Expectations for Clockwork Angels

[Between The Beers]

[Scars]

I voted, then read the thread, then forgot what I voted ...if I'm correct it was a 3. I don't particularly care for either Caravan or BU2B (are they "rockin'"? Sure. Are they memorable? Not really, but that's a whole different thread). I'm not too ecstatic about the possibility of an "epic" because I was never a huge fan of epics in the first place (aside from Xanadu and Natural Science). I worry that it's just going to be the musical quality of the past 2 albums just lasting way too long (but of course I hope to be proven wrong, it should be interesting to see how they interpret an epic in these times).

 

All that along with the fact that between VT and S&A I think I truly like about 4 songs I'm not keeping my expectations high. I'm not anticipating any sort of departure from S&A (for the better at least) since Caravan and BU2B sound like they were leftovers from S&A.

 

[laughedatbytime]

I haven't been all that excited about any of the releases since GUP, but I love BU2B musically (though I wish the lyrical content was more than a rehash of a lot of the more recent themes), and am impressed with Caravan as well. Based on those songs and the enthusiasm of what I've been hearing from the band, I'm really looking forward to CA. Disappointment is a possibility to be sure but I'm really optimistic about it.

 

And an epic would be epic! Sorry...:

[ReflectedLight]

i'm done getting my hopes up. now i just sit back and wait for it to hit youtube.

[thelocator]

I said 8. and voted...then, saw the results and thought that I maybe should have gone a little higher, maybe with a 9. based on the strength of the two early releases...But, really, think about how faulty this type o' reasoning is, and how much it's been proved wrong in your own past experiences...These two tracks could potentially be the only two good tracks on the whole dang thing...Not likely, but possible...I remember examples of this 'premature approximation' from the past...getting really jazzed, only to get jizzed later.

 

 

[ReflectedLight]

i predict neil will give thanks to richard dawkins in the credits. dawkins will call neil up and invite him to dinner and it will be the start of a long lasting friendship.

[fledgehog]

it's impossible to rate an album before hearing at the way through. based on Caravan and BU2B, i'd say the album will have at least two decent songs on it.

[*Limelight*]

QUOTE (losingit2k @ Sep 4 2010, 10:11 AM)

QUOTE (*Limelight* @ Sep 3 2010, 07:36 PM) QUOTE (WCFIELDS @ Sep 3 2010, 05:33 PM) QUOTE (*Limelight* @ Sep 1 2010, 01:17 AM) 2. BU2B and Caravan were let downs for me. same here.....I initially liked them both, but they wore off really quick. I listened to them again recently, and honestly I'm not really diggin' either one too much. Just not the same eh? Glad someone agrees. Well each to their own oppinions! Personally I can't believe that any Rush fan would actually find these two songs to be downers! They both rock hard, they are progressive, and the both have incredible composition, musicianship and overall sound!   You guys just need to have your head examined! Really!   To each their own.   But even the best of bands have the most dedicated fans play down some songs, it's just human nature. Look around the bored and see people hating on albums and tracks, this is no different

[thelocator]

I think that based on the unbelievable strength of the first two tracks, along with some word of a potential Epic-Length piece included in the set, we just might be looking foward to something of similar strength and epicosity as Permanent Waves...I'm trying to be as optimistic as one can possibly be here, after loving what was just previously delivered to us in that last installment...equating Snakes and Arrows to a similar sound and quality found with the 'Signals' material...The band, I believe, are still on an upward trajectory, with S&A being stronger than VT, which in turn was stronger than TFE...Maybe we're working backwards here, man. Moving more and more back towards the 70's Prog Years with each step forward in time...which, of course, would just be an A-OK move with me, friends.

 

And, I don't understand getting bummed at all over the lyrics to BU2B...especially if ya happen to be a longtime Rush fan...Ya'll should be used to all the philosophical leanings by now...I want to know what the letters and numerals stand for here...HAS ANYONE in the band alluded to anything at all yet?...Is it another OU812 message?...I'm still figurin' that none of the members of this notable Torontonian Trio have since witnessed or spoken of any new information leading to a change in their long-held stance on those existing 'creator-god' scenarios...But, like most of us here on Planet Earth, they too grew up, were 'brought up' in households where a belief in certain divine matters were demanded from the kids, but never explained to the kids...

 

AND, during these formative years when most kids' favourite word is usually 'WHY?', no one appeared to be allowed to question' the validity' of what it is that they were learning about...BU2B seems to be about one subject, and one alone, 'INDOCTRINATION'...and this 'implanting' technique which is the stuff of dictators, mind-control merchants, master manipulators, and Spanish Inquisitors, who never did tolerate 'individual thought' or contradictory behaviour on any level, by anyone, whatsoever. That's what the lyrics here seem to be about...They are certainly not a 'rehash' of the same ol' same ol' of the past, as some seemed to have implied...The angle differs here significantly from what was sung in 'Faithless', 'Freewill', 'When The Stars Look Down' and 'Different Strings'...along with many other more subtle and vague presentations delivered by Rush over the years...Like, what's that 'Prime Mover' aboot?

