Product Description

Taking a cue from other art-rock groups like Yes and Genesis, Rush expressed a penchant for fantasy and science fictionthemes on A FAREWELL TO KINGS. Coupling the increasingly intricate arrangements of Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson with the creative lyrics of Neil Peart, the power trio format is stretched beyond recognition on epic tracks like the sensational"Xanadu", a masterful re-telling of Kubla Kahn's "Pleasure Dome" along the river Alph.
KINGS also introduced a more lyrical side of the group with "Closer To The Heart", a workof sheer beauty that would become a concert mainstay. The lesser-known rocker "Cinderella Man" and the graceful "Madrigal" offer creative tangents that explore the mysteries of the human psyche and emotions. The grand finale is a work of magnificent complexity and fantasy known as "Cygnus X-1". This multi-part suite introduces an unnamed space traveler who descends into a mysterious black hole in his rocket ship, the "Rocinante", to an uncertain end. The character would later emerge to star in the group's follow-up album, HEMISPHERES.

Track Listing

1. A Farewell To Kings
2. Xanadu
3. Closer To The Heart
4. Cinderella Man
5. Madrigal
6. Cygnus X-1 Book One-The Voyage Prologue

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7070 in Music
• Released on: 1997-07-14
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Running time: 37 minutes

Customer Reviews

Not Yes or Genesis
This was meant to be their last album except they became successful and I am glad they continued on. Classic Xanadu and Cygnus X-1 show how they have derived inspiration from classical text and then converted into an imaginitive musical wonderland.
If you like the latter offerings this is simply mindblowing. No commercialism or pop here.
It is also not not Genesis or Yes who were definetly prog rock.

REAL CLASSIC ROCK !!
What can I say about this album, it's Geddy Lee & Co at their brilliant best. Amust have if ever there was one.

Posted: Rush lays waste to the world order - a new paradigm is established ...
In the world of classic RUSH, this is paradise (or xanadu if you will). RUSH's fifth studio release represents another branching-out of the complex progressive sound experimented with heavily on the prior 2 (or even 3) albums. They slightly tone down the raging intensity of 2112 in favor of more layering and color with 6 very unique and far-out classics. This is the album that came out when I was just becoming a huge fan and going to the first of 4 concerts. I had just bought All the World's a Stage a few months before and I knew this band would be huge. 2112 was so great that it seemed tough to beat, but this took RUSH to the next stage (so to speak). Closer to the Heart shows the budding radio play genius shown in subsequent albums beginning with Permanent Waves...tight and structured shorter songs with focused storytelling (it has always been a huge radio hit). Cinderella Man shows the reflective and more sensitive (artist's dilemma) theme played out with the usual RUSH intensity - the guitar lead is power-wah heaven, Geddy's Bass carries everything higher melodically (great concert song) - Cinderella man sounds fine to me, manic depressive or not. Peart, by the way, has moved to higher ground with this album. Creative approaches and incredible mind-bending technique and power are everywhere (his drumkit is the envy of the western world by this time). A million young males came out of the drumming closet to emulate Neil Peart, you could see them playing air drums everywhere back then. The title song is one of my favorites, mixing a bit of a classical medieval feel with sheer rock power on a political labyrinthian fable. Again, the lyrical and poetic writing take this album to the top of my list, of course the musicianship shown here is RUSH on fire (maybe that's what scorched the Earth on the cover). Speaking of that, Xanadu is another beautiful epic RUSH classic along the lines of 2112 that has always been one of my favorites. Mind candy that takes you away to far lands and adventure (from Kubla Khan to ice caves). Xanadu is one of the most elaborately decorated RUSH songs, which is a good thing. Part one (or book one - book two is on Hemispheres) of Cygnus X-1 (the space odyssey) clearly places your mind's eye on a ship traveling through a black hole with electric space dust flying everywhere, echoing in the form of power chords and bass thumpings that knock planets off their axis...swirling to another dimension. Every song is great and let the music world (and other doubters that thought RUSH was a fad) know that you can't keep a few good geniuses down - RUSH MEANS BUSINESS, SO...farewell to kings...a paradigm shift has laid waste to the world order (cover). Thank you RUSH for rockin' my world all of these years...three people never sounded so good and so powerful...ENJOY!