A Farewell to Kings

Rush - A Farewell to Kings

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CD Details

Artist: Rush
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
CD Release Date: 1997-05-06
Music Label: Island / Mercury
Soundtracks:

A Farewell To Kings
Xanadu
Closer To The Heart
Cinderella Man
Madrigal
Cygnus X-1

Music reviews of A Farewell to Kings

Music Review: A True Progressive Rock/Metal Masterpiece
Rating: 5 Stars

I bought Rush's 1977 release "A Farewell to Kings" just last month, and I've really been listening to it alot since then, it's just simply amazing, I really love it. Rush have really become one of my favorite progressive rock bands lately, they're also one of the best bands in rock period. I own eight Rush albums (including their 1974 self-titled debut, Fly By Night, Moving Pictures, 2112, Permanent Waves, Presto, and Counterparts), and I've become a bigger fan of Rush with each album that I listen to, and "A Farewell to Kings" is definately an acception, no questions asked. This album is just absolutely brilliant from start to finish, and it's also Rush's strongest and best album from the 70's in my opinion. Their breakthrough release from 1976 "2112" is an outstanding album, as well as one of the band's best, but it's this album that takes Rush's sound to a whole new different level of pure progressive musical brilliance, and it also shows the band at their peak as well. This album is also the first to feature the use of synthesizers, which really add to the band's progressive sound.

The production on here is once again handled by Terry Brown, and his producing never fails. Frontman Geddy Lee's trademark high ranged vocals are top notch as always, and his bass playing is just totally unreal and amazing. I know that I've said it before in some of my previous Rush reviews here, but Geddy is definately one of rock's all time best bassists, no questions asked. He also uses Mini-Moog and bass-pedal synthesizers as well, and they really add to the progressiveness of the album here as I mentioned before. Alex Lifeson is an awesome guitarist, and he's also been regarded as one of rock's most underrated guitarists, and I really find that to be a shame, but he's awesome nonetheless. His riffs are just awesome and his solos are even better especially on "Closer to the Heart" and the 11 minute epic "Xanadu", and he also experiments with classical and twelve string guitars as well. Neil Peart's drumming is just outstanding and breathtaking and perfectly timed throughout. His percussioning is also diversified on here as he adds different kinds of percussion including cowbells, orchestra bells, wind chimes, triangle, bell tree, vibra-slap, tubular bells, and temple blocks. His is simply without a doubt one of rock's greatest drummers of all time, and when it comes to writing lyrics, this guy truly takes the cake.

There are only six songs on AFTK, but hey, I'm not going to complain, seeing that they're all awesome, so let's check them out shall we. The opening title track starts off with a nice peaceful acoustic guitar intro until going into a hard rocking barrage that features excellent riffing and soloing, powerful basswork and drumming, and strongly executed vocals, all before ending with an acoustic outro, while track two "Xanadu" is a phenomenal 11 minute sci-fi/fantasy epic that is lyrically based on Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem "Kubla Khan". This is my personal favorite song on this album. Words just cannot even describe how much I love this song. It's also one of my favorite Rush songs as well. The first five minutes of this song is instrumental which features some nice atmospheric synths and wind chimes until Alex cuts in with a cool, addicting melodic guitar riff which is later followed by more heavier muscular riffage, sharp basslines, and fantastic drumwork. Geddy's vocals finally come into play around the 5 minute mark with these great opening lyrics: "To seek the sacred river Alph, to walk the caves of ice, to break my fast on honey dew, and drink the milk of paradise..." Neil's drumming is just fantastic throughout, and Alex's riffing is just catchy and mindblowing, and there's a sweet, killer guitar solo from him around 9:32 before going into an addicting epic finale. This song is definately an epic that you must hear to believe. Next up, we have "Closer to the Heart" which is the album's big hit single, as well as a favorite among Rush fans that features a great acoustic intro, along with great vocals from Geddy, and a fantastic guitar solo by Alex to boot.

The next song "Cinderella Man" (which was written by Geddy) is a great, catchy guitar driven rocker that boasts a nice and catchy sing-a-long chorus that has some nice acoustic guitar backing it up, and there's also some killer thumping bass work by Geddy as well. This is another great song I thought. Next up, track five "Madrigal" is a short but dreamy, mellow acoustic piece that leads up to the incredibly unpredictable 10+ minute sci-fi epic "Cygnus X-1" which is written in three movements. It lyrically tells of an astronaut's journey through outer space into the black hole of the constellation known as Cygnus. The song starts off with a cool digitized speech and creepy droning synth effects, and before you know it, you are in for one serious hard rocking thrillride. The band's musicianship is just absolutely jaw-dropping, madly insane, and off the hook throughout this song. The riffs are massively heavy and muscular, the bass just thumps like crazy, the time signatures are outstanding, Neil's drumming is just incredible and it's some of his most complexed and madly insane on here, and of course Geddy really lets loose with some sweet, out of control wails near the end. This is definately without question one of the most insane sounding songs that Rush have ever written, and one of their best songs as well.

Favorite songs: ALL OF THEM OF COURSE!!

Overall, "A Farewell to Kings" is definately one of Rush's best and most important albums in their catalog, and it's also their strongest and best album from the 70's era as I said earlier, and this is coming from a guy who enjoys listening to Amon Amarth, Death, Atheist, Behemoth, Origin, Nile, Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, Meshuggah, Suffocation, Decapitated, etc. I've always been a fan of classic/progressive rock as well, and Rush are truly one of the best I've ever heard in my life. If you're new to Rush, AFTK would really be a great album to start with along with Moving Pictures (1981), Permanent Waves (1980), and 2112 (1976). If you're already a fan of Rush like I'am, then by all means I highly recommend this classic progressive rock/metal masterpiece. Trust me, it does good justice to a classic album like this. Enjoy!!

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