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A Couple of Links

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Over at In The Studio.net, there is an interview with Yes on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Close to the Edge.  It’s about 20 minutes long and well worth a listen.  Hat tip to Paul Watson who previously posted about this on the BBT Facebook page.

On YouTube, I stumbled across an interview with Neal Peart regarding Clockwork Angels, and thought it would be a good companion to the post below regarding the same album.  Its about 43 minutes in length, but like almost any interview with Peart, you can be sure it’s interesting.


Tagged: Clockwork Angels, Close to the Edge, Interviews, Neal Peart, Rush, Yes

You Can Do a Lot in a Lifetime, If You Don’t Burn Out Too Fast – Rush, April 23, 2013 at the Frank Erwin Center, Austin, Texas

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ImageJust one week after a long-overdue induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Rush opened the second leg of their ‘Clockwork Angels’ tour – and fortunately for myself and thousands of other Texans, they did it right here in Austin.

For long-time Rush fans, a Rush concert is more than just an event where we see musicians performing their catalog in a live setting.  For us, it is something that gets into us the way dye gets into a shirt and alters its color; something that affects each of us right down to the molecular level.  This show certainly did that for me, more for reasons I will get into below.

The steampunk aesthetic of the stage setup was spectacular.  It was refreshing to see a big visual presentation to accompany the music, which is a rare thing these days.  In contrast to the 70’s, when progressive rock was bigger and had more backing by the record companies, most contemporary prog shows are played in smaller venues without the type of visuals as were present in some of the gargantuan shows of that earlier time (think ‘Yes’ on the ‘Relayer’ tour).  Rush is the rare band from that era that can still play large venues with a corresponding stage set and light show that turns the presentation into more of an event than just a live music performance.

After a long break from the road, the band seemed rested, recharged, and ready to go.  Some of Rush’s typically humorous opening video greeted the audience when the lights went down, featuring the band’s trademarked slightly bizarre humor.  The concert proper then opened with a rousing version of ‘Subdivisions’, followed a number of 80’s works.  In the first set, they did three songs from ‘Power Windows’, including ‘The Big Money’, ‘Grand Designs’, and ‘Territories’, while also managing to squeeze in ‘Limelight’, ‘Force Ten’, and ‘The Analog Kid’.  After the latter tune, the band moved into the 90’s with ‘Bravado’ and ‘Where’s My Thing’ and then into the 00’s with ‘Far Cry’, which closed out the first set.

After a short break, the band returned to the stage, this time with eight additional musicians collectively known as ‘The Clockwork Angels String Ensemble’.  This tour has been the first in which Rush has brought extra musicians on stage, and they were used to good effect here.  The string ensemble filled in some spaces while enhancing others, remaining on stage throughout the performance of ‘Clockwork Angels’ and for several songs afterwards, including a blistering performance of ‘YYZ’, which is captured through a smartphone (not mine) here.

Beginning with another entertaining bizarro-humor video (with Neil, Alex, and Geddy playing dwarfs) the second half of the show kicked off with ‘Caravan’, and followed through with most of the songs from ‘Clockwork Angels’.  Regrettably missing from that list was ‘BU2B’ and ‘Wish Them Well’, the latter being a favorite of mine not only for the music but for the life lesson within the lyrics.  A guitar snafu during ‘The Anarchist’ was a minor hiccup that left Geddy alone without melodic accompaniment for a moment, but Alex and his guitar tech had the presence of mind to quickly swap out instruments.  The performance of ‘Clockwork Angels’ concluded with a spectacular performance of ‘The Garden’, the visuals of video working great with the music here.

After concluding ‘Clockwork Angels’, the band went back into the 80’s again, with ‘Manhattan Project’, a short drum solo, ‘Red Sector A’, and ‘YYZ’.  The string ensemble exited the stage and the band closed out the set with ‘The Spirit of Radio’.  The band returned for an encore including ‘Tom Sawyer’ and ‘2112’ (‘Overture’, ‘The Temples of Syrinx’, and ‘Grand Finale’) before calling it a night for good.

I don’t have much to critique for the show, but I do have to say that the soundman could have done a better job with the mix.  It was very bass-heavy, and this caused a bit of muffling of notes, particularly on a few of Alex’s guitar solos.  But overall, that wasn’t enough to dampen the experience, which was still overwhelmingly positive.

