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Thread: Album Club, June 2017: Renaissance - 'Renaissance'

  1. #1
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: Land of the Lilac Curtains, UK

    Posts: 286
    I'm Curator.

    Default Album Club, June 2017: Renaissance - 'Renaissance'

    The Album Club choice for June 2017 comes courtesy of Ian (ianlenco) with Renaissance's first and eponymous album. As always, please listen to the album in its entirety before you comment and/or vote.


    Renaissance

    Back in 1969 I was a 6th former in Redcar, North Yorkshire. At the time Redcar had the Redcar Jazz Club which by the late 60's wasn't really about Jazz at all. By fortune my older sister's boyfriend (now brother-in-law) was on the committee of the Jazz Club so admission was never a problem. So I got the chance of seeing up and coming groups such as Yes and King Crimson as well as more established bands like Fleetwood Mac. One such up and coming band was Renaissance formed when the Yardbirds split. A couple of other band members went on to form Led Zeppelin but Keith Relf and Jim McCarty joined up with Relf's sister, Jane, John Hawken and Louis Cennamo to form Renaissance. I went along to see them not knowing what to expect but the blend of folk, rock and classical certainly made the evening different enough for me to go and buy the album. OK, it's now labelled Prog Rock but at the time it was about innovation, not pomposity



    The album was played a few times during my student days but rarely after that until one day I dug it out only to find it had developed a nasty warp in storage. Then a few years later I pulled it out once more and weirdly the warp had gone so I got to enjoy the album all over again. OK, some of this is nostalgia but I think it just about stands up today. There's some good rock stuff in there with excellent piano playing and Jane Relf's voice on the folkier tracks (Island and Wanderer) is quite excellent.
    Hope you enjoy it - it's still available on CD if you do. Word of warning later "Renaissance" line-ups are AOR at its worst - avoid!

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renais...issance_album)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYy7CjCivAw

    https://listen.tidal.com/album/60716664

  2. #2
    Join Date: May 2016

    Location: Gloucestershire

    Posts: 977
    I'm Ian.

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    Well, this choice has gone down well

  3. #3
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: W Lothian

    Posts: 99,005
    I'm Grant.

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    listening to it at moment actually
    Regards,
    Grant .... ؠ ......Don't be such a big girl's blouse

    I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply-doesn't-work
    .... ..... ...... ...... ................... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
    FIIO K7 BT, M11 PLUS, BTR7, KA5 - OPPO BDP-103D - PANASONIC UB450 - PANASONIC 4K ULTRA HD TV - PIXEL 6 - AVANTREE LR BLUETOOTH - 2* X600 SOUNDCORE - HEADPHONES INCLUDE, FIIO, NURAPHONES', FOCAL, OPPO, BOSE, CAMBRIDGE, BOWER & WILKINS, DEVIALET, MARSHALL, SONY, MITCHELL & JOHNSTON - 2*ZBOOK'S- MERCURY BD ROM, ROON, QOBUZ, TIDAL, PLEX, CYBERLINK, JRIVER - MULTI HDD'S -

    Oh my god! There's nothing wrong with the bidet is there?

    “Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test. It is the glory of Lincoln that, having almost absolute power, he never abused it, except on the side of mercy".

    “You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police ... yet in their hearts there is unspoken fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home -- all the more powerful because forbidden -- terrify them. A little mouse of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.”

    "You don't have free will. You have the appearance of free will.”

    “There's a war out there, old friend. A world war. And it's not about who's got the most bullets. It's about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think... it's all about the information!”


    ***SMILE, BE HAPPY***

  4. #4
    Join Date: Oct 2014

    Location: SW England

    Posts: 560
    I'm Richie.

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    I thought it was interesting, but I just can't get on with 60s female vocals like that. The Jefferson Starship type albums where there are a couple of good songs, then the next few almost cause you to turn it off. Island saved it though - good track.

  5. #5
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: W Lothian

    Posts: 99,005
    I'm Grant.

