Rush - A Farewell to Kings
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Free Music Notes for A Farewell to Kings
Free Music Review: 4.5 STARS, Rush Gets Midevil On Your Ass
Hit: 5 Stars
Rush continues their Newly Gained Greatness with their follow up too their smash hit "2112". Like I mentioned above the album has a midevil theme too it, with all but the final track Being based on times long ago. Lyrically the main idea of the album is that society should be less greedy and less hateful to each other and instead be (as Neil Peart puts it) Closer To The Heart. Sounds Kinda (...) right? Well if the lyrics bother you that much dont be discouraged, The Musical Greatness of Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee and Neil Peart will blow you away. Heres What I Think of the songs.
1.A Farewell To Kings (4/5)- the intro verse is one of the greatest acoustic pieces Ive ever heard, it goes so well with the midevil theme of the album.
2.Xanadu (5/5)- Starts off as a high speed rocker than breaks off into a great mystical melody accompanied by an awesome melodic bassline.
3.Closer To The Heart (5/5)- Classic Song, has a great message to it
4.Cinderella Man (3/5)- A song about how in society people will be ridiculed just for being kind and selfless too others, An okay song
5.Madrigal (3/5)- too slow and soft, goes a little overboard with the whole midevil theme
6.Cygnus X-1 (4/5)- while the rest of the album deals with midevil stuff this one is about a spacemans struggle with a black whole in outer space, The song is bassically a 10 minute long jam session with some quirky lyrics thrown in, Great song
If you like Hard, progressive or softer rock music than check this album out.
If You Liked This album you might also like:
Uriah Heep- Demons And Wizards
Blue Oyster Cult- Spectres
Chilliwack- Dreams,Dreams,Dreams
Free Music Review: 70's prog. at its best.
Hit: 5 Stars
Rush was undoubtedly the greatest progressive band of the 70's. They made music that was technical, but at the same time fun. "A Farewell to Kings" was one of the many great albums Rush made in this time period, and it's one of their best. The album starts off with the title track, a hard-rocking song with an awesome acoustic intro and outro. Next up is the classic "Xanadu", a sprawling 11-minute epic, including an awesome 5-minute intro, varying tempos, excellent vocals, and very cool lyrics. Just an all-around great song. To balance out the epicness, this song is followed by 3 shorter ones, "Closer to the Heart", "Cinderella Man", and "Madrigal", all of which are fantastic. "Closer to the Heart" is the most popular song of the album. It's great, but too short. I heard a live version somewhere in which Geddy Lee added in a really cool bass solo. Why didn't they just record it like that? Oh well. Anyway, the album closes with what I think is my favorite of the bunch, "Cygnus X-1". Yet another epic, with some pretty cool sound effects, and great lyrics about getting sucked into a black hole. Very strong album closer.
The musicians all put on a spectacular performance. Alex Lifeson plays a lot more acoustic here than on other releases, making his already dynamic guitar work that much more interesting. Neil Peart is a human drum machine, cranking out some very fast and complex beats (there's even some double bass in there). And, Geddy Lee. What can I say? Great bassist, great singer. He's just plain great.
If you love progressive music, "Farewell to Kings" is a must. Its only flaw is that it's over much too fast.
Free Music Review: Add this one to the list of "Rush's best."
Hit: 5 Stars
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.
Free Music Review: REGAL RUSH
Hit: 5 Stars
It's as if Rush came up with the name of this album before they began writing the songs. Though bathed in the afterglow of the explosive might and success of "2112," "A Farewell to Kings" stands among Rush's acheivements with a regal dignity unlike any of their other albums. The legend goes that Rush had been issued an ultimatum by the record company, 'produce a commercial hit or be dropped.' The trio chose instead to take a chance and produced a concept album that thundered their definace and sold many units.
So here on AFTK is Rush vindicated, a band enjoying its victory over the Machine which attempted to quell its creative powers in the name of Commerce. The title track touts this victory, opening the album on a powerful, positive note. Lifeson shreds frets. "Xanadu" then proves that Rush deserved to survive, matching Coleridge's "Kubla Kahn" with an art rock 12-string-bass-drum fest. Simply amazing. While "Closer to the Heart" is the radio track known by all, "Cinderella Man" is one of their most clever tunes, a clean blend of heavy and soft. "Madrigal" is one of their prettiest, while the final track, "Cygnus X-1" is a mini-concept piece, playing like a movie soundtrack with a climactic ending. This concept piece is carried over to "Hemispheres," their next album, becoming much more of an art rock piece, but enjoyable nevertheless.
Definitely one of the Rush albums in which we see all three of these amazing Canadians jamming with equal fervor.
Free Music Review: my FAVORITE RUSH ALBUM!
Hit: 5 Stars
I adore this album and not just for the music on it. I got this album for Christmas back in 1977 and was completely blown away by it! The title track gets the album off to a great start, with it's classical guitar solo, that's augmented by synthesizers.Tis a pleasant melody and it leads into the other part of the song, which has some mighty powerful guitar riffs and licks and some very solid and adventurous bass playing and a very exciting instrumental section and.... It's just a terrific song! "Xanadu" follows and it reminds me very much of the winter of 77-78. There was alot of snow that winter and me and one of my older brothers and one of our friends did alot of sledding.Twas a magical winter and A FAREWELL TO KINGS always brings me back to it.
"Closer To The Heart" really is a good progressive pop song, tho' like many RUSH fans I'm sick to death of it!
"CYGNUS X-1" is also a terrific song and while it's a bit repetitive in spots, it's also a very powerful prog-metal song and has some fast and ferocious jamming in it, especially towards the end of it.
"Madrigal" is a very lightweight and pleasant love song with some very sweet lyrics. "Cinderella Man" is probably my least favorite song on the album, even though I do like the instrumental section, which saw Rush flirting with disco!
"A Farewell To Kings" is also one of RUSH'S best SOUNDING albums and this album and "Hemispheres" saw RUSH at their progressive best! Tis no wonder I find "Vapor Trails" so disappointing!