RUSH Clockwork Angels

[12bass]

Great music can be poorly recorded/mixed/mastered..... not mutually exclusive.

[maxgrant]

Originally Posted by geddeeee

The numbers may bear that out, but I usually use my ears. The drums and the whole mix on those two songs are punchier and have a lot more air to them.

I just listened to the youtube that was available in 2010, and the mix from the CD and I cannot tell a significant difference.

So . . . your ears vs. mine. I specifically listened to things like the reverb cues (which someone remixing a song would rip the whole reverb out and re-start, in my opinion), the bass, the drums, levels of various effects, and really, really cannot tell a difference.

Now, when I listened to the remix of Earthshine and One Little Victory -- those I could immediately hear something different.

So, I'm not buying that the song was remixed at all. Not unless that remix was what made its way to Youtube in 2010.

I find most of the rest of this discussion pointless. I am reading a lot of majorly uninformed (negative) opinion.

[nick g.]

[geddeeee]

Originally Posted by nick g.

Agreed... I'm out of this one!!!!

[wateroftyne]

Originally Posted by nick g.

That's a funny image, but it's fuzzy, with little range in the colour spectrum, and not very pleasant to look at.

Here's a nicer one:



Are you listening, Rush?

[OPBASSMAN1994]

Nominated for album of the year for the Prog awards!

[Duke21]

Originally Posted by OPBASSMAN1994

Nominated for album of the year for the Prog awards!

Have anybody heard the new album from The Flower Kings "banks of eden" or is it too prog for most?

[Marial]

Originally Posted by wateroftyne

That's a funny image, but it's fuzzy, with little range in the colour spectrum, and not very pleasant to look at.

Here's a nicer one:



Are you listening, Rush?

[nick g.]

Originally Posted by wateroftyne

That's a funny image, but it's fuzzy, with little range in the colour spectrum, and not very pleasant to look at.

Here's a nicer one:

Are you listening, Rush?

Fantastic!

[Fletz]

Enough of the mixing discussion. Let's discuss the album.

I've listened to it more than a little regularly over the last several weeks. Let me say, I am a HUGE fan of the band. Haven't missed a tour since Grace Under Pressure. So here are my few comments.

Number one, best complete album since Power Windows. Front to back, not a bad song on there. I have even come to appreciate "Halo Effect."

Number two, AMAZING musicianship. Some of the most dynamic drumming since, I dunno, Xanadu? Nice, experimental leads from Alex. And, of course, Geddy is at the top of his game.

Third: it's missing something - if it's a concept album, a cool instrumental overture would've been great. I understand that each song on works on it's own and is not dependent on the others. A cool concept in itself. However, it would've been cool to put a little bow on it with a medly a la 2112. I would LOVE it if they wrote something for the tour and played it live. A reason to buy the 208th live album when it comes out.

Fourth, and this is hard for me to say, but I think some of the weakest lyrics in years appear on this album.

Most of "The Wreckers" is not terribly inspired:
"All I know is that sometimes you have to be wary
Of a miracle too good to be true
All I know is that sometimes the truth is contrary
Everything in life you thought you knew
All I know is that sometimes you have to be wary
’Cause sometimes the target is you"

"Belief has failed me now
Life goes from bad to worse" - How depressing?!?

"The angry crowd moves toward him with bad intent"

Fifth, back to good stuff: I love the Who sound of the Wreckers, the classic 80s/90s sounding RUSH of "Wish them Well" and the 70s' inspired "Headlong Flight." Overall, I would say this album also has a lot more "Vapor Trails" in it than most people have mentioned. I actually like Vapor Trails alot more after this album.

Sixth, back to a nitpick. Geddy is sacrificing articulation of lyrics for hitting a note. He started doing it a lot on the Time Machine tour. If you don't know the lyrics, you have no idea what he is saying sometimes. Jussayin.

Seventh, the story is great if only because you can talk about it and never truly know the answer. I love the concept of someone trying to "go against the will of the Maker" as is the case here. And he takes credit (at least to himself) for "doing what he wants instead of what he should." But, perhaps, the Watchmaker wants him to do those things he did ... ? Hmmmm ...

There is my not entirely well thought out or articulated thoughts on the album after three weeks or so of loving it. Overall, well worth the wait and the best thing they've done in many many years (and that is not to say at all that what they've done over the last many many years has not been fantastic - because it has been!)

Don't flame me, but please discuss ...

[Dave Siff]

Originally Posted by Fletz

Enough of the mixing discussion. Let's discuss the album.

Thank you and amen. I've listened to it dozens of times, CD and MP3, on headphones and not, and it sounds great every time. I don't get the complaints about the mix. But, whatever..
I agree with most of what you said. I think it's their best album since Signals. As for the "concept" discussion, my take is, that has less to do with the music than overall structure and intent. Clockwork Angels has a story behind it that links all the songs together. If you think about the Rush albums most people think of as "concept albums" (Caress of Steel, 2112, Hemispheres, etc.) they all have side-long pieces, but the other side of the album is unrelated songs.
Lyrics-wise, "The Wreckers" is about people who built fake lighthouses to lure ships and then loot them. So the lyrics fit in that context.
I'm just so jazzed about how great this album is!

