LeaveMyThingAlone Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I got this off of a link provided by Rushisaband.com. I have always had a particular dislike for Test for Echo more than any other Rush album and this guy's synopsis may sound a little harsh, but I agree with most of it. I think it sums up my thoughts exactly Rush has displayed incredible consistency over the course of the last 40 years, but the band is not above reproach. When it comes to the three albums in the discography that can be legitimately called failures, each misfired for completely different reasons. 1975's Caress Of Steel was a misguided attempt to expand the band's broadening progressive rock direction, and 1991's Roll The Bones was lost in a high-gloss rabbit hole of muddled, middling album oriented rock. Test For Echo, on the other hand, was much less excusable: a completely uninspired effort by a band that had been around enough to know better.Even the mediocre Rush albums have a handful of great, memorable songs. Caress Of Steel has "Bastille Day," Roll The Bones has "Dreamline," "Bravado," and "Ghost Of A Chance." Test For Echo has nothing. It's actually extraordinary how Lee, Lifeson, and Peart push all the buttons and seem like Rush, a comfortable air of familiarity permeating the entire record, yet it is so empty, totally devoid of hooks. Everyone just goes through the motions. As a music fan, that's one of the most depressing things to hear; you try hard to make some sort of connection with the music, but it is so uninspired, so forgettable, that it all becomes a futile exercise."Test For Echo," "Driven," and "Half The World" try hard to continue the momentum that the very strong return to form Counterparts created three years earlier, but the melodies are hopelessly dour, lacking the vibrancy of the previous album. "Resist" is a desperate attempt to follow up successful ballads like "The Pass" and "Nobody's Hero," but it is awash in forced emotion and schmaltz. Peart's thoughtful lyrics are wasted as each subsequent song fails to deliver, but even he goes too far on a pair of cringe-inducing late-album duds. Nothing dates songs worse than writing lyrics about technology, and "Virtuality," which might have sounded contemporary nearly two decades ago, now feels as antiquated as a 28.8 dial-up modem ("Net boy, net girl/ Send your impulse 'round the world/ Put your message in a modem/ And throw it in the Cyber Sea"). Meanwhile "Dog Years," which bears a strange resemblance to late-'80s Hüsker Dü -- go figure -- is as clunky a metaphor as Peart has ever used. "A year is really more like seven/ And all too soon a canine/ Will be chasing cars in doggie heaven." Come on, Professor.This being a Rush album, Test For Echo nevertheless peaked at number five in America, and the tour in support of the record was a successful one, which featured a performance of "2112" in its entirety. As mediocre as the album was, nobody could have expected Rush's show in Ottawa on July 4, 1997 would be its last show for a very long time, as personal tragedy would put the band's future in serious jeopardy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
x1yyz Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Yeah, I agree with most of it as well. Test for Echo isn't horrible, but I don't really like it. The band could have done better. I remember reading (possibly in reference to this and Counterparts, if I remember correctly) that Rush started writing songs in a more standard format. Personally, I prefer it when they don't try to "be" anything, and instead just let themselves be Rush. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Segue Myles Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Its funny, I can sort of see where he is coming from and I understand why a fan of the band may strongly dislike T4E, but I love this album! It is silly, carefree lyrically and musically very old school and at once modern. I do not think it is perfect, but I love it considerably! When it comes to weak albums, Vapor Trails and Snakes And Arrows come to mind. But I guess we all have to have a particular least favourite, and for some it is poor little Test For Echo! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluefox4000 Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I like 1 song off of it......so there ya go. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennyLee Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I hate it, just hate it. The key word in that paragraph is melody. No matter how busy or crazy the music got, there was always a beautiful unique melody laying over it. T4E, VT and S&A all missed the boat on melody for me. Nothing pretty or interesting about one melody line. CA for me still lacks in that area but the Garden really brought that back. Beautiful melody. The melodies on these albums all seem like an after thought to me. Reminds me of William Shatner. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluefox4000 Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I hate it, just hate it. The key word in that paragraph is melody. No matter how busy or crazy the music got, there was always a beautiful unique melody laying over it. T4E, VT and S&A all missed the boat on melody for me. Nothing pretty or interesting about one melody line. CA for me still lacks in that area but the Garden really brought that back. Beautiful melody. The melodies on these albums all seem like an after thought to me. Reminds me of William Shatner. bingo. My problem exactly. I can't find the songs on T4E. I know they're songs but none stick with me save for resist. And forget VT, lol. Mick 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Your_Lion Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 ...Reminds me of William Shatner.Some kind of..........trouble.....on the sensory.........screenCamera curves.......over caved-in cop carsBleacher-creatures........would-be........desperadosClutch........at plausible deny.......abilityDon't touch that........dialWe're.......... in denialUntil......the showcase.........trial on........TV I'd listen to that album 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troutman Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I never listen to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Segue Myles Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I find Test Fir Echo to be superbly catchy! