeon but I miss Terry Brown. Henderson did a bang up job on GUP but outside of that I can't say that I've heard a non-Broon produced Rush album that comes close to Permanent Waves. If anything the production value has deteriorated into a digital mess that peaked with Vapor Trails but is still present on the later albums. Alex's solos, Neil's snare drum and even Geddy's bass tone have all suffered as a result. Being back Geddy's Rick, Alex's Gibson hollow bodies and give Neil some analog love! That's my assessment. Many will disagree but let me end on an up note. Rush on a bad day (or album) are still better then the vast majority of bands in the galaxy. I wouldn't nit pick or take the time to write this if I didn't care. I have loved these guys for close to 30 years and will always love them. I just hope that they will produce one more album to 2" tape using keyboards with Terry Brown at the board! Wishful thinking, I know. But this is a band that inspires hope in many interesting ways! Peace. Jeremy IMO You're not a RUSH fan. You were a RUSH fan, but no longer. IMO I dunno if that was sarcastic or not, but if it wasn't, I'll say that's a bit unfair for you to determine if he's a fan or not now. He's not trollin' and he presented his arguments in an intelligent manner explaining why he feels how he feels. Like someone else said, he didn't become negative and trash people. He was very sincere and appropriate in his response. He can still have disappointments or criticism while still being a fan in the here and now. As to the OP, I respect your opinions, but I have to disagree. I had many goosebump factors from this album than I have since probably Counterparts. I love keyboards in Rush's music and my favorite era is probably the synth era, but I felt they achieved a good balance and represented music around them now. I'm just glad they have synths back in their music and they also have strings, which just sweetened the pot. Hopefully your perspective might change as you hear Clockwork Angels more, OP! Also, thanks for the intelligent response. I really appreciated reading it since we've had a crazy past few days with people calling each other trolls and fanbois.

QUOTE (lifeson90 @ Jun 14 2012, 12:47 PM) QUOTE (GUP1771 @ Jun 14 2012, 12:40 PM) "What do you lack?" It's asked by the Pedlar, who is actually the Watchmaker in disguise. is he? oh, i didnt know that, thanks Yup, a tidbit thrown out by Neil in an interview on the radio last night, I believe.

"What do you lack?" It's asked by the Pedlar, who is actually the Watchmaker in disguise.

QUOTE (ReRushed @ Jun 13 2012, 08:24 PM) It sounds fine to these ears. But, I'll listen to music on a transistor radio and still enjoy it. Pretty much sums me up as well!

I'm still listening to the crappy mp3 files while waiting for my CD to come in (long story), but I can hear each instrument, effects, etc. fine. I see no problems. Could it be better? Sure, anything in life can be improved, but I'm happy I have a new Rush album. If it meant having the quality of the mp3 files on the CD, I wouldn't care because I have new, kick ass Rush material. I suppose I don't have high standards for the sound of music. I'm easy to please. Also, I know they were going with a raw, live feel of this album, so I wonder if that is having an impact in what we're hearing?

QUOTE (third hand grace @ Jun 12 2012, 09:44 PM)For people who struggle with hearing "sound quality" maybe this will help them? I'm assuming you have seen HIGH DEF tv, and remember what tv used to look like ? Well, our ears can HEAR what your eyes SEE. OR... have you ever seen a well done 3D movie and you can see the DEPTH, etc. thats our ears. Just trying to help those who honestly don't understand WHY sound quality matters to us.... thanks I understand that and respect that wholeheartedly. My only complaint has been that people seem to exaggerate the situation. Continuing with your analogy, it's like people are making this album out to be like it's watching tv in black and white or watching tv with poor reception. The words "dreadful" and other words used in this thread are not light words. I think both sides of the spectrum just need to take a step back and relax a bit because both are getting too riled up. Thanks for the explanation!