I’m with you, JP. Can never get enough of Annie’s voice. I especially like the little vocal flutters she does, not a scoop, it’s something else, but it’s something else!
I've also always loved the way she slides off of that high note in the chorus. On the Live at Carnegie Hall version she does something a little extra with that note in the last chorus that has grabbed me since a got that album 40+ yrs ago. Its a must listen for me.
As we were listening to the video, i said to my wife, Eileen, that this isn't my favorite song because John Tout (pronounced TOWT) and Jon Camp don't get to demonstrate their virtuosity, like they do in some other songs. I would recommend Mother Russia from their next album Turn of the Cards. Its a little longer, at nine minutes, but its another "classic" Renaissance song. It tells the story of Alexander Solzenytzen and the old Gulags in the old Soviet Union.
JOEL LIEBLER virtually every song showcases Annie’s supreme talent. But a song that doesn’t do the same for two of the best with THEIR instruments makes that song not as good in my book.
You've done it again justin, taken me back to my teenage years and listening to this on vinyl in my bedroom, phones full blast. Not heard this since way back then.
I got the chance to interview Annie and found it interesting that she didn't really consider their music Prog, but more just something that was adventerous and unique. Have to agree with her on that. Love the channel!
Renaissance only gets lumped into the whole progressive rock genre is because they're unclassifiable. Any band which had music that was complex and classically oriented got thrown into that grouping.
Thanks for this JP, I was hoping that you'd get around to this one. There is just not enough coverage given to Renaissance and Annie. With the death yesterday of Dave Greenfield (The Stranglers) how about having a go at Golden Brown which he wrote and played beautifully.
Renaissance wasn't 'heavy' enough for me back in the day - I was a big hard rock / prog rock guy at the time . Makes no sense for me to have felt that way as I also enjoyed lots of pop songs back then ( pop was a mix of everything back then ) . Due to my silly bias as a youth I missed out on opportunities to see Renaissance - as I got older and delved in to them ( hey , I had to see Joni Mitchell perform Coyote on The Band's The Last Waltz to open my mind up to explore her work further and she was already huge for years at that time ) I realized what I missed out on . Guess a lot of us have stories like that where we 'turn off' to an artist , only to embrace them later . Nice to hear more from them again on the channel On a completely different note JP : check out The Cars - Moving In Stereo /All Mixed Up - play them together as FM stations did back in the day - its really cool combination 'song' - pop / rock with prog elements
Totally different live-in a small venue! Listening this morning made me nostalgic for the girl on my arm that night and the beautiful lady on stage! Thanks for the memories 😀🤘🏼
Hey JP, I love how many different genres and styles you can get into! If you're in another folky mood, how about some Peter, Paul, & Mary? I had been familiar with the name for years before I finally picked up one of their records and was very pleased. Also, since you enjoyed Pentagle with Bert Jansch, maybe you could give a listen to Donovon, an ardent admirer of Jansch's - and a favourite artist of mine. Have a good one!
The first time I heard this song was most likely in 1980 on FM radio in San Jose. Fast forward to Nearfest in 2012, when Renaissance played this song....It tickled my memory and gosh...It was beautiful ! I really like the arrangement, great playing all around, love the lyrics and Annies vocals are perfect, the phrasing, her range, the inflections....Not often you get all this in a song. In November of 2018 I saw them again, from the 3rd row...still a strong voice. Plenty of live recordings for the collectors are available.
Thanks Justin for this great pick. I'd also recommend The Sisters which has a wonderful spanish guitar, and Ocean Gypsy. My favorite though is Song of Scheherazade. My introduction to the band was their 1976 appearance on The Midnight Special. They played Midas Man and Carpet of the Sun. I bought the Novella album the next day and have been a huge fan ever since.
My favourite group but not my favourite Renaissance song. It is Annie's favourite. I have commissioned paintings from Annie and she actually visited our home in 2010. My sons call her "Dad's other woman." Your review is spot on. It is a beautiful sappy song. I've heard it too often, perhaps. Tubular Bells is waiting for you...
Man, you are seriously reacting to all my favorite stuff. I love it! Rush, Renaissance, Caravan (and the whole Canterbury Scene, really), Genesis...now do Jon Hiseman’s Colosseum! :)
The perfect in-roads to this band (at least it was for me), and another great 'early 70s' pop song, with a bit of the hippie-folk touch to it. In spirit, it harkens back to the first incarnation of the band with Jane Relf (for example, see her solo song "Without a Song for You"...another arms-open, wide-eyed, optimistic anthem). Love how Annie's voice seems to fade into the great beyond on the final "sun"...
