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RUSH Clockwork Angels

#681
I'd say "painful" is overstatement. YMMV.

I agree that the title track has a lot of stuff going on that makes it feel highly produced. But I think that's intentional, considering the lyrical content (fabulous mechanized angels that appear to be idolized or deified in the story). The songwriting was clearly done around this song's lyrics. Masterfully so. And now I sound like a little teen fanboy...

The vocal effect(s?) on his voice in the last line is just... perfect though. Again, YMMV.
 
#682
I also fear the string section. As long as it's used sparingly it should be okay, but they run the risk of pulling a Metallica and wrecking the show. I have waaaay more faith in Rush than I do in Metallica, of course.

Having listened to this album a few times I really love it. Clockwork Angels is just a great song. I want to call this prog rock, but it's kind of beyond that, isn't it? It's just a well-crafted rock album.
 
#683
Metallica, ELP, UK, Kansas was so-so, as well as a number of other ~rock bands~ that think that adding a string section or even a full-on symphony orchestra will somehow benefit their music. It rarely works. It's always expensive (someone has to pay all of those people as well as travel expenses, room, boarding, etc..). I just hope if Rush does it that it turns out ok and not another "what have we done?" episode. I'm not taking it fro granted that just because it's Rush that it will work. They have a number of efforts that didn't work out so well. No-one is immune from screwing up.
 
#685
If they were gonna ~add~ anyone to things I'd prefer to see a synth player to cover the synth stuff from older material that Geddy used to play. I've seen interviews with him where he's declared his distaste for being off-the-bass and using synths. No problem, add a synth player (just for live shows) to cover those lines when stuff from the synth-era is performed. Not some flashy Sherinian/Rudess-eque player from the Emersonian school of progressive keyboardism, just someone to cover those lines so Geddy can stay on his bass while the synthy stuff is covered live/realtime. A nice stack of analog Oberheims and Moog gear would add greatly to the Rush vibe.

Personally I think something of that nature would be more fun to watch, sound better, and be LEAGUES less expensive for them as an added touring expense. Expenses that might ultimately end up on the prices of concert tickets. I mean won't We The People end up paying the added costs of hauling around a string section? Getting a KB player to do the exact same thing would cost ~us~ a lot less and sound nearly as good (perhaps better depending on the venue). The KB player could easily cover any heavy duty string-section music as well as bring the older stuff back to life.

I'd love to see Subdivisions and Countdown done with the synth solos intact, and stuff like The Weapon and Territories done with realtime played synths.
 
#687
Not sure Lucas ... but you made me remember something else ... I think I remember reading something about Geddy having addressed the "adding a KB player to the band as a permanent addition" thing ... like years .. YEARS .. ago. Something about how they'd kicked it around a good deal and ultimately decided to remain a 3pc so's not to upset their chemical balance. I can dig it. But I'm talking about the same thing that you've eluded too, Lucas. Just adding basically a living/breathing sampler/sequencer to the shows. But put that person on the stage with a heap of old school analogs. Maybe even give them their own washer and dryer .. they could do the laundry during songs that don't require KB sounds.
 
#688
Kiss did a show with an orchestra in about 2006. They broke the show into three acts.

Act I: No orchestra
Act II: Acoustic set with just the string section.
Act III: Full orchestra.

I think Rush could pull this off if they do something similar. (probably minus an acoustic set ;) )
 
#689
I dunno ... sometimes adding an orchestra just seems so .. I dunno ... uhm .. ~pretentious~ maybe?

"We feel our music is so well written that it deserves to be treated with the talents of a world class orchestra".

To me (in my state of uneducated ignorance) an orchestra is the tool of the brilliant composer. An instrument of such grand complexity that it should be reserved for the brilliance of world class composers. An orchestra is - in essence - an instrument. One that takes a true virtuoso to use to it's greatest extent. And to use one it sortof shouts the idea that you think "you're all that".

That opinion is based on my own ideas about what an orchestra is used for. It has little, if anything, to do with any facts about such things. It's just my own feelings about what an orchestra is meant to be used for. Whether it's "meant" to be used in any way or fashion at all. Most times when rock bands purchase the use of an orchestra it is kinda quaint ... almost a circus act .. novel at best. Can almost be insulting to the intelligence of the fan.
 
#690
Flux Jetson said:
I dunno ... sometimes adding an orchestra just seems so .. I dunno ... uhm .. ~pretentious~ maybe?

"We feel our music is so well written that it deserves to be treated with the talents of a world class orchestra".

To me (in my state of uneducated ignorance) an orchestra is the tool of the brilliant composer. An instrument of such grand complexity that it should be reserved for the brilliance of world class composers. An orchestra is - in essence - an instrument. One that takes a true virtuoso to use to it's greatest extent. And to use one it sortof shouts the idea that you think "you're all that".