 

Do you think that this was all a healthy introduction to, or an apparent approval of' 'individuality', from our parents, who raised us to follow religious doctrine, blindly, unquestioningly...and dogmatically?...Yet, many who were raised this way, and who vowed not to do the same thig when their day came, are now off committting the very same offenses...most oftenly coerced to do so by the women they've married (because these women feel that it offers the child 'structure', which it damn well might do, but at what cost?)...Two of my own close friends spewed forth venom about the ills of indoctrinating children into these organized religions...Myself, I HAVE walked away from an impending engagement because I couldn't see myself raising my own offspring in this fashion...But, those friends of mine failed to hold strong to their own principles when push came to show, and both of 'em made the necessary concessions to their wives-to-be, just so they could retain the status-quo, their mates and all the nookie they got attached to the deal...

 

But, aren't the reasons why religion is such clear and unequivocal 'malarky' all buried within this particular 'indoctrination' schema? And, isn't this what RUSH collectively sees in the world, and what Neil Peart jots down on paper...Why would the horse need to be led to water if these things which we try to teach our children are all universal truths to begin with?...Wouldn't our kids just instinctively know these things to be true...if they all actually were. Wouldn't their human experience confirm them? Then, why would a person's uncontrolled 'accident of birth' determine either their future damnation or their eternal salvation? Why would some children be 'born into' Shinto, while others are 'born into' Hinduism, while even more find themselves born 'Islamic', as others in the West are 'born into' a thousand different Christian sects, each of them truly believing that they alone possess the 'one true path'...Crazy stuff.

 

The entirety of the BU2B lyrics are about the experience of 'indoctrination' and the effects this kind of thougthless, blind faith follower's docrine has on the human lifespan...The song is a denunciation of all things accepted without deep consideration, without a healthy, careful examination of the facts...The song offers no sympathy to those who have been indoctrinated against their will, and now can't seem to break free from the brain-washing. The band, as with myself, feel that these widespread religious inclinations in our species appear to be purely imaginings, the hopes and desires of a beautifully deluded lot of creatures who instinctively feels that all this widespread, global pain and suffering must have some reasonable explanation that while it does exist, can not be detected and deciphered by a brainless horde, such as ours.

 

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 1 Corinthians 13:11

 

All is for the best, believe in what we're told. blind man in the market, buying what we're sold...Believe in what we're told, until our final breath, while our loving Watchmaker oves us all to death. - - Rush BU2B

 

 

[2112freak]

QUOTE (Pause Rewind Replay @ Aug 25 2010, 06:25 PM)

My expectations have nothing to do with whether a song is an epic... I just want good songs. And based on Caravan and BU2B, I anticipate a 9

i highly agree with this post....those two new songs are awesome!!!

 

 

just like s&a....Far Cry was an immediate hit, as well as the instrumentals, for me personally. but after spending sometime with the rest of the album, it really resonated with me.

 

i remember not digging Vapor Trails at all.........knew it was musically awesome, but yet i felt disconnected with it. then i learned the background story of the album that may have never been, and now it's one of my top faves!!

 

long ago, Grace Under Pressure didn't do much for me either. at the time,

i found it very post-apocalyptc and a bit depressing. now, i love it!!!

 

all i can say is: my fave band yesterday/today/forever!!!

[ReflectedLight]

i also think peart's lyric's can have an effect on the way the other two play. when you have lyrics that aren't the easiest to sing, it also holds the music back imo. i think neil's lyrics have become harder to create songs around even though ged and alex would never admit it. the more preachy neil becomes the less breathing room there is.

[losingit2k]

QUOTE (ReflectedLight @ Sep 5 2010, 11:44 PM)

i also think peart's lyric's can have an effect on the way the other two play. when you have lyrics that aren't the easiest to sing, it also holds the music back imo. i think neil's lyrics have become harder to create songs around even though ged and alex would never admit it. the more preachy neil becomes the less breathing room there is.

I don't know. If they were able to write songs around their Tolkien and Cygnus lyrics they can write songs around anything Neil is writing now. I think Neil writing has become better towards songs through his career!

 

[ReflectedLight]

QUOTE (losingit2k @ Sep 7 2010, 03:57 PM)

QUOTE (ReflectedLight @ Sep 5 2010, 11:44 PM) i also think peart's lyric's can have an effect on the way the other two play.  when you have lyrics that aren't the easiest to sing, it also holds the music back imo.  i think neil's lyrics have become harder to create songs around even though ged and alex would never admit it.  the more preachy neil becomes the less breathing room there is. I don't know. If they were able to write songs around their Tolkien and Cygnus lyrics they can write songs around anything Neil is writing now. I think Neil writing has become better towards songs through his career!   yea but the music back then had alot more space and you can hear it. more compact lyrics, and less trying to cram an entire book into one song allows playing freedom. that's just the way i hear it. less geddy vocals and more jamming.

