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In defense of 'Test for Echo.'


Rush Fan in Michigan
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Is in my top 3 these days, which wasn't the case for a long time after release, thought the album was a bit of a come down after Counterparts, like everything in CP was so pumped up and TFE sounded a bit weak in comparison but...

 

these days i see it for the brilliant work it actually is, manages to sound rocking yet relaxing at same time, and along with permanent waves and VT it never dates forme, still sounds fresh as a daisy, whereas great albums like CP sound as if they come from their period of time maybe.

 

Hated dog years think it's brilliant now, wasn't overly keen on virtuality or half the world and they superb now been listening to em all week actually. The color of right is just brilliant and time & motion about as classy and aggressive as the band get, Limbo is the one instrumental which, in its own way and style, possibly even matches la villa in quality. The only track i dont really bother with is Driven, in fact i dont even have it on the playlist for some reason not heard for years might bang it back on actually.

 

Yeah, top top album, one of two i'm playing all the time these days when out walking mainly, listened to every rush album so much they hardwired in my brain and quite a few can seem a bit dare i say it tired as a result but never get even slightly bored with VT and TFE.

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I could write a solid review of it as a two-star album, for sure. But I won't. It's just not that good. I can recall what maybe two or three of the songs sound like. The rest is pretty...forgettable.

 

It's a step above Vapor Trails... :)

 

From what I remember, the production is pretty good.

 

That's about all I've got.

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I like the first half, find the second half completely forgettable, apart from Resist. Would make an excellent EP or mini LP.
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T4E is just fairly uninteresting musically, doesn't have a real standout for me, all the songs seem to run together in the way that "90s rock" rock tends to (not 90s rock, mind you, but "90s rock" rock, if that makes any sense). I'd call it their worst album but there's nothing offensive about it, none of it's shitty or anything. it's just an album that I can't go back to very often. usually when a rush album ends I'm like, start this badboy over. when T4E ends I'm like, "okay."

 

I don't listen to CP much either and I can't imagine someone loving CP and hating T4E although I've seen people say that.

 

This entire post seemed fair, yet aimed right at my heart. I love the 90s music you seem not to enjoy as much, and I love T4E. It seems like Neil is attacking the drums like he hadn't for years, the songs are all approachable yet interesting, the lyrics sometimes detract, but not as much as on recent records; it was such a welcome change for the band for me.

 

Neil's drumming is one of the things I don't really care for on T4E.

 

Before hearing the album, I heard Neil in an interview say that, after having studied with Freddie Gruber, he was so much better that he felt like he, "knew NOTHING before." Alex and Geddy were also raving about how much better Neil's drumming was. I'm not saying they aren't correct. Technically speaking, Neil may have been miles better than before the jazz lessons, but I preferred his earlier style. I think his jazzy, "in the pocket" style really changed Rush's sound for the worse.

 

This is another topic I guess, but why do so many drummers seem to think being "in the pocket" is the be-all and end-all of drumming? Doesn't it depend on the type of music? Think of how much less epic a song like Tom Sawyer would have been if Neil had been playing "Half the World" drum parts on it and not been so aggressive.

 

I still like T4E...just not crazy about Neil's drumming on it.

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I actually like Test for echo. A lot of good music yes even Dog Years. To me the album exemplifies what the Band is all about. Not being afraid to go in a different direction and not afraid to change their whole style. Some of the standouts impo.

Driven

Half the world

The Color of right

Totem

Virtuality

Resist

Good stuff!!!

Oh yeah and by far the best contribution of all for the album and ensuing tour.

The birth of "An evening with Rush" concert format!!

And for that I will always be thankful!!

Edited by Crimsonmistymemory
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I noticed when T4E came out that Alex was shying away from solos a bit and going a bit grungy,gone were the solos of Bravado and Everyday Glory,even the instrumental Limbo ( which I love)was an all out powerchord slugfest.The best solo was on Totem but criminally cut short.All this restraining of solos came to head on VT.I love T4E but it was the first Rush album I started skipping tracks and Carve Away the Stone is a totally ordinary song to end an album

 

That is one thing I will concede on T4E, there aren't enough solos. But the songs are so much better than on CP and most of the previous 7 albums that I don't mind that much. A bad song with a great solo still isn't fun to listen to, and a very good song without a great solo is still very good.

