Can Clockwork Angels Be Topped?

[RUSHHEAD666]

Yes.

 

DITTO!

[RUSHHEAD666]

If the "Cockwork" Angels Orchestra goes back on tour with Rush again I will never see them again!

 

Waste of time and energy. Besides who pays for the increase of the Rush Payroll? THE FANS!!!!

 

I only want to pay to see Lee, Lifeson and Peart!

 

F that tacky orchestra wearing pathetic Neil Peart endorsed black t shirts.

 

Neil was a drumming prophet when I was a kid, now he is just in the drumming business for a profit.

[tas7]

Has to be 40 minutes maximum in length and Alex is allowed three guitar tracks.....or maybe four. Edited February 23, 2014 by tas7

[calirush]

I like CA as much now as when it was new. Yes it is a wall of sound but once I got used to it I loved what was underneath.

[Snyder80]

Sure. Just pick an album between 2112 and Power Windows.

 

What this guy said.

 

It was a great album and has some tunes on it (The Anarchist, The Garden, Halo Effect) that I'll listen to for years to come but it's not in the same class with PeW or MP.

[Thunder Bay Rush]

Let’s face it – there will never be another era of brilliance that was 1976 – 1981.

[losingit2k]

Clockwork Angels is simply outstanding. The storyline, the playing, the sequence, the dynamics. It's got everything Rush.

 

Can it be topped?

 

This might be unpopular, but I can't see them outdoing it, and frankly, they should have a little fun on the next tour.

[KennyLee]

Let’s face it – there will never be another era of brilliance that was 1976 – 1981.

 

Why not? When Power Windows came out, Rush fans disliked it. People disliked Caress of Steel at the time. Rush has it in them and their playing is still top notch.

 

Just because Geddy'e range ain't what it used to be doesn't mean they aren't still great. If Hemisphere's was released with him singing an octave lower the album would still be brilliant. I love his range but it is not what made him great. With the right inspiration I think they could blow us away all over again.

[hcm]

Although CA is way too 'full' of sound and layered, I enjoy the album a great deal. The music really does support the story, if it was cleaned up(ala Vapor Trails) I think it could easily be one of their best.

 

Is it the same as the old stuff...no way! I listen to it with a fresh ear and enjoy it and I have to say I hope peole don't hold what I do now in comparasion to what I did 30 years ago.

Edited February 24, 2014 by hcm

[lifeson90]

Yeah like i already mentioned, half the album's a touch sub standard for me and the other half totally brilliant, just had a blast of the title track loud in my headphones while out walking first listen in 3 months maybe and was blown away by it.

 

And bu2b mann utterly brilliant rush.

[Jaminbenb]

can they? sure. will they? I don't know

 

This^^^^

 

They ARE capable...but are they WILLING?

[bluefox4000]

It certainly can cause to me it ain't that great.....as is well known here......sooooooo....i'll just shuffle along, lol

 

Mick

[bathory]

can they? sure. will they? I don't know

 

This^^^^

 

They ARE capable...but are they WILLING?

 

well, in their mind, whatever the next album is, if there is one, IS their best yet.

[Snyder80]

Let’s face it – there will never be another era of brilliance that was 1976 – 1981.

 

For me that time period would extend to 1985 but otherwise, I agree.

 

I used to hold out hope that it would sound that way again but it's impossible. When I listen to that string of albums and realize they were all done consecutively I can hardly believe it.

[bluefox4000]

Yea.....every artist/band has it's peak. Rush hit it and moved beyond it. nothing after Power windows is really Classic, IMO. Even though there ia a lot of good material.

 

Mick

[John V]

I really don't get all the love for CA. I really don't. I am not sure why its my least favorite of all their albums?

Have I given it a fair chance? Maybe, maybe not.

Have I listened to the album multiple times? No. Once was plenty.

Have I watched the live show? No.

 

I will listen again, but in my opinion, it is the worst album ever. The Garden is nice and all and a couple other songs are okay, but to say this is their best work is silly IMHO.

[Narps]

I really don't get all the love for CA. I really don't. I am not sure why its my least favorite of all their albums?

Have I given it a fair chance? Maybe, maybe not.

Have I listened to the album multiple times? No. Once was plenty.

Have I watched the live show? No.

 

I will listen again, but in my opinion, it is the worst album ever. The Garden is nice and all and a couple other songs are okay, but to say this is their best work is silly IMHO.

