A FAREWELL TO KINGS

Another incredible Rush album, second only to Hemispheres in both progressive quality and craft. For a while I had a hard time deciding whether to give this a four or five, and considering my rating record, it fits nicely with the fours, probably the best four I've ever given, along with Images and Words and Fragile. I bought this album after deciding Hemispheres was one of my favorite albums of all time, and at first I was somewhat disappointed. The shorter songs like A Farewell to Kings and Closer to the Heart I knew well from the Rush compilation that I grew up with, and thoroughly enjoyed as always, but the epics like Xanadu and Cygnus X-1 seemed at the time very drawn out and wearisome compared to its follow up, like there was less music in more time. But with a few listens I came to appreciate them very much as well. You kind of have to consider that it came right after 2112 when they were still adapting, I think, to there new found sense of artistic flare. Especially in Cygnus X-1, which has become (along with its sequel) one of my favorite Rush songs ever seeing as it plays perfectly to my obsession with science fiction and black holes, as well as having as much of an intellectual atmosphere as anything the band had made up to that point, and serves as a perfect transition to there next album. Cinderella Man is a really good song as well; though it certainly has its implications, especially in today's context, I love it nonetheless, along with the delightful two and a half minute tid-bit Madrigal. As for Rush's evolution as a band, this album is definitely a significant step up from the already ambitious 2112, moving further into the progressive arena to the point of no return, though I still feel just a hint of their Led Zeppelin influence, which would be (thankfully) thrown out the window for even more progressiveness in their masterpiece that would follow. All in all this album grew on me with some listening (like most great progressive albums) and remains a treasured album in my Rush collection, and thus my progressive collection overall. Thus my official rating is a 4.5 - and excellent album for any progressive fan, if not a masterpiece in itself.