Renaissance formed in 1969 and featured singer Keith Relf and drummer Jim McCarty of the Yardbirds. Fifty years later, it’s a completely different band and a flurry of activity is happening around singer Anne Haslam and her bandmates. While the band most recently partnered with an orchestra, Esoteric Recordings is rolling out remasters from the Renaissance back catalog, with 1972’s Prologue, 1973’s Ashes Are Burning, and 1978’s A Song For All Seasons available in expanded editions.
In 1972, with two albums under their belt, Renaissance’s management shook out the lineup, and attempted to build a new band around Haslam and keyboardist John Tout for Prologue. On board also were bassist Jon Camp, drummer Terence Sullivan and guitarist Mick Parsons (who would die in a car accident before the album was recorded and quickly replaced by Rob Hendry). For many, Prologue is often considered the first Renaissance album, due to the change in direction and personnel. The startling title track with Haslam providing a wild ride around her five-octave range and stunning “ah’s” and “oooh’s” really ring out on this beautifully sounding remaster. Tout’s piano tickling on “Kiev,” “Sound Of The Sea,” and the claustrophobic soundscape of “Spare Some Love,” is equally impressive. The new Esoteric edition includes the single version of “Spare Some Love,” previously unreleased on CD.
The Ashes Are Burning remaster really sees Camps’ bass brought to the fore in the mix. This 1973 release was the band’s first to crack the Billboard album chart and also establish them in America with such classics as the 12-plus-minute title track, and others like “Carpet Of The Sun” and “Can You Understand.” What’s especially delicious for this release, beyond how deeply lush the overall recording sounds, is the added three lives tracks — “Can You Understand,” “Let It Grow,” and “Ashes Are Burning,” recorded from a 1974 BBC Radio “In Concert” show. We also get the fully restored album artwork and liner notes with exclusive interviews.
The band’s eighth studio album, A Song for All Seasons gets the most expanded treatment of this trio of rereleases. Across three CDs presented a clamshell box set, there’s the original album remastered, with its top ten UK single, “Northern Lights” and the kinetic orchestra stomp of “Day Of The Dreamer.” This is truly great stuff from this band, with producer David Hentschel of Genesis fame on board to steer them perfectly. Of the three remasters, this is Renaissance at the top of their form.
The extras on the first CD include a promo edit for “Northern Lights,” three songs from a BBC radio program and a Top of the Pops recording of “Northern Lights.” Across another two CDs is a previously unreleased recording of an Renaissance concert from the Tower Theater in Philadelphia on December 4, 1978. To hear the band in full blush with arguably their most well-known lineup is such a treat.
The clarity and performances of these songs — from opener “Northern Lights,” through a “Song For All Seasons,” the jazzy rock extended jam of “Ashes Are Burning,” “Carpet Of The Sun,” “Things I Don’t Understand,” and “Opening Out” — just about exceeds anything you could have wished for. There’s also an illustrated booklet included with a reproduction of the band’s 1978 US tour program and the original A Song for All Seasons poster that was included with the initial pressing of the album. With so much music in the Renaissance canon, these three are only the beginning.
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