All in all, an outstanding show, played with the energy and intensity that belied their age.

ImageAfterward, according to their Facebook page, Neil, Alex, and Geddy got in touch with their inner cavemen by devouring some Texas barbeque, as shown in the photo.  At this point of the review, you’ll have to excuse me while I go off on a tangent, but there is something in that photo that I think I need to address with the band members.  Geddy, Alex, Neil – I’m glad you enjoyed your barbeque during your most recent visit to the Republic of Texas.  The ribs and brisket are hard to beat.  However, I have to say I am a little disturbed in looking at some of the bottles on the table.  You three are Canadian boys, and therefore have Canadian genes – which means like other great Canadians, such as Bob and Doug McKenzie, you are drinkers of hearty beer.  Thus, seeing several bottles of Corona on the table gives me pause.  Corona is more or less a summertime beer – I could give you a pass on this if the gig was an outdoor gig during the sweltering months of July or August.  But last night was an unseasonably cool April night, and thus I just cannot understand the Corona.  Even more disturbing is what appears to be a bottle of Bud Light on the table.  Perhaps one of you reached for a water bottle and didn’t notice the difference?  Now, in fairness, toward the upper right corner, it does appear that some redemption is present, as I am about 90% confident that’s a bottle of Shiner Blonde.  I’ve compared the portion of the label I can see in the picture to an actual bottle of the same in my refrigerator, and the lack of a bar code on my bottle appears to be the only difference.  I’ll do more research of the label tomorrow night as I watch the NFL draft – just to be sure, you know.  Nevertheless, Shiner Blonde is a beer befitting of your Canadian DNA, guys, so I would recommend you use that to wash down your next Texas barbeque dinner.  Ok, tangent over.

This Rush concert was special in a way that says something both about Rush and their fans alike.  Not only was this my fifth Rush show, but it was the fifth different decade in which I had seen them.  Previously I had seen them in 1979 (Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY, Hemispheres tour), 1984 (Hampton Coliseum, Hampton VA, Grace Under Pressure tour), 1990 (Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, NC, Presto tour) and 2007 (Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, San Antonio, TX, Snakes and Arrows tour).  The 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and 00’s. Now I can add the 10’s.  I’m comfortable in saying that I’m not alone among the Rush fan base, and in fact know there are fans that have seen many, many more shows than I have, and moreover, within the same five decades.  There are not many bands out there that one can say the same about.  There are even fewer (if any bands) that one can say that about while also saying that it was with the same lineup each time.  That’s a testimony to their longevity, as well as to the loyalty of the fans that have stuck with them all of these years.  As many of you will recognize, the title of this piece is drawn from the lyrics of ‘Marathon’ off of the ‘Power Windows’ album.  And those words, written by their philosopher-drummer nearly 30 years ago, appear to be even more true now than when that album was released.  Rush, despite some serious ups and downs, has persevered and continued to make great music far beyond the time when most bands lose their creative edge.  And fans like myself and countless others, we’ve lived our lives and had our own ups and downs for all of these years, and yet we kept coming back, keep buying the albums, and keep going to the concerts because we appreciate the excellence, the professionalism, the creativity, and the wisdom inherent in the lyrics. That neither Rush nor their fans have burned out, that both have shown the endurance to stick with one another throughout the decades only proves the wisdom of the lyrics from which this review draws its title.

Thanks, guys.  Not just for last night’s show. But for everything over all of these years.


Tagged: 2013, Alex Lifeson, Beer, Clockwork Angels, geddy lee, Neil Peart, Progressive rock, Rush, Texas BBQ

Rush’s “Clockwork Angels” Concert Video To Be Released November 19th

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Attention Rush fans: Have room on your media shelf for yet another Rush concert tour video?

In what is now a familiar pattern of documenting every tour, the recent Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees announced a concert video from their 2012-13 Clockwork Angels tour over the summer.  Today, the 2-DVD/single BluRay received a release date: November 19th.

Captured in November 2012 at the American Airlines Arena in Dallas, the “Clockwork Angels” setlist pulls heavily from Rush’s 80′s output with tracks such as “Middletown Dreams,” “The Body Electric” and “Grand Designs,” as well as a predictable, heavy dose of material from “Clockwork Angels,” Rush’s first-ever concept album, released last year.

