Two0neOneTwo

Love it too. If there was song on this album that could gain a lot of new fans, Wreckers is the one. The Garden is a better song IMO but it would never be played on a rock station. The Wreckers has a chance. I predict that once this tune get's radio play, it will be huge. Yup, great song.

QUOTE (vital signz @ Jul 3 2012, 09:44 AM) If you listen to it carefully what you hear is: Geddy sounds clear and better than he has in ages. His bass notes are clean, the amp he is using is phenomenal. Geddy's voice is amazing on this record. Much better than VT or S&A. Neil sounds amazing. Incredible. Now comes the problem: Alex is a wall of sound. He has been this way since Hughes and Kettner became his go to amplifier. I think there is just too much distortion and thickness to his sound to mix well with the other stuff going on. Add to that that on many of the songs he has three different channels going--right center and left, with leslie speakers added in three songs, then the thinning out of the solos with high midrange mixed in, and what is there is this wall of thick sound. Just my opinion, but I think with the digital processing and the approach he is using it makes for an album that is hard to engineer. Yea I happen to agree with you here. Alex's sound throughout the entire album is really a huge contributing factor in the ear splitting/headache that ensues after a while. If we could hear a track with just Ged and Neil with Alex muted, i bet it gets much better.

Folks, Lets not forget that the mix also has a ton of weight here as well. What's an ME to do when the producer and recording engineer hand him an already Hot mix? They have been know to compress to the tracks individually before final mastering. I wouldn't blame the ME totally.

Honestly, Caress Of Steel is my fave old time Rush. Yea, love it even better than Hemi.

QUOTE (LeaveMyThingAlone @ Jun 28 2012, 08:13 PM) This thread has numerous moments. Alex is the man. No one can touch his emotional style. If I want to hear shredding, I'll put on Megadeth or some crap. Alex has never been a big shredder. I want soul from a guitar player, and no one can touch him. Plus the man is the riffmaster. The 2112 Grand Finale in Clockwork Angels and Double Agent in Caravan speaks to me. He shines on Clockwork Angels. Name me a guitar player 40 years into their career cranking it out like him Your right. Sleep well.

QUOTE (snowdogged @ Jun 28 2012, 08:04 PM) QUOTE (rushgoober @ Jun 28 2012, 07:37 PM) Vapor Trails, or VT, was obviously their tribute to the great state of Vermont. No doubt! But, you have to admit Canada's Album(As I will no longer refer to it as Clockwork Angels) is much better than Vermont's album. LMAO....yea. Canada's Album. That's the ticket eh? Coming from Windsor Ontario, I not sure I qualify as Canadian anyway. But what the hell.

QUOTE (sammy @ Jun 28 2012, 08:00 PM) QUOTE (Two0neOneTwo @ Jun 28 2012, 05:06 PM) Nice to meet you sammy! I'm 42 (already been divorced Once) and Re-married..... Welcome, stick around and have some fun! Thank you very much Sir - and the best of luck with the new chapter in your life Thanks, Yea The new one happens to like Rush (A Little) so I am truly lucky.

QUOTE (sammy @ Jun 28 2012, 07:38 PM) QUOTE (Two0neOneTwo @ Jun 28 2012, 05:06 PM) Counterparts though has some amazing Alex solos. And sonically was their last truly great production top to bottom. Animate LTTA Cold Fire Everyday Glory Cut To The Chase All are fantastic Alex Lifeson solos. Even Double Agent and Between Sun and Moon have fantastic Alex riffage and solo sections. His rhythm work on CP is also outstanding!!! I would agree that T4E and VT (no solos basically) were ho hum records guitar wise in the that particular department (solo). But Alex really killed it with his guitar work on Snakes and Arrows and again on CA. On Test For Echo he had some crazy good guitar on Totem, the title track and Driven. On VT his fret work on the title track is legendary. Also Ghost Rider has some very intricate playing. Which brings us to CA. I feel Alex went old school 80's on this album for the most part. And I love it. Hi folks, my first post on here too though I've been a lurker for a while. 43 years old, playing for longer than I can remember, have seen them a few times, and a bit of Rush nut - I even have #27 of his signed Axcess...and am yet to be divorced ! In agreement with the above I'm still going through CA, so far I see a lot of great guitar work and while I haven't really picked up my guitar to try and play any part of it so far (unlike let's say Dreamline, first time I heard the Roll the Bones CD, I HAD to learn that solo = there's so many live versions of it which are absolutely brilliant) but at the same time I'm enjoying CA as "work of talented musicians".... I can totally understand if Lifeson wants to work on stuff which sound less intricate - they're a 3 piece band after all and he's had to make Rush sound much bigger - one can't blame him for taking a looser approach having had to nail 20 different things for each song for decades Ultimately reckon that exactly like their albums there will be differences in what guitarists think is Lifeson's best moment - but I can confidently say that he's still a fantastic guitarist and musician Nice to meet you sammy! I'm 42 (already been divorced Once) and Re-married..... Welcome, stick around and have some fun!

