Rush: Clockwork angels gets worse with each listen.

Counterparts was a huge return to form after the glimpses shown by the solid but uneven Presto and Roll the Bones albums.

 

Their last fully solid album.

 

Even with Counterparts, there are a few weaker tracks on it, but in terms of latter-era Rush, you're probably right.

 

I totally agree with this - I listened to Clockwork Angels several times when it was released, then went back to some earlier albums (like 70's earlier) and the lack of melody is striking. And it's not like I ever thought of Rush as being this melodious group. So really, CA is not a return to their classic sound because their classic sound was rich with melodies that are absent from this album.

 

^A valid criticism...they've certainly changed their approach over the years and I do prefer their 1970s/80s approach where the songs are more melodic, the arrangements less dense/wall of sound, and I dearly miss Alex's *gasp* GUITAR SOLOS, which have basically been totally absent the past 25 years.

 

I loved CwA when it first came out. Honestly it faded for me within a month or two. The mix/production/mastering made the album hard to listen to for me. I'd get a headache and fatigue halfway through the album. There are some fantastic tracks though. And some guitar solos!

I think I might still prefer the best songs off SnA. While that album seems longer and more bloated than CwA, I think it's best songs might beat the best songs off the latter.

Honestly though, give me PeW-PoW any day of the week. My double RL promo copy PoW is a demo disc on my system. Middletown Dreams might be one of my favorite Rush songs, whereas Signals is my favorite Rush album. I used to love the 70s stuff equally when I was younger, but now I rarely listen to anything prior to MP, even though I do enjoy the older stuff when I put it on.

I think the lack of melodies argument for the newer stuff is valid though. I believe they've altered their songwriting approach to just jamming and finding riffs they like, as compared to before when the compositions were tighter. At least to my ears.

 

Decent melodies have been in short supply on Rush albums of the last 20 years. They were almost non-existent on Test For Echo and Vapor Trails. I did think that they made somewhat of a comeback in this regard on Snakes and Arrows (you don't have to *like* the songs, but I think that Far Cry and The Way The Wind Blows - as well as the instrumentals - are clearly more melodic than what they had been turning out).

I think Counterparts is fantastically produced and sounds great, but I really don't like about 1/3 of the songs - which means that I don't consider it to be all that much better than what surrounded it in the Rush catalog.

Too many Rush songs in the last 20 years are these bulky, featureless structures comprised of almost interchangeable parts. I guess if you listen to them enough they can become memorable, in their own way, but stuff like Limelight, Spirit of Radio, Subdivisions, Big Money... those songs were so distinct and immediately grabbed the listener.

I disagree with the person who said that their music sounds like they've stopped trying/packed it in. I've been to several live shows over the last 5 years and you'd never think that they were just going through the motions, based on that. I guess that they are doing what sounds good to them. I don't think it's great stuff personally, but I don't think that their music has the air of being mailed in either.

 

I never really rated this album at all on any level. I didn't like the production nor thought the songs were that great overall-I rate about three of them. I think people have covered the issues pretty well I think from the mid-80's onward Rush's songwriting has been in decline nevermind if you didn't like the change in style of music the base songs were never as good again.

 

This is an analysis I almost entirely agree with......except for the Big Money that's a dog

 

Yeah, it sounds like they compose their tracks out of jams, and their jams are based on what they want to accomplish technically and not with the idea of crafting a melody in mind.

 

Exactly what I said above. I wonder how many albums they have left in them? I'd love to hear them do another album with Broon.

 

Exactly.

Deep Purple and Rush are two of my favorite bands and they both take that approach. The big difference is that Ian Gillan (singer/lyricist) is an outside force removed from the "jam." That outside force seems to be producing better results lately (ie: autumn years), imo.

 

I like Clockwork Angels, so I can't really help the OP. Plus lumping Counterparts (a darn good record) in with Test for Echo (their worst record) confuses me. With Counterparts, they were finally rocking again, and with Clockwork Angels, they are still rocking.

 

A dog that I like.

 

I can totally see why anyone might feel this way. I admit, I haven't felt the same love for his playing since. The parts he plays aren't nearly as interesting. He isn't as fun to watch and his drum kit isn't as impressive. Maybe age and maturity comes into play to some degree too, but yeah... totally agreed!

 

To me, the length of an album doesn't bother me since we live in an age when we can construct things whatever way we want. The more material on an album, the more options I have in constructing it the way my ears like to hear it.

 

I've seen them many times over the years from Hemispheres onwards my thought from the minute I saw Peart on the R30 tour after a gap spanning 20 years was that he just didn't seem as fast....obviously he is hitting all the same parts but he doesn't seem anywhere near as dynamic as the young Peart.....and of course maybe that's not a surprise.....funny enough on the CA tour I thought he was more like his old self.

 

The problem with Counterparts are the valleys. While a good majority of it is quite good, the Speed Of Love/Alien Shore/Between Sun And Moon section if pretty awful, and brings the whole thing to a screeching halt.

 

Actually to me he was more a versatile and just a better drummer from Test For Echo and onward. Its not all about hitting hard and fast.

 

I agree with the exception of listening to it endlessly (it only took a couple listens to arrive at your conclusion) and that Counterparts is a poor record. I think Counterparts is great and the last good Rush album until Snakes and Arrows. Vapor and Clockwork are clearly at the bottom for me, with Echo somewhat more elevated but still the 3rd worst. Driven is a great tune live, however

 

I might be wrong but on the last tour he looked a bit fitter he's not as fit as he was back in that era-I don't care what anyone says that has to make a difference.....plus it's rock and roll of course it's all about hitting hard and fast...

 

Definitely not always about playing hard and fast, regardless of the genre.

Neil's drumming has steadily improved since the VT tour as far as I saw. The guy took the better part of 5 years off from playing any drums or music. Give him a break. At least he can still play well (cough cough Alan White).

 

I've already said I thought the last tour he was playing better........I'm not complaining but Peart in '79 was a sight to behold.......still the best live drummer I've ever seen...

 

He's more technically proficient now in regards to versatility and variety in his playing. The old days were just impressive speed.

 

I was 14 I was easily impressed.......now in later years I don't give a ****...he looks slower...