Rush - A Farewell to Kings
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Free Music Notes for A Farewell to Kings
Free Music Review: WHat can I say? Rush ROCKS!!!!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
This is my mom's favorite album... :) and also one of mine.. there's "not a bad song on this album" and there are very few albums that can say that.
1. A Farewell to Kings -
A complete and total denouncement of the gentry of the monarchy, to put it simply. It starts out, and the album thusly, witha great classical guitar solo, the arpeggio for which was used in "The Trees" from the album "Hemispheres". This song is a rocker otherwise. Geddy portrays Neil's lyrics perfectly... Here is where we see a lot of the tempo-changing experiments. For example thechorus of "Cities full of hatred, fear and lies / Withered hearts and cruel, tormented eyes / Scheming demons dressed in kingly guise / Beating down the multitude and / Scoffing at the wise" switches tempos suddenly.. then again in the middle of the next verse... then 3 times in the solo... then for the end. The last words to this song are "Closer to the heart", the title of a leter song on this album. THe two songs are nothing like each other, interestingly enough.
2. Xanadu
Ah, Xanadu. There is so much to say about Xanadu... from the intro to the chorus of The intro is an interesting natural tubular bells-sounding and moog solo. Also implemented is "the bell" also seen in Cygnus x-1. The song flows very nicely. THis is reat to listen to all the way through. Easily Bored? Fast foward through the first 2 minutes, but, trust me, you're missing quite a bit of great sound. :) And if you're REALLY impatient and/or have no appreciation for great rock instrumental sections and/or are a complete idiot, then fast foward to where the lyrics start five minutes into the piece. :) I SERIOUSLY don't suggest it.
3. Closer to the Heart
One of Rush's shorter songs, this philisophical piece discusses the place of the middle class in society. One of my favorite pieces because of it simplicity yet complexity when you listen to it. It is what I call "Peartetry (Peart Poetry) in it simplest form, yet one of the most beautiful deliverances by the shrill-voiced Geddy Lee.
4. Cinderella Man
A beautiful song about hanging on to your dreams- Rush's jab at subliminal psychological Messages. Positive, obviously. One of my favorite RUSH bass solos, as well. This is a good song, but does hold it's own, even though it's not one of Rush's most famous songs.
5. Madrigal
Short and Sweet :)... Yes, shorter than "Closer to the Heart" Like thesong "Different Strings" from 1980's "Permanent Waves", It begins with a line that is about slaying a dragon. The metaphor is different for each, but the lyrics in "Different Strings" were taken from this. This is an easy song to love- but also easy to hate. It's Rush's first real Intellectual ballad - and one of the best. The shortest song in Rush's Repertoire at this point. It is sort of a lead-in for the following song, Cygnus x-1.
1. Cygnus x-1: Book One: The Voyage
cygnus x-1 is a song that will take you places, whether you want to go there or not - so hold on tight. There is nothing like this song. This CD is worth it just to hear Peart and the tightness of RUSH on this particular Track. This song has a simple into... followed by the piercing voice of "The Lord of Cygnus". We are told of the Constellation of Cygnus, and the black hole Cygnus x-1. Then, there is amuffled explosion. A bell is rung 6 times... And then the bass line pierces that melody and comes with it's own.
This line sets the stage for the monolith that is to come. This song switches tempos a great number of times. It is divided into three movements, each defined by a stunning intro and outro. again, I offer the advice of "Xanadu" if you are too stupid/impatient not to appreciate the wonder that is RUSH, fast foward 5 minutes into the song, which is about where the lyrics start. THe song is about Astronomy and the Space travel that Neil dreams up in his spare time.
In part 2, Geddy really pushes his voices to the limit... It's lovely. You must hear it to believe it. it switches froma high tremolo back to his normal screech, low, and back to the tremolo. Then they stop. Then comes in Alex's stunning grungy solo and the accompaning bass line... a bell is rung again. Wind is heard. A bell is again rung. Wind is heard again. A Bell is rung again. All this time to Alex's two notes being played over and over. This is my least favorite part of the song, and I'm glad it's short. It's too repetitive for my taste. Then, at about 7:55 A arrogant in-your face bass line pops out of nowhere. Being a bassist, I love this.
