Clockwork Angels (2012)
1. Caravan
2. BU2B
3. Clockwork Angels
4. The Anarchist
5. Carnies
6. Halo Effect
7. Seven Cities of Gold
8. The Wreckers
9. Headlong Flight
10.BU2B2
11.Wish Them Well
12.The Garden
Clockwork Angels arrived amid one of the longest build-ups in Rush's recorded history. Two years before the full album was even announced, fans were presented with a teaser in the form of a two-song single—Caravan and BU2B. The reasoning was rather unorthodox, if refreshingly honest: the band had only finished two tracks, but were eager to return to the road. So, off they went—touring not to promote an album, but to support a pair of songs. It was unusual, but for Rush, not unprecedented. Rules, after all, had never really applied.
When the full-length record finally emerged in June of 2012, it was received not with polite interest, but with resounding applause. Few could have predicted just how good it would be. You could make the case—without too much exaggeration—that Clockwork Angels is the closest the band has ever come to delivering a “perfect” Rush album. And as time passes, don’t be surprised if this becomes the one that eventually surpasses Moving Pictures in retrospective acclaim. Yes, it really is that good.
Much was made of the album’s status as a full-scale concept record—the band’s first, in fact, if we are being pedantic. Earlier efforts such as 2112 and Hemispheres contained side-long epics, but Clockwork Angels spans an entire LP and then some. The story? Something to do with a rebellious youth, a tyrannical overlord named the Watchmaker, and a loosely structured world populated by anarchists, alchemists, carnivals, and mythical cities. If that sounds familiar, it should. The parallels with 2112 are clearly intentional, right down to the clock on the cover—hands fixed, naturally, at 9:12. Homage, with gears.
But story aside, what matters is the music—and here, Rush delivers in spades. The album is ferociously tight yet consistently adventurous, pairing bombast with nuance, and brawn with restraint. Co-produced once again by Nick Raskulinecz (who had also worked on Snakes & Arrows), the sound is big, dense, and occasionally overloaded, but never at the expense of the songs themselves. There's a spirit of experimentation at work here not unlike the one heard on Power Windows nearly three decades prior.
Highlights are many. The Anarchist and BU2B (in its single form, at least) are pure Rush—muscular, intricate, and unfailingly propulsive. Halo Effect adds a rare acoustic delicacy, adorned with orchestral arrangements and wind-blown ambiance. It’s a track that almost defies written description and really must be heard to be appreciated.
Then there’s The Garden, the album’s stunning closer and, arguably, the most beautiful composition in the band’s entire canon. Seven minutes of orchestral grandeur and lyrical elegance that somehow seem to pass in half the time. Many have already suggested it as a fitting coda to the band’s career. One suspects more than a few Rush fans will request it at their funerals.
Headlong Flight, meanwhile, is pure velocity. Equal parts pummeling riff and dizzying composition, it might just be the finest thing Rush has ever put to tape. It rocks with such manic energy that lyrics feel almost unnecessary—though the ones present only serve to elevate the piece further. It’s not just good. It’s transcendent.
Even the more understated Wish Them Well earns its place, thanks in no small part to its lyrics—uncomplicated, sincere, and refreshingly humane. A modest track, perhaps, but one with surprising emotional heft.
There are a few missteps. BU2B2, a 90-second reprise, is perhaps best described as an unnecessary detour—Geddy's vocal over acoustic guitar sounding strained rather than poignant. Likewise, the album version of BU2B includes an extended intro that saps the original single's punch. The single version is sharper, and if you’re crafting your own playlist, the better choice.
Still, these are minor blemishes. What matters most is that, some forty years into their career, Rush proved that they were still capable of greatness—not just by the standards of veteran acts, but by any standard. Clockwork Angels is a masterwork: ambitious without pretension, heavy without fatigue, and as vital as anything the band had ever done. Whether or not there would be more music to come was uncertain, but for the m
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