Of course, Rush fans know that a highlight of this tour was the eight-piece string ensemble that added their touch to the “Clockwork Angels” music as well as classic Rush tracks such as “YYZ,” marking the first time in their career that the trio brought additional musicians on tour to enhance their music.

Another big highlight was not one, but three drum solos from Neil Peart, all of which are featured in the video.  What’s more, fans will be treated to numerous special features including a new documentary, “Can’t Stop Thinking Big,” profiling the behind the scenes goings-on.

For years, Rush fans lamented how few DVD’s the group released, but since “Vapor Trails,” the group has been prolific in getting both current and past releases out. “Clockwork Angels” figures to be a must-have for both hardcore Rush fans and prog enthusiasts.

You can view the trailer here.

DVD/Bluray tracklisting:

Set One
Subdivisions
The Big Money
Force Ten
Grand Designs
The Body Electric
Territories
The Analog Kid
Bravado
Where’s My Thing?/Drum Solo #1
Far Cry

Set Two
Caravan
Clockwork Angels
The Anarchist
Carnies
The Wreckers
Headlong Flight/Drum Solo #2
Peke’s Repose/Halo Effect
Seven Cities of Gold
Wish Them Well
The Garden
Dreamline
Drum Solo #3
Red Sector A
YYZ
The Spirit of Radio
Encore
Tom Sawyer
2112

Bonus Tracks
Limelight (soundcheck recording)
Middletown Dreams
The Pass
Manhattan Project

Special Features
Can’t Stop Thinking Big (tour documentary)
Behind The Scenes
Outtakes
Interview With Dwush
Family Goy
Family Sawyer
The Watchmaker (intermission tour film)
Office Of The Watchmaker (closing tour film)


Tagged: Alex Lifeson, Clockwork Angels, geddy lee, Neil Peart, prog, Progressive rock, Rush

Time Warp in Boulder and Clockwork Angels

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Clockwork_Angels_01_Cover_BAfter spending my first afternoon at the University of Colorado, I stopped by Time Warp Comics (http://www.time-warp.com).  As it turns out, Neil Peart, Kevin J. Anderson, and Nick Robles have been producing a six-part comic book series of Clockwork Angels.

The first three issues are out, and I was even able to purchase a signed (by Anderson) copy of issue 1.

And, equally important, I found out that several of the guys working at Time Warp are proggers.  They were also just–not surprisingly–fantastic guys (and a gal).  So, a huge thanks to Clayton, Garrett, Michael, and Georgia!

What a store.  I’ll certainly be stopping by again.

If you’re in Boulder, make sure you check out Time Warp.

Time Warp Comics, 3105 28th Street, Boulder, CO 80301.

Time Warp Comics, 3105 28th Street, Boulder, CO 80301.


Tagged: Boulder, Clockwork Angels, Kevin J. Anderson, Neil Peart, Nick Robles, Progressive rock, Rush, Time Warp Comics

Kevin J. Anderson: Well Beyond a Clockwork Imagination

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A review of Kevin J. Anderson, CLOCKWORK ANGELS: THE COMIC SCRIPTS (Monument, CO: Wordfire Press, 2014); from a story and lyrics by Neil Peart.

Birzer rating: 10/10.

ca-comic

From WordFire Press (December 2014).

Two things need to be stated before I even get into the heart of this review. Well, ok, let me put this in active form, before my students yell “foul!” I, Brad, need to state two things before getting into this review.

First, one could write a long and interesting article just about the convoluted and circuitous publishing history of CLOCKWORK ANGELS. And, why not? What a fascinating history. In the beginning, CLOCKWORK ANGELS was an album by Rush (remember, though, the first two songs came out almost two full years before the album itself).

Then, it was a best-selling novel by Kevin J. Anderson and Neil Peart.

Then, it was a huge worldwide rock concert tour, a live album, and a live concert DVD.

Then, it came out from BOOM! Studios in comic book form, illustrated by the extremely talented Nick Robles, over six issues. These six issues, of course, will be released in graphic-novel form in the spring (April 2015) with, I’m guessing, an intro or conclusion by Peart.

Now, however, CLOCKWORK ANGELS has come out from Anderson’s WordFire Press as THE COMIC SCRIPTS.

Soon, there will be a sequel, CLOCKWORK LIVES, which Anderson has only recently happily finished with the equally happy blessing of Neil Peart.

It’s possible the whole cycle might start over with the sequel.

