Review Summary: A prologue and an epilogue. The rebirth of a great band.
“Prologue” is the third studio album of Renaissance that was released in 1972. The line up on the album is Annie Haslam, Rob Hendry, John Tout, Jon Camp and Terry Sullivan. The album had also the participation of Francis Monkman and Michael Dunford.
Renaissance is a British progressive rock band that was founded in 1969, in London. But, there were two groups under the banner of Renaissance. The original Renaissance group was formed by the Yardbirds’ remnants Keith Relf and Jim McCarty. Along with John Hawken, Louis Cennamo and Jane Relf they released two albums, their eponymous debut in 1969 and recorded the lion’s share of their follow-up “Illusion” that only was released in 1971, in the end of this line up.
The third work of Renaissance “Prologue” was released in 1972 but with a totally different line up. So, somehow, we can say that “Prologue” can be considered the first album from almost a new band. After the disbanded of the original line up in 1972, Annie Haslam and John Tout remained to building a new band, although they never have been part of the original line up of the first Renaissance’s version. This second incarnation of Renaissance became the most famous and produced some of the best music released in the 70’s. Annie’s five octave range fits perfectly with the classical and orchestral rock with classical guitar a lot of piano playing and symphony orchestra backup, all created by all members.
So, a completely new Renaissance’s line up debuted in 1972 with “Prologue” after the previous band fell apart during the recording sessions for the previous album “Illusion”. It marked the beginning for what would turn out to be the golden era for Renaissance. Dominant in the new line up were singer Annie with her unique voice, keyboardist Tout, who’s classically inspired piano playing is always convincing and the bassist Camp. All of the three were outstanding musicians, and very important for the classic Renaissance’s sound. The composer of most of the songs, Dunford, isn’t yet a musician on “Prologue”. In his place, Rob Hendry handles the guitar. In contrast to the later albums, Renaissance didn’t use an orchestra here. Despite the band was still in search for their definitive sound, they came very close to it.
“Prologue” has six tracks. The title track is one of the highlights of the album. It’s one of their best songs and one of my favourites too. It’s essentially an instrumental, despite some female vocals. Still, there are no lyrics here. The vocals only sing the melody. It shows the influence of the classical music inside the band. It also indicates the future path of their music. “Kiev” is another great and beautiful song. It’s a bit unusual because the singing is lead by a male voice. It’s a based piano piece, a classic in Renaissance’s catalogue. It also shows the type of music the band would follow in the future. And what better example we can have than their masterpiece, their sixth studio album “Scheherazade And Other Stories”. “Sounds Of The Sea” is a very beautiful piano ballad sung wonderfully by Annie. Some consider it too long, especially the last part of it. But, I disagree. I think the song flows naturally and beautifully. I think it has one of Annie’s best vocal performances. Every time I hear the song I feel this is a very nice song, full of emotion. “Spare Some Love” is good and interesting. Still, it’s less good than the previous songs. It has an unusual introduction. It starts with acoustic guitar instead of piano, as is usual. It’s another beautiful song with the perfect and clear voice of Annie well supported by all band’s members and a nice choral work. But, it lacks to it some of the complexity that we are used to. “Bound For Infinity” is a simple, mellow and melancholic pastoral ballad featuring soft and nice piano and a transparent beautiful voice by Annie. It shows the perfection between two worlds, the world of Annie’s voice and the world of Tout’s piano. It shows why Annie became one of the brightest stars in the progressive rock music. “Rajah Khan” is the epic of the album. It’s the most complex and progressive song. It’s also the best and most ambitious too. As the opening, it’s basically an instrumental with no lyrics with the female vocals leading the melody. It has some influences of the Eastern music, according to the title. It has the addition of Monkman of Curved Air on synthesizers. This is a wonderful closing.
Conclusion: “Prologue” is, without any doubt, a great album and is almost perfect. The songs “Prologue”, “Kiev” and “Rajah Kahn” are truly masterpieces, but unfortunately the other three aren’t, especially “Spare Some Love” which is, in my humble opinion and as I wrote before, a little bit inferior to the others. However, “Prologue” is an excellent start for this new reborned line up and a fantastic prologue to their most classical musical manifestations. “Prologue” is with “Ashes Are Burning” and “Scheherazade And Other Stories” my first three contacts with their music and I must say that I love these three albums. So, “Prologue” was a beloved album by me, since the first minute, and even after so many years and when I know almost all the others, it represents, even today, one of my favourite works of Renaissance.
Music was my first love.
John Miles (Rebel)
glad to see someone post some stuff on these guys, I hardly hear anyone talk about them and it is really sad, actually. Great review as always bud! Pos'd