Then, the whole band creates a massive wall of sound that surrounds you and resultingly eats you up. AFter this wall has atrampled you for a while, lyrics come back, and Geddy rips his vocal cords to pieces shreiking. Then, suddenly, the wall is broken down all at once. Alex's signature arpeggios come back.. he plays some chords... and we fade out. That is the monolitic piece of Power that is Cygnus x-1. It knocks you down, helps you up, knocks you down again, kicks you, helps you back up, then vanishes into thin air. It's an unforgettable piece that is the culmination of Rush's previous work. this song is a hundered times as powerful as anything on this album. This is overall the best song on the album, but obviously not the public favorie. It's mine, though. :)
In retrospect, This is Rush's greatest or Second Greatest albums "2112" is close or ahead I suggest this not for Rush virgins - You will not like it. This is too heavy for one who has not already heard "2112" or "Caress of Steel"
Free Music Review: No Farewell Here!
Hit: 5 Stars
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.
Free Music Review: Cities full of hatred, fear and lies
Hit: 5 Stars
Before I say anything, I would like to point out that YES, most of this is an acquired taste. To be honest, when I first heard Rush, I didn't like them very much at all. I thought Geddy Lee sounded like a girl and it was too sissy for me. Well, a bit later I heard "Spirit of Radio" (from Permanent Waves, I believe) for the first time, and I was like "Wow, are these the same guys?" I gave up my previous thoughts and started to delve deeper into Rush's music.
This is, quite possibly, the best progressive rock album ever. Although it clocks in at under 40 minutes and has but 6 songs, this is more than enough. The title track is incredible. When you first pop in the album, you are greeted with a medieval guitar feast courtesy of Alex Lifeson. Then some glockenspiels and bells enter, and you are greeted with a wall of classic Rush rock. After going through a quick time chnge, Geddy's melodic voice enters and the song is over far too quickly. Masterpiece. After "A Farewell to Kings" fades away, there are several seconds of silence, then some very odd sounds come creeping in. Water running? Birds chirping? Is this an outdoor sound collection that will promote unity of the heart and mind (no "Hemispheres" reference intended)? Nope. It's the 11 minute classic "Xanadu". After several minutes of these sounds (plus the occasional drum beat or guitar part), the song's intro, a "Sweet Child O' Mine"-esque single note riff comes at you. The rest of the song takes you on a rockin' quest for immortality in eastern lands unknown. You have to hear it to understand. The next song, "Closer to the Heart", needs no explanation. If any, this is the Rush song you will hear on the radio. Very accesible, with no odd time signatures or vivid poetry to deter Rush newbies. In under 3 minutes, number 4, "Cinderalla Man", comes in. Hmm. I like this song, really. It's got some cool acoustic parts and a chorus that gets me every time. It's not really a jump-out Rush song like, say, "Anthem" or "2112" or "Bastille Day", but that doesn't mean it's not good stuff. It's written by Geddy, so you don't have to worry about intricate Randian writings.
The next song, "Madrigal", passes me by, really. It's kind of gone. I've actually never listened to it very well. But, from what I've heard, it's pretty slow and mellow. MELLOW. What a fun word.
The next song is probably my favorite song of all time. I am, of course, talking about the epic tower of power that is "Cygnus X-1" (Book 1: The Voyage). Try listening to this song at night. I did it in bed when I was 12, and to be honest, I was terrified. This song will pound you into submission with volleys of rapidly changing time signatures, banshee screams from Geddy, power chord rampages and some very great drum parts from Neil Peart.
