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Presto-digitation reviews the RUSH catalog


Presto-digitation
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Hey folks...! First post here.

 

Lemme give you some background. I'm 36 years old and really just now getting into RUSH for the first time. Don't get me wrong...I was never a hater, and in fact, I've loved MANY of their "hits" through the years. Enough to make me question "Why don't I own more @#!$ RUSH???"

 

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To rectify this my good bud from another music board did me the great service of burning CD-Rs of all the Rush remasters, minus what I already had (and that would be Moving Pictures, Roll The Bones, Presto and Vapor Trails, the latter of which I've hardly even listened to once).

 

Long story short, I've been writing reviews of the catalog on this other site and want to share my "rediscovery/new discovery" of Rush with you....if that's ok. I've been lurking here about a month now and wanted to join in. Really good positive forum. Hope you enjoy the good things I have to say, and hopefully, won't take personally my criticisms. Hey we all have 'em.

 

I'm going to do these reviews randomly too. I'd do 'em in order, but this way you never know what's going to show up from day to day either. wink.gif

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RUSH - A Farewell To Kings (1977)

 

The term "Xanadu" is defined as "a place of great beauty, luxury, and contentment."

 

That's the kind of place I've found on A Farewell To Kings.

 

Ok, that's a bit thick on the melodrama, but Rush has definitely turned a distinctive and definite corner on this record...one started a tad more subtly on 2112.

 

For one, this is the first quality production on a Rush record. You can actually discern the instruments and for the first time Geddy is present up front..and this would mark how the band would sound on vinyl for a few years to come. A real treat to the ears. (His playing, too, is starting to become more noticeably varied and stylish as well). Musical personalities are really coming in to form here. Alex is playing less rock riffs and experimenting more with the guitar as an instrument of tone and vibe...beit it volume swellings, hammer-ons, or more melodic single-note picking

 

The title track is a nice treat, starting with the very Renaissance-esque acoustic treatment by Alex. Midway through we get a nice jazzy break with Neil working the snare and Geddy carrying the tune to Alex's tasty guitar fills.

 

Xanadu, however, is to me where the literal line in the sand occurs and the band goes someplace it's not treaded before. They walk "towards the light" and never look back. A friend of mine once described the opening to 2112 being that thing that raises the hair on his arms and says "this is Rush." To me this happens with the opening to this wonderful epic. The soft but eerie keys, Lifeson's wistful single note swells, and Neil's haunting chimes and tolling bells....seguing into Alex's goosebump-raising guitar intro that carries us into that massive power chord.

 

Wow.

 

This is Rush to me in a big way.

 

And this is what a monster opus should do. It's a cohesive musical narrative, natural, never gets boring and all the parts gel together...change tempos and keys at all the right time, etc. Seriously one of the great Rush epics.

 

Closer To The Heart I'm sure elicits groans from some bored Rush fanatics, but despite perhaps oversaturation on the radio, it's simply one of the best songs they've ever crafted....with one of the best sounding 12-string intros in the history of rock. Seriously, this is without a doubt a top 10 Rush tune of all time....wonderfully crafted, skillfully and emotionally sung by Lee. There's nothing to not love here.

 

Cinderella Man is another keeper, with an intro riff that reminds me of Iron Maiden for some reason. But quickly we're into acoustic chords and the vocals. I like the lyrics and sentiment here quite well. The song also has a bit of Kansas and Styx in it too...in terms of melody.

 

Madrigal is often ignored or put down from the things I've read, and while it's nothing earth-shattering -- so I'll not pretend otherwise -- it's a nice wistful tune....featuring some tamed singing from Lee. The vocal melody here is rangy and beautiful....and way underappreciated. It might be forgotten because at a meager 2:38 it's shorter than some Rush intros.

 

Cygnus X-1 takes me back to that weird place with Rush I'm always sort of hesitant about....but it works here fairly well. Granted it's my least favorite overall track, but for a heady, bizarre space-themed something-or-other it's pretty compelling. The intro is quite effective....with Ged's thumping bass slowly swelling in and taking over the song. I'd by lying if I said I wasn't thumping the steering wheel all six times I listened to this album today. Ultimately I think the song kind of dissolves and ends a bit shriekily and disappointingly with this pretty sad fade out.....but overall it's a keeper.

 

This is clearly and easily the best Rush effort at this point in their career thru 1977. It's diverse....it's melodic....it's weird but with a purpose. The songs have a cohesive feel. Most (tho' not all) the problems I had with the previous releases are well on their way to being ironed out on A Farewell To Kings and the changes are both noticeable and appreciated.

 

A FAREWELL TO KINGS: 4 stars of 5

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Interesting reviews, is he still around this Presto-digitation guy? I get the impression he was all geared up for an in-depth, full Rush catalogue review session, but he stopped at...2

 

Come on back mate, let's here the rest of it!!!

 

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