Clockwork Angels

I haven't been around quite as long as some, but I've been around a good bit longer than many others. I feel pretty well qualified to write this review in terms of tenure. My first Rush show was in 1986. (And there have been many since then.) Man, that was a long time ago. Let's put it this way. Alex, Neil & Geddy were a good bit younger that night in 1986 than I am now. The point is that I've been around these guys for quite a while. I'm not new on the scene and I'm intimately familiar with everything they've ever done. Pretty clearly, I love this band. I love & respect their work on multiple levels, for numerous reasons. I own everything they've ever released. Studio albums, live albums, solo records, video releases, literary offerings, you name it. I have to say, right out of the gate though, that this record is different & special.First, let's put this album into the proper perspective. These guys have been writing, recording & performing for well over 35 years. That feat alone leaves most would-be competitors in the dust. Consider, though, the following two additional factors. First, with only one very old, nearly insignificant, and very asterisked exception, this band has never undergone any significant changes in membership. On top of that, they've managed to survive a series of personal tragedies the likes of which have reduced the careers of many other artists to piles of fiery rubble.And remember, this is their 20th studio effort. No small feat by any measure. Suffice it to say that, in reality, they've really got nothing left to prove. In a sense, they've done it all already. The ground-breaking early works, the continuing explorations into new & uncharted territory, the numerous live records showcasing the different eras, the reinventions of the band's sound, and the eventual returning to roots. They've amassed one hell of a catalog. And they've made a lot of very, very good records. In point of fact, I absolutely love the lion's share of their works.Having said that, make no mistake. I'm no fanboy. They've made musical mistakes, and I've never been afraid to call them out for what I perceived as disappointing efforts. Truth be told, they've released exactly two studio records which I thought, after a number of critical listens, were fit for one place alone - the garbage can. Yes, I actually cast each of those cd's into the trash. And I stand firmly behind those editorial judgments to this day. (If you must know, they were "Roll The Bones" & "Counterparts". Just dreadful records, the both of them.) The point is that I'm perfectly capable and willing to be objective and critical when it comes to reviewing a given studio album, even when it's released by three guys I've idolized for decades.Their two most recent efforts? "Vapor Trails" and "Snakes & Arrows." Both of these records are good, even very good. They each even offer moments of majesty, but considered as complete works, I don't believe that either one is necessarily "great." Such labels and terminology are subjective and relative, to be sure, however. I must be completely honest though, and say that I very much wanted to like "Clockwork Angels" much more than I wound up liking either one of those releases. Those two records though, for good or ill, had a lot to do with the preparation and adjustment of my expectations for this newest album. I was optimistic, but at first, perhaps cautiously so. As time went on, however, and I began to hear more of the rumors and speculation surrounding the forthcoming record, I began to get a very good & funny feeling about it in my gut. Simply on an intuitive level, based upon rumor and conjecture, as well as a number of insightful & revealing comments on the writing & recording of the album from the guys themselves. My gut ended up telling that me that this was going to be one for the books, so to speak. I had a feeling for a long time that it was going to be special, and now I believe that I was very much correct.And without sounding like a complete & total sycophantic fanboy, I'd like to say that this newest album, this landmark 20th studio recording, is quite simply phenomenal. It really is a fantastic record. Quite possibly a 5-out-of-5. Full marks, as it were. It's this good on multiple levels, for a variety of reasons. I'll start by saying that the scale & scope of this album is grander than, and quite unlike anything they've done before. Ever. Yes, they've dabbled in the concept album genre before, yielding boundary-pushing and genre-defining efforts such as "2112" and "Hemispheres". (Both of which, by the way, I absolutely love.) But all their concept efforts have heretofore been relegated to just one side of a two-sided record. A 50% proposition at best, if you will. Not so with this new monster.This record is a continuous, contiguous, coherent