Nightmares aside, this song will get you every time. It's about a man who flies his ship, the "Rocinante" into the black hole of Cygnus X-1 (It's actually a real black hole. Look it up.). A spooky background of space creaks and groans clearly puts you up there as an eerie sci-fi voice explains your situation. Then, the Rocinante takes off and you are sent hurling into a musical void. Several bells toll, and a distant bass riff gets louder and louder. Eventually, all 3 parties join in and an odd time signature romp gets in play. After several minutes of a headbanger's paradise (Ok...Xanadu), the black hole reminds you of its role and begins to pull you in. You are battered by power chords until, once again, an odd time signature batters its way in. The black hole tugs and tugs, until Geddy's quiet voice comes out. Suddenly, all three members explode into action, Geddy wailing all the while. Then comes the brief period of happy music comes in as Alex plays some very happy chords (C, F, D, G) as Geddy comes back to his normal pitch. Once again, Cygnus intervenes and it's back to the hole. Alex breaks out into a wah drenched solo before all goes quiet... or is it? Some barely audible notes are battered until Geddy and Neil hammer in. Then a wall of sound hits you right where it hurts. The weirdest time signature I think Rush has ever used pummels you and doesn't let go. The song ends with Geddy screaming at the top of his lungs and several dim chords fading out.
To be continued... (go buy "Hemispheres")
Here's my ratings:
A Farewell to Kings- 5/5
Xanadu- 5/5
Closer to the Heart- 5/5
Cinderalla Man- 4.5/5
Magrigal- 4/5
Cygnus X-1- 5/5
This CD is probably not for a Rush newbie. Try "Moving Pictures", or their debut album for better results. But if you feel like you're ready for it, I humbly invite you to dine on honeydew and drink the milk of paradise while you get out "A Farewell to Kings".
Free Music Review: Rush has opened up chapter two of their musical history...
Hit: 5 Stars
True to their message in "All The World's A Stage", 1977's "A Farewell To Kings" has indeed set up chapter two of their musical history. Unaware of the fact at the time that there would be a live album released after every 4 studio albums, Rush has begun a new chapter after every live album, indulging with loads of synthesizer work after "Exit... Stage Left", and heading for a more streamlined rock sound following "A Show Of Hands", and following it up with a more raw and edgy hard-rock sound after "Different Stages". "Vapor Trails", you can say, is the beginning to a fifth chapter in the annals of Rush.When it comes to "A Farewell To Kings", Rush were quick to experiment with new sounds and to further expand their musical expertise. It is also their first album on which Geddy Lee plays keyboards, Alex Lifeson fiddles with guitar pedals and double-necks, and Neil Peart has built up an extensive percussion set featuring temple blocks, cowbells, marimba, tubular bells, crotales, vibra-slap, triangles, glockenspiel, and timpanis along his good ol'-fashioned Slingerland drum kit.
The title track starts off with an acoustic guitar introduction, followed by mellow glockenspiel and tingling of Moog keys in the background, before plunging into their amplified instruments, showcasing their unnatural ability to progress with each new album experimenting with changing time signatures and the ability of stopping for breaks before going back again. "Xanadu" is another classical piece of work, in which the band, especially Neil, gets to show off their skills on their newly-added equipment. "Closer To The Heart" has become quite a huge stage favorite in their repertoire, and they've played it on every tour following the "Drive Til You Die" tour for 20 years!(Initially, the band decided to give it a breather, although they did include it in their Mexico and Brazil dates of the Vapor Trails tour as an extra "treat"). "Cinderella Man" features lyrics penned by Geddy, after watching "Mr. Deeds Goes To Town" on which the song is loosely based. Here he also indulges into a more funky groove in the instrumental section, between screaming vocal parts and intricate bass playing. "Madrigal" could be considered more of a ballad, featuring a light drum beat from Neil as well as squeaking keyboards and acoustic six-strings galore. This song is known as being the only one from this album not to have been performed live. And then finally "Cygnus X-1", which deals with the story which is so evident in the lyrics, informing us about a black hole in the constellation of Cygnus; the unknown hero travels to Cygnus in a ship called "Rocinante", and finally ends with him getting sucked into the hole. When I heard the sequel on "Hemispheres", it turned out to be quite different than what I had expected.
"A Farewell To Kings" is also known for being the first album to be recorded outside of their native Canada, this time resorting to Rockfield Studios in the pastoral countryside of Monmouth in Wales. "Hemispheres" was also recorded here.
