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In the Fullness of Time: A Look Back at Clockwork Angels on its 5th Anniversary


Jag2112
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I LOVE Clockwork and to me I think it's Neil's drumming that drives it to that next level. I've described his work here as "vibrant"...it's his most powerful full album effort since I don't know when. Maybe HYF.

 

On the albums I generally dislike, Presto & RTB, Peart is playing it safe and and at a point almost became unwilling to really fill up space. Not on Clockwork.

 

I think Ged's playing is great, making superb note choices and his singing is very good. Al is Al and if I had any complaint about latter day Rush (since VT I think...maybe earlier) it is Alex's lack of signature solos but his efforts here are great I think.

 

I think it's top 5 Rush album for me. An amazing piece of work at their stage of the game...or any stage really.

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I LOVE Clockwork and to me I think it's Neil's drumming that drives it to that next level. I've described his work here as "vibrant"...it's his most powerful full album effort since I don't know when. Maybe HYF.

 

On the albums I generally dislike, Presto & RTB, Peart is playing it safe and and at a point almost became unwilling to really fill up space. Not on Clockwork.

 

I think Ged's playing is great, making superb note choices and his singing is very good. Al is Al and if I had any complaint about latter day Rush (since VT I think...maybe earlier) it is Alex's lack of signature solos but his efforts here are great I think.

 

I think it's top 5 Rush album for me. An amazing piece of work at their stage of the game...or any stage really.

 

 

Alex’s solo’s on the title track, Headlong Flight and The Garden (which took a while to grow on me the solo that is) are classic Alex IMO. On Counterparts which is 2 albums before VT (which has nothing memorable at all it terms of guitar solos and a complete lack of them) he had some incredible solos. Leave That Thing Along, CTTC, Cold Fire, Alien Shore etc.

 

Nice post though on the album. And yeah Neil’s drum work on it was really sharp. Best drum work since Counterparts for me.

Edited by Todem
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It's like packing 10 pounds of music into a 5 pound bag. It's an okay album, plenty to enjoy, plenty to not. Each of us probably enjoys different groups of songs which is pretty impressive when you think about it. Rush's legacy is not tarnished by Clockwork Angels, not at all.

 

Exactly how I feel. They've always been true to the music and don't have any albums that are embarrassing to their legacy.

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When it came out, I loved it from the first listen.

 

Funny thing is, I've tended to do that with every new Rush album that I've ever bought with my own money (Moving Pictures, when I was 12). Heh.

 

As time and albums have gone by, I realized that the best measure for me is how long I keep listening to it.

 

Five years on, I still listen to CA material on a regular basis in the personal rotation, something I haven't done with a Rush album in quite some time after the newness had worn off.

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It's like packing 10 pounds of music into a 5 pound bag. It's an okay album, plenty to enjoy, plenty to not. Each of us probably enjoys different groups of songs which is pretty impressive when you think about it. Rush's legacy is not tarnished by Clockwork Angels, not at all.

 

Exactly how I feel. They've always been true to the music and don't have any albums that are embarrassing to their legacy.

 

Not even the sound on Rush In Rio? :laughing guy:

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It's like packing 10 pounds of music into a 5 pound bag. It's an okay album, plenty to enjoy, plenty to not. Each of us probably enjoys different groups of songs which is pretty impressive when you think about it. Rush's legacy is not tarnished by Clockwork Angels, not at all.

 

Exactly how I feel. They've always been true to the music and don't have any albums that are embarrassing to their legacy.

 

Not even the sound on Rush In Rio? :laughing guy:

 

 

Welll..... :) I know Rio sounds like a mess, but man, what a performance!!! :)

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It's waaaay up there for me. Not as high as their peak (1980-87) but damn close. Definitely in my Top 10.

 

 

 

That said ... MAN I wish they'd laid off the F*****n compression and limiting. The record could sound SO much better.

 

that was always my biggest gripe. opinions about the music aside. it sounds like CRAP. Utter crap.

 

i can't fathom how it passed inspection.

