CLOCKWORK ANGELS

CLOCKWORK ANGELS. Where do I begin? I love this album! Now I'm not the absolute greatest Rush fan, though I really like a lot of their music and appreciate Neil Peart's lyrics. Their musicianship has always been top-notch and completely unrreproachable, but I believe that they've come very close to a pinnacle with this album! IMHO and with my personal subjective musical tastes in mind, I believe that this album has replaced two of their stellar recordings, 2112 & A Farewell to Kings, as their best effort in my opinion. I do agree that ...Sometimes you have to be wary of a miracle to good to be true... But this is that good! It did take a couple of spins and a #@&*ing awesome show and a few more listens to really appreciate this work! I'll get back to the show a little later. But as I said, to me this was very good on first listen, but also to me this was a real creeper. After all of those listens, I've come to appreciate the beauty of these recording! God, the breaks in almost all of these songs are completely 'out of this world'! As I write this, I am listening to the cd on our computer and it's very inspiring! ...As If to...Fly... I find it difficult to find virtually any weak spots on this album as I had the same experience with 2112 and AFTK as well. I highly recommend this cd to all! Without any reservations to anyone who likes Rush! Now, with your patience I beg to delve in a somewhat diverging tangent, I'd like to give a brief description of that #@&*ing awesome show that helped tip the scales to place this at the top of an astounding oeuvre. First I have to say that I almost didn't go since my friend was unable to make it as the show fell on the 4th of July and his family had plans for the holiday. The show was at the local music fest which is called Summerfest. It has been around since '66 or '67. I'm not exactly sure of it's exact starting point, but it has been billed as 'the worlds largest music festival'! Anywho, just a little home pride there for Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. Hey folks, it's olny that, Harley Davidson and beer! I first checked for tickets on the Summerfest site about 2 weeks prior to the show and there seemed to be only a small amount of seats (compared to lawn seats) in the upper corners of the Amphitheater. But after talking to my friend again and discovering his inability to attend I was bummed. So I almost gave up, but finally decided to go alone anyway and checked the local ticket supplier's site and low-and-behold they had some seats available scattered throughout the amphitheater. The best seat available was more than I was originally intending to spend, but when I saw it sitting all alone, directly dead-center from the stage and about 21 rows back, 3 from where the folding chairs ended and the rows began to rise and to top it off it was in row "R"! Well, I felt it was providential that I purchase this ticket and I'm very glad that I decided to! MY wife and I, and our Kids 12 & 14 (their first visit to Summerfest) attended SF and they took the earlier bus home and I stayed for the show and a later bus. Now I have to tell you that the last time I saw Rush was back in 1977 or 8 and as I recall, it was also an awesome show, but I must admit that I was a little concerned that they wouldn't recognize me. But after a few songs and a couple of nods my direction, my fears were alleviated. As Rush has been very prolific with there live DVD's, I was afraid that for some obscure reason this show would not appear on DVD. The gentleman sitting next to me settled my fears by stating that he had seen them earlier in their tour in Chicago and that he had seen on-line that a DVD was already in the works! Hallelujah, praise to the Clockwork Angels! I can't wait to get it! The show was great as I said. The first half before the intermission was mostly made up of songs from the 80's and very early 90's. I recognized some and they were all excellent, but I pretty much lost Rush during that period for the most part. The second half was dedicated to Clockwork Angels. They played approximately 70% of it and finished with a few other classics and a few also for an encore! I liked the second half of the show better. I loved the stage production, the first half was very good, but the second half was great IMHO! The second half had a very over the top feel and the levity of the pre and post Clockwork Angels portion of the show video was too fun! Showing the band's self deprecating sense of humor! I have to mention also that the second half of the concert had more pyrotechnics in a show than any show since I saw Kiss back in '77! It was startlingly great! So with a fondness for this album in hand before the show, this helped start it's final push on it's trip to the top of my Rush list! Back to the album again. Did I say I love it?! Once again I found it to be a real grower-I said creeper earlier but I meant grower. I did like it at first, but it took a number of listens to clearly have it achieve it's prime position of supremacy amongst their albums. I also feel that Neil Peart has lyrically out- done himself in a number of songs on this album! The whole of which is very fine. Much of the lyrics, to me at least, show how life's incidents and circumstances shine through in an infinite maturation process. And with that I'd like to end this exhausting critique for both me and you with the lyrics from, once again IMHO the deepest and my personal favorite song on Clockwork Angels. Thanks, take care and enjoy God's gift of music.

THE GARDEN

In this one of many possible worlds, all for the best, or some bizarre test? It is what it is -- and whatever Time is still the infinite jest

The arrow flies when you dream, the hours tick away -- the cells tick away The Watchmaker keeps to his schemes The hours tick away -- they tick away

The measure of a life is a measure of love and respect So hard to earn, so easily burned In the fullness of time A garden to nurture and protect

In the rise and the set of the sun 'Til the stars go spinning -- spinning 'round the night It is what it is -- and forever Each moment a memory in flight

The arrow flies while you breathe, the hours tick away -- the cells tick away The watchmaker has time up his sleeve The hours tick away -- they tick away

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

...In the fullness of time...

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