A Farewell to Kings - Rush (CD 1997)

A Farewell to Kings

Rush s music has begun to make the critics take notice at this point, though the unique style of the band still frightens some of them away. Even so, Rush fans understand the masterpiece that this album truly is. And so will you.

Yes, this album does hold part one of the Cygnus X-1 epic, but that s not its main attraction. Songs like Farewell to Kings , Xanadu and Cinderella Man are more impressive and have a consistent, meaningful connection. In this album Rush takes their eccentric song format to task as a voice of political protest. Cygnus X-1, though an exciting sci-fi journey through space in the starship Rocinante, could almost have been saved for another album.

The musicianship here is nothing less than astounding. I don't see how anyone could listen to this music without being moved. Again, the dynamics are wonderful, as good as any of their previous work. And the sound of the album is significantly different than 2112, and yet somewhat reminiscent of Caress of Steel. In fact, one could see this album as a sort of sharper version of COS. Better editing and sound quality make following the ideas much easier. A copy of the lyrics is still a must to fully appreciate the power of the lyrics.

Farewell to Kings:
This song is amazingly well orchestrated. Instead of beginning the follow up to 2112 with blasting guitars and complicated synchronization, Rush unveils its title track with an acoustic guitar melody line that sounds every bit like it's being played on a lute. It is a true medieval sound that invokes visions of jousting tournaments and sets the tone for the entire album. Of course this song rocks after a few bars and includes an extended instrumental section, as any signature Rush tune should.

Xanadu:
The intro to Xanadu alone is worth the price for this CD. It's an epic sounding composition based on a poem about Kubla Khan s refuge. The intro lasts for several minutes and takes the listener on an emotional journey through the orient before a word is ever spoken. It brings chills to my spine, especially when Neil invokes the chimes or gongs for emphasis. This song amazingly combines poetic lyrics, heavy metal power chords and progressive synthesizer work. It clocks in at a surprisingly fast 11 minutes.

Closer to the heart:
This song s message to society and the world is no less relevant today as it was twenty-five years ago, or twenty five hundred years ago. It s Neil s poetry at its best. Everyone from the most noble to the most humble of society has a place in the world and should go about their work with the same integrity. Musically, the song is slightly understated to terrific effect. The blending of guitar synthesizer parts is genius, each allowing the other ample room for expression (unlike later albums where the synthesizer overwhelms the guitar). At its heart, this song is still a rock song, just as Alex s expert solo demonstrates.

Cinderella Man:
A more straightforward rock tune with no less a positive message of integrity and morality. Politicians of our time would do well to heed this song s message. One of the interesting elements of this song, and a recurring theme in Rush s music is the use of temp changes. Using both slow, soft-spoken segments and faster segments with an edge creates both tension and melodic interest. Progressive guitar licks and solos add to the surprise elements that Rush seems to have an infinite supply of.

Madrigal:
This song slows down the pace of the album. It s a mystical sounding tune that s light on metal and heavy on eerie sounding keyboards. But within the context of this collection it works wonderfully. The point here is the lyrics, which hold a power all their own. What happens to the mighty warrior when the battle is hopeless? Listen up, you ll find out. This is the shortest song on the disk at 2 minutes, 36 seconds. Much longer and it might have risked becoming too slow.

Cygnus X-1:
As I said, the album is actually complete without this tune, but what a tune it is, or actually another suite by the masters of epic storytelling. The science fiction theme and progressive use of various instruments makes this more than a song, an experience. I prefer this piece to the companion that appears on Hemispheres because this recording is better and the song seems better thought out, but it would have been interesting to have both of them on a single album. Needless to say, this song features extended instrumentals that bear the Rush stamp of excellence. The theme and depth of storytelling might scare some less serious fans away, but if those people simply concentrate on the music, they won t be let down.

Rush is at the top of their game with Farewell to Kings. They have mastered the art rock suite as well as the poetic short piece. It must have been at this point that they began to consider moving toward a more commercial direction. But that day was still to come.