RUSH – A Farewell To Kings [40th Anniversary Remastered Deluxe Edition 3-CD] *HQ*

Canadian legends RUSH celebrated the 40th Anniversary of their fifth studio album, “A Farewell To Kings“, with a series of Deluxe Edition sets. This three-CD Deluxe Edition, features the Abbey Road Mastering Studios remastered edition of the album on CD for the first time; plus 2 very interesting extra discs.
“A Farewell To Kings” was originally released in 1977, and played a major role in establishing RUSH as an internationally popular and respected band. The record also introduced the trio’s first successful radio hit “Closer To The Heart,” album tracks “A Farewell To Kings,” “Madrigal,” “Cinderella Man,” as well as enduring fan favorites with “Xanadu” and “Cygnus X-1.”
The remastering of the album (issued on vinyl at that time) gets its CD debut here.

The extra discs include a complete RUSH concert recorded in February 1978 at London’s Hammersmith Odeon, newly mixed by longtime RUSH engineer and original “A Farewell To Kings” producer Terry Brown from the multi-track live tapes.
Also Disc 3 offers four newly-recorded cover versions of songs from the original album by Dream Theater, Big Wreck, The Trews and Alain Johannes; and an instrumental studio outtake of the spacey sound effects of “Cygnus X-1” the band has creatively titled “Cygnus X-2 Eh.”

The 3CD set also includes an elaborate new 40th anniversary cover treatment by longtime Rush creative director Hugh Syme, who has also created a new piece of artwork for each of the album’s six songs.

The sound quality is excellent, and disc 2 is a true surprise to me as I never heard any live performance of this RUSH era before. Also unusual in these Deluxe Edition sets is to have cover versions from other acts. The Dream Theater version of ‘Xanadu’ is, as expected, terrific.
Highly Recommended

CD 1: Original Album (remastered)
A Farewell To Kings
Xanadu
Closer To The Heart
Cinderella Man
Madrigal
Cygnus X-1

CD 2: Live at Hammersmith Odeon – February 20, 1978
Bastille Day
Lakeside Park
By-Tor & The Snowdon
Xanadu
A Farewell To Kings
Something For Nothing
Cygnus X-1

CD 3: Live at Hammersmith Odeon – February 20, 1978
Anthem
Closer To The Heart
2112
Working Man
Fly By Night
In The Mood
Drum Solo
Cinderella Man
Bonus Tracks:
Xanadu – Dream Theater
Closer To The Heart – Big Wreck
Cinderella Man – The Trews
Madrigal – Alain Johannes
Cygnus X-2 Eh – Rush

Geddy Lee – vocals, bass, Minimoog, bass pedal synthesizers
Alex Lifeson – guitars, bass pedal synthesizers
Neil Peart – drums, percussion
Terry Brown: spoken vocals on “Cygnus X-1”

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www.amazon.co.uk/Farewell-Kings-Deluxe-Rush/dp/B076JG2FNN