A FAREWELL TO KINGS

A Farewell to Kings is Rush's first real progressive effort. Unlike 2112, A Farewell to Kings uses more synthesizers, and they are the most prominate instrument being played. There are many interesting songs, touching, and inspirational songs on this album. Now, this has its flaws, but they are not that bad. Rush delivers an energetic album, a progressive album, with lyrics that actually mean something. The lyrics usually mean something of a way of life, something of fantasy. Geddy also produced his own track, Cinderella Man. Cinderella Man was never very popular, but it does show that Geddy can produce his own track, and make it fit with the whole album around it. I will now grade each some from a scale of 1-10. 10 being the absolut best, and 1 being the absolut worst.

A Farewell to Kings- This is one of the stronger, but less known tracks. This did get radio air-play back in the late 1970's, but it was not like some of the other tracks. The song itself starts off with a beautiful acoustic, classical guitar, with some synthesizers playing in the background. Oddly, synthesizers don't play a big part in this song, its the guitar that is the most prominate instrument. This also showcases a unique guitar solo by Alex, with Geddy doing a simple bass solo before the solo, but it fits perfectly with the song. Great track that lets off to another great song. 9.5/10

Xanadu- Easily the best song from the album. It really shows that these guys have talent, and they can produce a song with so much music-manship. The first 5 minutes or so is an instrumental part, which is very soft, and calming. After 2 minutes, a main riff appears, which is a very interesting part of the song. The next riff shows Geddy's bass skills, with a very interesting bassline. The song is an incredible track, and the album wouldn't not be the album without this song. 10/10

Closer to the Heart- This is the most popular of the album, but its definatly not the best from the album, itself. It has a ballad feeling at the beginning of the song, with a very interesting guitar riff. After about 40 seconds of the ballad with just guitar, Geddy enters the mix. The song slowly raises with all of the instruments entering, and turns into a very hard rock, progressive song. This is actually very good, but I really think this is a very overrated song, when it seems to be a very simple song, but its still a very good one, and I see why it is very overrated. 9/10

Cinderella Man- This is the only song on the album to be composed and written by Geddy Lee, and it is also the only one that does not use very many synthesizer elements in the song, its very guitar, and bass heavy, with drums being prominate as well. The bassline is actually very stunning, i'm very suprised that the song has so much spark for being so underrated. Another song that the album would not survive without. 8.5/10

Madrigal- This is the most underrated from the album, but its actually a very interesting ballad. Geddy uses a fretless bass, and a different tone for the bass than all of the other albums. The song is doubled with electric guitar and acoustic guitar, and it has a very polished feeling to it. Geddy sings a little lower in this song, very mellow, and softer than the rest of the album, that I have noticed by listeing to the song. The ballad holds a part in the album that no other song could hold. 8.5/10

Cygnus X-1- Another, shall I say, epic from the album. This song has been considered to be the evil step-child of the other epic Xanadu from the first side of the album. Song starts with a very spacy feeling, and a very dark, heavy metal, almost rock sound. After about 1 or 2 minutes, Geddy does a little repeated bass solo, or I should say bassline, the enters into the darkness of the song. The song lyrically, is very interesting, showing that a man is going into the milky way, the star deneb, and etc. and shows that he is dying, quote from the song, Every Nerve is torn apart! which descends into the darkness of Alexs little guitar riffs that he plays throughout the ending to make a very dark feeling. A great let-off to the next albums side-long epic. 10/10

The album shows creativity, amazing basslines, great guitar playing, amazing drumming, and the new use of synthesizers with this new album that is made from Rush.