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70 of 74 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
No Farewell Here!, November 16, 2001
It's interesting to listen to Rush's albums in chronological order, and to hear how things had progressed from album to album. After hearing what had been created on Rush's 1976 breakthrough, _2112_, we could see the band perfecting what had been hinted at on earlier albums. And, here, on the effort that followed _2112_, we witness, yet another evolution.
On 1977's _A Farewell To Kings_, we see Rush entering a more evolutionary period in their writing. To me, this album, in many ways, is a bit more pivotal than their previous album, in foreshadowing what the band would be famed for in albums like 1981's _Moving Pictures_. For instance, in *sound* value alone, the sounds that are found here are much more akin to what you would hear on the later-era, more accessible, streamlined prog-rock in their early-80s period. Also, the instrumentation, and how it is treated is important: it was on *this* album where Rush started to employ more exotic instruments into their repetoire, and in drove-like fashion: tubular bells, wind chimes, bass pedal synthesizers, orchestra bells; these types of airy instruments and sounds were fairly prominent in the _Permanent Waves_-era Rush. And, also as important, it was on *this* album, where Rush started to delve heavily into the use of odd time signatures, and the multiple use of them. To be precise, on Rush's second album, 1975's _Fly By Night_ (their first with Neil Peart), the band did start doodling around with odd time signatures, but not to the extent of which they are used here (and on later albums.) _2112_ didn't exhibit a large use of odd time signatures, so these things alone would leave you convinced of two things: (1). This album was *indeed* a big evolution from _2112_. (2). This album is indeed *more* important than _2112_ in establishing the Rush sound of the future.
The title track starts off with Alex Lifeson's wonderful classical guitar, which indeed features classically-inclined progressions. Even within this classical guitar-filled section, we are already treated to multiple time signature changes. It then explodes into an electric section, which again, exhibits some time changes, mainly from a rhythm in 4 (common time), to a rhythm in 7. At 11 minutes, "Xanadu" was my first favorite Rush extended piece and still remains so. It features poetic lyrics (based on an actual poem) along with lulling chimes, synths and Alex Lifeson's guitar producing a synth-like effect. This is one of the dreamiest, romantic and seductive pieces Rush ever created, if not the most. The musicianship here is sublime: Geddy's seductive vocals and basslines, Alex's atmospheric guitar lines, and Neil's arsenal of percussives (and how he uses them) help to make this truly one of a kind. "Closer To The Heart" is the radio favorite, and needs no explanation. "Cinderella Man", is written by Geddy Lee. One of the more accessible pieces on the album, there is a groove that seems to run throughout the song. "Madrigal", is a dreamy, cosmic, absorbing mellow piece that prepares you for the insane, spiralling rollercoaster known as "Cygnus X-1".
This song has to be heard to be believed, and is probably the singlemost intense song in Rush's catalog. If you want to hear Neil Peart at his most complex and mad, you have to hear this epic. Written in three movements, the musical insanity found here is seldom found anywhere else in Rush's catalog. The time changes are all over the place in this song; going from stuff like 7/4 (a mix of 3, plus a section in 4), while in sections like the opening of the third -- and last -- movement (following a tension building section), we are treated to a rhythm in a hard-charging 11/8, where the E (power) chord is (beautifully) pounded into violent submission, before switching to F#, then the time swtiches to 12/8. This particular motif is repeated one more time (only Neil Peart places the accent elsewhere; excellent as hell), in a manic, surging tension-releasing wall-of-sound, before Geddy Lee reaches what was probably the most violently shrieking wail in his career. The climax reached in this song is just as formidable and frightening as the "black-hole" which serves as the topic of this track. It's *really* intense stuff, and not for the faint-of-heart, but for those who, indeed, love a rush (pun most *definitely* intended.)
Indeed, _A Farewell To Kings_ is an important album in Rush's catalog, and truly foreshadows the kind of things you would hear on subsequent albums: it is on *this* album, that you can see where the band was going on albums like 1978's _Hemispheres_, 1980's _Permanent Waves_ and 1981's _Moving Pictures_. You can hear a bit of this album in them all. _A Farewell To Kings_ is my personal favorite from these boys, and has an unique, cosmic charm not found on any of their other albums. It's highly recommended.