concept piece from top to bottom, beginning to end. And, truth be told, it's not simply a concept piece, it's a story. Which makes it all the more wonderfully accessible and meaningful, because while not everyone will identify with a given concept, everyone can pick up on a story. And it's not just a story, but a biography, a life's journey, if you will. It's a tale to which I immediately began to relate on a personal, intellectual, philosophical, emotional & spiritual level. And, while I've never gallivanted across an alchemical, steampunk fantasy land, I've absolutely been down the roads this guy's traveling, and I've experienced many of the things he's relating & expressing. Yes, I've always made connections to much of the music I've grown to love, but once again, this one is different & special. Certainly I love "Tommy" and "The Wall", but I don't connect or identify with either of them on such a personal and emotional level. But I've made that connection with this guy, on this record. And it happened nearly immediately. I must say that, for me, this is one of the most unique & remarkable aspects of this amazing album.Next on the list is the musicianship & technical proficiency they bring to the table. I don't wish to belabor a subject that's been hammered home so many times, by so many other people, in so many other reviews. So I'm not going to make a big fuss over musicianship & performance levels here. As was said earlier, albeit in a different context, these guys have nothing left to prove. Suffice it to say that each of them is generally regarded as a virtuoso in his own right, and rightly so. From a technical standpoint, they've always brought the heat, and they sure don't disappoint in this case. But this is nearly a given before we begin. With these guys, ability & proficiency are never at issue. I knew I didn't have to worry about these elements, as critical & fundamental as they are to the musical foundation necessary for a successful record of any kind. I, on the other hand, was much more concerned with lyrical & thematic content, the caliber of songwriting, production value, and finally spontaneity, or the x-factor as we'll discuss much more later.From a strict songwriting standpoint, I don't believe we've seen anything nearly this strong from these guys in quite a number of years. I'll admit that, about two weeks into it now, there's still one track about which I'm not entirely sure, but for the most part, this record is about as strong a body of songwriting as they've ever offered. And I know. That's saying a hell of a lot. Trust me, it's that good. The desired riffs & hooks are all there in this case. The songs are relatively accessible even upon the first listen, but are obviously multifaceted and filled with everlasting value.Next subject on the report card is production value. And God dammit, not enough emphasis is placed on this area in today's world. With all the wonders digital technology continues to give us, it seems as though we might actually be regressing in terms of musical production value lately. Most things these days sound as though they've been recorded to sound as processed & artificial as possible. As if that sort of sonic quality is actually the goal. You know exactly what I'm talking about. The loudness war. The songs have no headroom, there's no air space, no breathing room between the notes. All the sounds are pressed up against each other, resulting in a sound that's as dynamic & and organic as latex or formica. I don't know about you, but that stuff is enough to give me a headache. And you know what? Ironically, there's a relatively recent Rush record that strikes me as being a particularly nasty offender. "Vapor Trails." Metallica's "Death Magnetic" is another infamous example of this total lack of sonic integrity. I'm not a musical engineer, so I admit that I am not in command of the proper terminology or nomenclature, but there are moments on those records that make me feel as though I can't breathe, and that my ears are cracking up. Sounds become needlessly distorted at high levels resulting in an insufferable hiss. It's just intolerable. And while I expect it from the next nu-metal Johnny-come-lately, I most certainly do not expect it, or accept it, from these three guys. There's just no excuse.They know better, and with "Clockwork Angels", they DID better. God help me, I'm not exactly sure of what happened, but I believe it's got something to do with the producer they first worked with on "Snakes & Arrows", and ultimately retained for this record. Suffice it to say that this guy knows what the hell he's doing in a studio with regard to sound quality & sonic integrity. Because this record absolutely shines. It gleams. It literally leaps out of my Klipsch towers and Sony studio monitor headphones. There's