Official Clockwork Angels Initial Reactions thread

[chemistry1973]

Hi Everyone--I rarely come by here, since I'm a CP lurker. But here's my take on this epic release. It is an absolute triumph, though like all great Rush albums, there are some "huh?" moments.

 

Here's my armchair review:

 

Caravan--oh-yeah. LIKE the Caravan remix.

 

Bu2B too--the mix is impressive, rocking and much superior to S/A.

 

Clockwork Angels--FANTASTIC. Incredible harmonies, weird segue, great, great Lifeson passages. Killer chorus. Must be said that Geddy is in clear, full, strong voice here.

 

The Anarchist--Rockin'.

 

Carnies--I like it, but it's a grower. It's got the world famous shoe-horned vocal melody. Love the guitars. Peart kills it.

 

Halo Effect--Beautiful intro. Takes a bite from Half the World in terms of riffage. Really pretty cello playing. Great mandolin work from Lifeson. The mix again is fantastic. I can hear every instrument--from kick to violins. Geddy sounds great.

 

Seven Cities of Gold--Didn't grab me. Kinda meandering. Needs a relisten.

 

Bu2B 2--Pretty filler.

 

The Wreckers--the closest to Tom Petty the band has ever been. Great verse. Nice Geddy dynamics. Great strings. It's too long though. Rush love to hammer that chorus home when they think they've got something.

 

Headlong Flight--Straight up rocker. Fantastic. Band in true form. Will absolutely kill live--great dynamics, unhinged Lifeson, Peart and Lee. Love it. What rock music is.

 

Wish Them Well--60s rocker. Great riff. Most interesting song for me. It's bizarro-Rush. If they got signed in 68, this is the single they would have released. This is Rush relaxed, and rocking--it's an actual pop-song, though out of time. Kinda sounds like XTC/Dukes of the Stratosphere at times.

 

The Garden--Straight ahead--pretty verses, the strings really work here. Nice acoustic. Lots of space--BEAUTIFUL piano. What a solo by Mr. Lifeson.

 

 

Overall: Lots of space on this--great mix. You can hear the full range of all the instruments. Glad to see that they're beginning to understand that the less guitars, geddys, crap in the mix, the fuller it sounds. The musicianship, the restraint especially, really makes the album shine. Geddy's voice has taken on a whole new level--nuanced, emotional, strong (at least in the studio) This is a solid A, four star effort.

[ReflectedLight]

as of right now,

 

1- skip

2- skip

3- listen

4- listen

5- listen

6- skip

7- listen

8- skip

9- listen

10- skip

11- skip

12- listen

 

 

[Tony R]

QUOTE (ReflectedLight @ Jun 4 2012, 08:49 PM)

as of right now, 1- skip 2- skip 3- listen 4- listen 5- listen 6- skip 7- listen 8- skip 9- listen 10- skip 11- skip 12- listen

Aren't you a little too old for all that skipping?

 

[1-0-0-1-0-0-1]

QUOTE (jesse2112 @ Jun 4 2012, 03:28 PM)

QUOTE (1-0-0-1-0-0-1 @ Jun 4 2012, 02:53 PM) QUOTE (jesse2112 @ Jun 4 2012, 02:51 PM) QUOTE (1-0-0-1-0-0-1 @ Jun 4 2012, 02:47 PM) QUOTE (Unattractive Truth @ Jun 4 2012, 02:46 PM) QUOTE (1-0-0-1-0-0-1 @ Jun 4 2012, 11:45 AM) QUOTE (jesse2112 @ Jun 4 2012, 02:42 PM) Where did you guys find it? I'm sure you can find it on your own. Don't look for any help here. We're not allowed to point you in that direction.   http://www.therushforum.com/index.php?showtopic=74499 Dude you're going to have a busy day.     Yeah, no shit! Glad I have the day off from work. Nvrmind found it! Haha I'll alert the media. I should prolly stop comin around here Nah, no worries.

