A Farewell to Kings by the immense Rush, from 1977, released a year after a masterpiece, 2112 and Rush, with their great compositional ability, repeat the feat. Hard-rock rhythms, ballads, the complexity of progressive, syncopated sections and wonderful choruses.
There are only beautiful tracks and two unattainable masterpieces.
The title-track is explosive with an extraordinary rhythm section and the unmistakable and inimitable voice of Geddy Lee.
There's Cinderella Man, another beautiful track, a rock-ballad with acoustic parts and powerful breaks.
Closer To The Heart, with a very intense ballad-style start that then turns into a great central solo and in the final part becomes more decisive.
There's Madrigal, a beautiful ballad but the least incisive point of the album.
Then there are Cygnus X-1 and Xanadu which would deserve a post of their own.
Cygnus X-1, a narrative that will close in Hemispheres, absolutely the most progressive track on the album, which starts with a very long intro and then follows an incredible progression with a rhythm that would repeat itself endlessly if it weren't interrupted by the enormous creativity and technique of the immense Neil Peart, followed by a syncopated guitar by Lifeson that comes in by surprise and then gives way to Lee, stratospheric voice with the rhythm growing until the final break and grand solo by Lifeson and then an ending in which the band shows off all the technique at their disposal for an excellent, textbook composition.
Then there's Xanadu, a masterpiece, one of the most representative tracks of that branch of progressive called Heavy Prog, an immense track both for composition and execution, inexplicable in words. Gigantic.
An immense album that is a must for lovers of Rush, progressive rock, and music in general.
Tracklist
1. A Farewell to Kings (5:49)
2. Xanadu (11:04)
3. Closer to the Heart (2:51)
4. Cinderella Man (4:19)
5. Madrigal (2:33)
6. Cygnus X-1 (10:21)
Duration 36:57
Line Up
- Alex Lifeson - guitars (electric and 6- and 12-string acoustic, classical), bass pedals
- Geddy Lee - bass, bass pedals, Minimoog, 12-string guitar, vocals
- Neil Peart - drums, orchestral and tubular bells, wind chimes, vibra-slap, percussion
With:
- Terry Brown - co-producer, sound engineer, spoken voice (6)
