The Best Since Moving Pictures? You Decide
You either get them or you don’t. A long term friend said that of Rush and to some extent that’s true. Never properly recognised by the mainstream, they’ve still managed to turn out some of the most influential rock music of the last four decades. You ask any recording rock artist to name an influence and the names Peart, Lifeson and Lee will crop up with pulsating regularity. A band with a die hard following across the globe, revelling in the fact their heroes are, well, anti heroes. A band that are not afraid to experiment, take a different line and keep ahead of the curve.
Rush are the greatest kept rock secret in this particular multiverse. With albums and tours they’ve been rocking across the globe for almost forty, yes, forty years. Their latest offering, Clockwork Angels, sees them breaking modern convention again by releasing a concept album. How very 70′s!
The album is set in an alternative, steam punk universe controlled by the ominously titled Watchmaker, but please don’t be put off as each one of the 12 tracks stands out as this is the most stunning album they have produced since Moving Pictures some thirty years ago.
The album kicks off with two tracks that had aleady been released beforen the Time Machine tour. Caravan and BU2B. Then comes along Clockwork Angels – not only can you hear but you can also feel the tightness of the band. The drumming on this track is spectacular, but then again what else do you expect when you have the worlds finest rock percussionist tapping out the rhythm? The Anarchist – a nifty bass line keeps this track together . Another pumping track follows with Carnies, you can detect a bit of Rush through the ages, certain influences from previous works. The music gets ever so slightly mellow with Halo Effect. Acoustic guitar leading into something ever so slightly more heavier. Geddy Lee’s bass brings us into Seven Cities of Gold. Again you can hear the influence of previous works. Great bass line reminiscent of any of the rock greats.
Something new for Rush now, strings, whether they are synthesised or real its a new avenue for the band on The Wreckers, more strings later. Next up Headlong Flight, with yet another stand out Bass intro from Mr. Lee. A high powered, kick ass track, again just enjoy how tight their musicianship is.
BU2B2 a small reprise, vital to the story but the shortest track on the album. Now we get to the penultamate track Wish Them Well, probably the most “commercial” track on the album, ideal for AirPlay on American rock radio. Again it reeks of Rush from the previous decades.
Finally we get to The Garden – the saying leave he best to last is never more appropriate. Amazing acoustics and strings. I’d describe the track as haunting and, for me, their best track on the Album and the single best track since Moving Pictures.
Well you may have guessed, I’m a Rush fan, I was never not going to like this album. From a completely biased point of view I say you should give it a try if you like your rock music tight, well produced and rocking.
It’s a ten out of ten for the album that defines where a band has been and where they are going. Bravo Mr. Lifeson Mr. Peart and Mr. Lee.
Review published with the Kind Permission of Dave Lockwood @BigDL
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