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Test For Echo is a great album, much better than Roll The Bones and Counterparts, on par with Hold Your Fire/Presto......Carve Away The Stone is a really great song by the way.
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I noticed when T4E came out that Alex was shying away from solos a bit and going a bit grungy,gone were the solos of Bravado and Everyday Glory,even the instrumental Limbo ( which I love)was an all out powerchord slugfest.The best solo was on Totem but criminally cut short.All this restraining of solos came to head on VT.I love T4E but it was the first Rush album I started skipping tracks and Carve Away the Stone is a totally ordinary song to end an album

 

That is one thing I will concede on T4E, there aren't enough solos. But the songs are so much better than on CP and most of the previous 7 albums that I don't mind that much. A bad song with a great solo still isn't fun to listen to, and a very good song without a great solo is still very good.

 

I honestly dont hear it. I do hear a lot of very promising opening moments to songs, but then they meander at 30,000 feet. No crescendo, no acceleration, no three piece masterpiece interplaying...And the lyrics for a few of the songs, TFE, Virtuality, net boys net girls, Half the World, Totem, makes me longing for the relationship sappy CP words. And when they invent new ways to play Wheres Waldo (Lifeson) without using the synths to hide his greatness, I'll take the sappy lyrics and three piece dynamo CP every time. Yes CP has its weaker songs, but Driven belongs right alongside Cut, LTTA, Stick and Animate...there is also a lake between sun and moon that has an awesome Who inspired break. But I do like TFE, its still Rush, but did not go down the path they spoke of exploring more when CP came out, which left a bad taste.

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The lack of guitar solos on T4E I feel is a major point in that Alex went for a more layered, textured sound on this album and into the 00's.Remember grunge was happening and that was a little anti solo.Kim Thayill of Sound garden said 'guitar solos are dumb'.Also I feel T4E was the first of the 'loudness war 'with Rush.I mean the volume faders on the mixing desk must have been right up on Virtuality.And Alex had changed to Hughes and Kettner amps, to my ears a loud abrasive sound.All this with a slight dip in song writing.

I went to play the cd yesterday and it's missing!No cd inside the case!There is gonna be a big search. Perhaps Alex stole it

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The lack of guitar solos on T4E I feel is a major point in that Alex went for a more layered, textured sound on this album and into the 00's.Remember grunge was happening and that was a little anti solo.Kim Thayill of Sound garden said 'guitar solos are dumb'.Also I feel T4E was the first of the 'loudness war 'with Rush.I mean the volume faders on the mixing desk must have been right up on Virtuality.And Alex had changed to Hughes and Kettner amps, to my ears a loud abrasive sound.All this with a slight dip in song writing.

I went to play the cd yesterday and it's missing!No cd inside the case!There is gonna be a big search. Perhaps Alex stole it

 

:o It's the Rush Revenge!!!!! :scared: You've made the Rush gods angry. :rage: Now they will make you search high and low, for nights and days, 24/7, days on end, for Test For Echo until when you finally find it, you will be so thankful that you did, your entire opinion about the album will change. :yes: They hid my S&A Tour DVD on me. I still can't find it. :AlienSmiley:

 

Be careful what you say about Rush albums/songs. :ph34r:

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Carve away the Stone is a go to song for me. One of my favorites off the album. Time and Motion is unique song. I even like Limbo, somewhat. Totem/Color...

 

There's some hit and miss, but this is a quality album.

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I have found the cd.It was in one of three faulty cd players in the shed.Must have been there at least two years since the Denon player moved in.Lucky they were going to get thrown out.Does'nt mean I havn't listened to it in two years ,its on that match box looking thing on rotation.Its just nice to listen to music on cd or vinyl .As I mentioned in a thread I created 'every album ',I love all Rush albums,just some better than others.To me T4E was just a slight dip after Counterparts.The missus is having a shot at me about finding my Rush cd and not her Donna Summer greatest hits which has been missing for a few months.I swear I didn't lose it on purpose.I'll try the local dump. Edited by grasbo
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T4E is just fairly uninteresting musically, doesn't have a real standout for me, all the songs seem to run together in the way that "90s rock" rock tends to (not 90s rock, mind you, but "90s rock" rock, if that makes any sense). I'd call it their worst album but there's nothing offensive about it, none of it's shitty or anything. it's just an album that I can't go back to very often. usually when a rush album ends I'm like, start this badboy over. when T4E ends I'm like, "okay."