a crystal clarity, a shimmering brightness and an almost golden quality to this entire record that must be experienced to be appreciated. It simply sounds wonderful, even at blistering levels.And now we get down to the really subjective, hard-to-define qualities that make the record the real gem that it is. For perhaps the very first time, these guys let themselves go just a little bit. They've finally loosened the reins, ever so slightly, in terms of their approach to their instruments and the musical dynamic existing between the three of them. They're normally bound by rigid musical structure, and sometimes it can come off as sounding starched & stiff. Almost too polished. This time they allow improvisation and feel to cast their magical shadows over everything that's going on. And the resulting sound, produced by the three who become one, is simply phenomenal. So organic, so natural, so relaxed, so comfortable. And perhaps somewhat paradoxically, so incredibly powerful. These three have actually got a mean groove going on here. They're actually copping a jam, and it sounds incredible. It's obvious that they had fun recording & performing this material. To be sure, this is something that's quite difficult to capture here in prose, but when you hear it, it's immediately evident & unmistakable.Finally, there's an openness, an honesty, a sincerity that just exudes from this record that's quite hard to describe, but once again, immediately evident & audible on the semiconscious level. It has something to do with what I mentioned earlier in terms of the connection with the lyrical & thematic content. This material is coming straight from the heart. That was readily apparent to me upon the first listen, the maiden voyage. Again, another amorphous & ethereal quality that came across the bandwidth without any effort whatsoever. Hopefully, you understand what it is that I'm driving at here. If not, I'm sure the fog will lift during your first listen. Have no fear.All these last subjective & magical qualities converge into a gigantic x-factor that's very hard to put a finger on verbally, and as such I may not have done it any justice here, unfortunately. But ultimately, it's these elusive, ethereal qualities that help to elevate this new album high above not just the works of other would-be imitators & competitors, but above even much of their own work up to this point. They've outdone themselves. After 35 years, 19 other studio records, and God knows how many shows, they've managed to create a record that is, without question, one of their finest efforts, ever. Some are saying that they believe it will also be their last. Sadly, I must admit that my gut has suggested the very same thing to me, though I don't wish to believe it. Let's all hope we're wrong.Judging from the quality of "Clockwork Angels", it's painfully obvious that these guys are a very long way from running out of fuel. Amazingly, it seems as if they're actually becoming better on each & every level as they're getting older. Simply incredible, gentlemen. Congratulations. You've really outdone yourselves with this one. Can't wait to see you again soon and experience some of this magic in person...

I've now been listening to the album for over two months, and as I learn its nuances it just gets better and better. As several other reviewers have noted, how many bands have been around for nearly 40 years and are still exploring, getting better musically in terms of both technical skill and in composition (not to mention selling out concerts just about anywhere they play?). You can count them on one digit. They are THE power trio, and it is really amazing that three guys can create such amazing music like this, let along perform it.The album cover shows a clock with alchemy and other symbols representing each of the songs, with time a central theme. The entire album tells a story - a mega-epic of over 70 minutes, but each song can still stand on its own, musically if not lyrically.1. Caravan starts off the story in what's become a standard Rush practice of having the most iconic song up front on the album- it's a tribute to the youthful longing for adventure and getting-out-of-dodge. A young man wants to escape the safe, secure farm where he grew up. It has a great stop-time riff for the verses, an anthemic chorus somewhat reminiscent of Dreamline on Roll the Bones, and an instrumental break/bridge section that just flat out kicks ass to hear (and to see live on the Time Machine tour video). Three top-notch musicians playing off of and supporting the others with a chemistry matched by few other groups.2. BU2B has a very brief acoustic guitar and haunting voice intro before kicking into a pounding riff punctuated by a steam venting sound effect (which they match with their steampunk stage setup on