Can't stand new Rush album!?!

[steveschizoid]

Originally Posted by Sounds Great

Ok, was this record suppose to come with a secret decoder ring? Because I just don't get it.

If you're truly curious, this might help:
QA: Neil Peart On Rush's New LP and Being a 'Bleeding Heart Libertarian' | Music News | Rolling Stone

[steveschizoid]

Originally Posted by PDC

I think you do. This album is terrible. You should not have to have better monitors anyway. This album is for fans to listen to in their cars, in their homes, on their iPods, etc. It should not take a set of reference monitors in a room designed by John Storyk for people to enjoy a recording. If the people who made the recording cannot provide that experience, the problem is theirs, not the listeners.

When I made the post you referenced, I had been listening on some old Tannoy pbm 6.5's in my living room. Not great monitors by any means. I was impressed with the songs, the emotion, the performance, and the tones. I truly don't get why you (or any of these other moaners) don't hear this.

But this album isn't for fans. Surely Rush made this record because they wanted to do it. Because they're still alive. The thing is, a lot of (if not most) older rock musicians have a lot less to offer at this stage of their lives. Not that I am arguing that we give the record a break just because of that.

To me some of their really old stuff sounds fairly silly compared to this record. It was great at the time, but that was then.

So you think the guys who engineered this record all have tin ears? I really want to know. Hopefully the Clockwork Angels tracking/mix engineer is still paying attention to this thread.

He probably needs to know it if he can no longer hear well enough to do his job.

[Sounds Great]

Originally Posted by steveschizoid

So you think the guys who engineered this record all have tin ears? I really want to know. Hopefully the Clockwork Angels tracking/mix engineer is still paying attention to this thread.

He probably needs to know it if he can no longer hear well enough to do hs job.

That's a stretch..


The drums and vocals are not really clear but that isn't any fault of the recording. I just don't like the songs and arrangements. They are not warm or inviting. The music is just not working for me.

I listened to the whole of 'Snakes and Arrows' a couple of nights ago and I love most of the songs. I think the recording is similar, but the arrangements are much different. I can hear every word and every drum fill. Not so on the new one. 'The Garden' is good, but not enough to save the record for me.

[steveschizoid]

Originally Posted by Sounds Great

That's a stretch..


The drums and vocals are not really clear but that isn't any fault of the recording. I just don't like the songs and arrangements. They are not warm or inviting. The music is just not working for me.

I listened to the whole of 'Snakes and Arrows' a couple of nights ago and I love most of the songs. I think the recording is similar, but the arrangements are much different. I can hear every word and every drum fill. Not so on the new one. 'The Garden' is good, but not enough to save the record for me.

Agreed concerning Snakes And Arrows!

I cannot quarrel with your (lack of) emotional response to Clockwork Angels, certainly, but I can hear the drums and vocals fine. And I think the drums sound wonderful - especially the toms. They seem pretty roomy - maybe that's what you're not liking?

I saw the new lyrics in your sig (Didn't you recently have some from Leftoverture?)....

Here are some more modern ones:

All that you can do is wish them well
All that you can do is wish them well

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
Turn around and say goodbye

People who judge without a measure of mercy
All the victims who will never learn
Even the lost ones, you can only give up on
Even the ones who make you burn

The ones who've done you wrong
The ones who pretended to be so strong
The grudges you've held for so long
It's not worth singing that same sad song

Even though you're going through hell
Just keep on going
Let the demons dwell

Just wish them well



Wicked guitar solo in that one!

[PDC]

Originally Posted by steveschizoid

When I made the post you referenced, I had been listening on some old Tannoy pbm 6.5's in my living room. Not great monitors by any means. I was impressed with the songs, the emotion, the performance, and the tones. I truly don't get why you (or any of these other moaners) don't hear this.

But this album isn't for fans. Surely Rush made this record because they wanted to do it. Because they're still alive. The thing is, a lot of (if not most) older rock musicians have a lot less to offer at this stage of their lives. Not that I am arguing that we give the record a break just because of that.

To me some of their really old stuff sounds fairly silly compared to this record. It was great at the time, but that was then.

So you think the guys who engineered this record all have tin ears? I really want to know. Hopefully the Clockwork Angels tracking/mix engineer is still paying attention to this thread.

He probably needs to know it if he can no longer hear well enough to do his job.

I don't know if we can go so far as to say someone has tin ears. Engineers must bow to the ruler of the land. I listen to music from different periods and recognize the trends. This album sounds like the same thing other people are doing, mixing warmer, darker, murkier, whatever you want to call it, as a knee jerk reaction to sound more analog and less brittle 80s digital. Compression is a style, a genre of music if you will, and it sounds like crap to me. But, there are many big dollar engineers using the snot out of it. Does it mean the engineers have tin ears? It means they are donating to the style/genre. In a couple of years, everyone will move to the next evolution of clean and accurate, or whatever the pendulum swings to. Hopefully it is not to everything swimming in artificial verb.

