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Official Clockwork Angels Initial Reactions thread


The Owl
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QUOTE (EmotionDetector @ Jun 12 2012, 01:35 PM)
QUOTE (ReflectedLight @ Jun 12 2012, 04:34 PM)
top 3 for me are headlong flight, the anarchist, and seven cities of gold.

Pretty damn close to my Top 3.

 

The Anarchist and Seven Cities are regulars for me these days. Absolutely smokin' tracks. 1022.gif

title track?

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QUOTE (Rushman14 @ Jun 12 2012, 03:37 PM)
QUOTE (EmotionDetector @ Jun 12 2012, 01:35 PM)
QUOTE (ReflectedLight @ Jun 12 2012, 04:34 PM)
top 3 for me are headlong flight, the anarchist, and seven cities of gold.

Pretty damn close to my Top 3.

 

The Anarchist and Seven Cities are regulars for me these days. Absolutely smokin' tracks. 1022.gif

title track?

i'm still working on that one. wacko.gif

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QUOTE (Rushman14 @ Jun 12 2012, 04:37 PM)
QUOTE (EmotionDetector @ Jun 12 2012, 01:35 PM)
QUOTE (ReflectedLight @ Jun 12 2012, 04:34 PM)
top 3 for me are headlong flight, the anarchist, and seven cities of gold.

Pretty damn close to my Top 3.

 

The Anarchist and Seven Cities are regulars for me these days. Absolutely smokin' tracks. 1022.gif

title track?

The title track is up there for me...love it.

 

But I'm still a massive fan of BU2B...the acoustic intro makes it that much cooler IMO. There's just something about it...I love how raw and heavy it is, the anger in Ged's vocals. It's just a powerful song overall.

 

I'd say the following songs make up my Top 6. But any of these songs could move up and down depending on the day; actually...the minute:

 

BU2B

The Anarchist

Seven Cities of Gold

The Wreckers

Clockwork Angels

Headlong Flight

 

All stellar IMO. yes.gif

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I love the entire record! There is not a moment that I would skip. This has not happened for me since the fall of 1985.
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QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Jun 12 2012, 03:46 PM)
I love the entire record! There is not a moment that I would skip. This has not happened for me since the fall of 1985.

Same here. Previously, Wish them well was a skipper, but now that has grown. Even bu2b2 I like for its hypnotizing quality! biggrin.gif

 

Superb, flowing, musically inspiring, emotionally powerful album!

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QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Jun 12 2012, 03:46 PM)
I love the entire record! There is not a moment that I would skip. This has not happened for me since the fall of 1985.

I remember that fall well. Walking to work at my first job listening to a walkman waiting for the station to play the new Rush song called Big Money. When it came on I was thrilled.

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After one listen of Clockwork Angels, I was completely blown away. Very few albums can do that to me on the first spin... but this one was magical. The Garden, The Anarchist, Seven Cities of Gold, BU2B, Carnies... there was so much to love. I enjoyed every single track. Halo Effect sounded like something that would fit in with Geddy's solo stuff, in a good way- it was one of the moments on the record that took my breath away. The Garden is absolutely perfect to me. And The Anarchist... wow!

 

 

Edit: accidentally put The Wreckers where I meant Halo Effect

Edited by Territorial_Game
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I dont think I can really give this album a true review until several more listens. There's just so much to it and the band is clearly thrilled with it. My initial impression is that it isnt as melodic as Snakes and Arrows and I think that album is their best since Counterparts. Even if I dont end up liking CA as much as S&A, the boys are clearly killing it creatively. I'm just so happy for them and US, as their fans. True greatness of a band is measured by a groups entire body of work, not just a couple of albums and for me, Rush is going through yet another peak creatively. However, many more listens are needed for me to get a good impression of the whole. I will say that so far Carnies and The Garden are the standouts for me. I would personally love it if they played the entire album on the next tour. The biggest bummer for me is the crappy production and mastering. Why this is continuing to happen is a complete mystery to me.
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It's not horrible but there's not much going on that resonated or stuck with me. I like the story, I enjoyed reading along with the lyrics, I like that they ditched the acoustic/folk crap and it's mostly hard rock as opposed to the folk crap from Snakes, but I don't have any desire to listen to any of it again. There's no hooks or melody to most of it and that's what I need most in a song, any song, not just Rush.

I give it a B+ for the concept and packaging and performance, but a C for the songs themselves start to finish. Sorry guys, you need to do more than tape together a bunch of heavy riffs to make a great song that lasts the test of time.

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Many, many listens under my belt & read thru the lyrics a couple of times. Don't know if I'm the kind to give a track by track review but here are my thoughts on the album as a whole:

 

The first thing I noticed, and Corgan mentioned it in his interview w/Ged & Al, is the spirit, energy and sense of urgency in the playing by all three. I'm not sure where they found their inspiration but it's pretty evident that they know something special is developing and the playing is intense, powerful and precise.