tour). The song talks about the predominant beliefs of the society the protagonist was raised in - a very fatalistic belief system that kept anyone from questioning what they were `brought up to believe.' The liner notes teaser for the song talks about the omniscient Watchmaker who ruled Crown City, the capital the protagonist travelled to, with alchemist-priests (vaguely like the priests in 2112) providing for every need. Not a very subtle hint at Neil's, and probably Geddy and Alex's disdain for organized religion and contempt for those who never question anything. The same attitude is shared by the protagonist as he learns more about life in the big city. Musically the song has a melody that doesn't seem like much initially but quickly gets stuck in your head. No extensive solos in this one, just solid rock.3. Clockwork Angels takes the protagonist to the center of Crown City, to Chronos Square (noticing the theme of time again?) where he sees the aforementioned Clockwork Angels - floating globes representing Light, Sea, Sky and Land - basically the four elements. They are the visible symbols worshipped by those in the city, but even they are beholden to the unseen Watchmaker. The music has a majestic sound to it that complements the reverence held for the Angels - punctuated by a mocking bridge section with Geddy's voice distorted as he sings they lyrics - a partial Biblical quote `Lean not upon your own understanding' which is attributed in the liner notes to "Proverbs 3:5 (and In-N-Out milkshake!)" and again mocks the fatalism of those in this perfectly ordered society.4. No ordered society is complete without a villain - The Anarchist. The rhythmic, lively music to me contrasts sharply with the dark character in the lyrics. To me it speaks of a deeply held contempt for the sort of behavior demonstrated by the worst of the pseudo-Marxist-nihilist idiots who seemed to infest OWS protests in larger cities last year.`I lack their smiles and their diamonds, I lack their happiness and love - I envy them for all those things, I never got my fair share of`The lenses inside of me that paint the world black, the pools of poison, the scarlet mist, that spill over into rage'Anyway, the Anarchist could be a Heath Ledger's Joker-esque character, consumed by hate and envy, who just wants to spread chaos through the city, but again the music is an interesting contrast to that.5. In the fifth song, Carnies, the protagonist has taken a job working on a carnival (kinda like Neil did when he was young) and one night amidst the busy crowds, games, dancers and performers, he spots the Anarchist planting a bomb, and just as he shouts to warn the crowd, the villain throws the detonator to him and disappears. The crowds assume the protagonist is the guilty party and he's forced to flee the city. The music starts off with an ominous sounding riff alternating with a lighter section that builds tension. The chorus is built around the idea that you should be careful what you wish for...`How I prayed just to get away, to carry me anywhereSometimes the angels punish us, by answering our prayers.'6. Halo Effect backtracks a bit (or it's the protagonist reminiscing) and introduces a little bit of love story - even if it turns out badly. It's a short ballad, barely over three minutes, led by Alex with a melancholy acoustic guitar on the verses. The protagonist becomes obsessed with a beautiful acrobat performer who doesn't share his feelings, and he has to come to terms with the fact that he was just projecting his vision of a perfect soulmate onto the object of his infatuation - to be disappointed when she doesn't comes close.`It's so shameful to tellJust how often I fellIn love with illusions again'7. In the next song the protagonist makes his way to the rough port city of Poseidon. `Seven Cities of Gold' plays off of the old Spanish legend - the unreachable untold cities of riches always forever just beyond reach, but tortuously visible past a brutal wilderness described in the lyrics and Hugh Syme's artwork that resembles the four corners area (only colder). The protagonist of course hears the stories and has to try to find them, spending who knows how many months or years, and ends up nearly freezing to death before having to return to Poseidon.8. In The Wreckers the protagonist believes his luck has run out and catches a ship back home. He's tired, a bit older, and has had his fill of adventure. They get caught in a vicious storm at sea and get lost, and when they see a signal light they believe they're saved by some Samaritans. But, it turns out it's a trap to get ships to run aground so the wreckers can plunder the cargos and leave the poor passengers to drown in the waves. Musically, the verses have a melody that reflects the tragedy of the passengers' shattered hope, with a