Test For Echo
Rush · Other Songs - Rush
Video vertigo
Test for echo
Here we go -- in slo-mo
Video vertigo
Test for echo
Some kind of trouble on the sensory screen
Camera curves over caved-in cop cars
Bleacher-creatures, would-be desperados
Clutch at plausible deniability
Don't touch that dial --
We're in denial
Until the showcase trial on TV
Some kind of pictures on the sense o'clock news
Miles of yellow tape -- silhouetted chalklines
Tough-talking hood boys in pro-team logo knock-offs
Conform to uniforms of some corporate entity
Don't change that station
It's Gangster Nation
Now crime's in syndication on TV
What a show -- vertigo
Video vertigo
Test for echo
Touch and go -- in slo-mo
Video vertigo
Test for echo
Some kind of drama live on satellite
Hidden camera coverage from the crime scene to the courtroom
Nail-biting hood boys in borrowed ties and jackets
Clutching at the straws of respectability
Can't do the time?
Don't do the crime
And wind up in the perp walk on TV
Test For Echo
Test For Echo serves as the title track for Rush's 1996 album, marking a significant shift in the band's sonic identity. Following the departure of their longtime producer, the group embraced a more organic and textured sound that distinguished this era from their earlier progressive rock dominance. The recording features the band's signature instrumental prowess, blending Geddy Lee's bass lines with Alex Lifeson's layered guitar work and Neil Peart's intricate drumming. This period represents a mature phase in their discography, characterized by a willingness to experiment with acoustic elements and atmospheric production techniques. The song stands as a testament to the band's enduring ability to evolve while maintaining their core musical integrity throughout their extensive career.