{"id":9174,"date":"2012-06-12T12:44:55","date_gmt":"2012-06-12T12:44:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.diaryofanadi.co.uk\/?p=9174"},"modified":"2012-06-12T12:44:55","modified_gmt":"2012-06-12T12:44:55","slug":"rush-clockwork-angels-released","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diaryofanadi.co.uk\/?p=9174","title":{"rendered":"Rush: Clockwork Angels Released"},"content":{"rendered":"

I got my pre-ordered fan pack on Saturday – three weeks ahead of the standard CD release date for Rush\u2019s new album, Clockwork Angels<\/font><\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"ClockworkThe pack contains the album, two large posters (my name is on one of them somewhere as an early pre-orderer), a key ring, and a superb glossy magazine about the band and the album. The album CD itself is housed in a hardback case with a detailed lyric and information booklet (with some superb artwork) bound into it. The whole pack oozes quality.<\/p>\n

First thing I did when I got it was rip the tracks to a memory stick so I can listen in the car – and I\u2019ve been doing that ever since I opened the pack.<\/p>\n

The album is brilliant. The mixing is such that the sound is heavy and clear, taking its lead from Snakes & Arrows<\/font><\/em> – one of my favourite Rush albums, Presto<\/font><\/em>, suffered a little from what I considered to be a \u201cthin\u201d sound, and I\u2019ve always wished their other albums had been mixed \u201clouder\u201d. But I guess the technology has come a long way in the last 40 years!<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not going to do a review of every track – sound is in the ear of the beholder, after all – but the last track, The Garden<\/font><\/em>, is beautiful. The liner notes and lyrics say it all:<\/p>\n

\n

LONG AGO I READ A STORY FROM ANOTHER TIMELINE<\/strong> <\/i>about a character named Candide. He also survived a harrowing series of misadventures and tragedies, then settled on a farm near Constantinople. Listening to a philosophical rant, Candide replied, "That is all very well, but now we must tend our garden."<\/i><\/font><\/p>\n

I have now arrived at that point in my own story. There is a metaphorical garden in the acts and attitudes of a person’s life, and the treasures of that garden are love and respect. I have come to realize that the gathering of love and respect – from others and for myself – has been the real quest of my life.<\/font><\/i><\/p>\n

"Now we must tend our garden."<\/font><\/i><\/p>\n

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<\/font><\/p>\n

The arrow files when you dream, the hours tick away – the cells tick away
The Watchmaker keeps to his schemes
The hours tick away – they tick away<\/font><\/p>\n

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<\/font><\/p>\n

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<\/font><\/p>\n

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<\/font><\/p>\n

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<\/font><\/p>\n

The future disappears into memory
With only a moment between
Forever dwells in that moment
Hope is what remains to be seen<\/font><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

I’m really looking forward to hearing that one live next May on the tour. And the rest of the album is of similarly high quality. My only worry is that it might be some sort of message\u2026<\/p>\n

Over the weekend, Planet Rock<\/font><\/a> had a special hour-long show with Darren Redick talking to Geddy Lee, and they played most of the tracks. When they came to The Garden<\/font><\/em>, Darren said something about how if this was the last song Rush ever wrote it would be a fitting end. Let\u2019s hope there\u2019s nothing in that statement.<\/p>\n

Oh, and it IS a concept album. And you can still buy the fan pack – look on Planet Rock to find out how. I also noticed that it was on the news rack at Asda when I went in tonight – yes, the fan pack including the album! Just think of that: buying a music CD from the news rack. How times have changed!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I got my pre-ordered fan pack on Saturday – three weeks ahead of the standard CD release date for Rush\u2019s new album, Clockwork Angels. The pack contains the album, two large posters (my name is on one of them somewhere as an early pre-orderer), a key ring, and a superb glossy magazine about the band […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[97],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9174","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-music-related"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t