chorus that reflects the protagonists growing disillusionment.'All I know it that sometimes you have to be waryOf a miracle to good to be trueAll I know is that sometimes the truth is contraryEverything in life you thought you knewAll I know is that sometimes you have to be waryCause sometimes the target is you'The protagonist is the only survivor of the doomed voyage.9. Headlong Flight has the protagonist, presumably back home and safe, reminiscing again about all the adventures he's had, and in spite of how bad things may have seen from time to time, that they all helped make him the person he became. The chorus contains a tribute to Neil's mentor Freddy Gruber...the real test of a life well-lived is whether you would do it all again. Musically this is the most kick-ass song on the album, starting out with a killer bass riff from Geddy before launching into a rocking 7-minute fast-tempo song that shows off Geddy, Alex and Neil's jaw-dropping chops...it is going to be a blast to watch them play this one live!10. BU2B2 is a short acoustic reprise of the first one, but from a protagonist who's older, disillusioned, but wiser, and despite still having the same disdain for the fatalists and their unquestioning beliefs, he realizes his own refusal to share in their beliefs and his desire to continue living his own way in spite of all the challenges he's faced is itself a reflection of a kind of faith.11. Wish Them Well is a lesson the protagonist tries to teach - how you can't let those who don't agree with, dislike or hate become a driving factor in your life. Those who are evil, mean, stupid or nasty simply aren't worth spending any more of your energy than needed to get away and get them out of your life. (There's too much other cool stuff to do!)`Spirits turned bitter by the poison of envy, always angry and dissatisfied; even the lost ones, the frightened and mean ones, even the ones with a devil inside. Thank your stars you're not that way, turn your back and walk away; don't even pause and ask them why."Not as fast-paced as Headlong Flight, it has easy pace and an uplifting sound that reminds me a bit of some songs on the Presto album (but without that album's tinny sound.12. The final song, The Garden: I think it's the most beautiful song Rush has ever written. It floored me. Musically it has Geddy starting out singing the lyrics to an almost folk-sounding melody that's not quite like anything they've done in any of their more `ballad-y' songs over the years, with Alex playing an acoustic in support. Then it builds with bass and then Neil joining in on the drums, and then it incorporates some piano and orchestral parts. It has Geddy's best singing on the album, and closes out with a gorgeous solo from Alex. The lyrics provide the finale to the theme of time and the unseen Watchmaker behind the scenes. As his final lesson the protagonist realizes that the meaning of his life boiled down to a quest for two very simple things. From the liner note intro to the song:"Long ago I read a story from another timeline about a character named Candide. He also survived a harrowing series of misadventures and tragedies, then settled on a farm near Constantinople. Listening to a philosophical rant, Candide replied "That's all very well, but now we must tend our garden." I have now arrived at that point in my own story. There is a metaphorical garden in the acts and attitudes of a person's life, and the treasures of that garden are love and respect. I have come to realize that the gathering of love and respect - from others and for myself - has been the real quest of my life. `Now we must tend our garden.'"It is a stunning song - I found myself playing this one several times through.Considering several of the songs individually this would seem like a very dark album, but as a whole I find the story and the music as uplifting and inspiring as any I've ever heard. Its lesson is that if you've gone through life without experiencing its tough times, its tragedies and disappointments, you'll only be a fraction of what you could be. Life is about overcoming all of those things.One of the biggest criticisms about epic songs like Rush has done in the past is that they are not casually listenable. I don't think any of these are that way - musically each one can stand alone, even if you don't understand its place in the larger story, the choruses on almost all of them deal with universal themes. Will it be too much for some fans or blunt the growth of their fanbase from being overly complex or intellectual? I doubt it. I really hope they play this entire album in concert, but given that they've only played the 20-minute 2112 epic on one tour in their careers, playing this 70+ minute magnum opus is probably too much to hope for. But damn, that would be an amazing thing to experience.