Reminded me of ‘60s pop on the transistor radio taped to my bike’s handlebars. A little Spanky and Our Gangish, Mamas and Pappasish, which is a big compliment. Pure vocal tone. Loved it, I recently went back to Billboard in ‘68-‘71 on Spotify picking my favorites and songs I like I didn’t remember or heard. Delish. Another Annie, Anita Robinson I like is from Viva Voce, a band no longer with us... band members divorced. Ooh. Viva Voce: Red Letter Day The Future Will Destroy You Take care all, Peace and Music and Annies
This was the first song i ever heard of Renaissance. Even though it wasn't a big hit in the US for some odd reason a local AM station in my town use to play this song all the time. Growing up I didn't know anyone that had heard of this song. That is unless they came from my home town.
Lovely song. I bought Live at Carnegie Hall as my first Renaissance album. And boy, was that good. I think I prefer every song on it to their original version. Including this one. As with most bands, I usually play all their music in a row. As I always think "Oh yeah, so good, I have to listen to this song, and that one and..." And so I end up playing all their albums.
I agree. LACH contains the best songs and versions of Renaissance from 1972-1976. It was my first introduction to Renaissance when it was released and it was love at first listen. Changed my life.
Renaissance has worked with several famous musicians: Roy Wood (ELO); Louis Clark (orchestra conductor for ELO, which might explain the string arrangements and prominent sound levels); Patrick Moraz (Yes & The Moody Blues); and Al Stewart, among others
what a great band,, genre skipping greatness btw a reminder LAST MONTH WAS THE 40TH ANIVERSARY OF THE REALEASE OF "BREATHING" BY KATE BUSH you will really really really dig that song if you review it, Kate showing her prog-rock teeth
"Breathing" is a fantastic song! One of my true favourites and quite progressive indeed. The music video is also great. I've listened to the first three Kate Bush albums a lot.
If you like the folk rock genre another great female voice to check out is Sandy Denny. I really would enjoy your reaction to "A Sailors Life" when she was with Fairport Convention.
I first heard Renaissance at a party of archaeologists at the Hippy-Dog Hotel (west) who wanted to hear more Grateful Dead--or Old and In The Way. Jennie (Thank you, again!) put on Turn of the Cards and I was smitten amongst those who smirked (and smoked). It was a great night, and I feel I was among the few who remembered a large fraction of it. The night, that is. Damm--that was near 35 years ago.
Ahhhh.My days of pure happiness.The weather is unusual cold and gray here in Ottawa Canada.You just send me some sunshine Justin.Thank you kindly for your philosophical review.
JP is 1000% correct. This is a GREAT light song. The only thing weighing it down is the overbearing orchestral strings. JP said it perfectly... If they turned down the volume on the stings a little (to allow the other instruments to be heard more), this song would've been much better. But, as always, LOVE Annie's voice.
I have to agree Manny. My 1st listen to Renaissance was the Prologue album, and I only bought that because I liked the album cover. It only took one listen to that album and I was a fan...at least up to their "Live at Carnegie Hall" album....not much of a fan after that as I felt there was a big shift in the musical direction after that album that I just could not get into, but I love the hell out of all the albums before Novella (The Sisters is the only song on that album I really enjoy)
For an interesting comparison try the other Renaissance (aka "Illusion") with Jane Relf singing the ballad, "Face of Yesterday". Not saying one is better than the other. I love them both.
Though they have completely different voices, Annie Haslam and Karen Carpenter's voices both had a... the only word that comes to my mind is "purity," that very few other vocalists have. There was an album back in the 90s that was of Yes covers that featured both members of Yes and guest performers. Annie and Steve Howe performed "Turn of the Century," and it was really beautiful.
Enjoyed the track. Nothing special but a nice song to relax with. Justin that little drum intro reminded me of my first drum lesson. At the time I didn't have a drum set (wondering how I was going to practice) and my teacher said "you are the drum set". Then he went on to demonstrate a cool groove with his hands lap and feet. On a separate note I was rather surprised you never heard the song "Eye in the Sky" on your last video. Which made me wonder, songs I take for granted everyone should know are they lost by the generation gap. Like I assume everybody should know Hotel California by the Eagles. I understand HC is an iconic song and Eye in the Sky is not at the same level of popularity. However, it made me think of songs like "American Pie" by Don Mclean and "Cat's in the Cradle" by Harry Chapin songs that have iconic status in the folk/rock genre. Speaking of Don Mclean, a must listen is "Vincent" (aka Starry, Starry Night). The song is an ode to Vincent Van Gogh. To me, it has the one of the greatest songs ever written melodically/lyrically and simply is a masterpiece in song writing.