And, if Rob Freedman is correct, CLOCKWORK ANGELS will probably grab the fancy of some Hollywood producer, direct, and acting talent, and it will be made into a major motion picture. If so—and, let’s pray this happens—the script is completely written, the scenes already storyboarded by Anderson, a true master of the art.

Second caveat. It’s no secret—at least to readers of progarchy—that I’ve been following the career of Neil Peart very closely since the spring of 1981. Since the age of 13, Peart has been as much a part of my life as has Ray Bradbury, J.R.R. Tolkien, Mark Twain, T.S. Eliot, and the list could go on.

Sci-fi demigod, Kevin J. Anderson.

Sci-fi demigod, Kevin J. Anderson.

Since some time in the early 1990s, however, I can also state the same about Kevin J. Anderson. Among modern science-fiction writers, the only other person I’ve followed as closely is J. Michael Straczynski. I’m absolutely fascinated by their writings as well as the trajectory of their careers.   Each is a expert of his craft and an imaginative perfectionist. Each is also very much in-tune with his audience and the possibilities the internet presents. And, as probably well known, each has advanced the cause of progressive rock in a variety of ways. Straczynski had done so by promoting the career of Christopher Franke and Anderson by writing with Peart, producing the story and lyrics (along with his wife) for Roswell Six, and through a myriad of other ways. Each, also, fully embraces the comic and graphic novel worlds. Straczynski tends toward horror and the gnostic, and Anderson tends toward science fiction and the mythic, but, otherwise, the two have a great deal in common.

So, these two caveats stated, let’s get back to Anderson’s latest, THE COMIC SCRIPTS.

Even from a cursory examination of Peart’s song lyrics, the story of CLOCKWORK ANGELS seems a nicely updated version of 1978’s HEMISPHERES. There’s the side of order, and there’s the side of chaos. The hero, choosing not to embrace either extreme, finds a via media, making his own path and his own choices. He finds, in reality, that his choices are limited, however, but choice does exist. So, free will exists, but it does so only within certain bounds.

Anderson’s novel offers a wondrous exploration of Peart’s universe. Employing the literary devices of utopia and dystopia, Anderson, a sci-fi demigod, gives the story a much needed and beautifully executed Tolkien-esque and Chestertonian fairy-tale ethos and atmosphere. We discover why the Clockmaker craves surety and the Anarchist disorder. We also discover why Owen must reject both and become, for all intents and purposes, the everyman version of Cygnus.

Not limited to lyrics for twelve songs merely, Anderson explores, lulls, mulls, and lingers. With his deft hand, the world of Owen and the CLOCKWORK ANGELS becomes rich, full, and tangible. Though many have labeled this world as Steampunk—a label neither Anderson nor Peart would deny—it is much more than Steampunk as well. The pastoral quality of parts is truly pastoral and adds the Tolkienian fantastic to it all. Indeed, Anderson’s best writing—while always superb—truly shines when he is detailing the cultures that arise in distant and rural landscapes.

Equally important, though, is that Anderson is not only a great friend of Peart’s, he’s also a huge fan of Rush (and Hugh Syme). These loves show in almost every word and on every page of CLOCKWORK ANGELS. For those of us obsessed with Rush, Anderson ably rewards the reader, throwing into his novel (and the comics, and, thus, THE COMIC SCRIPTS) Easter eggs galore.

What surprises me most about THE COMIC SCRIPTS, however, is how utterly and brilliantly visual Anderson’s imagination is. Frankly, after having read much of his science fiction and some of his detective fiction, I really have no right to be surprised by any of this! Anderson is a genius at nearly every level, but he is especially excellent in and at creating a MYTHOS around, behind, and near every one of his novels. There’s a reason major international serials praised his own renditions of the XFILES as some of the best sci-fi of the 1990s. Sure, the XFILES was a great TV show. But, Anderson’s skill made the characters and the MYTHOS a thousand times better. I suppose my surprise at Anderson’s ability to visualize and imagine is, if anything, an indication of my own lack of imagination.

Looking at THE COMIC SCRIPTS, one readily sees that Anderson anticipated and then directed every single panel of the comics. He describes the emotions on the faces as well as the technology that will (certainly) jolt the reader into a sort of glee. Anderson presents every aspect of the CLOCKWORK world in all of its alchemical madness and glory.