QUOTE (CygnusX-1Bk2 @ Jun 28 2012, 07:23 PM) QUOTE (Two0neOneTwo @ Jun 28 2012, 09:56 AM) QUOTE (Todem @ Jun 28 2012, 11:46 AM) QUOTE (LeaveMyThingAlone @ Jun 28 2012, 12:40 PM) I have seen various threads that kind of criticize Alex's playing, or at least insinuate that it isn't anything special. I'm not guitar player but I don't get it. He solos more than he has in 20 years, number one. He has some classic Big Al Riffs, like Clockwork Angels, Caravan, Seven Cities, and Carnies. And he has his best solo since Cut to the Chase with The Garden. I can't speak to how technical or "hard" it is to play what he plays, but he has always been more about emotion and riffing than technically challenging stuff, and this album I think he shines I have to disagree about the Garden being his best in 20 years since Cut to the Chase. CTTC is not even a better solo than Animate or Leave That Thing Alone on the same album. But it is purely subjective of course. I like Cut to the Chase a lot. But Animate and LTTA and heck even Cold Fire are far more emotive and signature Lifeson. And I would say The Way The Wind Blows guitar work and solo section is sizzling. And the solo in the Main Monkey Business is an amazing 2001 space oddessy trip! The Garden is a solo where I thought the first measure..." here we go another epic Alex solo" but to be honest....it missed the mark overall. It feels rushed. It felt like a take and like Alex settled. He can play much better than that. Limelight Ghost of a Chance Bravado Those solo's are masterpieces and i would never hold The Garden in those solo's jock. The Garden is a decent solo, served the song....but that was it. It served what is a fantastic song. He has much better solo's on CA in Headlong Flight, The title Track and even Caravan than The Garden. But...it is subject to debate like anything. Freewill.... That's Alex. Jacobs ladder. Some amazing riffs... That's Alex. Stuff On CA? Pretty good, but mostly forgettable. WAY to many toys and effects going on. But...that is a personal preference. Freewill is great. All the solos on that album are. Freewill in particular is a composite from a handful of passes (from what I've read). Another of my personal favorites is the solo from Camera Eye. A friend of mine who was kind of a blues purist said it reminded him of fighting cats but for me it's an emotional roller coaster. His best solos are lyrical, visceral and a bunch of other *als. The thing about Alex's playing, especially his solos is the emotion. When he bends notes you feel it. David Gilmour also plays with this kind of quality. This is my biggest issue with the guitar playing on CA. There are so many "tools in his shed" and there are some great guitar textures on the album but there are degrees of detachment and randomness that is not very Alex like. I can say that about all 3 of them this time. It sounds as if there are things that they know they can do well and they are doing them when (generally speaking) previously you can hear when something is a new idea or a revelation or if they are finding out something new. It seems like for CA Alex is most concerned with texture rather than intent and emotion. It sounds like "spit balling" rather than the way they hone everything to a fine edge. This is not to say that the playing isn't good it's just when you know his/their inspired creations as well as some of us do (both as a listener AND a player) you can hear when they are less than inspired and can experience a let down. This is not a criticism as much as it is my emotional response to the material, which is the fundamental goal art: to emotionally impact an audience. Excellent post CygnusX-1Bk2. Your right about the way Alex's note bending capabilities really invoke an emotion not many guys can do. Yes, Gilmore is absolutely one of those guys. You really feel it. I agree with you about the textures as well. Its very nicely done. Only caveat I can think of is that his textures are much too up front the last few releases. In fact, I think the textural playing on CA is one of the reasons for its harshness. To me textures need to be just that. A backdrop for the main monkey business. There but not overwhelmingly so. In CA i find it much to obtrusive to the rest of what's happening. Thats not to say its his fault or playing abilities. I Blame Nick.