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24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Add this one to the list of "Rush's best.", April 8, 2001
While 2112 was the first Rush song I ever heard, A Farewell To Kings was the first Rush album I owned (the store didn't have 2112 at the time). Sentimentally, it's a favorite because it was among my first progressive rock albums, but beyond the gushiness I still love this album because it's great music.For a band that critics hated, Rush had quite a following at this point, picking up numerous fans who'd been dazzled by the band's stunning musicianship, philosophical reflection typically disguised as fantasy/sci-fi stories (but not always...sometimes it was just a story), and the fact that they freakin' rocked. A Farewell To Kings produced one of the band's most popular songs, "Closer to the Heart," which continues to receive the attention of classic rock radio stations all over the place. I don't use superlatives too much, but I must say that this is the best song under three minutes EVER. The socially conscious title track squeezes a lot of "progression" into a 5 minute song. The highlights of this album are the mesmerizing "Xanadu" and the rockin' space adventure known as "Cygnus X-1, Book I." Even though the latter is best appreciated as a precursor to the phenomenal "Hemispheres," it's a great song even on its own. The first movement is ominous, the second is catchy and exciting, and the third is an insane rhythmic assault underscoring Lee's screaming vocals. Finally, like most of Rush's work, this really doesn't sound dated at all, despite being released in the late 70s. Timeless music is great music! Critics [stink]. Rush rules. Or something. But I'm pretty sure I'm right.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
FOR I HAVE DINED ON HONEYDEW, AND DRUNK THE MILK OF PARADISE..., June 22, 2005
In the world of classic RUSH, this is paradise (or xanadu if you will). RUSH's fifth studio release represents another branching-out of the complex progressive sound experimented with heavily on the prior 2 (or even 3) albums. They slightly tone down the raging intensity of 2112 in favor of more layering and color with 6 very unique and far-out classics. This is the album that came out when I was just becoming a huge fan and going to the first of 4 concerts. I had just bought All the World's a Stage a few months before and I knew this band would be huge. 2112 was so great that it seemed tough to beat, but this took RUSH to the next stage (so to speak). Closer to the Heart shows the budding radio play genius shown in subsequent albums beginning with Permanent Waves...tight and structured shorter songs with focused storytelling (it has always been a huge radio hit). Cinderella Man shows the reflective and more sensitive (artist's dilemma) theme played out with the usual RUSH intensity - the guitar lead is power-wah heaven, Geddy's Bass carries everything higher melodically (great concert song) - Cinderella man sounds fine to me, manic depressive or not. PEART, by the way, has moved to higher ground with this album. Creative approaches and incredible mind-bending technique and power are everywhere (his drumkit is the envy of the western world by this time). A million young males came out of the drumming closet to emulate Neil Peart, you could see them playing air drums everywhere back then. The title song is one of my favorites, mixing a bit of a classical medieval feel with sheer rock power on a political labyrinthian fable. Again, the lyrical and poetic writing take this album to the top of my list, of course the musicianship shown here is RUSH on fire (maybe that's what scorched the Earth on the cover). Speaking of that, Xanadu is another beautiful epic RUSH classic along the lines of 2112 that has always been one of my favorites. Mind candy that takes you away to far lands and adventure (from Kubla Khan to ice caves). Xanadu is one of the most elaborately decorated RUSH songs, which is a good thing. Part one (or book one - book two is on Hemispheres) of Cygnus X-1 (the space odyssey) clearly places your mind's eye on a ship traveling through a black hole with electric space dust flying everywhere, echoing in the form of power chords and bass thumpings that knock planets off their axis...swirling to another dimension. Every song is great and let the music world (and other doubters that thought RUSH was a fad) know that you can't keep a few good geniuses down - RUSH MEANS BUSINESS, SO...farewell to kings...a paradigm shift has laid waste to the world order (cover). Thank you RUSH for rockin' my world all of these years...three people never sounded so good and so powerful...ENJOY!
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by Rush 