 

I don't listen to CP much either and I can't imagine someone loving CP and hating T4E although I've seen people say that.

 

This entire post seemed fair, yet aimed right at my heart. I love the 90s music you seem not to enjoy as much, and I love T4E. It seems like Neil is attacking the drums like he hadn't for years, the songs are all approachable yet interesting, the lyrics sometimes detract, but not as much as on recent records; it was such a welcome change for the band for me.

Good point on the drums. I find Neil's drumming to be a highlight of the album. That's likely due in part to the companion video "A Work in Progress", which is excellent. I'm going to give The a spin on the way to work today to see how it sounds... It's been quite some time since I gave it a chance.
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T4E is severely underrated, and is far better than CP and much of what happened after MP, but I still wouldn't rate it that high.

 

There is virtually nothing to hate on the album except a few lyrics, but even there the lyrics are about 5000% better than on CP, which people love on this forum for some reason. So I don't get it.

The first half of T4E is amazing. The title track and Time and Motion are two of my all time favorite Rush songs. Driven is pretty damn good too. I think what drives T4E down is how bad the "back 9" is. There is a HUGE fall off on quality after you get past the first 5 songs. Edited by ILSnwdog
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Dog Years is a steaming pile, but the rest of the album is pretty dope IMO especially Totem

 

You misspelled Virtuality.

I think it's fair to say that both Virtuality and Dog Years are a steaming pile of crap.

 

The disparity in quality from T4E and Time and Motion to DY and Virtuality is quite prodigious.

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T4E is just fairly uninteresting musically, doesn't have a real standout for me, all the songs seem to run together in the way that "90s rock" rock tends to (not 90s rock, mind you, but "90s rock" rock, if that makes any sense). I'd call it their worst album but there's nothing offensive about it, none of it's shitty or anything. it's just an album that I can't go back to very often. usually when a rush album ends I'm like, start this badboy over. when T4E ends I'm like, "okay."

 

I don't listen to CP much either and I can't imagine someone loving CP and hating T4E although I've seen people say that.

 

This entire post seemed fair, yet aimed right at my heart. I love the 90s music you seem not to enjoy as much, and I love T4E. It seems like Neil is attacking the drums like he hadn't for years, the songs are all approachable yet interesting, the lyrics sometimes detract, but not as much as on recent records; it was such a welcome change for the band for me.

Good point on the drums. I find Neil's drumming to be a highlight of the album. That's likely due in part to the companion video "A Work in Progress", which is excellent. I'm going to give The a spin on the way to work today to see how it sounds... It's been quite some time since I gave it a chance.

OK...I gave it a listen. I'll give you the good news first.

 

There are still a few songs that I really like. The first is Time & Motion. The guitar is heavy and has a solid hook. The time signature is interesting, and I the overall tone of the song is set and sustained throughout. The latter i find to be a rare thing on the album. Another reason I really like Time and Motion is for the lyrics. These are what lyrics should be, suggesting, rather than stating, a point. Driven is another solid hook-laden song that is consistent throughout. The lyrics are also decent, though not as strong as Time & Motion. The title track is solid musically, and has some good lyrics. But it suffers a bit from some overwriting by Neil. The other distraction for me is Geddy's singing. It's a bit too "singy" for the tone of the song. More edgy vocals would be an improvement. Another song I like a lot is - wait for it - Dog Years. I find it to be a funny take on aging, ala Going Bald. Both of those songs fit my sense of humor.

.

Those are really the only songs that I enjoyed listening to today. The rest were just too dull or inconsistent musically, heavy handed lyrically, or both.

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Well, I went and listened to this recording again and no matter how much I repeat the process, TFE just doesn't get any better for me. At best I like parts of songs for some good sections mixed with ones I don't like. I have Vapor Trails on right now and It is so much better to me. I don't think anybody who defends TFE for their listening is wrong but it's not very good for me. Edited by calirush
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