We're all drums now🥁 I agree tbh. I definitely know HC, but I cant say the rest sound familiar. Of course, they could be in that bank of songs that "I've heard but dont know the names of"
Enjoyed that! Funny, have not heard of Renaissance b4... Here is something else! Tears for Fears - Pharaohs. This is "art for art's sake". A tone poem (so rare outside of Debussy), the music is the backdrop for a BBC announcer reading the Shipping Forecast (weather for mariners). Hypnotic, lyrical portrayal of deep, rolling seas and intonations of abstract names (regions of the North Sea on a map) and mystic messages summarising the next days weather. Millions in the UK have heard the shipping forecast and fallen to sleep to it, for it was broadcast after radio shuts down for the night. TFF have other art projects too; check out "Saturnine Martial and Lunatic".
Renaissance probably backed themselves into a corner with future albums that had wonderful arrangements but with the necessity of an orchestra. Therefore, in live concert the gigs with orchestras were better than without. Today, keyboards can recreate the orchestral songs with ease, but back then the technology did not exist.
I have been in love with Annie Haslam's voice since the late seventies but also find the strings a bit excessive at times. I'm glad you noticed this too although it is a matter of taste I guess.
Justin, thanks for getting back to more Renaissance. Did you ever listen to the live version of Ashes Are Burning for your own enjoyment. Keep up the good work young man. When you move into rock brass(Chicago, Blood, Sweat and Tears, etc let me know. I have a rec for you. Thanks again.
Of course you knew I’d be happy to see you react to this song. It’s a staple in the Renaissance repertoire and one of their few shorter songs. Annie probably hasn’t done any solo or Renaissance concert without singing it from 1973 up to the last Renaissance concert in October 2019. I agree the orchestra is mixed too loud. I don’t know why but the sound on all the Renaissance studio albums up through Turn Of The Cards is mixed so Annie’s voice is too low. You don’t get to hear how powerful her voice really was back then. You’ve already heard the difference between AAB on this album and the Live At Carnegie Hall album. For this reason, you should listen to the version from the Live At Carnegie Hall album version for your own enjoyment. The sound is so pristine, I guess because it was Carnegie Hall which has the most amazing acoustics of any venue I’ve ever been in, and/or perhaps it was a combination of the venue and whoever was doing the sound and final mix but it is far superior to this version in every way. They had an orchestra there too, but it wasn’t overwhelming like it’s mixed here. You’ll hear! There is everything to love about this song, except the sound mix. I’m glad you did this one and liked it. It’s wonderful. Thanks, Justin!
Another great review. It seems like you're reviews get better after every reviews. RIP Florian Schneider of Kraftwerk. In honor of him it would great if you look at Autobahn by Kraftwerk next. If you do not know the song ; trust me it will become a ear-worm in the best way.
@@Sandervideoclipsegames-or7ui I never said it was, but I disagree that Barbra doesn't come close to Annie's talent. Both are 2 phenomenal singers. One got attention. The other, sadly, didn't.
@@Sandervideoclipsegames-or7ui I don't know how you can say her voice is far superior. Barbra has one of the greatest voices I've ever heard. So does Annie. My point was very simple and obvious. It's amazing to me how 2 women, both who have incredible voices, yet we've only heard of one. Barbra became famous because she was one of the greatest singers in the world, and she could act, which only added to her fame, but it was her voice that made her famous. Annie never became famous. Many singers have become famous, who did not do Cinema, so I could easily compare Annie to ANY famous singer. It's amazing to me that Annie didn't achieve the fame that Barbra did, or any other famous singer, but I mentioned Barbra because she is considered by many to be one of the greatest, and is also one of the most famous, so the comparison just made sense. You can keep saying that Annie is far better and I'll keep disagreeing with you. If Annie was FAR BETTER, I THINK everyone would know that, but obviously you're entitled to your opinion on their voices.
Nice song to have in the middle of the week - a favorite of Annie's. It was Renaissance' first experience of recording with an orchestra - the Carnegie Hall Live album has a better mix (here's a 45 single of it being played, on a Technics turntable - the same as mine! ua-cam.com/video/-ZTPwHHEj00/v-deo.html. Nice bright lyrics. Another bright and cheerful song on Ashes are Burning is "Let It Grow".
