A FAREWELL TO KINGS

Following the breakthrough of 2112, the three-piece Canadian prog-power trio faced a daunting task. How to follow-up a breakthrough release (that would eventually rank among the greatest prog-rock epics of all-time) while still continuing the growth the band had shown throughout its relatively brief career? The truth is the band was conflicted. They wanted to expand their possibilities and explore the sci-fi themes first touched on Caress of Steel and 2112. To do so, they felt they needed to add another element to their sound, specifically the synthesizer. Initially, they looked outside of their inner circle, looking to add a fourth band member. But after an unsuccessful search the band decided the answer lie within, with Geddy Lee assuming primary keyboard responsibilities and both he and guitarist Alex Lifeson filling out the sound with extensive use of foot-controlled Taurus pedals.

Thus began a great and successful experiment that saw the band move from (what many considered) a Led Zep-wannabe to iconic prog-metal trailblazer. Beginning with AFTK and extending over the next 10 years the band would continue to grow and experiment, releasing an outstanding album at breakneck speeds. A Farewell to Kings was the initial footsteps on that great journey.

Perhaps lacking the great ambition of the 20-minute opus 2112, AFTK nevertheless contains greatness, especially Xanadu, which is (in my opinion) the single greatest song ever. Like many of the band's mid-70's releases the album suffered from the challenge of combining long pieces with shorter "songs" often used as filler. Still, the sequence works successfully, more so as a modern day CD than as a 2-sided album release.

The opening title track is as good a five minute prog rocker as you'll find, combining many elements that would become signature Rush over the next several years. This is followed by the magnum opus known as Xanadu. Based on the great Samuel Taylor Coleridge poem "Kubla Khan" the song is simply perfection. The outstanding, slow-burn opening is classical in many ways, and leads into a musical tour-de-force. The lyrics, aptly capturing the poem's grandeur do not kick in until the five minute mark, but it all works and blends perfectly. The climactic buildup successfully concludes an 11-minute journey through the best that Rush has to offer.

Side two is reminiscent of side two from 2112 with three songs and "Cygnus X-1", a 10-minute intro to the Hemispheres piece. Amongst the three short songs is perhaps Rush's most well-known and popular song, "Closer to the Heart". It's basically a 3-minute rocker, about as concise of a "pop" song as the band ever penned. "Cinderella Man" and "Madrigal" are relatively forgettable in the overall Rush pantheon, but work well enough.

Finally, there is "Cygnus X-1". Even though the song logged in at over 10 minutes, the album's liner notes said the story was "To Be Continued". This was manna from heaven for die-hard Rush fans like myself. The song itself was quintessential Rush prog indulgence, combining sci-fi lyrics, time changes, and a story that's damn hard to follow. Anything that contains the lyrics "I set a course just east of Lyra, And northwest of Pegasus, Flew into the light of Deneb" deserves direct passage to the prog hall of fame.

Still, it al worked, combining the best elements of 70's prog rock and was, in many ways, just another chapter in the massive tomb the little 3-piece from Canada continues to write to this very day. A classic progressive masterpiece.