Rush: Test For Echo

[Wisdomview]

1997 was not a good year to be a Rush fan.

1996 was pretty good (the year T4E was released), plus I got to see them front row for the 1st time. Only cost me around $36. The 2nd time (R30 Tour) cost me way, way more.

[80s were ok]

My thoughts exactly. Nothing more need be said,their worst album by far. 1997 was not a good year to be a Rush fan.

just because you didn't like the album it was a bad year to be Rush fan? Great album and great tour.

[BravadoNJ]

That's a typo right?



That's one of the best songs on the album.

try not quoting out of context.... i believe i stated that ... The MUSIC to Dog Years & Virtuality.....

[East New York]

"Driven" is a huge song and influenced by the California Guitar Trio.

How very, very interesting; did D, L, or P cop to that one?

I like everything on the album except Virtuality and Driven; let me explain...I can't stand Virtuality and I LOVE Driven.

[polmico]

Yup. That's one there that I can't stand, not even half of it.

[IMWeasel]

Believe it or not, this was the first Rush studio album that I bought when it was a new release! I got into the band around 94-95, so Counterparts was a couple of years old by then. I was lucky enough to catch them on the Test for Echo tour too, because none of us knew this would be the last we would see of the band for several years!

There are a couple of solid tunes on here, though I like the two songs that everyone else seems to hate (Dog Years and Virtuality). Go figure.

[Progatron]

There are a couple of solid tunes on here, though I like the two songs that everyone else seems to hate (Dog Years and Virtuality). Go figure.

I like those too. I do agree that the lyrics are weak, especially for a guy like Neil, but that's just the way it goes sometimes. I enjoy the songs despite that.

[Rickenbacker]

I decided to give this *and* Snakes & Arrows a full listen today. (S&A being pretty low on my favorites list for Rush) Song for song, I actually enjoyed S&A more.
I just get the impression the band were phoning it in for T4E, & it confirmed to me that Counterparts is definitely my favorite 90s Rush.

[IMWeasel]

1996 was pretty good (the year T4E was released), plus I got to see them front row for the 1st time. Only cost me around $36. The 2nd time (R30 Tour) cost me way, way more.

Yeah, I saw Page/Plant in 95, and Rush in 97, both at Shoreline for $35, and both were pretty decent seats. At the time it seemed extremely expensive though!

[80s were ok]

Yeah, I saw Page/Plant in 95, and Rush in 97, both at Shoreline for $35, and both were pretty decent seats. At the time it seemed extremely expensive though!

that's what I would expect to pay for parking nowadays.

[Sean]

Thanks to this thread I just added 1/2 the tracks to my mp3 player.

<shakes fist in anger>

I blame every one of you for this! Even the ones that said it sucked!

[JIF]

It ranks somewhere in the bottom five Rush albums for me, but only if I HAVE to rank them. I still quite like it (I like every Rush album). The opening two tracks are excellent and the instrumental really works for me too. I saw the tour too and this was the first time they played "2112" in its true entirety, the fans went nuts. That show (Toronto, Aug 2 '97) turned out to be the second-to-last gig they'd play for years, since Neil's tragedies would sadly begin only a month or so later.

They did play the entire song on the '76 tour. I wasn't alive then, but the full suite is on All The World's A Stage.

[Progatron]

They did play the entire song on the '76 tour. I wasn't alive then, but the full suite is on All The World's A Stage.

No, it isn't.

[Scott Bails]

JIF - All the World's a Stage is missing the "Discover" and "Oracle" sections of 2112.

[JIF]

No, it isn't.

Well, a fair chunk is. I remember the listening to the radio and the adverts made it a point to mention that the whole of the 2112 suite was going to be featured. On the subject, I really like Test For Echo, but I like Counterparts more. I love the theme of Counterparts(the theme of relationships). The remasters are only copies of these cds that I have owned. I found T4E at Barnes & Noble for $10. So, I have nothing to complain about.

[Progatron]

Well, a fair chunk is.

I know that. I've had All The World's A Stage in one form or another on my shelf for about twenty five years now. I clearly stated that it was played in it's "true entirety" for the first time on the T4E tour. In your ceaseless quest to correct people here on PE you often miss these kinds of details.

[JIF]

I know that. I've had All The World's A Stage in one form or another on my shelf for about twenty five years now. I clearly stated that it was played in it's "true entirety" for the first time on the T4E tour. In your ceaseless quest to correct people here on PE you often miss these kinds of details.

Did Rush any part of the suit from the tours from A Farewell To Kings-Roll The Bones? I do have a quest to correct people, just to get the facts straight. You made it seem like that they didn't play the suite in any shape or form until the T4E tour? It's not like Rush did for the 2112 tour what Genesis did for the Invisible Touch tour(play the final two parts of their epic).

[Progatron]

Did Rush any part of the suit from the tours from A Farewell To Kings-Roll The Bones? I do have a quest to correct people, just to get the facts straight. You made it seem like that they didn't play the suite in any shape or form until the T4E tour?

I saw the tour too and this was the first time they played "2112" in its true entirety

That, to you, reads as me saying they didn't play it in any shape or form?

It's relatively common knowledge among Rush fans that most of "Discovery" was generally cut from the live performance, and "Oracle: The Dream" was neverplayed until the T4E tour, hence the clearly-worded section of my post I quoted. So, one could say the facts were already straight.

And yes, parts of the song were played often on those previous tours.

[Garden Dreamer]

Speaking of "Half the World", I hear bits of this groove in subsequent Rush songs "Nocturne" (S&A) and "Halo Effect" (CA). Anyone else?

[polmico]

How very, very interesting; did D, L, or P cop to that one?

Great song, though I'm not sure I see the influence. Still, pretty cool!

[progfan915]

One of their weakest for me. I think it suffered from Neil's new drumming approach, as well as weaker songs in general. It also feels too long for me. Agree with other posts that half the album kicks butt! The other half just doesn't grab me

[Vic2012]

Well, I don't wanna crap on the HYF thread so I'll say it here. I'd take TFE over HYF a thousand times. .

[ZEPPELIN4EVER]

Just about everything that came out prior to this was way better but this is still a solid effort.....just like a previous comment I cant recall any songs that would make me want to play this anytime soon....

[Garden Dreamer]

One of their weakest for me. I think it suffered from Neil's new drumming approach, as well as weaker songs in general. It also feels too long for me. Agree with other posts that half the album kicks butt! The other half just doesn't grab me

Interesting. I was aware that Neil changed to standard grip on this album and while the drumming was certainly different from his approach on Farewell to Kings for example, I often found myself keying in on the drumming while listening to the album and really liking it and how it was recorded as well. Perhaps not as over-the-top as AFTK but more subtly complicated.

He made a DVD for drummers about the making of T4E, called "A Work in Progress." Watching it just makes me like the album even more.
Title track performance:


and explanation:

[JSS]

Say what you want about the album, "Time and Motion" kicks major bootay

One of my favorite "90's Rush" songs.

The cover is pretty great too, come to think of it.
But too many stinkers to play start to finish.