[losingit2k]

QUOTE

that's just the way i hear it. less geddy vocals and more jamming

 

And the problem is?

 

[ReflectedLight]

QUOTE (losingit2k @ Sep 12 2010, 12:23 PM)

QUOTE that's just the way i hear it. less geddy vocals and more jamming   And the problem is?   either the songs need to be stretched out more to allow more space between the music and geddy's singing or neil needs to write more compact lyrics. less geddy vocals, more jamming which is not happening.

[D3strukt]

QUOTE (ReflectedLight @ Sep 12 2010, 06:39 PM)

QUOTE (losingit2k @ Sep 12 2010, 12:23 PM) QUOTE that's just the way i hear it. less geddy vocals and more jamming   And the problem is?   either the songs need to be stretched out more to allow more space between the music and geddy's singing or neil needs to write more compact lyrics. less geddy vocals, more jamming which is not happening. ^ This right here. While I love the two songs, there is WAY too much singing (although that badass jam in Caravan saves it.). Definitely needs some Porcupine Tree-esque stuff in this album.

[ak2112]

Man, I just cannot agree on any good reviews for Vapor Trails. To me, it is easily their weakest album. It is unfocused and every song was in dire need of editing. Not sure what happened there. Perhaps all that time away dulled there songwriting senses. The music has some high points and showed that they lost nothing chops wise, but man, what a stinker overall. Snakes and Arrows to me was their true return and I think its their strongest effort since Counterparts.

 

In terms of the new album, I have high hopes based on the two new tracks. The music is really heavy and the chops are insane. Fingers crossed!

[MMCXII]

they've been getting closer to their roots with the last couple albums and the two recent tracks continue the trend even further... and with them recording the album right after coming off a tour when they're primed... this is gonna be a huge album!!

[treeduck]

I'm expecting a raging, screaming, high-octane, high-flying, rampaging, butt-zit boiling, nose-hair immolating, eyelash-frazzling, little old lady frightening, toe-nail blistering, tinnitus-inducing cacophony of a maniacal metal record!!!

 

 

 

[Gompers]

Definitely a .6.

 

Actually, I don't believe Rush can still pull off a NatSci again. I would very much like to be surprised. Maybe, however, they have been listening to enough Porcupine Tree to inspire them.

[Gompers]

QUOTE (D3strukt @ Sep 12 2010, 08:41 PM)

QUOTE (ReflectedLight @ Sep 12 2010, 06:39 PM) QUOTE (losingit2k @ Sep 12 2010, 12:23 PM) QUOTE that's just the way i hear it. less geddy vocals and more jamming   And the problem is?   either the songs need to be stretched out more to allow more space between the music and geddy's singing or neil needs to write more compact lyrics. less geddy vocals, more jamming which is not happening. ^ This right here. While I love the two songs, there is WAY too much singing (although that badass jam in Caravan saves it.). Definitely needs some Porcupine Tree-esque stuff in this album. I like the idea of stretching out a theme. Sort of like A Lerxst in Wonderland. Jumping from theme to theme too quickly is not a good idea, like the mid section of Caravan. Taking an idea and building on it is a great technique. Of course, Rush in the past has been very successful with multi-themed songs. I just hope it can be done and not sound contrived.

[greg2112]

Expecting a 7...hoping for a 9 or 10. Managing expectations...

[FoxxiStarr]

I try not to have expectations - it's more about anticipation for me. Given that I love Caravan and BU2B AND the thought of a more "epic" track on there, then my anticipation is high.

[losingit2k]

QUOTE (FoxxiStarr @ Sep 13 2010, 06:58 AM)

I try not to have expectations - it's more about anticipation for me. Given that I love Caravan and BU2B AND the thought of a more "epic" track on there, then my anticipation is high.

Everyone is excited about that Epic track on Clockwork Angels. Alex better deliver!

 

[ReflectedLight]

QUOTE (losingit2k @ Sep 14 2010, 10:20 AM)

QUOTE (FoxxiStarr @ Sep 13 2010, 06:58 AM) I try not to have expectations - it's more about anticipation for me. Given that I love Caravan and BU2B AND the thought of a more "epic" track on there, then my anticipation is high. Everyone is excited about that Epic track on Clockwork Angels. Alex better deliver!   i don't get my hopes up anymore especially when alex comments. i find that when a band says little or nothing about a new release, it turns out to be a good thing. when they comment, i think they are marketing and trying to push the new material. hey al, keep your piehole shut, and just play.