For testing the low end (bass) limitations, tightness and control Sarah McLachlan's "Black and White" from her album "Surfacing" is very good. I have two 18" Velodyne's and three 12" Canton's setup in my theater and that song hits the seating with such a powerful/wave of bass at moments you would swear there was a quake.
For transient response and high end, pretty much anything by Struntz and Farah (latin flamenco guitar) is my favorite. Great music and very well recorded. Also Midori's violin solos on a Philip's classical CD of Paganini
For mids and vocals there is a lot to play with. Mazzy Star, Fiona Apple, Jack Johnson, Jeff Buckley, etc..
For overall powerhandling I'd say something from the Crystal Method. Powerful electronic/synth stuff like that can really torture a good set of speakers quickly.