On 1977's
A Farewell to Kings
it quickly becomes apparent that
Rush
had improved their songwriting and strengthened their focus and musical approach. Synthesizers also mark their first prominent appearance on a
album, a direction the band would continue to pursue on future releases. With the popular hit single "Closer to the Heart," the trio showed that they could compose concise and traditionally structured songs, while the 11-minute "Xanadu" remains an outstanding accomplishment all these years later (superb musicianship merged with vivid lyrics help create one of
's best all-time tracks). The album-opening title track begins with a tasty classical guitar/synth passage, before erupting into a powerful rocker. The underrated "Madrigal" proves to be a delicately beautiful composition, while "Cinderella Man" is one of
's few songs to include lyrics penned entirely by
Geddy Lee
. The ten-minute tale of a dangerous black hole, "Cygnus X-1," closes the album on an unpredictable note, slightly comparable to the two extended songs on 1975's
Caress of Steel
.
successfully built on the promise of their breakthrough
2112
, and helped broaden
's audience on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. ~ Greg Prato