[default236]

http://prsguitars.com/hollowbody12/

 

Ok so now that we've heard the album, I think this 12 string was used on Wish Them Well. Just thought I'd share this.

[ReflectedLight]

QUOTE (Tony R @ Jun 4 2012, 02:53 PM)

QUOTE (ReflectedLight @ Jun 4 2012, 08:49 PM) as of right now, 1- skip 2- skip 3- listen 4- listen 5- listen 6- skip 7- listen 8- skip 9- listen 10- skip 11- skip 12- listen Aren't you a little too old for all that skipping?

[GUP1771]

Edited June 4, 2012 by GUP1771

[Jomboni]

QUOTE

Big Al needs the Gibson double neck back for summer rehearsals and the upcoming Rush tour in September, anyone else want to give me one, maybe Gibson? ... kicker is he's using it for a new Rush song, not Xanadu!

 

Wonder if it got used? And on what song?

[gornhay]

Anyone having a crack at the lyrics?

[HeadlongMark]

Dude, I love Seven Cities of Gold.

 

"A man could lose himself in a country like this."

[James_G]

Thanks to the guy who provided the link for this album (obligatory note: of course I'm paying for the CD too!).

 

My overall impression: it's vastly better than the last three albums, and furthermore unlike every other Rush album since Power Windows, there are no genuinely poor, half-hearted songs on Clockwork Angels. There is no tail end of mediocrity, no shortage of ideas and energy, no...Dog Years.

 

It's debatable whether the stronger songs on the new album are better than (or in particular, as well-formed as) the best songs from other albums in this period: Mission, The Pass, Ghost Rider et cetera. Debatable...after a few listens, I would say that The Anarchist, Clockwork Angels and The Garden in particular are strong candidates for best Rush song since Power Windows. The album is very dense with ideas and rhythms (this is why some of the samples gave a poor impression of the music - most of these songs are based at heart around sustained rhythmic motion). If anything is lacking over the album as a whole, it's the careful arrangement of these ideas into elegantly formed songs ("The Garden" being a notable exception) but the music is all there.

 

The character of thrusting energy exhibited by several of the songs on Clockwork Angels is similar to that of songs like "Ceiling Unlimited" from Vapor Trails, only the musical ideas, chord progressions, vocal melodies, hooks etc. herein are much better. Note that most of the songs take multiple listens to absorb fully - it's also well worth listening to this superbly-produced album with headphones.

 

Track-by-track:

 

Caravan: This is very slightly improved, with some added phaser effects being the most significant change.

 

BU2B: The new introduction is a little tacked-on but makes the start of the piece less jarring - another slight improvement to an already good song.

 

Clockwork Angels: I'm really surprised that some people don't like this one, because it's the proggiest cut and a highlight of the album. The verse sections feature a bass rhythm and sustained chords reminiscent of the bridge from Digital Man, and these are interchanged with driving riffs a la Double Agent. Something that stands out in this piece and others on Clockwork Angels is that Alex's solo is actually given space and prominence within the structure of the song, rather than being perfunctory and stuffed in the background. This is a complicated song with a lot of different sections, but it's no different to (say) Natural Science in that respect; there's a current of energy running through it that holds it together.

 

The Anarchist: Neil's switches between a loose African drumming style and his usual rock style to great effect in this cut. Again, there's a lot of different ideas in this song apart from the opening riff; in particular, there's a recurring motif that sounds just like something from Permanent Waves or Moving Pictures, and it's undergirded by a warm analogue-sounding synth wash to boot. It reminds me in particular of Jacob's Ladder. Really melodic vocal lines with flowing lyrics, and some Eastern-sounding strings woven in effectively. A guitar solo towards the end of The Anarchist is reminiscent of both Rainbow's The Gates of Babylon and Tool's Third Eye. This is a brilliant song, particularly on repeat listening.

