Clockwork Angels - Album Discussion

[Slim]

A discussion specifically about Clockwork Angels is for another thread of course, but I thought it was a pretty remarkable swan song, with an at times quite startling combination of prog technicality and melodic songcraft.

There is not a duffer on it to my mind.

I think it was the best album they'd released since Hold Your Fire, and possibly even Signals. After the rubbish they'd served up over the previous few albums, I was astonished.

Headlong Flight is a real clunker though, awful. I'm not particularly fond of Wish Them Well or The Wreckers. Otherwise - a fantastic album.

[Fishy]

Sorry but The Garden is fucking atrocious imho.. for me again it's an overly long album. Cut it down a few tracks and you have something quite acceptable..

[dom]

I will have another listen - it's been a while - but I don't have fond memories of it

[Slim]

Sorry but The Garden is fucking atrocious imho.. for me again it's an overly long album. Cut it down a few tracks and you have something quite acceptable..

I wouldn't say atrocious but it's AOR. Chick rock, even.

[David L]

For me, BU2B2 and Wish Them Well should have been left off

[Fishy]

Sorry but The Garden is fucking atrocious imho.. for me again it's an overly long album. Cut it down a few tracks and you have something quite acceptable..

I wouldn't say atrocious but it's AOR. Chick rock, even.

However you describe it.. it's def. going out with a whimper rather than a bang..

[Slim]

Yes I agree with that but at least it was a coherent song, and so much of what preceded this album is just dross that in itself, that's quite something.

I think the title piece on this album is right up there with some of their best work (not the very very best like the Hemi title piece and 2112, but up there with The Camera Eye, Analog Kid etc).

[Fishy]

I need to revisit this album not listened to it as a whole for years.. can hardly remember the song titles let alone the music..

[Matt2112]

I'm a devout fanboi of CA so may come across as gushing when discussing it - for which I make no apologies.

[pxr5]

I liked it too - none of the songs were weak to me. I love Wish Them Well.

[Nick]

So so for me, again I think a decent producer would have enhanced the album, I think the mix is bad and Caravan is a pretty hard listen melody/vocals wise. The Garden is a strange one, wonder if Neil envisaged this as the last song he would write in Rush or as a person?

[Thenop]

I recall liking it a lot at the time but would need to revisit to pass judgment.
It's not an album that's been imprinted on me like the older ones. It feels like a different band almost because of that.

[Nickslikk2112]

For me, BU2B2 and Wish Them Well should have been left off

Wish Them Well certainly. I'd managed to forget - finally - the existence of that "song", now it's back. Thanks a bunch.

Just suppose I have another 30 years of life, I can't honestly think of any occasion I will dig out Cockwork Angles - apart from the fact I'm trying to go through my CD collection one by one.

[dom]

Had a little listen and for what they're worth here are a few notes I made..

Caravan - even in the studio you can hear Geddy struggling with the vocals - evident on this song. Strain in his voice
"I can't help feeling big" left me feeling sad for Neil's passing only a few years after he wrote that


Clockwork Angels - a decent song there trying to get out.  There's a "muddiness" to the production I'm not enjoying. Nice solo though

Nice punchy drums and bass at beginning of Anarchist, then back to Geddy's vocal pain, strings are a nice addition  as is Alex's middle eastern guitar sound -  And when Mr Lee goes back to singing within his comfort zone range wise, its a much better listen.

Carnies all the songs are beginning to sound the same now - this passed me by

Good to get a change of pace with Halo Effect nice acoustics and strings

Seven Cities nice groove with the initial bass then geddy's vocal again makes it a tough listen.  Pacing of the song so similar to many that came before

nice vocal melody on The Wreckers nice occasional 60s guitar sound too.  Why fade out on a solo?  Never understand that!

Headlong Flight - prob my fav song from the album when I first listened to it.  Drives along quite nicely except when Geddy is forced to strain out the vocal - this recurring theme really spoils the album for me

BU2B2 not much to see here - move along

Wish them well - pleasant enough ditty but meh, stands no comparison to anything that is classic Rush - no one will pick this out as one of their better songs will they?

The Garden, nice mood setting but I'm  sorry to bang on about it but Geddy can't cope with the key when it moves higher.  he sounds strained and uncomfortable;  this takes front and centre in my limited mind, and detracts from anything going on behind his vocal.

[Fishy]

Thanks for taking a hit for the team...👍