‘Test For Echo’ Just What Rush Fans Ordered
Rush
“Test for Echo” (Atlantic)
Superstar Canadian trio continues to defy critics and deliver music that brings out a cultish response among a well-spread-out fan base. Although it’s been three years since Rush’s last studio release, the band has not let its songwriting or performance intensity flag one iota. From the anthemic lead-single title track to the mandola-inflected “Half the World” to Internet-themed “Virtuality,” “Test for Echo” plays like the Rush record longtime fans might expect, with a few left turns thrown in for good measure. Happily, Rush continues to keep its sound sparse, letting the guitar, bass, drums and vocals express what layers and layers of synthesizers never could. A welcome return by an irrepressible and influential band.
Billy Ray Cyrus
“Trail of Tears” (Mercury)
The key here is the title cut. It’s the best thing Billy Ray Cyrus has ever done - writing, producing, and singing - and it’s one fine, hard-charging country song with an intelligent lyric (about the real-life forced march by displaced Native Americans) and an infectious arrangement. If country radio accepts it, then one of country music’s more skewed careers is back on track. By and large here, the much-maligned Cyrus has put himself back together musically, mostly eschewing the excesses of the past. And, after all, why can’t a man sing “Harper Valley P.T.A.” if he feels like it? And picking great songs by Merle Haggard and J.J. Cale is a sign of absolute good faith.
Better Than Ezra
“Friction, Baby” (Elektra)
In one of the most heartwarming music-business success stories of recent years, alternative rock trio Better Than Ezra broke through with a delightful home recording led by the aptly titled rock hit “Good.” The group follows it with an equally palatable work that shows a blossoming of its writing and recording talents.
Type O Negative
“October Rust” (Roadrunner)
One of the few bands that has weathered the downsizing of gothic rock from highly commercial musical format to niche genre, Type O Negative sticks to its guns. While “October Rust” is not likely to generate any runaway hits, hard-rock programmers and Type O’s ardent fan base have already driven the album to impressive heights on The Billboard 200. Highlights include the humorous “My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend,” the anthemic “Green Man,” and a goth cover of Neil Young’s “Cinnamon Girl.”