Beautiful song. Her vibe (not her voice) reminds me of Spanky McFarlane of Spanky and Our Gang, a pop group from the mid- to late '60s you probably never heard of. Here's their hit 'Sunday Will Never Be the Same': ua-cam.com/video/07nK9CXZvAI/v-deo.html
Have u heard At The Harbor from the same album its my favorite song also you ve done 2 songs off the Ashes are burning album which is really good. This song is cool too this album is something i relax to xD.
C'mon, man, 4,000 of your subscribers are waiting for you to cover "The Gates Of Delirium". COVID-19 may be a bummer, but it's the wait for your erudite review which is really killing us.
Rob Gray Prologue was 1972 and Annie and Jon Camp’s debut. I think it’s excellent but Renaissance just kept getting better in the 1970s with every album.
Very similar to Renaissance (at least in vocals) is Steeleye Span, maybe more traditional folk but interesting none the less, you should check out the track "Long Lankin", a grizzly tale of the murder of a woman and her infant child by a strange evil character who lives on the moor !! ua-cam.com/video/sSUH6YPM9oI/v-deo.html
Here's the late great poet, lyricist and songwriter of Hawkwind, Bob Calvert's take on the style. Brave New World. ua-cam.com/video/r32rSTP7ND0/v-deo.html from Lucky Leif and the Longships an album of variable quality.
Annie at her peak with subtle elements of progressive rock.
Beautiful...nuthin more need be said that 7 octave range again great composition
I’m with you, JP. Can never get enough of Annie’s voice. I especially like the little vocal flutters she does, not a scoop, it’s something else, but it’s something else!
I've also always loved the way she slides off of that high note in the chorus. On the Live at Carnegie Hall version she does something a little extra with that note in the last chorus that has grabbed me since a got that album 40+ yrs ago. Its a must listen for me.
Thank you Justin. Glad you listened to Renaissance again. If possible, maybe go through the rest of the album. All tracks have their merits.
As we were listening to the video, i said to my wife, Eileen, that this isn't my favorite song because John Tout (pronounced TOWT) and Jon Camp don't get to demonstrate their virtuosity, like they do in some other songs. I would recommend Mother Russia from their next album Turn of the Cards. Its a little longer, at nine minutes, but its another "classic" Renaissance song. It tells the story of Alexander Solzenytzen and the old Gulags in the old Soviet Union.
Ignats75 great tunes, this was more a sweet light tune showing Annie at her best!
JOEL LIEBLER virtually every song showcases Annie’s supreme talent. But a song that doesn’t do the same for two of the best with THEIR instruments makes that song not as good in my book.
You've done it again justin, taken me back to my teenage years and listening to this on vinyl in my bedroom, phones full blast. Not heard this since way back then.
Haha wonderful! Ty
I got the chance to interview Annie and found it interesting that she didn't really consider their music Prog, but more just something that was adventerous and unique. Have to agree with her on that. Love the channel!
She is such an angel..I'm comforted to be geographically close to where she lives.
Renaissance only gets lumped into the whole progressive rock genre is because they're unclassifiable. Any band which had music that was complex and classically oriented got thrown into that grouping.
I never really thought of it as prog more sort of classical folk rock maybe
She's sweet and I hate to disagree with her, but Renaissance is definitely prog. It's not like that's some kind of bad genre to get placed into.
@@porflepopnecker4376 The prog family is a great family.
Sounds like the singer is enjoying a beautiful day,this sounds so sunny and positive. makes for a happy listen.
Thanks for this JP, I was hoping that you'd get around to this one. There is just not enough coverage given to Renaissance and Annie. With the death yesterday of Dave Greenfield (The Stranglers) how about having a go at Golden Brown which he wrote and played beautifully.
Please react to "Touching Once Is So Hard To Keep" (studio version) from Renaissance's "Novella" album. It's an amazing song.
Annie brings it to another level.
Renaissance wasn't 'heavy' enough for me back in the day - I was a big hard rock / prog rock guy at the time . Makes no sense for me to have felt that way as I also enjoyed lots of pop songs back then ( pop was a mix of everything back then ) .
