Rush: Test For Echo

[MONDO PROG DRUM KIT]

Complete boring piece of shit.

[JIF]

Complete boring piece of shit.

Dear god, I hope that you don't review albums as a profession. Furthermore, have you actually listened to the cd? Driven kicks ass!!

[East New York]

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

It is a killer tune, but I, too, can't see the cited CGT inspiration.

[Iszil]

It's not their best but neither their worst.

There are some tracks I really enjoy (not love, but I find them pretty good) like Test for Echo, Driven, Resist, Virtuality (except for the chorus, because the main riff is really good), Time and Motion, Limbo... yeah, is not that bad, like other previous stuff by Rush.

[80s were ok]

Complete boring piece of shit.

what amazing insight. Thanks for posting and happy new year.

[Boceephus]

Not my favorite Rush album, but there are some great tracks for walking & biking.

[Paulrus]

I actually like this album, but then again I also like Presto so I'm a weird sort of Rush fan.

That said, "Virtuality" is definitely Neil at his lowest IMO. But he redeems himself for the most part on the rest of the album. I like the production and the arrangements are pretty good throughout, though the album has its share of filler.

I remember catching the show in San Jose and it was solid. The opening band had to be one of the worst I've ever seen, though. Some 3-piece I can't remember that were being called "the godfathers of grunge", or some such BS. Anyone remember who that was?

[Scott Bails]

Nirvana?

[JIF]

Nirvana?

I thought that Neil Young was the "godfather of grunge".

[Garden Dreamer]

I remember catching the show in San Jose and it was solid. The opening band had to be one of the worst I've ever seen, though. Some 3-piece I can't remember that were being called "the godfathers of grunge", or some such BS. Anyone remember who that was?

I'm guessing King's X. A lot of the grunge bands of the 90's cite them as an influence. I would disagree about the "worst" part but they could have had an off night.

[Paulrus]

I'm guessing King's X.

Ah, I just realized -- there was no opening band on the Test for Echo tour. I'm thinking of the Counterparts tour in '94. I think it was The Melvins who opened for Rush in San Jose back then. They were not appreciated.

[Progatron]

Ah, I just realized -- there was no opening band on the Test for Echo tour. I'm thinking of the Counterparts tour in '94. I think it was The Melvins who opened for Rush in San Jose back then. They were not appreciated.

The Counterparts tour also had Primus, if I recall, and a band who were popular back then called Candlebox.

[Nearfest2]

No. Whatever the opposite of "brilliant" is, this is it.



Even if it's a joke/allusion, it's still stupid.

Can't disagree. It's a shame too because the riff is heavy and meaty.

[arise_shine]

Yeah, I don't much care for this album. Even the songs most fans like, I just don't. SO much cheesiness in the lyrics ("can't do the time, don't do the crime"? seriously?). The instrumental isn't bad, but it's not awesome either. I think if the album had better lyrics, I'd probably like it a lot more, but even musically, there's just not much going on. I don't even like the production--not a fan of Andy Wallace mixing jobs.

I do like some of the music on the album, though. I like the sound and feel of "Half the World" (but the lyrics ruin it for me), and even "Dog Years" I don't find as offensive as most. "Limbo" isn't a bad tune overall. But put it side-by-side with anything from Permanent Waves or Farewell to Kings or even Clockwork Motherf---in Angels? Not even close.

I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure the three 90s studio albums are the "bottom 3" for me. I'd even rather listen to the first album--at least it has a lot of energy and it rocks.

But yeah, the best thing about this album, BY FAR, is the cover art.

[Scott Bails]

The Counterparts tour also had Primus, if I recall, and a band who were popular back then called Candlebox.

I saw them with Candlebox. They were decent, but they really suffered from terrible sound.

[TheLoony]

Ah, I just realized -- there was no opening band on the Test for Echo tour. I'm thinking of the Counterparts tour in '94. I think it was The Melvins who opened for Rush in San Jose back then. They were not appreciated.

I was lucky and able to do the Rush geek thing(every Rush geek should do it at least once in their life) and saw San Diego, Fresno and Sacramento on that tour, directly before the San Jose gig. You got it right, it was The Melvins, and they bit it hard. I never even went in while they played, just stayed in the concourse at ARCO, wondering what genius put these two bands together. SD and Fresno had Candlebox and at the time I wasn't very impressed. Saw them on the Metallica show a few years later and thought they were pretty damned good, though.

[XanaFloyd]

To me it is one of the worst Rush albums ever...but this doest not mean it is a BAD album. Songs like Test For Echo, Driven, Totem, Time and Motion and Resist are Kick ass!!! On the other side it has some of the weakest rush songs ever like Dog Years or The Colour Of Right

[Findecano]

I dig this album...is it in my top ten for Rush? No, but I still think it's pretty solid. I didn't realize that so many people disliked the lyrics to "Virtuality" - they never really struck me as awful. Maybe not Neil's best, sure...

It's funny when you get into talking about something like the Internet, especially at that time. You have the danger of dating yourself. But I think the overall theme is still relevant. The idea that the online world does not compare to the "real thing." Which may seem an obvious statement, but think about how many people's lives and identities are consumed by digital interactions. How many people hide behind their social media profiles because it allows them to be what they aren't in real life?

And this idea is still explored - "Fear of a Blank Planet" comes to mind.