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Album Details
- Artist: Rush
- Album: Test For Echo
- Label: Anthem/Atlantic
- Year of Release: 1996
- ME Rating:
- Reviewed by: solitaryman on 2012-02-17
RecommendAs the 90's became more and more kind to Rush, I personally found a crescendo of their so-called reemergence on 96's Test For Echo. The edge they had been regaining over the course of several previous albums really came to a head this time around, and their signature for odd time signatures, uplifting and provocative lyrics and supreme musicianship also seemed to peak as well. For my money, Test For Echo is the best Rush album since Moving Pictures.
The intro title track really sells the rest of the record, a big dose of up-tempo rock with a creative, cynical approach lyrically to the embellishment and glorification of society's wrongs and injusticies via television and mass media in general. A statement that still rings true today, and a song that remains memorable all the same. "Driven" became a showcase for the nimble fingers of bassist Geddy Lee when performed live, typically featuring a few short, sharp solos. The song itself is excellent, a bit more held back but with an excellent groove and melody. "Half The World" is one of my all-time favorite Rush tracks, mainly for the interesting lyrical concept of half the world opposing the other half in various ways. It makes sense in a broad, universal way. "The Coior Of Right" is one of the only so-so tracks on the record, but the serpentine shifts of "Time and Motion" right the ship soon after. This track in particular features some of the more aggressive guitar work Alex Lifeson has ever put down, fully driven by his patterns and leads. Neil Peart steps up big on "Totem", paced by his newfound classical grip technique recently learned and certainly notable if one listens closely. The whole of Test For Echo seems to maintain more pop and force, a combination of more aggressive songwriting and thicker production elements. As for the rest of the album, "Resist" is a wonderful ode to the weaknesses of humanity that was recreated acoustically for the band on future tours, "Limbo" is another in a long line of instrumentals that has a bit more playfulness to it than might be expected, and "Carve Away The Stone" ends the album on a decent enough note.
A few average tracks aside, the best of Test For Echo makes for some of the best of Rush since their 70's-early 80's heydays. What would come next for the band would almost mean the end Rush altogether, a series of tragedies in Neil Peart's life that would strain his limits and send him on a journey that would, as fate would have it, eventually lay the groundwork for the band's eventual return.
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Log In or Register to Rate Albumson 2012-04-12 SolitaryMan Said:
When held in contrast to everything else the band had done during this time, I think my rating jumps up a bit more than Charles'. But, if taken on it's own, it's probably deserving of a 7/10. "Virtuality" is indeed a ridiculous song that might have held a bit more "freshness" appeal at the time, considering the ideas of cyber-relationships were still in their adolescence.
Rating: 9/10
Review:
on 2012-04-11 CharlesMartel Said:
Rush and I parted company in 1980. After the release of " Permanent Waves " our musical paths differed. It was not until 2009 that I revisited Rush, getting hold of what many believe to be their best album, "Moving Pictures" , only to find I did not, as usual, share the view of the Many. And yet, a review on this site (thanks Kevin) tempted me to check out Rush in the nineties, and so eBay soon provided me with a reasonably priced copy of " Test for Echo" .
After an absence of fourteen years from anything else I have by Rush, " Test for Echo " came as something of a surprise. At times, the tracks on this album display a lot of the qualities that I liked about seventies era Rush. Alex Lifeson seems to have rediscovered his ability to play a decent melodic riff and Neal Peart displays some drumming that, at time, can only be described as inspired. Geddy Lee's vocals seem to have matured and his sometimes irritating falsetto has moved closer to the tenor than the alto with age.
The opening track, the title track, is probably the best Rush have done in a long time. Then they better it with " Driven" . The strengths here are clear. Rush have remembered how to rock. The production quality is more atune to the an up-tempo rocker and suits the tracks better. Alex Lifeson is playing his best guitar in years and Geddy has some great bass lines.
At the end of the album, there are likewise some fine tracks. " Resist" sees Rush at the virtuoso best and has each member of the band on top form. Yet any temptation to revert to early eighties style Rush is carefully avoided. "Limbo" is a classic Rush instrumental, with layers of guitars running in an out of each other, and though it perhaps lacks some of the characteristics of other, earlier instrumentals, it gains by having a melody. The closer, "Carve Away the Stone " almost takes me back 22 years to the first album. It may not be "Working Man " but it seems like, at some point, the band thought they might attempt it, before thinking better of it and going for complex time signatures and melodic patterns.
So, it would seem that Rush in 1996 is more to my taste than Rush in 1982. So, why then does this not get a much higher rating than I have given it. Well, albums, like books, have a beginning and end and a middle. Like books, the beginning draws you in and the end satisfies your curiosity and perhaps keeps you on tenterhooks for more. But, like books, it is the middle which makes or breaks an album, for the middle has to sustain you between the two extremes. And, sadly, this is where "Test for Echo " fails to make the grade.
Frankly, there are about fifteen minutes of music in the middle which do not do the rest of the album any justice. Three tracks which let the rest of the album down. " Totem " is some bog standard mid nineties rocker of the type which eventually evolved into things like Hoobastank. " Dog Years" is, in musical terms, just as bad, but is made worse by the unbelievably silly lyrics which turn a brief one line chuckle into a lyric stretching nearly five minutes. Then comes "Virtuality" and this is just plain awful. Unlike many bands of whom I have lots of their material, I have never encountered a worst for Rush - until I heard " Virtuality" .
Good, but no cigar. Never has a cliche been more deservingly applied. Rush almost made it, but then let themselves down. A couple of these tracks would be able to make it onto the most awesome two-CD Best of Rush compilation, but some are best forgotten.
Rating: 7/10
on 2012-02-18 CharlesMartel Said:
Good review. Makes me want to go and listen to some of these nineties Rush albums to see if I am missing anything.
Rating: 7/10