 

Carnies: The fifth whiplash-inducing song in a row. The bass joins in with that awesome guitar riff, only to make way for an evocative, exotic rising motif. The verses feature a chord progression reminiscent of Max Webster's Night Flights with a guitar figure similar to the bridge from The Trees. Really creative bass playing, too. There's some of that power-chord jamming from Secret Touch, Earthshine etc., but it's a lot cleaner-sounding and more balanced here - and it works better over Neil's new African drumming patterns.

 

Halo Effect: In short, the verses are similar to Nobody's Hero, and the choruses are almost a direct lift from the verses of Half the World. In common with Half the World, this piece also features a mandolin section. Despite it being a little self-derivative, the album benefits from the inclusion of a slower song at this point, and the production of the strings and acoustic guitar is excellent.

 

Seven Cities of Gold: Primus-style bass theatrics from Geddy at the start. This builds to a snaking, Zeppelinesque riff shared by Geddy and Alex that winds its way and surfaces repeatedly throughout the song. Another catchy chorus, and at some point Alex gets to scream and solo over the crazy bass lines from the intro. Parts of this have a classic rock feel, there's red hot jamming and also a few characteristically modern Rush elements present.

 

The Wreckers: The intro, which is reiterated later in the song, is pure mid-90s alt-rock; however, the heart of The Wreckers is in the contemplative strummed chord progression of the verses, and even more so in its haunting, melodic chorus. The song, which also features an ominous Pink Floydian bridge, seems like a much more successful realisation of what Rush were aiming for with songs like Spindrift, Faithless and Bravest Faith.

 

Headlong Flight: Still good.

 

BU2B2: This seems to be a nod to the soliloquy section of 2112 - with a more optimistic outcome. It also adds a little credence to Clockwork Angels's status as a "concept album". The pulsating string rhythm is unsettling in a similar way to the outro of I am the Walrus, and ominous synth noises rumble in sonic space below the string ensemble. It's more or less a purely rhythmic track of an atmospheric nature.

 

Wish Them Well: This is a deliberately straightforward anthemic rock song, alternating between strident major chords and a rising figure mildly reminiscent of The Pass. The bridge section bears a passing resemblance to the verses of Grand Designs. Despite it being a generally simple piece, a brief jam session breaks out in the middle of Wish Them Well to provide Alex with an opportunity to solo. It's a little clumsy perhaps, but this piece has an infectious, high-spirited and bold simplicity that makes it a worthwhile addition to the album.

 

The Garden: Dolorous bass harmonics backed by fluttering strings introduce the album's concluding song. The acoustic verses are wistful, with a harsh edge imparted by the string ensemble; the chorus is abruptly melancholy. Geddy's voice conveys the meaning of the song beautifully, particularly when duetting with a piano in the fragile bridge. Alex produces a well-measured solo. The overcast but hopeful tone harks back to Different Strings, but the pain is much darker - "the hours tick away, the cells tick away", if I hear that correctly, is a particularly sad line. This is the fitting conclusion to a late classic album from Rush.

Edited June 4, 2012 by James_G

[D3strukt]

That was a very fast hour. I like the album. But it's Rush, so there is a LOT to digest. I like the drive of Wish them Well, Wreckers, is not as good as I ORIGINALLY thought, but the chorus is still great.

 

Carnies still don't really like it, but I LOVE Seven Cities.

 

Second listen is tomorrow.

