A FAREWELL TO KINGS

The second LP of Rush's "dark future trilogy" starts to depart from vinyl-side long compositions towards more compact songs, and the player's instrumental arsenal has grown to amazing amounts. The lyrics are certainly maturing, and the instrumental arrangements grow yet more sophisticated. Melodic patterns of the title track and "Closer to The Heart" hold clear hit potential, but still forming convincing and solid entity with more unconventional rock songs. "Xanadu" is certainly one of the best compositions of Rush's 1970's era along with the album closer "Cygnus X-1". The first mentioned contemplation of humanity's problematic relationship to dream of immortality and more entertaining sci-fi tale of dangerous obsession with black holes (you know I mean the cosmic one's) contain really pleasant contrasts on the song sequences; Ethereal sound realms and complexly rhythmed parts bite the bullet of straightforward rocking blasts, and keep the drive of the music blazing through cosmos and sociological movements of mankind. The only factor which slightly lessens my own appreciation to this album is not due the content of this album itself, but my own fixation to their "Exit...Stage Left" live documentations, where I felt many of these songs were performed even yet better.