Review Summary: can you even understand?
Ah, Renaissance, perhaps the most underrated and overlooked band ever? Ashes are Burning to Scheherazade and Other Stories is one of the best album streaks in progressive rock history, and seemingly hardly anyone knows about them, especially on Sputnik. For some reason a lot of classic bands go unnoticed on this site, i mean considering this album has a pathetic 16 votes while The Contortionists new album which came out ***ing yesterday and already has well over 100, clearly shows there is something ***ed up with the world we live in, and i hope one day we go back to enjoying the true jams and today i will try to help the cause. So listen up kids, sit back and relax, fetch a glass of wine and your favourite easy chair and experience the one and only Renaissance.
The first track Can you Understand? takes you on a musical journey, The festive yet strangely dark ass intro sets the mood for what the album brings. There is a lot of emphasis on keys on this tune, the bass is also prominent and thank *** for it as the playing is top notch. While the sound-scape changes dramatically throughout the album, the moodiness is always there, whether it's from the minor chords or Annie's soft yet sometimes haunting voice, honestly there is never a dull moment, even the gay carnival bits rule. Let it grow is a beautiful little number, this is where Annie really shines, her pitch perfect yet naturally sounding vox oozes passion and warm milk on my naked body, baby take me, take me hard. Michael Dunford shows what he can do on the third track On the Frontier, his vocals harmonize magnificently with Annies to create a sexy choir that propels the song to something special indeed. Annie is a goddess, from her exquisite bust to her beautiful angelic voice, it's like i can almost taste her as she breathes her voice into my ears, ahh yes indeed. I wouldnt mind seeing to her rear quarters either, basically i want to *** her and live in her cave, but who wouldnt? Carpet of the Sun and At the Harbour are both majestic pieces, again with Annie in the spotlight for most of the duration, at the harbour is a very moving piece indeed, featuring only a piano and Annies vocals, it just showcases her talent and how amazingly perfect her voice really is. The title track is another final track masterpiece that you've come to know from Renaissance, and while it's not quite up to the level of Song Of Scheherazade and Mother Russia it comes pretty friggin close. From the get go you know this song is something special, the intro is so captivating i seriously cannot withhold swaying from side to side with a gay little grin, this song seriously moves me, and trust me that is rare for a dumb thrasher kid like me. About half through this epic the song breaks off into an instrumental section, which totally kicks ass, the bass and drums synchronize perfectly, like almost Rush level it's that good. The only downside to this song i can think of is that it is too short, it always leaves me wanting more as it fades out, but then Trip to the Fair comes on afterwards so i cant complain.
Renaissance is one of the many overlooked progressive bands of the 1970s, Combining stellar musicianship, classical passages and the amazing Annie Haslam, the band struck gold. It sucks so little know of this masterpiece, like seriously there ARE other prog bands than Pink Floyd and Yes, and people need to learn that ***, and this is a good place to start your study. From here to Scheherazade and Other Stories, the band created truly classic albums so i suggest to you all reading this who havent heard their music, do yourself a favour and experience the Renaissance baby, you wont regret it.