That opinion is based on my own ideas about what an orchestra is used for. It has little, if anything, to do with any facts about such things. It's just my own feelings about what an orchestra is meant to be used for. Whether it's "meant" to be used in any way or fashion at all. Most times when rock bands purchase the use of an orchestra it is kinda quaint ... almost a circus act .. novel at best. Can almost be insulting to the intelligence of the fan.
Click to expand...

But it doesn't hurt to try, does it?
 
#694
BTW, if you want an example of an new 2012 album engineered, mixed, and mastered right (especially in comparison to CA), Joe Jackson's new one is amazing. Forget the fact I really love Joe's music, it sounds friggin' fantastic and better than anything released after Volume 4. Obligatory bass content: I like Christian McBride's playing on it.

If CA sounded close to this one, I'd really be able to listen to it more.
 
#695
My only real complaint with the mix that I have is that the treble is too intense in many parts. I put it in my car stereo, and Alex's guitar is brutal on the ears. I had to turn the treble down by two notches IN ADDITION to the bass going up two notches (which I do anyway. :p)

It isn't nearly as bad on my home stereo, so maybe it's a problem with the car stereo, though...
 
#696
Duke21 said:
Yes adsed orchestra several years ago, they sounded great.
Click to expand...
ELP added orchestra several dozen years ago and they sounded like ass. It was a monumental FAIL.

I just hope Rush doen't go over the top with it. Like I said, I .. myself .. would prefer the addition of a KB player with a pile of analog Oberheims and Modulars rather than some string section. It just makes more sense. It would be far more appropriate too.

Imagine: "Big Money" .... the opening guitar hit is played .. right when the synths come in all heavy and thick one corner of the stage is FLOODED with spotlights to reveal a KB player off to the side/to the back (next to drums?) manning a mountain of analog synths as the synth parts play out .. spotlights fade ... guitar hit comes back .... synths hit again and BAM the spotlights explode on the KB player again. Then as the sequencer run begins as Big Money starts to roll the FX lighting flashes in different colors in time with the groove. Geddy chicken-strutting all over the stage as the bassline runs in unison with the sequencer run. Geddy makes his way to the mic .. song moves along ... (Imaginary sequence end).

It's just me on this KB player crusade I guess, but I'd rather my ticket money go ~there~ rather than the ever-novel somewhat cliche string section.
 
#697
I just realized something: Jacob's Ladder has very string sounding synth in many places...

It's mostly instrumental, lower in Ged's range...

:eek:


And I'm still holding out hope for Xanadu, the orchestral-styled layers of synth would be perfect for string-section-ization IMO, plus, if Geddy can still pull of the high part in Freewill, I know for a fact that he could do Xanadu.


Honestly, I think it'll sound pretty great, the whole show. The guy who orchestrated the strings for the album is doing it for the tour too, so I highly doubt that it'll be badly done.
 
#698
FenderP said:
BTW, if you want an example of an new 2012 album engineered, mixed, and mastered right (especially in comparison to CA), Joe Jackson's new one is amazing. Forget the fact I really love Joe's music, it sounds friggin' fantastic and better than anything released after Volume 4. Obligatory bass content: I like Christian McBride's playing on it.

If CA sounded close to this one, I'd really be able to listen to it more.
Click to expand...

'Look Sharp' Joe Jackson? Christiam McBride? Interesting!

(hijack in process, sorry) :hiding:
 
#699
FenderP said:
BTW, if you want an example of an new 2012 album engineered, mixed, and mastered right (especially in comparison to CA), Joe Jackson's new one is amazing. Forget the fact I really love Joe's music, it sounds friggin' fantastic and better than anything released after Volume 4. Obligatory bass content: I like Christian McBride's playing on it.

If CA sounded close to this one, I'd really be able to listen to it more.
Click to expand...
I love JJ. I went to a concert of his about ten years ago - musically, it was immaculate, and even apart from the music one of the most entertaining evenings I've had. The guy is a pleasure to be around.
 
#700
OPBASSMAN1994 said:
I just realized something: Jacob's Ladder has very string sounding synth in many places...

It's mostly instrumental, lower in Ged's range...

:eek:


And I'm still holding out hope for Xanadu, the orchestral-styled layers of synth would be perfect for string-section-ization IMO, plus, if Geddy can still pull of the high part in Freewill, I know for a fact that he could do Xanadu.


Honestly, I think it'll sound pretty great, the whole show. The guy who orchestrated the strings for the album is doing it for the tour too, so I highly doubt that it'll be badly done.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, I think Xanadu has been out of Geddy's range for about 10 years. Which is a shame, because I miss hearing it too.

I don't know what to think about the string section. My first thought is on the negative side, because to me, seeing Rush live has nothing to do with that side of music. It seems like a clash of cultures in a way. But maybe they can pull it off. Personally I'd rather not have something that takes the attention away from the three of them.
 

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