[vital signz]

QUOTE (James_G @ Jun 4 2012, 03:11 PM)

Thanks to the guy who provided the link for this album (obligatory note: of course I'm paying for the CD too!). My overall impression: it's vastly better than the last three albums, and furthermore unlike every other Rush album since Power Windows, there are no genuinely poor, half-hearted songs on Clockwork Angels. There is no tail end of mediocrity, no shortage of ideas and energy, no...Dog Years. It's debatable whether the stronger songs on the new album are better than (or in particular, as well-formed as) the best songs from other albums in this period: Mission, The Pass, Ghost Rider et cetera. Debatable...after a few listens, I would say that The Anarchist and The Garden in particular are strong candidates for best Rush song since Power Windows. The album is very dense with ideas and rhythms (this is why some of the samples gave a poor impression of the music - most of these songs are based at heart around sustained rhythmic motion). If anything is lacking over the album as a whole, it's the careful arrangement of these ideas into elegantly formed songs ("The Garden" being a notable exception) but the music is all there. The character of thrusting energy exhibited by several of the songs on Clockwork Angels is similar to that of songs like "Ceiling Unlimited" from Vapor Trails, only the musical ideas, chord progressions, vocal melodies, hooks etc. herein are much better. Note that most of the songs take multiple listens to absorb fully - it's also well worth listening to this superbly-produced album with headphones. Track-by-track: Caravan: This is very slightly improved, with some added phaser effects being the most significant change. BU2B: The new introduction is a little tacked-on but makes the start of the piece less jarring - another slight improvement to an already good song. Clockwork Angels: I'm really surprised that some people don't like this one, because it's the proggiest cut and a highlight of the album. The verse sections feature a bass rhythm and sustained chords reminiscent of the bridge from Digital Man, and these are interchanged with driving riffs a la Double Agent. Something that stands out in this piece and others on Clockwork Angels is that Alex's solo is actually given space and prominence within the structure of the song, rather than being perfunctory and stuffed in the background. This is a complicated song with a lot of different sections, but it's no different to (say) Natural Science in that respect; there's a current of energy running through it that holds it together. The Anarchist: Neil's switches between a loose African drumming style and his usual rock style to great effect in this cut. Again, there's a lot of different ideas in this song apart from the opening riff; in particular, there's a recurring motif that sounds just like something from Permanent Waves or Moving Pictures, and it's undergirded by a warm analogue-sounding synth wash to boot. It reminds me in particular of Jacob's Ladder. Really melodic vocal lines with flowing lyrics, and some Eastern-sounding strings woven in effectively. A guitar solo towards the end of The Anarchist is reminiscent of both Rainbow's The Gates of Babylon and Tool's Third Eye. This is a brilliant song, particularly on repeat listening. Carnies: The fifth whiplash-inducing song in a row. The bass joins in with that awesome guitar riff, only to make way for an evocative, exotic rising motif. The verses feature a chord progression reminiscent of Max Webster's Night Flights with a guitar figure similar to the bridge from The Trees. Really creative bass playing, too. There's some of that power-chord jamming from Secret Touch, Earthshine etc., but it's a lot cleaner-sounding and more balanced here - and it works better over Neil's new African drumming patterns. Halo Effect: In short, the verses are similar to Nobody's Hero, and the choruses are almost a direct lift from the verses of Half the World. In common with Half the World, this piece also features a mandolin section. Despite it being a little self-derivative, the album benefits from the inclusion of a slower song at this point, and the production of the strings and acoustic guitar is excellent. Seven Cities of Gold: Primus-style bass theatrics from Geddy at the start. This builds to a snaking, Zeppelinesque riff shared by Geddy and Alex that winds its way and surfaces repeatedly throughout the song. Another catchy chorus, and at some point Alex gets to scream and solo over the crazy bass lines from the intro. Parts of this have a classic rock feel, there's red hot jamming and also a few characteristically modern Rush elements present. The Wreckers: The intro, which is reiterated later in the song, is pure mid-90s alt-rock; however, the heart of The Wreckers is in the contemplative strummed chord progression of the verses, and even more so in its haunting, melodic chorus. The song, which also features an ominous Pink Floydian bridge, seems like a much more successful realisation of what Rush were aiming for with songs like Spindrift, Faithless and Bravest Faith. Headlong Flight: Still good. BU2B2: This seems to be a nod to the soliloquy section of 2112 - with a more optimistic outcome. It also adds a little credence to Clockwork Angels's status as a "concept album". The pulsating string rhythm is unsettling in a similar way to the outro of I am the Walrus, and there are also some ominous synth noises filling out sonic space underneath the string ensemble. It's more or less a purely rhythmic track of an atmospheric nature. Wish Them Well: This is a deliberately straightforward anthemic rock song, alternating between strident major chords and a rising figure mildly reminiscent of The Pass. The bridge section bears a passing resemblance to the verses of Grand Designs. Despite it being a generally simple piece, a jam session briefly breaks out in the middle of Wish Them Well to provide Alex with an opportunity to solo. It's a little clumsy perhaps, but this piece has an infectious, high-spirited and bold simplicity that makes it a worthwhile addition to the album. The Garden: Dolorous bass harmonics backed by fluttering strings introduce the album's concluding song. The acoustic verses are wistful, with a harsh edge imparted by the string ensemble; the chorus is abruptly melancholy. Geddy's voice conveys the meaning of the song beautifully, particularly when duetting with a piano in the fragile bridge. Alex produces a well-measured solo. The overcast but hopeful tone harks back to Different Strings, but the pain is much darker - "the hours tick away, the cells tick away", if I hear that correctly, is a particularly sad line. This is the fitting conclusion to a late classic album from Rush.