QUOTE (GeminiRising79 @ Jun 28 2012, 07:04 PM) QUOTE (Gedneil Alpeart @ Jun 28 2012, 01:47 PM) QUOTE (Two0neOneTwo @ Jun 28 2012, 01:12 PM) QUOTE (Gedneil Alpeart @ Jun 28 2012, 11:57 AM) QUOTE (Two0neOneTwo @ Jun 28 2012, 11:56 AM) QUOTE (Todem @ Jun 28 2012, 11:46 AM) QUOTE (LeaveMyThingAlone @ Jun 28 2012, 12:40 PM) I have seen various threads that kind of criticize Alex's playing, or at least insinuate that it isn't anything special. I'm not guitar player but I don't get it. He solos more than he has in 20 years, number one. He has some classic Big Al Riffs, like Clockwork Angels, Caravan, Seven Cities, and Carnies. And he has his best solo since Cut to the Chase with The Garden. I can't speak to how technical or "hard" it is to play what he plays, but he has always been more about emotion and riffing than technically challenging stuff, and this album I think he shines I have to disagree about the Garden being his best in 20 years since Cut to the Chase. CTTC is not even a better solo than Animate or Leave That Thing Alone on the same album. But it is purely subjective of course. I like Cut to the Chase a lot. But Animate and LTTA and heck even Cold Fire are far more emotive and signature Lifeson. And I would say The Way The Wind Blows guitar work and solo section is sizzling. And the solo in the Main Monkey Business is an amazing 2001 space oddessy trip! The Garden is a solo where I thought the first measure..." here we go another epic Alex solo" but to be honest....it missed the mark overall. It feels rushed. It felt like a take and like Alex settled. He can play much better than that. Limelight Ghost of a Chance Bravado Those solo's are masterpieces and i would never hold The Garden in those solo's jock. The Garden is a decent solo, served the song....but that was it. It served what is a fantastic song. He has much better solo's on CA in Headlong Flight, The title Track and even Caravan than The Garden. But...it is subject to debate like anything. Freewill.... That's Alex. Jacobs ladder. Some amazing riffs... That's Alex. Stuff On CA? Pretty good, but mostly forgettable. WAY to many toys and effects going on. But...that is a personal preference. I guess age is a factor? Not sure about age. Some may agree but seeing him Live certainly puts to bed any ideas of "Is he too old now". He's amazing live. I stick with too many effects. Not talking about physical skills....but different tastes....not feeling the need to be as flashy, acrobatic or inventive as when you are young, but instead, safer, more subdued and more subtle......due to.........you know.....maturity...... Maturity or out of ideas? Maybe its a bit of all the above. In that case, WOW IS STILL EVER AWESOME!

QUOTE (Everyday Glory @ Jun 28 2012, 06:43 PM) Ok, maybe this is obvious, while at work today, humming the opening to caravan, I thought "CA Clockwork Angels" - CA - Canada. Ok,, is this too thinking into the new album? EG Its really does Sound Canadian Doesn't it? Keep in mind, the album isn't CA Clockwork Angels. Its just Clockwork Angels. Hence everyones reference to it as CA. Good try though! No harm no foul. Here's a beer for effort.

QUOTE (Todem @ Jun 28 2012, 04:09 PM) QUOTE (Two0neOneTwo @ Jun 28 2012, 04:26 PM) I find a lot of similarities between the Mission Solo and The Garden. Feel wise. I admit though, the Garden Solo come through much better and is longer. This Solo Live is gonna buckle some knees me thinks. See? I don't hate.lol The first measure of the solo in The Garden is great. Then it kinds goes....and really does not hit me like a ton of bricks. I think Alex missed a great opportunity on this one. I just do. Now compared to Faithless.....that solo he knocked it out of the friggin park. Faithless is a great, passion filled classic Alex solo IMO. I think his solo in The Garden is now reaching overrated status around these parts. Not one of his 20 best....not even 30. And I could list them. Easily. And it does not hold a candle to Mission. Which although slightly shorter is so filled with passion....that solo is awe-inspiring. So I will let it rest right here. It's not an argument....just an opinion. Hey Todem, I think we have to establish "Live" or "Album" here. I agree, the Mission Live is an absolute killer of a solo because its much longer than the album and lets face it, depending on the gig, he changes it up. On HYF though, while great, its short. (Which many are complaining about CA for as well) I think album to album The Garden has a bit more substance. Live however? The Mission Kills it. (Once the Garden is performed live, we can compare notes on that as well) All that being said, they are both fantastic. So its really a win win.

QUOTE (NYM86 @ Jun 28 2012, 06:09 PM) Even ignoring the story, it's hard to call Headlong Flight a good opener with lyrics like "All the journeys on this great adventure...I wish that I could live it all again." At the risk of sounding mundane I gotta go with Caravan. I like albums to open and close with a bang, and the Caravan riff is certainly that. Interesting, For an opening I would always choose a head banging riff. Nice to see others put lyrics first.