Comments for Rush, A Farewell To Kings

***1/2 This is the sixth mercury records released from Rush. A pretty good album; second album in a concept trilogy (the first album being 2112, the last being Hemispheres). This album really begins to demonstrate the virtuoso of each musician in the band on their respective instruments. PRIME CUTS-- "Xanadu", the single "Closer to the Heart", "Cinderella Man" and the motherload, "Cygnus X-1" --J.Teel

The title track is the song that stands out. Lifeson's classical guitar ability shows in A Farewell To Kings, as well as Xanadu. Cinderella Man, Madrigal, and Cygnus X-1 all are awesome. Closer To The Heart was the big commercial hit off this album, but doesn't actually represent where Rush's direction was going. It was a little too 80'sish. CTTH is a good song, but is unfair in the way it represents Rush's total sound at the time. Still another masterpiece.

Rush had quite a task ahead of them after completing 2112. The album was amazing and sold considerably better than any of their earlier work. After seeing what they could do, their fans were demanding more as well. Most bands would have trouble making an album to follow one of 2112's proportions. Rush took on that task, and though the album wasn't quite as good as 2112, it was still amazing. This album represented a lot of "firsts" for the band. Geddy started using keyboards more, Alex used a wider variety of guitars, and Neil broadened his already expansive drum kit to include more "bells and whistles" as he put it. This definitely gave the album a much different feel from Rush's earlier recordings, which were more solidly based in rock. AFTK stretches the limits of rock using vast instrumental parts (NOT solos) in songs such as "AFTK", "Xanadu" (based on Coleridge's poem "Khubla Khan"), and "Cygnus X-1". Rush also experimented with styles ranging from mellow, classical-based songs ("Madrigal") to what sounds like a precursor to industrial music ("Cygnus X-1"). A landmark Rush album, and definitely another one for anyone who's starting to build their collection.

This was one of the first albums that I had ever purchased. I have always been entranced by the masterpiece, "Xanadu!" As far as I am concerned no other work of the "art-rock" genre comes as close to perfection as this one! Every time that I listen to it; I hear something new! I recently pur- chased the digitally remastered version of "AFTK." It is an even more impressive version than the old cd! Every song sounds clearer and more distinct. "Cygnus X-1" sounds fantastic! I am going to have to raise my appraisal of this cd from an 8/10- (the old rating) to a 9/10!!

Xanadu, what else is there? Fantastic album start to finish. Cygnus X-1 scared the crap out of me the first time I heard it! 10/10 **********