 

I'm a drum geek and of course something else that stood out to me is Peart's playing. It's simply phenomenal. It's such a shock after several years of seeming safe playing on the last few albums. I'm guessing he's finally internalized the work over the past few years and now he's letting that great technique loose with fire and purpose. Fill after fill, double bass blast after double bass blast...this is his freshest, most bombastic (and I mean that in the best possible sense) playing in a very long time. This recording captures the energy of a young Peart being channeled and controlled by his new sense of time and mastery of the kit. This is the drum hero I remember.

 

The whole of CA is strewn with memorable riffs, melodies and lyrics; I find myself humming, whistling and singing CA, Anarchist, Carnies, Halo...hell, the entire damn thing throughout the day. Personally the era of Presto - TFE is a bit of a dry run of albums, they seemed to be more focused on melody and typical pop/rock tunes rather than stretching instrumentally...I found a big chunk of that work uninspired and lacking that something special. Well here on CA I think all of that work has come to full fruition by marrying their craft of structure and catchy melodies with flat out kick ass musicianship and intensity...just like the Rush I know and love up to HYF (some will argue this but, hey, it's my review). This here is Rush in full flight shaping a great song and injecting it with soul and passion and precision.

 

In the end I feel something different on CA that I haven't noticed in a very long time from...a sense that they're not afraid to, well, be Rush. They've let loose, rocked out and produced one of their best albums. I love the whole thing from beginning to end.

 

 

1022.gif 1022.gif 1022.gif 1022.gif 1022.gif 1022.gif

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QUOTE (theredtamasrule @ Jun 12 2012, 08:50 PM)
Many, many listens under my belt & read thru the lyrics a couple of times. Don't know if I'm the kind to give a track by track review but here are my thoughts on the album as a whole:

The first thing I noticed, and Corgan mentioned it in his interview w/Ged & Al, is the spirit, energy and sense of urgency in the playing by all three. I'm not sure where they found their inspiration but it's pretty evident that they know something special is developing and the playing is intense, powerful and precise.

I'm a drum geek and of course something else that stood out to me is Peart's playing. It's simply phenomenal. It's such a shock after several years of seeming safe playing on the last few albums. I'm guessing he's finally internalized the work over the past few years and now he's letting that great technique loose with fire and purpose. Fill after fill, double bass blast after double bass blast...this is his freshest, most bombastic (and I mean that in the best possible sense) playing in a very long time. This recording captures the energy of a young Peart being channeled and controlled by his new sense of time and mastery of the kit. This is the drum hero I remember.

The whole of CA is strewn with memorable riffs, melodies and lyrics; I find myself humming, whistling and singing CA, Anarchist, Carnies, Halo...hell, the entire damn thing throughout the day. Personally the era of Presto - TFE is a bit of a dry run of albums, they seemed to be more focused on melody and typical pop/rock tunes rather than stretching instrumentally...I found a big chunk of that work uninspired and lacking that something special. Well here on CA I think all of that work has come to full fruition by marrying their craft of structure and catchy melodies with flat out kick ass musicianship and intensity...just like the Rush I know and love up to HYF (some will argue this but, hey, it's my review). This here is Rush in full flight shaping a great song and injecting it with soul and passion and precision.

In the end I feel something different on CA that I haven't noticed in a very long time from...a sense that they're not afraid to, well, be Rush. They've let loose, rocked out and produced one of their best albums. I love the whole thing from beginning to end.


1022.gif 1022.gif 1022.gif 1022.gif 1022.gif 1022.gif

goodpost.gif

 

Yes, definitely to all the above.

 

Is it just me, or does CA, despite it's length, and because of it's top-to-bottom brilliance, absolutely fly by when you're listening to it?

 

I guess time flies when you're having fun!

 

 

 

2.gif

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QUOTE (theredtamasrule @ Jun 12 2012, 08:50 PM)
Many, many listens under my belt & read thru the lyrics a couple of times. Don't know if I'm the kind to give a track by track review but here are my thoughts on the album as a whole:

The first thing I noticed, and Corgan mentioned it in his interview w/Ged & Al, is the spirit, energy and sense of urgency in the playing by all three. I'm not sure where they found their inspiration but it's pretty evident that they know something special is developing and the playing is intense, powerful and precise.

I'm a drum geek and of course something else that stood out to me is Peart's playing. It's simply phenomenal. It's such a shock after several years of seeming safe playing on the last few albums. I'm guessing he's finally internalized the work over the past few years and now he's letting that great technique loose with fire and purpose. Fill after fill, double bass blast after double bass blast...this is his freshest, most bombastic (and I mean that in the best possible sense) playing in a very long time. This recording captures the energy of a young Peart being channeled and controlled by his new sense of time and mastery of the kit. This is the drum hero I remember.

