Rush: Geddy Lee (vocals, keyboards, bass); Alex Lifeson (guitar); Neil Peart (drums, percussion).
Recorded at Rockfield Studios, Wales in June 1977.
All tracks have been digitally remastered.
Taking a cue from other art-rock groups like Yes and Genesis, Rush expressed a penchant for fantasy and science fiction themes on A FAREWELL TO KINGS. Coupling the increasingly intricate arrangements of Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson with the creative lyrics of Neil Peart, the power trio format is stretched beyond recognition on epic tracks like the sensational "Xanadu," a masterful re-telling of Kubla Kahn's "Pleasure Dome" along the river Alph.
KINGS also introduced a more lyrical side of the group with "Closer To The Heart," a work of sheer beauty that would become a concert mainstay. The lesser-known rocker "Cinderella Man" and the graceful "Madrigal" offer creative tangents that explore the mysteries of the human psyche and emotions. The grand finale is a work of magnificent complexity and fantasy known as "Cygnus X-1." This multi-part suite introduces an unnamed space traveler who descends into a mysterious black hole in his rocket ship, the "Rocinante," to an uncertain end. The character would later emerge to star in the group's follow-up album, HEMISPHERES.
