Rush: 2112 (1976) Vs. Test For Echo (1996) Vs. Clockwork Angels (2012)
 

Well I was up late last night after a night of partying, cooling down to Rush... I've always held Test For Echo in a high regard. You can hear on the title track that Tool was influenced by this album as well. I've always held Moving Pictures in very high esteem as well, but have always had it at 3rd and now that Clockwork Angels is out, I may be demoting it to 4th.

So I've got a little album challenge face-off. I'm not overly concerned with people's opinions on Moving Pictures, I've heard all about it and I know the album very well myself. I'm more interested in how you'd rate the other three if they were the only albums you had. Then you can tell me how you feel about them universally, overall...

So let's have a look at these:

2112 (1976):
https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/im...c8YclxUoZ1AbvA

"2112" – 20:34
I: "Overture" – 4:33 (0:00—4:33)
II: "The Temples of Syrinx" – 2:12 (4:33—6:45)
III: "Discovery" (music: Lifeson) – 3:29 (6:45—10:14)
IV: "Presentation" (music: Lifeson) – 3:42 (10:14—13:56)
V: "Oracle: The Dream" – 2:00 (13:56—15:56)
VI: "Soliloquy" – 2:21 (15:56—18:17)
VII: "Grand Finale" – 2:14 (18:17—20:33)
"A Passage to Bangkok" – 3:32
"The Twilight Zone" – 3:16
"Lessons" (Lifeson) – 3:51
"Tears" (Lee) – 3:30
"Something for Nothing" (music: Lee) – 4:00

Test For Echo (1996):
https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/im...WQZ8vjyWfanGOA


"Test for Echo" (Lifeson, Lee, Peart, Pye Dubois) – 5:56
"Driven" – 4:27
"Half the World" – 3:41
"The Color of Right" – 4:48
"Time and Motion" – 5:04
"Totem" – 5:00
"Dog Years" – 4:56
"Virtuality" – 5:43
"Resist" – 4:22
"Limbo" – 5:28
"Carve Away the Stone" – 4:05

Clockwork Angels (2112):
https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/im...mo3TJRYh7v9gbw


1. "Caravan" 5:40
2. "BU2B" 5:10
3. "Clockwork Angels" 7:31
4. "The Anarchist" 6:52
5. "Carnies" 4:52
6. "Halo Effect" 3:14
7. "Seven Cities of Gold" 6:32
8. "The Wreckers" 5:01
9. "Headlong Flight" 7:20
10. "BU2B2" 1:28
11. "Wish Them Well" 5:25
12. "The Garden" 6:59

Being that 2112 is one of their oldest and most known, next to Moving Pictures, I would hope you won't vote for any one particular album without listening to the other two. :)

Tough choices, although I didn't like TFE as much as Roll The Bones and Hold Your Fire (Time Stand Still is one of my all time faves), and Clockwork is a solid album (there's even a throwback to 2112 on the title track), for me 2112 will always have a special place in my heart.

Test For Echo was one of my first Rush albums. It was my first favorite. I got into 2112 and the like afterwards. I got into Rush through Tool. Tool took influence fof Lateralus from Test For Echo...

Things I like about 2112, is 2112 of course, and Twilight Zone.

I'm still ingesting the storyline of Clockwork Angels, and I'm holding my vote until I know it front to back. I love the steampunk future concept. I think its a bit like Brazil-esque (Terry Gilliam film). I believe they say there will be a companion BOOK. That I am excited about.

But I love Test For Echo. I love just about every track on there. It's the middle ground between 2112 and Clockwork Angels. 2112 had the great long prog jam, and shorter songs to support it, and a central theme. Clockwork Angels keeps most the songs relatively short, but still, Headlong Flight hits 7+ minutes..., and they stick with the concept album.

As much as I really like Clockwork Angels, I'm gonna go with 2112.

Try to put some emphasis on how you rank the other two, if you know.

If you are choosing 2112, try to vote between TFE and CA; give me the three in order.

the second side of 2112 is rather weak

of the late 80s stuff, I only really like Counterparts

so I'm going with Clockwork Angels - probably the most stunning thing they've done in the past 10 years or more

I really don't like 2112 at all. I think I am in the minority regarding Rush as Moving Pictures, Grace Under Pressure and Power Windows are by far my favourite albums but I do confess to not having heard anything new by them since Hold Your Fire!

Agreed. 2112 has always seemed to be a bit overrated to me as well, but I remembering it being a huge album when it was released. I really like Hemispheres and A Farewell to Kings, much more as far as old Rush is concerned, and my new Rush exposure sort of tapers off at around the Counterparts album, one of the 3 rush tours I've had the pleasure of catching (Presto and Roll the Bones being the other two). I thought Hold your Fire was fantastic, Jackhammer, definitely one of my favorite Rush albums.

I'm nabbing Clockwork Angels right now. I've heard enough good things about the album to merit checking it out, so I might be chiming in in a while.

Not really. Moving Pictures and Power Windows are my favourite albums as well. Grace Under Pressure I haven't heard yet.

Counterparts was released in 93.

Anyway, Test For Echo is decent, but definitely not worthy of being considered one of their best. I'll agree that the second half of 2112 is weak compared to the first, but the first is so epic that I still can't place any of the other listed albums before it.

So, for me:

2112>Clockwork Angels>Test For Echo...but my favorite Rush album will probably always be A Farewell to Kings.

To Satch: do let us know what you think of CA. I really do think it's one of their better albums in recent years. You can tell they are proud of it, too...they don't typically play a large number of new songs when they go on tour with an album since they know everyone generally wants to hear their classics, but they played a good 3/4 of the album when I saw them a couple weeks ago.