The Rush Thread v. Clockwork Angels

[MondayMorningLunatic]

Rush is just one of those bands that has a deep reservoir of rocket sauce. A lot of bands- they've only got so much in the bottle. They use it up sometimes in one song. These guys were the real deal. Their bottle was so big and so filled to the brim, they were shaking it literally for decades and still there was sauce coming out.

[Phoenix87x]

So I pretty much love the entire album 

The only songs that I'm not big on are Wish Them well and BU2B2.  Wish them well is just a bit too repetitive and BU2B2 I just skip.

The rest kicks some major ass. Carnies rocks my face off 

[Vivace]

I'm finding the album as a whole a little repetitive but I am only on Carnies and Halo Effect sounds like it finally breaking some new ground here.

edit: after first listen I find myself really liking the last half more than the first half. Definitely need to spin it again. BU2B2 is a throwaway track. I'm thinking it could have been an instrumental, but I guess they didn't do that.

[KevShmev]

Wish Them Well is pretty repetitive, and I can see why most reviewers (prior to any of us hearing it) had it pegged as the least best song on the record, but I like it.  It is catchy and fun, and is also pretty necessary to the storyline.  It's definitely one of my least favorites thus far (along with BU2B and Halo Effect), but there are no weak spots on this record from what I can tell so far.

[snowdog]

Yea or nea, The Garden is the best closing track Rush have done since at least Available Light.

Definitely.  I personally love their album closers from Rush->Presto.  Since RTB, the closers have left a lot to be desired.  It is great to finally get a good one again.

[King Postwhore]

Wish Them Well is pretty repetitive, and I can see why most reviewers (prior to any of us hearing it) had it pegged as the least best song on the record, but I like it.  It is catchy and fun, and is also pretty necessary to the storyline.  It's definitely one of my least favorites thus far (along with BU2B and Halo Effect), but there are no weak spots on this record from what I can tell so far.

Says us prog nerds.   I think this is their best flowing album in a long, long time.  They've got all the songs in the right places, musically that is.

[TAC]

7 song into this and it is much better than S&A.
There's a certain "classic"-ness about this.

[King Postwhore]

7 song into this and it is much better than S&A.
There's a certain "classic"-ness about this.

A equate it to 2 things.

1.  Neil's agressive playing on this album.  He let loose.
2.  The separation of intruments and less overdubbing of Alex's guitars.

[TAC]

I equate it to 1 thing: it actually sounds inspired.

[King Postwhore]

I equate it to 1 thing: it actually sounds inspired.

I think that they tend to fall into the old school of the short structured songs of their youth and were not willing to stretch out a song like the 70's style and that's what a good producer like Nick did.  Push them. 

I think it's human nature to fall back on the comfortable.

[Tick]

7 song into this and it is much better than S&A.

Listening for the first time right now as I chill and get ready to head to the city for Marillion. Sounds good. I am not a fan of Snakes so that's not hard to top for me. Snakes is one of my least favorite Rush albums.

[KevShmev]

Hello there!

Welcome to the plane of dharma!

Living in accordance with the plane of dharma is roughly defined as "doing the right thing."

That's it.  You all know what it means.

Ride your bike, don't drive your car.

Don't kick the dog because he crapped on the floor.

Who cares?

Always, always, always, always, always, always lift the seat when you go and make...a pee. 

Uh oh.  That's better.

Just do the right thing.

Or else...YOU'RE GONNA GO TO HELL!

And that's down there.

You can do it!

[Tick]

Hello there!

Welcome to the plane of dharma!

Living in accordance with the plane of dharma is roughly defined as "doing the right thing."

That's it.  You all know what it means.

Ride your bike, don't drive your car.

Don't kick the dog because he crapped on the floor.

Who cares?

Always, always, always, always, always, always lift the seat when you go and make...a pee. 

Uh oh.  That's better.

Just do the right thing.

Or else...YOU'RE GONNA GO TO HELL!

And that's down there.

You can do it!

[KevShmev]

Cool interview with Neil:

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/q-a-neil-peart-on-rushs-new-lp-and-being-a-bleeding-heart-libertarian-20120612

[KevShmev]

Interesting that Neil says they have the next two years mapped out.  Makes me wonder if they will take a few months off next year after the UK tour and tour for another 8-10 months after that.  That brings up the possibility of them playing all of the new album, just not all on the same leg.  They could do 7-8 songs in the next year, and then when they tour again after the break next year, do another 7-8 songs, meaning they could play all of the album, just on different legs, and with a few of the songs overlapping (like Caravan, Headlong Fight, maybe the title track).  That would be awesome, as it would allow both legs to have well-rounded set lists, featuring the usual standards, a lot of new songs and a handful or so of deep cuts for the diehards, and without playing the whole album at once, which would inevitably annoy the older fans who only want the classics played.  It would be the best of both worlds! 

[King Postwhore]

They seem to like touring more than they ever had before and I love it.

[The Letter M]

Look what I just got in the mail from Burning Shed!!!





Can't wait to read the whole thing tonight!!!

-Marc.

[TAC]

I have this to say.. I haven't like a Rush album ths much  after two listens since Counterparts..and before that it was Moving Pictures!

And Headlong Flight is the most kick ass thing this band this band has done in a long FUCKING time!

[Lowdz]

I really didn't expect to love this like I do. The last three albums have been awful in my opinion and I thought they'd lost it. I thought Geddy's voice had gone and that was why he was warbling away on the last two. How wrong I was.
Geddy is back and they've put time into writing choruses again.

