A FAREWELL TO KINGS

This album is magical....and falls from one great piece into the other.....I really love the beginning of the first song 'A farewell To Kings' Really nice how this song begins with some great accoustic guitars and then falls in fully.....when the whole band is joining along. That sets pretty much the rest of the level of the album....the stakes are high and the quality remains constant, if not better. The band really had to prove themself...after 2112 I think it would take many bands alot of effort to come up with another classic...but I think that they dont fall down...and they don't fall down. Not even with Hemispheres.....so in a way it can be defended that A Farewell To Kings is one of the 3 true classical albums of Rush, the ones that earned them the reputation they have today...and their greatest efforts to progressive rock.

Ofcourse the main attention is going to the 2 longer pieces on this album.....Unfortunatly not as long as the amazing 2112, that is for me the best track they ever did...but I think the songs still have great epic propoportions. Both Xanandu en Cygnus are amazing songs. Although perhaps Xanadu slightly better....I really really love the way this song is building up.....starts with some nice effects and suddle guitars and then....slowly builds up more agressive...some great guitarplaying of Aex here....very nice...And ofcourse....Niell, never lets down....This is a fantastic song......Cygnus...also builds up slow with some great effects and distorted voices before in eventually begins...that Bass / drum interplay.....wow...really amazing...and it takes about half a minute before Alex joins in.....and the song really begins..by then the song gets really agressive....like the way they do that bass & drum thing again....and how the bass remains so awsome the rest of the song....typical Geddy ? (And some very high singing)

Closer to the heart...is I think till this day a very often played live song...I prefer the way its played live, its much much more dynamic and powerfull (and longer too).

All in all I think 1 of the top Rush albums.....Really a must have !!