 

Mick

 

which is why I've been saying for a number of years around here that I don't want Nick R and his fanboy attitude anywhere near Rush and a recording console ever again. Not only did he never seem to tell them that a particular song wasn't very good but his mixes suck.

Edited by jnoble
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I appreciate Rush being willing and able to go back to old school prog rock epic before they packed it in.

 

But....

 

I would like Clockwork much better if it was three or four songs shorter, recorded and mixed better, the songs were shorter (no reason the title track had to be 7 minutes long) and (gasp!) someone else was singing it. Geddy's voice just doesn't do it for me anymore, especially on the heavier songs. That and he can't seem to sing a melody or hook with a map and a flashlight anymore.

 

But I love the time and effort they put into it. I still can't listen to it because, as I mentioned above, it's too dense, too loud, too compressed, songs drag on too long, and there's no hooks or melodys to stick in your head after listening.

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Top 5 for me with Spheres, Waves, Pictures, Windows.

 

Top tracks for me...

Caravan, BU2B, Angels, Anarchist, Seven Cities, Wreckers, Headlong Flight, Garden. 8 classics.

 

Great energy on this tour as well, brilliant, love it.

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I appreciate Rush being willing and able to go back to old school prog rock epic before they packed it in.

 

But....

 

I would like Clockwork much better if it was three or four songs shorter, recorded and mixed better, the songs were shorter (no reason the title track had to be 7 minutes long) and (gasp!) someone else was singing it. Geddy's voice just doesn't do it for me anymore, especially on the heavier songs. That and he can't seem to sing a melody or hook with a map and a flashlight anymore.

 

But I love the time and effort they put into it. I still can't listen to it because, as I mentioned above, it's too dense, too loud, too compressed, songs drag on too long, and there's no hooks or melodys to stick in your head after listening.

 

Very much my feeling about the album as well. They really have had trouble with melodies and cohesiveness in their songs since Vapor Trails. I always assumed it was because they were writing and rehearsing songs separately as well as doing things digitally and just patching things together. But it's a shame.

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I've said many things about this album that make it sound like I hate it.

 

But to be truthfully honest it's actually very good.

 

Caravan

BU2B

Clockwork Angels

The Wreckers

Seven Cities Of Gold

Headlong Flight

Wish Them Well

The Garden

 

Yeah I really like or love these songs.

 

 

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That's the other thing. it just goes on and on and on and on........AND on. the album just drone. and with the production. at times it physically hurt. back when i first listened to it i found myself going SHUT UP!!!!!!!

 

lol ya know?

 

Mick

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That's the other thing. it just goes on and on and on and on........AND on. the album just drone. and with the production. at times it physically hurt. back when i first listened to it i found myself going SHUT UP!!!!!!!

 

lol ya know?

 

Mick

 

All those songs I listed individually I enjoy.

 

As a whole it's a dirge...sane argument I have for SA but that album has vastly superior production and I love the folkier moments.

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I think it’s a fitting sendoff. They went out on the highest note possible, in my book. I still think that CA can go up against any other album in their catalog.
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It's waaaay up there for me. Not as high as their peak (1980-87) but damn close. Definitely in my Top 10.

 

 

 

That said ... MAN I wish they'd laid off the F*****n compression and limiting. The record could sound SO much better.

In their defense, it's not Rush's fault. The war is over, albums will be loud and overly compressed until the end of time.
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I think it’s a fitting sendoff. They went out on the highest note possible, in my book. I still think that CA can go up against any other album in their catalog.

 

:goodone:

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It's waaaay up there for me. Not as high as their peak (1980-87) but damn close. Definitely in my Top 10.

 

 

 

That said ... MAN I wish they'd laid off the F*****n compression and limiting. The record could sound SO much better.

In their defense, it's not Rush's fault. The war is over, albums will be loud and overly compressed until the end of time.

 

I enjoy blaming fanboy Nick R for everything.

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That's the other thing. it just goes on and on and on and on........AND on. the album just drone. and with the production. at times it physically hurt. back when i first listened to it i found myself going SHUT UP!!!!!!!