By describing every thing visually, Anderson paints an interesting portrait of this world that could tease the Rush fan and the sci-fi/fantasy reader without end. Some day, lit crit folks will have a field day deconstructing all of this. For example, per both Peart’s and Anderson’s desires, the reader never actually sees the faces of the angels. This must be left to the individual mystery and imagination. Or, one sees that the symbol of the order-loving Clockmaker is a beehive and honeybee. The beehive looks suspiciously like the symbol of Utah, the Mormons, and the former State/Empire of Deseret. Is this intentional? I don’t know.

Or, how about the description of our hero, Owen? He is truly everyman—“He is non-ethnically specific,” Anderson explains. He “should have darker/olive skin, dark eyes, dark hair.” Anderson describes the cities of his world as Manhattan with a twist of old Berlin with a huge touch of the art deco. Could this be Gotham? Metropolis? Dark City? Of course.

Ok, but what surprises me most? That Hollywood hasn’t snatched up Anderson in a major way. Holy Moses, this guy can think, he can write, and he can imagine.

So, should you buy this latest offering from Anderson?

Do you like Rush? Yes.

Do you like science fiction? Yes.

Do you like intelligence and imagination in your fiction? Yes.

Do you like the visual arts? Yes.

For me, THE COMIC SCRIPTS is another brilliant exploration of the CLOCKWORK world. But, even if you’d never heard of Rush or even if you’ve never read the novel or the comics, this is still well worth owning. Anderson’s writing is so good, and his visual imagination is so fascinating, that THE COMIC SCRIPTS could easily (and does) stand on its own as a screenplay or as an actual stage play.

I promise—you’ll be riveted from pages 10 to 253.

Enjoy. And, Merry Christmas.


Tagged: Boom! ECW, Clockwork Angels, Kevin J. Anderson, Neil Peart, Rush, WordFire Press

I Want One!

Clockwork Lives Cover

Kevin J. Anderson’s Request: Make Neil Peart a Second-Time NYT Best Seller


Great Review of CLOCKWORK LIVES

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anderson and peart clockwork (1)

Clockwork Angels, the Graphic Novel; and Clockwork Lives. By Kevin J. Anderson and Neil Peart.

Scifi Pulse has just posted a really strong review of the latest novel by sci-fi master Kevin J. Anderson and Rush drummer Neil Peart, CLOCKWORK LIVES.

The final line: Reading the first book is not necessary to enjoy this novel; it is in a completely different format than the previous book and is equally satisfying. Anderson and Peart have created a magnificent journey for Marinda and I’m glad they returned to this universe. In fact, after the pleasure this book brought to me, I would be disappointed if they did not return for further tales. Recommended. Overall grade: A+ 

To read the full review, go here: http://scifipulse.net/in-review-clockwork-lives/


Tagged: Clockwork Angels, Clockwork Lives, Progressive rock, WordFire Press

The Trilogy Complete: Kevin J. Anderson’s ETERNITY’S MIND

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kja-eternitys-mind
Out today, and available from Amazon.

I wish I had a review ready, but I just received the book today!  So, sadly, no review yet.  Just a notice.  This, however, is the conclusion to Anderson’s brilliant, Saga of Shadows trilogy.

For those of you who don’t know, Anderson is not only one of Neil Peart’s closest friends, but he’s also the co-author of Clockwork Angels and Clockwork Lives with Peart.  Much to celebrate in the prog world.

What else to write about Kevin?  I mentioned he’s brilliant, but did I mention he also writes lyrics for Roswell Six, is a great guy, has an equally great wife, and has been nominated for the Hugo?

To order Anderson’s’s latest, please go here: https://www.amazon.com/Eternitys-Mind-Kevin-J-Anderson/dp/0765333015/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473789535&sr=8-1&keywords=eternity%27s+mind


Tagged: Clockwork Angels, Clockwork Lives, Eternity's Mind, Kevin J. Anderson, Neil Peart, Progressive rock, Rush, Saga of Shadows, WordFire Press

Rush’s Clockwork Angels (It Can Get None More Prog!)

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Rush’s 19th Studio Album.  Six years old today.  Art by Hugh Syme.

Today is the sixth anniversary of the release of the final Rush studio album, CLOCKWORK ANGELS.  It can get “nun more” prog.  