I have some issues with the production but it's minor. Can't stop playing it and even my kids like it (they're 5 and 2).

I'm still not paying £80  to see them next year but they got my money for this.

[dbrooks22]

the beginning of the Wreckers sounds a lot like Working at Perfect from Geddy's solo album... around 0:15 -->

[TAC]

the beginning of the Wreckers sounds a lot like Working at Perfect from Geddy's solo album... around 0:15 -->

The Wreckers is what Power Windows would've sounded like with guitars.

[King Postwhore]

This is what happens when you get a producer that pushes the band and they buy in.  He was a little timid on the last album but took the bulls by the horns on this album.  Great to see the boys respond like this.

[TAC]

This is what happens when you get a producer that pushes the band and they buy in.  He was a little timid on the last album but took the bulls by the horns on this album.  Great to see the boys respond like this.

Is this the same guy that did S&A? Cool.
Can you blame him for being timid? Imaging having to tell Neil "play that part again, that take was no good!"
I will say that S&A sounds amazing.

[chrisbDTM]

wasnt digging the first listen through. gotta listen more

[King Postwhore]

I'd love to see the studio stuff for this album.  I know there was a little snippet online.

Edit.  Found it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kYXM7daTxo&feature=player_embedded

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Got this in the mail today with Born and Raised. Really loving it so far! I have so much 2012 music to catch up on...

[The Letter M]

So, just to confirm what I posted earlier, the regular retail version is indeed different than the Classic Rock Fan Pack version, which is a more deluxe-type digi-book version, with the album booklet embedded into the case itself.

How do I know for sure?! I have both versions

-Marc.

[Scrub206]

Look what I just got in the mail from Burning Shed!!!

*snippppp*

Can't wait to read the whole thing tonight!!!

-Marc.

YEAH! i got this package too! mine came in friday  I wish they didnt put the posters on the backs of eachother... saddd




Also The Garden <33333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333

[TL]

So with anyone else's copy, are all of the track times on the back of the case listed as 0:00?

[SeventhSon]

Picked this up today after resisting the siren call of the leak. Granted, I heard Caravan and BU2B when they were first released as well as on the road, and I checked the Headlong Flight video out and the title track when it was released, but that's all. I just sat down with the CD in the player, and read through the booklet while I listened. The whole thing is great, one of those albums that's greater than the sum of its parts. I love the little prose parts in the lyric book for each song, detailing what's happening in the song and where the story's going. It got me really excited to read the novel when it comes out. The artwork is very evocative and gorgeously done, and I felt quite immersed in the world created by the music and the words.


I'm not entirely sure where it sits with me in their whole chronology, but it's a very good album.

And yep, my track times are all 0:00. I actually checked another copy at the store to make sure mine wasn't a misprint. 

[Phoenix87x]

Picked this up today after resisting the siren call of the leak. Granted, I heard Caravan and BU2B when they were first released as well as on the road, and I checked the Headlong Flight video out and the title track when it was released, but that's all. I just sat down with the CD in the player, and read through the booklet while I listened. The whole thing is great, one of those albums that's greater than the sum of its parts. I love the little prose parts in the lyric book for each song, detailing what's happening in the song and where the story's going. It got me really excited to read the novel when it comes out. The artwork is very evocative and gorgeously done, and I felt quite immersed in the world created by the music and the words.

   Looking through the booklet has gotten me intrigued to know more about the story. The artwork is fascinating. I'm definitely getting the Novel.

[The Letter M]

So, I've been going through the booklet, and apparently the symbols don't technically ALL match-up with the songs, i.e. 12 O'Clock is "Caravan", 1 O'Clock is "BU2B"...it works up til "The Anarchist" because "i The Pedlar 1" uses the symbol at 3 O'Clock, while "The Anarchist" uses the symbol at 4 O'Clock.

The clock rights itself with "Seven Cities Of Gold", which uses a symbol (Gold) not seen on the clock, a circle with a dot in it, while "Halo Effect" uses the symbol at 6 O'Clock, the symbol for Sun. After that, the symbols work their way uninterrupted. Here's the complete list:
Caravan                      Copper
BU2B                           Sulphur/Brimstone
Clockwork Angels     Annealing
i - The Pedlar 1      Mercury
The Anarchist            Winter
Carnies                Zinc 
Halo Effect               Sun
Seven Cities Of Gold Gold
The Wreckers              Aquarius
Headlong Flight           Oil Essence
ii - The Pedlar 2    Mercury
BU2B2                   Neptune
Wish Them Well        Gold
The Garden          Water

-Marc.

[Nick]

And I beg of people, if you like the Rush album/novel, PLEASE check out Roswell Six/Terra Incognita.

This whole thing was already done by KJA with a trilogy called Terra Incognita, and it's a fantastic fantasy series. And the first two novels were written along with albums made with prog-rock musicians under the moniker Roswell Six. The first album, Beyond the Horizon, features James LaBrie and is fantastic.

[Nick]

And on a completely unrelated topic, Headlong Flight has really grown on me (as has much of the album), but does anyone else also get annoyed by the crap that sounds like Mario collecting coins at the one part?

[Phoenix87x]

And on a completely unrelated topic, Headlong Flight has really grown on me (as has much of the album), but does anyone else also get annoyed by the crap that sounds like Mario collecting coins at the one part?

   Around what time is that? I'll have to re-listen.