Obra prima

It seems every review I add for a Rush album states that it is fantastic, but for many albums this is TRUE!!!Yes, like every band Rush has made a few tracks that are not so good, however, a large percentage of their tracks over all albums ARE good! And in my opinion, this puts Rush in the top 3 bands ever created, with Iron Maiden and Queen being the other two. No other bands have made so many quality music tracks that just leave you feeling uplifted and stress free. The sheer musical talents and creativity of these older bands just wipe the floor with modern bands. In fact I don't know how modern bands and singers even manage to sell ONE album!Rush: Clockwork Angels is a MUST buy, and buy all the other Rush albums while you are at it!

Muziek is uitzonderlijk. Van eenUitzonderlijke groep.

ファンに媚びて、簡単に出来るだろう。商業路線の曲にする位は……でも、そんなrush が聴きたいか？音楽とゆう方法を用いてる哲学者で詩人で芸術家の域なんじゃない？俺の様なモンキーブレインにはクセのある奏法アクロバティックな演奏あの独特な声だけで判る歌唱どこを、どう聴いてもrush寧ろrush でしかない距離は全然、遠くて良い此方寄りに成らなくて安い昨日今日のインスタントアイドルじゃないんだから。Rush の　思う様にやってくれればさ。極端な話。買わなくたって、今は音質良く聴けるし知らぬまま買っで聴いての失敗は無い。それからでも、買う買わないかは此方の自由で損は無し。大好きな曲に巡り合えば儲けものrush だってBIGmoneyを得られる訳だしガッカリするのは、烏滸がましい(極論、別にrush が演歌歌ったりして吃驚する訳じゃなし)期待もしないと当たり外れも楽しめる位に人生、もとい生活が楽になるよ。Rush は　天才奇才だから此方は単純に聴いていればさ

¿Se puede perder la habilidad de ser bueno? En ocasiones si. Afortunadamente, éste no es el caso de Rush. Clockwork Angels tiene 38 años de diferencia con el disco homónimo de la banda, pero suena tan distinto a lo que ha sonado Rush o cualquier otra banda, con un rock progresivo que no busca copiar a nada de lo que anteriormente les ha dado éxito, incluso, llegando a dejar fuera de combate a quienes mencionaban a Snakes and Arrows como el último gran disco de Rush.Clockwork Angels además es el siguiente gran álbum conceptual de Rush, después del increible periodo en el que lanzaron tres álbumes a mediados de los 70 (Caress of Steel, 2112 y Hemispheres). En este disco, podemos disfrutar de la historia de un joven buscando alcanzar sus sueños, luchando contra todo lo que se interpone en su camino, ya sea en el mundo exterior, como en su interior, como sus miedos y frustraciones. Además, el autor Kevin J. Anderson, trabajó con Neil Peart para concebir la novela impresa de dicha historia, la cual, complementa de forma excepcional la música del trío.Los sencillos con los que se promocionó el álbum, "Caravan" y "BU2B" son comercialmente excelentes para espacio en radio, pero forman parte de un intrínseco y complejo mundo, en el cual la banda plasma imágenes en nuestra mente como si estuviesen siendo pintadas enfrente a nosotros. En lo personal, "Seven Cities of Gold" me parece brillante, genial y majestuosa, aunque no demerito a ningún track, por que, la banda, que tiene ya 40 años de formada, se homologa y hace que el disco sea orgánico y natural. Hecho por músicos que saben lo que hacen, saben lo que quieren y crean mundos a voluntad. La guitarra de Alex Lifeson suena desgarradora, la voz de Geddy es sutil, su bajo es fino y preciso y la batería y las letras de Neil Peart hacen que todo el disco valga la pena de inicio a fin.El disco viene en un vinyl doble, con alta densidad (180 gramos), un arte e ilustraciones impresionantes, y no defraudará a nadie que lo tenga en sus manos.Por parte de Amazon, el disco viene protegido con la Funda Anti-Frustración de Amazon, por lo que viene perfectamente cuidado, libre de golpes, suciedad o de maltrato. Así mismo, me llegó mucho antes de lo esperado, lo que es una verdadera delicia.