[This piece is dedicated to my great and brave friend, Steve Horwitz, fellow Rush-ian]

Rush’s nineteenth studio album, Clockwork Angels, came out on June 12, 2012.  It was the first album to be distributed by heavy-metal label, Roadrunner, and the second to be produced by Nick Raskulinecz.  As mentioned at this beginning of this book, the story of Clockwork Angelsis such an artistic success—as a story, a concert, a novel, a sequel to the novel, a graphic novel, an audio book, and a series of comic books—that it really overshadows not only the actual album but much of Rush’s other art.  It is, of course, the culmination of forty years of care, of love, and of purpose.  However much the Clockwork universe has dwarfed the album itself, it is very much worth considering the original source material.

Clockwork Angelscame out a full six years after Snakes and Arrows, a break between albums even greater than that between Test for Echoand Vapor Trails.  Still, few worried as hints came out frequently about the forthcoming Rush album during that time, and Rush even released versions of the two opening songs as singles, performing them on the Time Machine Tourof 2011.  As few would disagree, the wait for the final product was well worth it.  While Moving Pictures—because of its time and place in history—might always remain the iconic Rush album, Clockwork Angelsis arguably the best, cohesive piece of art the band has ever made. It reveals a maturity in lyrics and music understandably absent in the first few Rush albums, but it also possesses every explosion of energy those albums expressed.

Still, the Clockwork Angelsstory could never have been written by a young man. Tellingly, the novel begins with a grandfather remembering his life.  Rush have become, simply put, the elder statesmen of the rock world, a fact finally confirmed by the Cleveland Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013 in its induction ceremony of the band.

Train bells and hydraulic engines establish a Steampunk—a future based on steam and chemicals rather than electronics—atmosphere in the opening moments of the first track, “Caravan.”  This atmosphere quickly dissipates and heavy (I mean, heavy) guitar and bass take over, with Lee’s wailing voice imitating that of a conductor—welcoming us to new vistas, new ideas, and new worlds.  “I can’t stop thinking big,” repeats Lee.  Whatever life has provided in the security of a small, ordered village, the protagonist—who we later learn is Owen Hardy—needs to explore a world beyond that of his family.  “On my way at last, on my way at last,” Hardy thinks as he departs from his ancestral home.

On a road lit only by fire

Going where I want, instead of where I should

I peer out at the passing shadows

Carried through the night into the city

Where a young man has a chance of making good

A chance to break from the past

Though “lit only by fire” probably refers to William Manchester’s controversial story of the same title, Peart’s story deals with an alchemical world, not a specifically medieval one (per Manchester).

caravan-art_1000
Art by Hugh Syme.

With no break in sound, track two, “BU2B,” begins. Like “Free Will” and “Faithless,” this song deals, in a faerie-story like way, with the huge questions of predestination and free will.  Whatever freedom the individual will has, its religious, cultural, ethnic, and linguistic traditions delimit our choices, and we must decide whether to accept the teachings and inheritance of our parents, reject those teachings, or reform them.

I was brought up to believe

The universe has a plan

We are only human

It’s not ours to understand

 

The universe has a plan

All is for the best

Some will be rewarded

And the devil take the rest

 

All is for the best

Believe in what we’re told

Blind men in the market

Buying what we’re sold

Believe in what we’re told

Until our final breath

While our loving Watchmaker

Loves us all to death

Should something appear unjust to us in this world, the Watchmaker will fix it in the next.  All balances will come due.

And, the continuity of tracks continues with track three, the title track.  Blistering guitar and walls of sound surround the entire listening experience, building in a way Rush has not built since “Jacob’s Ladder.”  Peart carefully avoids too much description of the actual angels. Instead, we the listeners understand what they do to heighten our desires and shelter our curiosity from too much stimulation.

You promise every treasure, to the foolish and the wise

Goddesses of mystery, spirits in disguise

Every pleasure, we bow and close our eyes

Clockwork angels, promise every prize

 

Clockwork angels, spread their arms and sing

Synchronized and graceful, they move like living things

Goddesses of Light, of Sea and Sky and Land

Much like Pink Floyd’s Animals, Peart even places the words from actual Proverbs of the Old Testament into the liner notes and lyrics. “Lean not upon your own understanding,” Peart’s translation of Hebrew reads, while the band shifts to a very blues-based sound.  While Peart’s universe is not this actual universe, he is clearly tying his story not just to faerie, but to actual Judeo-Christianity.  So, while the Watchmaker is not God, and the Anarchist is not the devil, each character most likely sees himself as a powerful representative of the Cosmic struggle.

