Rush - Test For Echo

[Slim]

When musical archaeologists uncover the works of late 20th century Canadian rock band RUSH, a few millenia from now, they will doubtless listen carefully to each album in turn. And they will scratch their heads in confused bewilderment when they come to listen to Test For Echo. Perhaps they will brush the dust of years from the inner booklet and gaze more closely at the recording date, to confirm that it was indeed recorded in the mid-90s. For this album represents the greatest mystery in the recording history of this band: somehow they overcame a linear, consistent downward slide into banality and mediocrity which had started years earlier, to create a genuinely enjoyable album once again.

What happened?

First, let's have no misconceptions. Yes, Test For Echo is a dramatically more satisfying work than Roll The Bones and infinitely stronger than its dire predecessor, Counterparts. But it would be an exaggeration to consider Test For Echo a complete return to form. It is not one of the great Rush albums. It does not stand comparison to such recordings as Caress Of Steel, Moving Pictures, or Power Windows.

Yet it is in the main, a musical, involving album. It has life, it is listenable and enjoyable - and in its title track, it boasts at least one genuine Rush classic.

There are two standout tracks here - the greater of these, Test For Echo itself - is fantastic. Mean, moody and magnificent, it BURNS with a brooding, gripping intensity that grabs you by the scruff of the neck and doesn't let go until the final second. Imagine my surprise on applying Test For Echo to my CD player for the first time, when, expecting more of the usual humdrum yawn-ola, I was instead blown away by an opening track of ferocious intensity and power. Geddy's bass kicks like a tactical nuclear weapon in the signature riff and Alex' guitar part is dripping with sinister, menacing lethality. Peart's drumming is notably FANTASTIC on this track. Now I'm not someone who listens to drums - let's face it, apart from the occasional impressive fill they are really only there because rock music would sound odd without them - but the drumming on this song is COMPELLING, it DEMANDS attention. Peart's lyrics are for me his best ever here, bar none - soaked in righteous indignation and sneering contempt as he spits on the 'tough talking hoodboys .. in pro-team logo knockoffs' who 'conform to uniforms of some corporate entity'. A thrilling track, absolutely exceptional for its place in the Rush timeline.

Almost inevitably, the rest of the album fails to live up to the expectation induced by its extraordinary, fabulous opener. But there is still some really good music on offer here. The wonderful Totem, with some sharp, brilliantly observed lyrics on the nature of media-driven popular culture is Test For Echo's other standout track - with a beautifully melodic verse and a tremendous bouncy chorus powered along by (get this!) fabulous articulate guitar work - a real Rush Lite rarity. This is utterly convincing, wonderful open-hearted music - just superb.

Granted, it's not all good news. Driven is filler, a lacklustre, stop/start plodder, and Dog Years is worse. Color Of Right is better, but on the whole, not very interesting. Let's keep things in perspective however - they are all a cut above anything on offer on Counterparts. It has to be said though that Virtuality is absolutely terrible - mindless schoolboy metal in buttock-clenchingly bad taste married to a thoroughly nasty, cheesy chorus, it is an absolute minger and should probably have been held back for Vapor Trails, where it would have fitted in nicely.

But Half The World, Limbo and Time And Motion are involving, intelligent examples of what this album is (mostly) about - Rush confidently, competently firing on all cylinders, crafting music that truly comes alive in its performance, something they hadn't done for years. Half The World in particular is very strong - bass, guitar and drums meshing together beautifully in a catchy, rhythmic groove. And we round things off in even finer style with the excellent Carve Away The Stone, a spirited, toe-tapping little rocker with another infectious groove and some intricate yet purposeful guitar work that has you cranking up the HiFi and reaching for the air guitar.

Somehow, Rush recorded a mostly very enjoyable album in 1996 with two truly EXCEPTIONAL songs in the dying phase of their creative powers, following the worthless Roll The Bones and the pointless Counterparts. Why and how this happened, perhaps we will never know.

But we can be grateful at least that it did.

[Matt2112]

Enjoyable read, James.

Sorry for not returning the favour but: I actually prefer Counterparts.

An indisputably great quality the two albums share, of course, is the pristine, punchy production of Peter Collins, who for me was a Rush Hall-Of-Famer even before he signed up to work his magic on them.

[David L]

Utter tosh.....apart from the recognition that the title track is superb 

[dom]

Agreed title track is excellent. The rest of the album is poor bar Resist.

Matt I agree, Counterparts is a much better album.

[David L]

Agreed title track is excellent. The rest of the album is poor bar Resist.

Matt I agree, Counterparts is a much better album.

I'm with both of you on that too

[Slim]

I wrote that in 2004. I'd forgotten that I'd coned the term 'Rush Lite' to refer to the more disposable, shallow and corporate music that the band were prone to making back then.

[dom]

I wrote that in 2004. I'd forgotten that I'd coned the term 'Rush Lite' to refer to the more disposable, shallow and corporate music that the band were prone to making back then.

How different do you think the review would be if you were to write it now? I'm pretty sure the album has gone down in estimation since then, but the title track has gone up

[Slim]

I haven't listened to it that much quite honestly, I don't know. Might have a listen through on a bike ride and come back to this thread then.

[Thenop]

I bought T4E (yes even in '96 this was allowed, using Prince-isms) 2 years after its release, together with the recently released Pearl Jam live disc Live on Two Legs. I remember it vividly, I was in the studio myself recording our what was to become 3rd album. I am not quite sure why I waited 2 years, could've been anything but upon return from the shop I poped in the dics and was pleasantly surprised by the title (opening) track. The immediate fllow up, Driven was a track following out of the Couterparts songbook, heavy riffs taking up the better part of the song. Unfortunately, it was a very inconsistent listen. I like Time & Motion and Limbo, but Resist is an alltime low (together with Nobody's Hero) in the Rush book for me.
I learned to appreciate the album a bit more when I got my hands on the Work in Progress DVD where Neil showed the work that went into contructing the drumparts and learning a technique he used on the album. Funniest thing was when he tried shwong the guys what was different and they couldn't see or hear it ('new cymbals..?'). 

The album itself did not age well for me, it is still those few tracks that I can listen to, but in all honesty, I just never take out the album.

[Nick]

I remember seeing an advert for its upcoming release in Q magazine and getting excited. Probably the album that was the biggest let down for me. I like the title track and Dog years (don't hate me) and the album cover is quite good.

[Matt2112]

I agree Virtuality is pretty clunky overall but for me the instrumental interlude section is spectacularly good.

But then they usually were. 

[David L]

I agree Virtuality is pretty clunky overall but for me the instrumental interlude section is spectacularly good.

But then they usually were. 

Great track, great riff

[Nickslikk2112]

I remember seeing an advert for its upcoming release in Q magazine and getting excited. Probably the album that was the biggest let down for me. I like the title track and Dog years (don't hate me) and the album cover is quite good.

Nothing wrong in liking Dog Years. I can't abide canines, but the song is a nice little rocker. Again the title track is OK and I can easily resist all the rest of the album.

[David L]

Nothing wrong in liking Dog Years. I can't abide canines, but the song is a nice little rocker. Again the title track is OK and I can easily resist all the rest of the album.

Dog S**t

[Jonners]

Its not aged well

3 albums on the bounce that I will genuinely never listen to again (deliberately anyway)

I remember first time round thinking "why dont the words fit the tunes any more?"

As a plus point, the Tour looked a decent event, and gave rise to the wonderful live album that followed