I don't know about great (I'd give that title to Counterparts), but it's definitely the last Rush album that interested me, and that I have any interest in listening to at least a portion of.
Sure. I don't like it. Virtually any of it. I've heard each album since T4E at least once. If it doesn't grab me, I don't go back for repeated listenings. I have plenty of other music to enjoy.
Clockwork Angels didn't grab me when I first heard it (but I put it down to the sound) and I'm glad I kept listening. After the third listen I started to 'get' it and I think it's very good. Frustrating that the studio work can have such a detrimental effect on what is really good material.
Test for Echo was a tough sell to me after the (what I consider) modern rock masterpiece Counterparts. This is the point where the Rush production sound started sounding "processed", "compressed", "Pro Tools-ish", "less organic", etc. There are some interesting moments but not enough to hold my interest. Roll the Bones is similar to me but with even stronger high points...but the rest sound like Presto rejects.
That's how Rush is for me. I generally don't get much of it on the first listen, but it slowly reveals itself over time. It's one of the the things I like best about Rush albums. For Test For Echo I was drawn to the harder stuff right away, but it's the softer songs that really give the album its character (and the return of the acoustic guitar.)
I think I am biased in that I only came across them a few years ago, after CA was released. I bought CA and the Gold comp at the same time and I don't think I need to explain which one I got into quicker.
I think it's one of only three subpar Rush albums (not a bad career IMO!). The other two being Vapor Trails and Clockwork Angels (It's s;lightly better than those two IMO)
Yeah, I've heard most of their albums since then. It's criminal that I might not have encountered their music at all, since they're still not all that popular where I live.
I like it more than Counterparts which preceded it and much more than Vapor Trails which came after. In the Atlantic catalog I put it 4th behind Presto, Snakes and Arrows, and Roll the Bones.
Three is when I started to like it as a whole album, and not just liking a few songs. But the fourth time cemented it. I do still skip Dog Years after the first thirty or so seconds.
I absolutely love this album. It was the album that made me get back into Rush after I gave up on them during their ''synth'' years. As a result, it made me re-evaluate their albums prior to this one in reverse order up until Signals. I've been a ''reborn'' Rush fan ever since. I hope there will be a few more!
Aren't we all. Hopefully Neil Peart's "retirement" isn't as permanent/thorough as it seems or that it doesn't necessarily preclude a new studio album or two.
I think they should do something completely instrumental! Don't worry about touring it, just stay in the studio and do something REALLY spaced out and organic!
What I like here is how so many folks have quite different favorite Rush albums. Likely to do with when they got into the band, methinks, but I could be wrong. They are like Todd Rundgren, not always great but always interesting and never repeating themselves. My favorite? Grace Under Pressure, hands down (A Show Of Hands down, that is ha ha). I can listen to those songs in any random order and always love them, never get tired of it. Yeah, not their most "masterpiece" I suppose, but definitely my favorite. As for Test, well, I guess it is time to listen again, and to several others besides.
Oh thank GOD somebody likes Grace Under Pressure! I've always loved that album. It's the last one I really cared for all the way through. Power Windows did me in.
I think his retirement pertained only to touring, so I'm pretty sure we'll have more Rush albums in the near future.
I love GUP! It was one where I got off the bandwagon back in the 80's. I've since gotten back into Rush and enjoy all their albums but GUP is great and one of my favorites.
Albums??? Were it not for the retirement question, we might be due for one studio album sometime in 2017 when considering their recent output history. Given the retirement, I'm not sure I'd bet on any but would be pleased if it happened. Signals is my longtime fav but Grace Under Pressure is right up there and perhaps strangely, I'm appreciating Power Windows of late as a natural progression of the previous two. Not as strong but enjoyable nonetheless. As for the original question, I haven't spent enough time with T4E yet but should do so. I only recently acquired it as part of the Studio Albums 1989-2007 box.