[BassPlayer900]

Originally Posted by Fletz

Enough of the mixing discussion. Let's discuss the album.

I've listened to it more than a little regularly over the last several weeks. Let me say, I am a HUGE fan of the band. Haven't missed a tour since Grace Under Pressure. So here are my few comments.

Number one, best complete album since Power Windows. Front to back, not a bad song on there. I have even come to appreciate "Halo Effect."

Number two, AMAZING musicianship. Some of the most dynamic drumming since, I dunno, Xanadu? Nice, experimental leads from Alex. And, of course, Geddy is at the top of his game.

Third: it's missing something - if it's a concept album, a cool instrumental overture would've been great. I understand that each song on works on it's own and is not dependent on the others. A cool concept in itself. However, it would've been cool to put a little bow on it with a medly a la 2112. I would LOVE it if they wrote something for the tour and played it live. A reason to buy the 208th live album when it comes out.

Fourth, and this is hard for me to say, but I think some of the weakest lyrics in years appear on this album.

Most of "The Wreckers" is not terribly inspired:
"All I know is that sometimes you have to be wary
Of a miracle too good to be true
All I know is that sometimes the truth is contrary
Everything in life you thought you knew
All I know is that sometimes you have to be wary
’Cause sometimes the target is you"

"Belief has failed me now
Life goes from bad to worse" - How depressing?!?

"The angry crowd moves toward him with bad intent"

Fifth, back to good stuff: I love the Who sound of the Wreckers, the classic 80s/90s sounding RUSH of "Wish them Well" and the 70s' inspired "Headlong Flight." Overall, I would say this album also has a lot more "Vapor Trails" in it than most people have mentioned. I actually like Vapor Trails alot more after this album.

Sixth, back to a nitpick. Geddy is sacrificing articulation of lyrics for hitting a note. He started doing it a lot on the Time Machine tour. If you don't know the lyrics, you have no idea what he is saying sometimes. Jussayin.

Seventh, the story is great if only because you can talk about it and never truly know the answer. I love the concept of someone trying to "go against the will of the Maker" as is the case here. And he takes credit (at least to himself) for "doing what he wants instead of what he should." But, perhaps, the Watchmaker wants him to do those things he did ... ? Hmmmm ...

There is my not entirely well thought out or articulated thoughts on the album after three weeks or so of loving it. Overall, well worth the wait and the best thing they've done in many many years (and that is not to say at all that what they've done over the last many many years has not been fantastic - because it has been!)

Don't flame me, but please discuss ...

I'm not a fan of those lyrics you listed either. Neil's drumming is great but not as good as it was in the 70s (except for Clockwork Angels and Headlong Flight, which is some of the best drumming he's ever done). I also agree with you about Geddy; I can't understand hardly anything he is singing on the new album. Good thing I have a booklet with the lyrics inside. Of course, his playing is better than ever, so that's a good thing. And I agree that there should have been an instrumental.

[phall2112]

Let's not forget. That those may not be NP lyrics. Sometimes Geddy changes some lyrics that flow and are easier for him to sing. Just an idea.

[Spectrum]

I just finished a long drive and listened to it again all the way through. I am impressed with Geddy's singing, especially on Headlong Flight and Seven Cities, he just holds those notes forever. I wish Alex's solos were longer, and I agree a good instrumental would be nice.

But overall this is one of the best albums since maybe Grace Under Pressure, just a fantastic effort. I love the whole fantasy story and the imagery of the angel robot thingies flying around the clock tower.


I just got the vinyl and I've been looking closer at the cover art.
I wonder if the steampunk crowd will start showing up at the shows now? I never paid attention to that stuff but now I find it interesting looking at the "steamliners" in the art work.

[Hawkbone]

Originally Posted by wateroftyne

That's a funny image, but it's fuzzy, with little range in the colour spectrum, and not very pleasant to look at.

Here's a nicer one:

Are you listening, Rush?

priceless!

[Eric Perry]

Having listened to this a few times over, I think I like S&A better.

[Mousekillaz]

I really like this album. I try not to compare it to any of their previous works, but let it ride on it's own merits. Given all that Neil Peart has been through, I'm not surprised with the lyrical content. I don't necessarily agree with everything he's written, but still, the music is very good.

[12bass]

Not sure about others, but for me, one of the reasons why I like Rush is because of the sound of the band, Geddy's tone in particular. Many of their previous albums set a high standard for sound quality. It is because I care about tone that I am somewhat critical of the mixing and mastering.

[nick g.]

I think this is the best tone Geddy's had since Signals.

[12bass]

Speaking of Signals and great tone....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0u1PdFzIx4#t=1m40s