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geddy's Soul Patch Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I like Test for Echo a lot, and There are plenty of good melodies. The chorus to Virtuality has a great melody, as do The Color of Right and Totem just to name a few 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Segue Myles Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I like Test for Echo a lot, and There are plenty of good melodies. The chorus to Virtuality has a great melody, as do The Color of Right and Totem just to name a few I cannot see how anyone could put this album below VT. You? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troutman Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I like Test for Echo a lot, and There are plenty of good melodies. The chorus to Virtuality has a great melody, as do The Color of Right and Totem just to name a few I cannot see how anyone could put this album below VT. You? Oh, I can. It's not even on the radar. :P 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennyLee Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Both are bad. I put VT, T4E and S&A as a three way tie for dead last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Analog Cub Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I like about half the songs. The title track is probably one of my all time favorites by the boys. I like Test For Echo, Driven, Color Of Right, Time and Motion, Virtuality, Resist, Carve Away The Stone. Resist got escalated to amazing quality when it was performed acoustically on Rio and R30. Half The World has gotten irritating lately and Dog Years straight up sucks. Totem has some great guitar parts but the vocals are annoying. Limbo is an okay instrumental, better than Where's My Thing? but not nearly as good as any other instrumental they've released. TMMB and MalNar are light years better. There's something about Alex's guitar tone on this album that doesn't quite click for me. I remember him sounding better on Counterparts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Segue Myles Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I love hearing different opinions! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluefox4000 Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 T4E is above VT for me. If only for Resist. VT has NOT ONE redeeming quality. not a one. Don't give that ,you can't say that about Rush shit, lol. yes you can and I did, lol Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geddy's Soul Patch Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I like Test for Echo a lot, and There are plenty of good melodies. The chorus to Virtuality has a great melody, as do The Color of Right and Totem just to name a few I cannot see how anyone could put this album below VT. You? I also like VT. I rank T4E and VT very close to each other, I'm not even sure which one I like more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Segue Myles Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Yu can't say thaat! Lies. I agree. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleMoon Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I like TFE for the most part but I can see why others wouldn't. The first half of the album is great but the last half seems a bit like filler. Like they ran out of ideas. VT for me still ranks quite a bit below TFE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennyLee Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 How It Is is the only thing I can stand from VT. Cream of that crop and it's... just OK? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorraine Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Nothing dates songs worse than writing lyrics about technology, and "Virtuality," which might have sounded contemporary nearly two decades ago, now feels as antiquated as a 28.8 dial-up modem... :oHey buddy, watch what you say! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILSnwdog Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 What a bunch of shit. I'll admit that the back nine of T4E is dreadful. But the title track, Driven, and Time and Motion are friken brilliant! :haz: Half the World, Resist, and Limbo are not without merit. The rest of the album gets skipped with I play it on the iPod. But to say that there is nothing redeeming about T4E is ridiculous. Well, like they say, opinions are like assholes. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narps Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Nothing dates songs worse than writing lyrics about technology, and "Virtuality," which might have sounded contemporary nearly two decades ago, now feels as antiquated as a 28.8 dial-up modem... :oHey buddy, watch what you say! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rushman14 Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Half the album rocks while the other half plain ol fashioned sucks :) 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YYZumbi Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I love this album, no bad songs at all, its one of my favorite albums! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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