Renaissance - Ashes Are Burning
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Music CD Cover
Artist: RenaissanceEdition: Music CD
Format: Import
CD Release Date: 1995-06-20
Music Label: Repertoire
Soundtracks:
- Can You Understand
- Let It Grow
- On the Frontier
- Carpet of the Sun
- At the Harbour
- Ashes Are Burning
Free Music Notes for Ashes Are Burning
Free Music Review: Imagine the burning embers, they glow above and below
Hit: 4 Stars
This the second album by mkII of Renaissance, or if you like the fourth album proper from the beginning but in truth, both albums prior to 'Prologue' is by another band in all but name. This was/is the watermark for Annie and company. As I am a respectable fan of their music and catalog, I am constanlty frustrated by reviews that only center on Annie Haslam. The greatest crime is the oft over looked and criminally underrated musicianship of the band and particularly keyboardist John Tout, (possibly the most gifted keyboardist aside from Keith Emerson or Rick Wakeman or Van Cliburn) whereas some may disagree and want to put Michael Dunsford as the leading musical genius of the band. Originally as mkII the band consisted of four members: Annie Haslam-vocalist supreme; John Tout-Keyboards; Jon Camp-bass and Terence Sullivan-drums and percussion. Michael Dunsford at this time was the composer of most of the songs while Betty Thatcher was the lyricist pro-tem, much like the mid-seventies King Crimson lyricist Richard Palmer-James, who would write lyrics for KC but otherwise had no day to day dealings with the band in the studio.
While it is easier for some I guess to identify with the singer, much of the musical journeys with this line-up was provided by just bass, piano and percussion with the occasional string arrangement or guitar, earlier by Rob Hendry and later by Michael Dunsford who had guested on this album and would finally join with the follow up "Turn of the cards".
If you are not familiar with this group it should be noted that internal strife was setting in as John Tout's role began to dimish and eventually he would leave after only 3 more albums and a live document from concerts during June of 1974 and return some twenty years later only as a guest artist, how ironic since the core of this group as represented on this album was what gave this exceptional group the sound that made them cult favorites, (but to be fair Michael Dunsford's musical compositional skills also provided what was their musical identity as he wrote all the music), at least on the East Coast of the US.
The track listing had six songs:
Can you understand
Let it grow
On the frontier
Carpet of the sun
At the harbour
Ashes are burning
Originally released on Sovereign/Capitol records in 1973, the best current edition is released by Repertoire record as an import Rep 4575-wy.
This is the best available so far although I have read that the Japanese market is pressing editions in the current fad of mini-album copies, and usually the Japanese pressings are always impressive in sound quality and attention to detail.
The most represenitive song of this band would have to be "Ashes are burning", but I'm also partial to "Can you understand" which could have fit easily on Prologue with its heavy bass riffing, and of course my second favorite "Carpet of the Sun", which according to Betty Thatcher was written to a child as a response to a question "...is the grass in the garden a carpet? Oh yes, she replied, It's the carpet of the Sun"
If there is one album to represent Renaissance in all their glory before too much pretention set in it is 'Ashes are burning' followed closely by 'Turn of the cards' and then 'Prologue', some may want to add 'Sheherazade and other stories' but by then pretentions were setting (read side two).
Of the other songs "Let it Grow" is the kind of song wherein Annie Haslam's vocals are the stuff that made her famous and eventually the focal point of the group, "On the frontier" was written by past member Jim McCarty(of the Yardbirds) from the first edition of the band with lyrics by B. Thatcher, a curious number but given the appropriate treatment by the band and Annie, although it remains the weakest song, but still interesting.
If you like intelligent well played music, than this music is for you and this album is the best place to start as this is the most represenitive of the best the band had/has to offer, surreal, trance like, mood setting, impecable musicianship. This repackage also has fine notes from Chris Welch and quotes from Annie Haslam and Betty Thatcher. All in all a very nice package. Thanks to Repretoire for such a fine remaster/release.
Ashes Are Burning Poster
Probably One of the Best and First Fully Formed Album, Mixing Russian, French, and Indian Influences in Musical Settings that Are Both Lively and Elegant. Features Andy Powell on Title Track. Now Available on CD for the First Time.Pop Music CDs
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