The fourth track introduces the listener to “The Anarchist,” the antagonist of the Watchmaker.  Part devil, part terrorist, part bitterness itself, the Anarchist seeks to destabilize all harmony, preferring the very essence of chaos to the essence of any order. Beyond destruction, however, The Anarchist has few goals.

The lenses inside of me that paint the world black

The pools of poison, the scarlet mist, that spill over into rage

The things I’ve always been denied

An early promise that somehow died

A missing part of me that grows around me like a cage

Whatever his strengths—if any—the Anarchist is and will always remain trapped within the prison of himself.  He is an individualist, but to such an extreme that he knows no community.  He has abstracted himself from everything and from all.

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From the tour book.  Art by Hugh Syme.

Having made it to the city, now alienated from all he knew and without the anchor of family and tradition, Hardy stares at the bewildering aspects of the city.

How I prayed just to get away

To carry me anywhere

Sometimes the angels punish us

By answering our prayers

Perhaps he has earned this chaos, he fears.  With the story, the protagonist has found a Bradbury-esque like carnival, but the lyrics owe as much to the author of Something Wicked This Way Comesas to Jethro Tull and Aqualung.

The first five songs have such a tightness of continuity, that the listener has simply found himself fully immersed in the story of this hauntingly familiar universe.  With the sixth track, “Halo Effect,” the band and the listener finally have time to breathe.  A love song of sorts, “Halo Effect” considers the idealistic images we place upon another, especially with infatuation, which we sometimes incorrectly mistake for love.

What did I care?

Fool that I was

Little by little, I burned

Maybe sometimes

There might be a flaw

But how pretty the picture was back then

 

What did I do?

Fool that I was

To profit from youthful mistakes?

It’s shameful to tell

How often I fell

In love with illusions again

 

So shameful to tell

Just how often I fell

In love with illusions again

The breather over, Rush takes us right back into the world of adventures, “Seven Cities of Gold,” and we, along with Hardy, find ourselves following in the footsteps of the greatest explorers of the fifteenth through seventeenth centuries, Conquistadors looking for the lost bishop, Praeter John, and his Christian companions.

A man can lose himself, in a country like this

Rewrite the story

Recapture the glory

A man could lose his life, in a country like this

Sunblind and friendless

Frozen and endless

In this land, a man might find himself or simply remake himself anew.  The desert, not the ocean, baptizes.

However intense and exciting the adventures, Hardy finds himself alone in “The Wreckers.”  These folks, perhaps simply wanting to make a life for themselves, have in their own protection, become the unwitting allies of the Anarchist, demolishing in the name of building.  Peart uses the story, not unexpectedly, to offer some personal and philosophical reflections.

All I know is that sometimes you have to be wary

Of a miracle too good to be true

All I know is that sometimes the truth is contrary

Everything in life you thought you knew

All I know is that sometimes you have to be wary

‘Cause sometimes the target is you

Hardy barely escapes with his life, but he does so at the cost of having seen humanity at its absolute worst.

A rocker of epic proportions, “Headlong Flight,” follows Hardy into the unknown, his escape from fire into fire.  Leaving the parasitic Wreckers, he encounters even greater dangers.  As he does, he reflects on his time, wondering if he should lament his choices, lick his wounds in self pity, or embrace his scars as badges of honor.

All the highlights of that headlong flight

Holding on with all my might

To what I felt back then

I wish that I could live it all again

 

I have stoked the fire on the big steel wheels

Steered the airships right across the stars

I learned to fight, I learned to love and learned to feel

Oh, I wish that I could live it all again

 

All the treasures

The gold and glory

It didn’t always feel that way

I don’t regret it

I never forget it

I wouldn’t trade tomorrow for today

Would one live it all again, Peart asks?  The song, of course, is as much a retrospective about Peart’s real life as it is about Hardy’s fictional one.

After a brief return to the tune and themes of fate and free will with “BU2B2,” the album concludes with two songs of charity, mercy, and good will.  The second to last track, “Wish Them Well,” considers all of the people who have betrayed each one of us.  Some of them were malicious, while most were probably simply clueless.

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

In its intent, it is a song of ultimate Stoic virtue.