 

lol ya know?

 

Mick

 

I read these threads about the Snakes or Clockwork albums, many here talking them up and praising them. So sometimes I give it another go and take one of those two albums out and give them another try, maybe this time will be different.

Nope, never is. I can't even get past the title song because like you just said...it..just...drags on and ON and ON and ON.

And then skip to the next track. Where the same thing happens. And so on and so forth.

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That's the other thing. it just goes on and on and on and on........AND on. the album just drone. and with the production. at times it physically hurt. back when i first listened to it i found myself going SHUT UP!!!!!!!

 

lol ya know?

 

Mick

 

I read these threads about the Snakes or Clockwork albums, many here talking them up and praising them. So sometimes I give it another go and take one of those two albums out and give them another try, maybe this time will be different.

Nope, never is. I can't even get past the title song because like you just said...it..just...drags on and ON and ON and ON.

And then skip to the next track. Where the same thing happens. And so on and so forth.

 

Hmmm...I don't think I'm listening to the same album that you cats are. The one I listen to is endlessly rocking, and fantastic.

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I appreciate Rush being willing and able to go back to old school prog rock epic before they packed it in.

 

But....

 

I would like Clockwork much better if it was three or four songs shorter, recorded and mixed better, the songs were shorter (no reason the title track had to be 7 minutes long) and (gasp!) someone else was singing it. Geddy's voice just doesn't do it for me anymore, especially on the heavier songs. That and he can't seem to sing a melody or hook with a map and a flashlight anymore.

 

But I love the time and effort they put into it. I still can't listen to it because, as I mentioned above, it's too dense, too loud, too compressed, songs drag on too long, and there's no hooks or melodys to stick in your head after listening.

 

Very much my feeling about the album as well. They really have had trouble with melodies and cohesiveness in their songs since Vapor Trails. I always assumed it was because they were writing and rehearsing songs separately as well as doing things digitally and just patching things together. But it's a shame.

 

I know. It's like they have a collection of riffs and parts laying around and just randomly put them together with scotch tape and then spray the vocals on top like frosting weather or not they fit the flow or meter. And if not, just shoehorn and crowbar the words in anyway. :eyeroll:

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I fully agree with the critique that some of the songs are unnecessarily long. IMO, Headlong Flight is the worst offender. For about the first 5 and 1/2 minutes, it is a GREAT song. It should end there, but it doesn't and becomes repetitive to the point of fatigue (largely due also to the brickwalled sound).

 

It's a pet peeve of mine in general when artists needlessly stretch songs out by just repeating verses and choruses. Steve Harris became the king of that and it's partly why I just can't get into the latter half of Maiden's catalogue. I feel like if you only have so much material for a song, it has greater impact if you make your point and then get out. Kinda akin to movies that don't drag because the editor stayed focused on keeping the story tight.

 

A 20-minute track like 2112 doesn't bother me if it has enough substance and varied pieces to justify the length. A few tracks on CA just don't though, and it's partly why I can't connect more with the album.

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I fully agree with the critique that some of the songs are unnecessarily long. IMO, Headlong Flight is the worst offender. For about the first 5 and 1/2 minutes, it is a GREAT song. It should end there, but it doesn't and becomes repetitive to the point of fatigue (largely due also to the brickwalled sound).

 

It's a pet peeve of mine in general when artists needlessly stretch songs out by just repeating verses and choruses. Steve Harris became the king of that and it's partly why I just can't get into the latter half of Maiden's catalogue. I feel like if you only have so much material for a song, it has greater impact if you make your point and then get out. Kinda akin to movies that don't drag because the editor stayed focused on keeping the story tight.

 

A 20-minute track like 2112 doesn't bother me if it has enough substance and varied pieces to justify the length. A few tracks on CA just don't though, and it's partly why I can't connect more with the album.

 

Personally, I think Seven Cities of Gold, The Wreckers, and Headlong Flight would make a nice three-part suite.

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Can't even remember most of of it, and I would struggle to tell you the names of the tracks while they were playing...that says it all really.
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