[carlheinz]

Long time fan here and Alex Lifeson and co was one of the reasons why I stuck with the guitar.Iv'e been really trying to sink my ears into this album...at home...in the car...in the studio...and I'm trying hard not to compare it with any previous rush album and just take it in as its own thing....keeping an open mind and all...AND WHILE I CAN USUALLY ALWAYS FIND SOMETHING INTERESTING GOING ON IN A RUSH ALBUM SOMEWHERE...I find it very hard to get through this without hitting the skip button.However I will compliment them for being very ambitious and really putting forth and incredible effort in the arrangements and showcasing some great musicianship. Neil's drumming always shines through although a bit sterilized by the mixing of compression and reverb.!.On the downside(for me and my opinion),I think there is not one memorable song past song 1....mabie... "clockwork angels".In some of the songs...The vocals are almost like suedo James Hetfield "enter sandman"esk type pentatonic melodies attached to the wrong vocalist tonally."Wish them well" is almost like a wanna be Dave Grohl tune in the spirit of "times like these".At the end of the day,It is a series of non-unified ideas between whats going on with the playing(which is top notch) and the vocals or melodies that might form or should form some sort of cohesive song.This is where it goes wrong for me..A marrage of many intresting bits gone past the law of diminishing returns to a clogging of the audio arteries.It's sad because I'm really rooting for these guys.I love Rush and will always be a fan.There's still some great playing and interesting stuff in C.A.It's just me being selfish and wanting"MY RUSH THAT I LIKE".

[steveschizoid]

Originally Posted by carlheinz

It's just me being selfish and wanting"MY RUSH THAT I LIKE".

There it is. At least you recognize what's going on.

The positive aspect to it is that they have a huge body of work and there is plenty of the Rush that you like out there.

I saw The Police's last tour twice. Back in the day I saw the Ghost In The Machine tour as well as the Synchronicity one. The band that showed up in each of these occasions was quite different.

My favorites were the Ghost In The Machine and the earlier of the last tour. The last tour was radically different. I couldn't believe it when I realized they were playing a slow groovy version of Truth Hits Everybody. It blew my mind.

I really wish they could stand each other enough to make one more record.

I guess I just find the way people change and bands evolve an intensely interesting process.

Though I remember the first really incredible kiss I experienced at age 15, I'm 50 now and I have to look forward to the next one rather than backwards at that one.

It's all good. Really.

[carlheinz]

I saw the"Ghost in the machine tour at Compton Terrace in AZ.The go-go's opened the show.The Police were mezmerizing on that tour.Saw them on this last tour....and yes...very weird.Could not hear any hi-hat in the mix and songs were nutered or "Stung"!!!

[Sounds Great]

Originally Posted by carlheinz

I find it very hard to get through this without hitting the skip button.

Me as well. I listened to the record beginning to end, and I kept finding myself hoping it would all be over soon.

[sharke]

Originally Posted by Sounds Great

Me as well. I listened to the record beginning to end, and I kept finding myself hoping it would all be over soon.

As a long time Steely Dan fan, that was pretty much my initial experience with "Two Against Nature." I just couldn't find anything redeeming about it at all, it sounded bland and "phoned in." I was skipping almost every track halfway through. However, I stuck with it, and now I love it and listen to it all the time. Same thing with Donald Fagan's solo offering "Morph The Cat." Totally love it now. I have found that the longer I have been a fan of a band, the longer it takes me to accept new albums.

[ears2thesky]

I saw the"Ghost in the machine tour at Compton Terrace in AZ.The go-go's opened the show.

I saw them on the Synchronicity tour in Austin and The Go Go's opened for them with UB40 and Joe "King" Carrasco. Police were great. Openers all pretty much blew.

Not sure that has anything to do with Rush or mastering.

[Jim Williams]

Since morphing into a modern rock band with requisite fuzz rhythm guitars, maybe Rush will do a hiphop CD next time?

It's not like they have anywhere else to go now. Their old chorus pedals don't work anymore.

[Waltz Mastering]

Originally Posted by ears2thesky

I saw them on the Synchronicity tour in Austin and The Go Go's opened for them with UB40 and Joe "King" Carrasco. Police were great. Openers all pretty much blew.

Not sure that has anything to do with Rush or mastering.

I saw Andy Summer with Simon Phillips and Tony Levin at the Baked Potato doing straight ahead stuff.

Not sure that has anything to do with Rush or mastering

[foamboy]

Originally Posted by Waltz Mastering

Not sure that has anything to do with Rush or mastering

Absolutely NOTHING!!!!!!!


But I am jealous. That would have been cool.

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[foamboy]

Well,this thread proves,ONCE AGAIN,that art IS subjective!


I just finished listening to Clockwork Angels mere moments ago and I REALLY liked the COMPOSTIONS! Unfortunately,the mix/master did not help this project from an emotive angle!

I believe that this is their best effort since Counter Parts. I personally did not care for Vapor Trails or Snakes and Arrows. They were very nebulas and forgetable. Test for Echo had a few cool compositions,but with this latest release I think they really achieved what they have been going for on the before mentioned projects.

Unfortunately the mix did not let these songs breathe and allow them to breathe and be felt,IMO. At least some of these hooks stuck in my head after I ejected the CD. That's more than I can say for S&A and Vape Trails.

BUT,as much as I hate to admit it,art IS subjective and THAT is my rant!!!!!

Thanks for acting like you give a shite!!!!

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