Playing upon Judeo-Christian theology as well as small-r republican theory—directly referencing the greatest writer of the European Enlightenment, Voltaire—“The Garden” concludes the album on a breathtakingly beautiful note.

The treasure of a life is a measure of love and respect

The way you live, the gifts that you give

In the fullness of time

It’s the only return that you expect

 

The future disappears into memory

With only a moment between

Forever dwells in that moment

Hope is what remains to be seen

Even has the Watchmaker devours our lives in time, events, and his own vision of order, we persist, we live, and we make our own decisions. Just as Stoics have called the slave Epictetus the freest of men and Nero, the Emperor, the most enslaved of men, so Peart calls us to understand that we always have the freedom of soul and of conscience.  The evil of others never justifies our own, and, in each moment, we can choose to make our own souls commensurate with what is good, true, and beautiful.

Classic Rockmagazine gave Clockwork Angelsa 9/10 and proclaimed it one of the single best albums in the long career of Rush.[i]  Grant Moon of Progcould not praise it highly enough.

Marvel at Clockwork Angels for one or all of its many levels: its literary depth and steampunk cool; its creators’ unity of purpose and preternatural musical sense; its lip-curling rock grooves and girthy production. Whatever Raskulinescz is doing, it’s working. In the blue sky of this creative Indian summer and with that cultural tailwind behind them, Rush channel the impulse that made them so special all along on a modern progressive album right up there in their canon. After 40 years in a world lit only by lighters, there’s no sign they’re headed for that garden any time soon.[ii]

Metal Hammergave it as 9/10:

Graced with a clear, powerful and imaginative production from Nick Raskulinecz of Foo Fighters, AIC and Velvet Revolver fame, Clockwork Angels offers a better set of songs than 2007’s Snakes & Arrows (also helmed by Nick), and is a far more satisfying vehicle for the guitar expertise of Alex Lifeson than 2002’s mostly solo-free Vapor Trails. It might even be their best and hardest-rocking record since the celebrated Moving Pictures, performed in its entirety on their last tour but recorded in 1981. With the keys stripped right back and Alex serving up some down’n’dirty riffing, hearing Rush as a power-trio once again is a beautiful thing.[iii]

A beautiful thing, indeed.

NP C(RE)
Wordfire Press, 2015.

The above is excerpted from Bradley J. Birzer, Neil Peart: Cultural (Re)Percussions (Wordfire Press, 2015).

Notes

[i]Dave Everley, “Rush’s 20thRelease is Their First Concept Album.  It’s Also One of the Best Albums of their Career,” Classic Rock(July 2012).

[ii]Grant Moon, “Clockwork Angels Review,” Prog(July 2012).

[iii]Dave Ling, “Seminal Prog Rockers Hit a High Note,” Metal Hammer(July 2012).

 

If you like what Progarchy has to say about Rush, check out these articles, too!

If you’d like a more in-depth progarchy look at Rush, here’s a handy guide:

Rush – ABC 1974 – Live – 1974 (released 2015) – Review by Craig Breaden

Rush – A Farewell to Kings – 1977 – Review by Kevin McCormick

Rush – Clockwork Angels Tour (Live) – 2013 – Review by Brad Birzer

Rush – Grace Under Pressure – 1984 – Review by Brad Birzer

Rush – Power Windows – 1985 – Review by Brad Birzer

Rush – R40 “Completist” live concerts box set – 2014 – Review by Brad Birzer

Rush – R40 Live – 2015 – Review by Brad Birzer

Rush – Rush – 1974 – Reviewed by Craig Breaden

Rush – Test For Echo – 1996 – Review by Brad Birzer

Rush – Vapor Trails Remixed – 2013 – Review by Brad Birzer

Clockwork Angels – Concert review by Brad Birzer (2012)

Kevin J. Anderson – Clockwork Angels – The Comic Scripts – 2014 – Review by Brad Birzer

The Art of Rush – Hugh Syme, written by Stephen Humphries – 2015 – Book Review by Brad Birzer

Neil Peart: The Most Endangered Species – Essay by Brad Birzer (discussion of “Natural Science”)

The Saving Grace of Neil Peart – Essay by Brad Birzer

Brad Birzer’s Top 10 Rush Albums

Signals: A Prog New Wave Song Cycle

Grace Under Pressure at 34

Neil Peart’s Painful Victory: Vapor Trails

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