As an old schooler I gave it a great chance. I listened to it many times. The Garden and Halo Effect are beautiful songs in my view. Headlong Flight and The Anarchist are excellent also but to muddy for my taste. The whole album is to muddy for me as is Vapor Trails. For me, CA ranks right behind everything Power Windows and prior.... :codger:

[anchorman]

Can it be topped? Yes, because it shouldn't be too hard to do. And for Rush sakes, please find a producer who won't push Geddy to sing anything emotional or out of his range. That ship has sailed. The poor guy can't sing anymore and no one seems to want to tell him.

 

As for CA, I liked the Anarchist and Headlong Flight but everything else I usually skip right over. I'd like to see them get back to writing music that is more creative than what they've been doing lately. It appears (to me anyways) that software recording has contributed to the loss of some of their creativity. There's way too much cutting and pasting and not enough thought to the bridges or drum fills. WTH happened to Neil? His drumming sounds more detatched than ever. His last good performance on a record was HYF and I hate that album.

 

Whatever, I'm a fan for life and will just take what they have left.

 

Unfortunately, Neil's politics and views are now entrenched in the lyrics and it definitely alienates many listeners. His songs used to be friggin genius and borderline poetic or novelistic. They were universally appealing but CA was a sad wake up call for me that Neil has become the writer whose mind has become dark and dulled with sickness and indecision. Worse yet is the shameless promotion of something Neil must realize by now was just a miss as a "story". Novels, comic books...really? Let it die already.

 

Rush made a name for themselves by letting their music stand on its own. Let's see if they can get back to that.

[anchorman]

Let’s face it – there will never be another era of brilliance that was 1976 – 1981.

 

For me that time period would extend to 1985 but otherwise, I agree.

 

I used to hold out hope that it would sound that way again but it's impossible. When I listen to that string of albums and realize they were all done consecutively I can hardly believe it.

 

I agree, although P/G was far superior to PoW in my opinion. Geesh, going on 29 years ago. That's unbelievable.

[Lorraine]

nd for Rush sakes, please find a producer who won't push Geddy to sing anything emotional or out of his range. That ship has sailed. The poor guy can't sing anymore and no one seems to want to tell him.

 

He can still sing.

 

He just can't sing the way he used to.

[GeddyLeeFender]

CA is phenemonal, and as usual is a unique piece in the incredible discography Rush has provided us. I think it would be tough to top, but I KNOW that if / when they release their next album it will continue to be unique and amazing. Almost two years since CA release, and it has only grown on me. I just listened to Headlong Flight, and at first it wasn't my favorite at all—BUT as time has gone on, it truly is a great song. We only have things to be thankful for from this band, but not everyone will be pleased by what they release. Those same people probably aren't easily pleased in other aspects of life as well in my opinion.

[presto123]

Absolutely it can. They got back to the riffing, atmospheric guitar solo Rush, but the choruses and flow on CA is the only weakness. Cut out all the layers of guitar, add some keys in the place of the strings, really work on making the choruses flow like some of the 80's records. Presto.....better record than CA. It won't be easy though, because CA is great.

[Supersyl]

WTH happened to Neil? His drumming sounds more detatched than ever.

 

A giant leech named Gruber got him. But I think he's been throwing some of that out the window recently... The recent Vertical Horizon video (I forget the title) with Neil playing drums shows he's getting back to his former self slowly! :finbar:

[John V]

I read a thread here some time back regarding Vapor Trails and how bad it was. Then out came the revised edition and most said they liked it better.

VP is a great album and Ghost Rider has become one of my latest fav's.

 

I would put VP original version ahead of CA. I would put S&A high above CA too.

I guess its like they say. "opinions are like assholes. We all have one".

 

PS......I am listening to CA again (right now) just because I know it will grow on me. But this is the first time I needed a Rush album to grow on me.

[KennyLee]

I'm a bit amazed that, after a 40+ year career, with the most respected collection of work ever (at least in my opinion) and album after album of genius that was better than last year's genius that so many people think they can't do it again.

 

I'm not a fan of CA. I did not care for S&A BUT... I certainly don't think that it is not possible for them to put out the best thing ever. If history is any indication they can. They're done it repeatedly. The last two (maybe 3) albums missed for me. So? They change album to album. They ain't exactly in a rut... (or is it a groove?)