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    Decent album for the day and some of it would still be very much relevant today. remember the single, Island, and kings and queens I like too. maybe a solid 6 from me..enjoyed it
    Regards,
    Grant .... ؠ ......Don't be such a big girl's blouse

    I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply-doesn't-work
    .... ..... ...... ...... ................... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
    FIIO K7 BT, M11 PLUS, BTR7, KA5 - OPPO BDP-103D - PANASONIC UB450 - PANASONIC 4K ULTRA HD TV - PIXEL 6 - AVANTREE LR BLUETOOTH - 2* X600 SOUNDCORE - HEADPHONES INCLUDE, FIIO, NURAPHONES', FOCAL, OPPO, BOSE, CAMBRIDGE, BOWER & WILKINS, DEVIALET, MARSHALL, SONY, MITCHELL & JOHNSTON - 2*ZBOOK'S- MERCURY BD ROM, ROON, QOBUZ, TIDAL, PLEX, CYBERLINK, JRIVER - MULTI HDD'S -

    Oh my god! There's nothing wrong with the bidet is there?

    “Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test. It is the glory of Lincoln that, having almost absolute power, he never abused it, except on the side of mercy".

    “You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police ... yet in their hearts there is unspoken fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home -- all the more powerful because forbidden -- terrify them. A little mouse of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.”

    "You don't have free will. You have the appearance of free will.”

    “There's a war out there, old friend. A world war. And it's not about who's got the most bullets. It's about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think... it's all about the information!”


    ***SMILE, BE HAPPY***

  6. #6
    Join Date: May 2013

    Location: Milton Keynes

    Posts: 387
    I'm Martin.

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    I remember them from the 60s. Will get a full listen when i get back from holiday.
    GyroDec 2M Black, Amplification: Luxman 505ux.
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  7. #7
    Join Date: Nov 2013

    Location: Powys

    Posts: 1,199
    I'm David.

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    Not my favourite Renaissance album, I prefer the albums with Annie Haslam singing. 5/10

  8. #8
    Join Date: May 2013

    Location: Milton Keynes

    Posts: 387
    I'm Martin.

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    Thanks for suggesting this album. I don't think I have listened to it since the 60s - how my music tastes have changed

    A few of the tracks were good, others ok, but really not my listening taste of today. 7 / 10. cheers.
    GyroDec 2M Black, Amplification: Luxman 505ux.
    Loudspeakers: Harbeth HL-K6

    Quad 99 CD, Amplifier: Teac A H 500i, Loudspeakers: SCM11

    Receiver: Teac CR H500, Loudspeakers: B&W CDM 1NT

  9. #9
    Join Date: Jul 2011

    Location: Northamptonshire

    Posts: 1,914
    I'm Peter.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ianlenco View Post
    Well, this choice has gone down well
    That's because you mentioned Redcar, Ian. I shiver at the very name ...

    This (original) version of Rennaisance has totally different personel to the one I knew, with the glorious voice of Annie Haslem, etc. Saw the later version at Newcastle City Hall circa Scheherazade album, and enjoyed them very much. 6/10 for starting the whole thing off.

  10. #10
    Join Date: Mar 2017

    Location: West Sūţsēaxe

    Posts: 2,015
    I'm Edward.

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    Ah this album brings back lots of good memories. Although released in 1969 I only caught up with it later (perhaps in 1973). For sure it was emblematic of the time when lots of experimental music was coming forward (Curved Air anyone?). I got to know some of the other prog rock groups of that time better, but for sure this album has a place in my heart. Music often (always?) brings forward memories. The memories I'm getting are for example being in student rooms with lots of smiling people, incense, clouds of smoke and a euphoric feeling that we were on the cusp of greatness.

    Scoring this album is difficult. Scored then it would be an 8/10 - if released now sadly it would be lower.

    Love the track Wanderer. But that's just me.
    Current: [P20] Roon/Tidal > Custom PC> Chevron Paradox NDF16 > Phast Pre > Neuro. 686 > Tannoy Berkley (RFC tweaks)


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