The whole of CA is strewn with memorable riffs, melodies and lyrics; I find myself humming, whistling and singing CA, Anarchist, Carnies, Halo...hell, the entire damn thing throughout the day. Personally the era of Presto - TFE is a bit of a dry run of albums, they seemed to be more focused on melody and typical pop/rock tunes rather than stretching instrumentally...I found a big chunk of that work uninspired and lacking that something special. Well here on CA I think all of that work has come to full fruition by marrying their craft of structure and catchy melodies with flat out kick ass musicianship and intensity...just like the Rush I know and love up to HYF (some will argue this but, hey, it's my review). This here is Rush in full flight shaping a great song and injecting it with soul and passion and precision.

In the end I feel something different on CA that I haven't noticed in a very long time from...a sense that they're not afraid to, well, be Rush. They've let loose, rocked out and produced one of their best albums. I love the whole thing from beginning to end.


1022.gif 1022.gif 1022.gif 1022.gif 1022.gif 1022.gif

100% agree. goodpost.gif

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QUOTE (Gedneil Alpeart @ Jun 12 2012, 08:59 PM)
QUOTE (theredtamasrule @ Jun 12 2012, 08:50 PM)
Many, many listens under my belt & read thru the lyrics a couple of times. Don't know if I'm the kind to give a track by track review but here are my thoughts on the album as a whole:

The first thing I noticed, and Corgan mentioned it in his interview w/Ged & Al, is the spirit, energy and sense of urgency in the playing by all three. I'm not sure where they found their inspiration but it's pretty evident that they know something special is developing and the playing is intense, powerful and precise.

I'm a drum geek and of course something else that stood out to me is Peart's playing. It's simply phenomenal. It's such a shock after several years of seeming safe playing on the last few albums. I'm guessing he's finally internalized the work over the past few years and now he's letting that great technique loose with fire and purpose. Fill after fill, double bass blast after double bass blast...this is his freshest, most bombastic (and I mean that in the best possible sense) playing in a very long time. This recording captures the energy of a young Peart being channeled and controlled by his new sense of time and mastery of the kit. This is the drum hero I remember.

The whole of CA is strewn with memorable riffs, melodies and lyrics; I find myself humming, whistling and singing CA, Anarchist, Carnies, Halo...hell, the entire damn thing throughout the day. Personally the era of Presto - TFE is a bit of a dry run of albums, they seemed to be more focused on melody and typical pop/rock tunes rather than stretching instrumentally...I found a big chunk of that work uninspired and lacking that something special. Well here on CA I think all of that work has come to full fruition by marrying their craft of structure and catchy melodies with flat out kick ass musicianship and intensity...just like the Rush I know and love up to HYF (some will argue this but, hey, it's my review). This here is Rush in full flight shaping a great song and injecting it with soul and passion and precision.

In the end I feel something different on CA that I haven't noticed in a very long time from...a sense that they're not afraid to, well, be Rush. They've let loose, rocked out and produced one of their best albums. I love the whole thing from beginning to end.


1022.gif  1022.gif  1022.gif  1022.gif  1022.gif  1022.gif

100% agree. goodpost.gif

Excellent post, sir!

 

1022.gif

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QUOTE (Gompers @ Jun 12 2012, 12:51 PM)
QUOTE (ILSnwdog @ Jun 12 2012, 01:50 PM)
I snuck out of the office earlier and ran out to best buy to pick up the CD (yes, I'm late to the party).  So far, I'm a little let down.  I was hoping for some serious rocking out, and I'm not hearing that.  Of course, it's not uncommon for me to take a few listens to warm up to a Rush release.  I'm hoping that is the case here.  Plus, I'm listening to it through the speakers on my lap top.  Hopefully playing it on the stereo at home will change my initial opinion a bit.  sad.gif

It will.

You're right Gomps. I've listened to it five times, and listening to it through the Denon at home helped. I really don't think there is a bad track on the album, and The Seven Cities of Gold....damn.

 

If the next five listen make this one grow on me as much as the last five...then I'm going to be damn impressed.

 

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This album... Is fantastic. I had been on a Rush fast since last Tuesday, not listening to any Rush at all.. Now I've been listening to Clockwork Angels all afternoon/evening and WOW.. Its just amazing.

 

New life has been breathed into Caravan and BU2B, Headlong Flight is still as rocking as ever, and the rest are just as fantastic. The Anarchist was the one that really struck me the most on the first listen - so driving, melodic, sinister.. Just awesome. The title track, Seven Cities of Gold and Wish Them Well didn't really absorb into my head on the first listen, but one more spin and I was loving them all.

 

Every song is great. The album is a cinematic, cohesive piece. Just fantastic.

 

2.gif 2.gif 2.gif

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I listened to it today for the first time in the car during a drive from Tampa to Kissimmee and it was almost exactly the duration of the trip.

 

What a truly amazing album. I didn't feel any song was particularly weak, and it all flowed so nicely together. It's so amazing to think they can STILL make music this great after 40 years. A career highlight for sure~

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