beautifully stated.....

[CaressOfKrieger]

This being my first foray into this forum, I decided I'd join now that the album is among us. I dig it on the first listen, but will have to give it some more steady listens before I have a concrete opinion on it.

[danielmclark]

QUOTE (CaressOfKrieger @ Jun 4 2012, 02:20 PM)

This being my first foray into this forum, I decided I'd join now that the album is among us. I dig it on the first listen, but will have to give it some more steady listens before I have a concrete opinion on it.

Welcome!

[HeadlongMark]

Bands that have been around for almost 40 years aren't supposed to be making albums like this. Edited June 4, 2012 by HeadlongMark

[SchemingDemon]

Just got it. First listen: The Garden. Too bad I have to work in a half hour

 

I will indulge tonight

[Snaked]

QUOTE (HeadlongMark @ Jun 4 2012, 04:24 PM)

Bands that have been around for almost 40 years aren't supposed to be making albums like this.

Don't you mean,

 

Bands that have been around for almost 40 years aren't supposed to be making albums.

 

 

It really is remarkable that they are all pushing 60 and they come up with something that is at the very least interesting... if not quite a bit more than just that.

[Digitallware]

quick question when was the album leaked? Today?

[av450]

Definitely better than anything they've done in a long time but I really wish Alex would've solo'd more. Being a guitarist I find it quite depressing

[Unobtrusive Companion]

QUOTE (Digitallware @ Jun 4 2012, 09:27 PM)

quick question when was the album leaked? Today?

That was when it first came to the attention of this forum, yes.

[HeadlongMark]

QUOTE (Snaked @ Jun 4 2012, 03:27 PM)

QUOTE (HeadlongMark @ Jun 4 2012, 04:24 PM) Bands that have been around for almost 40 years aren't supposed to be making albums like this. Don't you mean,   Bands that have been around for almost 40 years aren't supposed to be making albums.     It really is remarkable that they are all pushing 60 and they come up with something that is at the very least interesting... if not quite a bit more than just that. Exactly.

[LeaveMyThingAlone]

QUOTE (HeadlongMark @ Jun 4 2012, 03:24 PM)

Bands that have been around for almost 40 years aren't supposed to be making albums like this.

Pretty much sums it up for me too

[presto123]

If Tony R, rushgoober, and Reflected Light actually have a few good things to say about this record it must be off the charts! Still haven't listened yet but soon.

[Flying Finn]

I begin to feel that they should play the whole album. Or at least everything else than BU2B2 and Wish Them Well. Damn this album just keep sounding better and better. I even liked the title song. The ending is killer!!!