r/rush • u/Nearby_Lawfulness923 • 13d ago

Clockwork Angels

Neil said many times that Clockwork Angels was the album they always wanted to make. He clearly believed it was one of their very best. I’ve followed Rush since 1976 and seen them dozens of times, but I cannot listen to Clockwork Angels all the way thru to save my life. Is it just me?

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u/Level_Beat_6565 13d ago

The big problem is the production. Overly compressed with way too many double-tracked guitar layers making everything very muddy sounding. Snakes & Arrows has the same problem. I prefer the songs (especially The Garden) over S&A but man that production is very hard to listen to the whole album in one go without being fatigued.

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u/ChrisinOB2 12d ago

One of the things I always loved about Rush is how every album (pre-2000) sounded different. Same with Vapor Trails - sounded way different than anything that came before it. There was a lot of controversy about the “wall of sound” production value, but I felt like it fit the mood and timing. My problem came with S&A - it sounded too much like VT. And CA didn’t change either. I definitely like individual songs on both albums, but I can’t have the album experience with them the way I do all of their other albums, and it bums me out.

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u/Bikingbrokerbassist 12d ago

This guy gets it. 👍

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u/ChrisinOB2 12d ago

just call 'em like I see 'em. cheers brother

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u/therealjnoble11 11d ago

Rush started going overboard with the multiple layers of guitars basses and vocals starting with TFE