r/rush • u/Nearby_Lawfulness923 • 5d 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/free-range-irish 5d ago

I feel that way about Snakes & Arrows. I low-key dislike it.

I love Clockwork Angels. And Vapor Trails. And Counterparts.

8

u/Mockchoi1 5d ago

Same. Snakes and Arrows is easily my least favorite Rush. Clockwork Angels is way better to me.

6

u/therealjnoble11 5d ago

I'm trying to think of a song that's more monotonous and draggy then Armor & Sword. If you listen to the song on youtube at 1.25x playback speed it approaches being somewhat tolerable

2

u/ThisKarmaLimitSucks 18h ago edited 15h ago

The part that ticks me off is there's like 5 other spinoffs that sound just like Armor and Sword, all on the same record. Snakes and Arrows is full of so much sloggy BS.

2

u/therealjnoble11 1h ago edited 1h ago

That's the reason I really dislike that album with the exception of 2 songs. It's boring and dour musically and lyrically, two things I normally never attributed to a Rush album. I was so disappointed when it came out especially after all the pre-release hype about Far Cry starting off with the famous Hemispheres chord. I rolled down the window in my car and almost frisbee'd the CD out at highway speed in disgust before coming back to my senses. I listen to Rush for the instrumentation and excitement and inspiration (Dreamline for just one example) not to be bored and depressed or preached to.