This is quite an excellent album in which the band gets to further their showcase musical abilities, which was nothing new at that time. Many other bands in the late 70s had begun experimenting with synthesizers in general, and Rush quickly picked up on that ideal. In contrast to their earlier albums, which feature more edgy, guitar-oriented songs, "A Farewell To Kings" has indeed opened up a new chapter in their history and has paved the way for further albums like "Permanent Waves" and "Moving Pictures". This, I think, could be called the "golden period" when they were alternating between guitar and synthesizer dominance, and following "Exit... Stage Left" the synthesizer took on a more leading role, much to the disillusionment of Alex Lifeson.
P.S. I accidentally bought this one on LP and I knew it was a cautious mistake. I still have the LP version, although I much prefer to have it on CD, which I also do have. Anyway, I was quite impressed when I first heard this one, and it really blew me away when I heard them break into unchartered musical territory, which was a quite significant achievement for such a young and powerful trio. Nevertheless, it has proved itself to be a sequel to the success of "2112"!
Free Music Review: Without a doubt, the strongest Rush album of the 70s
Hit: 5 Stars
A Farewell To The Kings(1977). Rush's 5th studio album. Coming fresh off of the major underground success of the album 2112(1976), Rush follows up nicely with perhaps their greatest album of the 70s. The band were certainly rocking harder than ever, with Alex full-decked on the heavy electric guitars, along with Neil's dexteritous drum playing, and Geddy's thumping bass being stronger than ever before. Synthesizer pedals were brought forth into the music for the first time, and adds a nice backdrop touch to perfect the impact of their songs. AFTTK has something for all fans of Rush: two commercially successful short songs, two long epics, and two short undiscovered gems.
As for the main theme to this album, half of the songs have to do with some kind of quest or search for a certain paradise or mystery of some kind. The other half are about the effects of human nature in a society. I know that many people can interpret what each song means far better than I can, but I will provide a brief explanation of the tracks, so please bear with me. Here's the breakdown track-by-track:
1) A Farewell To The Kings- Excellent rocker. This song is about the struggle between people of a society and it's powerful tyrannical minority. It starts out and ends with acoustic guitar parts, but in between them is a hard rocking section with excellent riffs and strong-delivering vocals. This song actually received a bit of radio play. 9/10
2) Xanadu- A phenomenal 11-minute epic, which is about the quest to find Xanadu, the land of paradise and everlasting life. However, when paradise is obtained, the adventurer remains there for 1000 years and realizes that his paradise is really full of loneliness and despair. The synth at the beginning creates a nice ambience before Alex cuts in with the guitars. It alternates between several fast and slow parts. 10/10
3) Closer To The Heart- The BIG RADIO HIT, and one of the greatest fan-favorite Rush songs to date. The song is about people expressing themselves in their own ways, in order to bring themselves "closer to the heart". Brief, yet still outstanding. 10/10
4) Cinderella Man- A semi-acoustic guitar-driven rocker. This song is the story of a rich man who is just trying to be friendly, is ended up being branded "insane" by the poor majority. He tries to help them, but the more he does the worse it gets. Not very long, but a good song overall. 9/10
5) Madrigal- An acoustic-ballad type song about love triumphing over all of the hardships and distractions of life. This song has a good melody to it, but it's WAY TOO SHORT. Not bad by any means, but its brevity makes it seem like a wasted opportunity. 7/10
6) Cygnus X-1- The other sci-fi epic of the album, and part one of a two part mega-epic. It's about the journey of an astronaut through space into the black hole of the constellation Cygnus, in order to find out what lurks beyond. Starts off with a digitized speech and droning synth effects and then explodes into a versatile rocker. Arguably the strongest track on the whole album and maybe the best of the long epics, as each part flows together nicely. Not just the lyrics, but the instrumentation playing perfectly describes each part of the journey through space, making this one hell of a rollercoaster ride of guitar, bass, and drums. Geddy's vocals are also let loose with the intense passion. Kudos guys. Kudos. 10/10
Overall, I consider this album to be Rush's zenith of the progressive 70s era. Even though the followup Hemispheres(1978) is their most progressive effort, Farewell contains a stronger set of tracks that can appeal to all sorts of Rush fans. Five stars for musicianship, production, and songwriting. If you're first getting into Rush, Moving Pictures(1981), or Permanent Waves(1980) may be the best place to start, but if looked at closely, AFTTK is definitely a rocking suitable alternate. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. PICK THIS UP NOW.