Due to my silly bias as a youth I missed out on opportunities to see Renaissance - as I got older and delved in to them ( hey , I had to see Joni Mitchell perform Coyote on The Band's The Last Waltz to open my mind up to explore her work further and she was already huge for years at that time ) I realized what I missed out on . Guess a lot of us have stories like that where we 'turn off' to an artist , only to embrace them later . Nice to hear more from them again on the channel
On a completely different note JP : check out The Cars - Moving In Stereo /All Mixed Up - play them together as FM stations did back in the day - its really cool combination 'song' - pop / rock with prog elements
Very much a YES to those tracks together from The Cars.
I like your observations, and glad I found your channel, today. Thanks!
Ty! Glad you're enjoying it 😊
Totally different live-in a small venue! Listening this morning made me nostalgic for the girl on my arm that night and the beautiful lady on stage! Thanks for the memories 😀🤘🏼
Glad to see you enjoy these guys saw them live back in 1975.Annie has one of the best voices ever
Hey JP, I love how many different genres and styles you can get into! If you're in another folky mood, how about some Peter, Paul, & Mary? I had been familiar with the name for years before I finally picked up one of their records and was very pleased. Also, since you enjoyed Pentagle with Bert Jansch, maybe you could give a listen to Donovon, an ardent admirer of Jansch's - and a favourite artist of mine. Have a good one!
You MUST listen to Song of Scheherazade!!!!!
It’s epic!!!!!
It's not their best.
I've listened to the whole album🙃
My favorite female voice of all time
The first time I heard this song was most likely in 1980 on FM radio in San Jose. Fast forward to Nearfest in 2012, when Renaissance played this song....It tickled my memory and gosh...It was beautiful ! I really like the arrangement, great playing all around, love the lyrics and Annies vocals are perfect, the phrasing, her range, the inflections....Not often you get all this in a song.
In November of 2018 I saw them again, from the 3rd row...still a strong voice.
Plenty of live recordings for the collectors are available.
Hello Justin ,Some of my favorite Renaissance songs ...Ocean Gypsy , I Think of You , The Vultures fly high , Mother Russia ,Black Flame
Ocean Gypsy is great!
Such an under appreciated band. Her voice is fantastic.
I said it before, Annie is a Goddess.
"Take the Time" Images and Words baaaaaby, I heard that :)
Short and sweet. Very hippie. Great song, thanks!!!
Thanks Justin for this great pick. I'd also recommend The Sisters which has a wonderful spanish guitar, and Ocean Gypsy. My favorite though is Song of Scheherazade.
My introduction to the band was their 1976 appearance on The Midnight Special. They played Midas Man and Carpet of the Sun. I bought the Novella album the next day and have been a huge fan ever since.
Ty Kev! OG was my first Renaissance song actually. Scheherazade is indeed awesome
Love this song. Annies voice is so vivid. love it
My favourite group but not my favourite Renaissance song. It is Annie's favourite. I have commissioned paintings from Annie and she actually visited our home in 2010. My sons call her "Dad's other woman." Your review is spot on. It is a beautiful sappy song. I've heard it too often, perhaps.
Tubular Bells is waiting for you...
Man, you are seriously reacting to all my favorite stuff. I love it! Rush, Renaissance, Caravan (and the whole Canterbury Scene, really), Genesis...now do Jon Hiseman’s Colosseum! :)
I'm so glad you did this! I'm way behind on watching your videos and was thrilled to see this. Glad you're diving in again.
No worries Kyrion! Ty for watching 😁
Katatonia - My Twin
Estrum - All I Need
Anathema - Flying
My absolute favorite Renaissance song
Great memory from my senior year at college. I was madly in love with Annie Haslam.
The perfect in-roads to this band (at least it was for me), and another great 'early 70s' pop song, with a bit of the hippie-folk touch to it. In spirit, it harkens back to the first incarnation of the band with Jane Relf (for example, see her solo song "Without a Song for You"...another arms-open, wide-eyed, optimistic anthem). Love how Annie's voice seems to fade into the great beyond on the final "sun"...
Reminded me of ‘60s pop on the transistor radio taped to my bike’s handlebars. A little Spanky and Our Gangish, Mamas and Pappasish, which is a big compliment. Pure vocal tone. Loved it, I recently went back to Billboard in ‘68-‘71 on Spotify picking my favorites and songs I like I didn’t remember or heard. Delish.
Another Annie, Anita Robinson I like is from Viva Voce, a band no longer with us... band members divorced. Ooh.
Viva Voce:
Red Letter Day
The Future Will Destroy You
Take care all,
Peace and Music and Annies
This was the first song i ever heard of Renaissance. Even though it wasn't a big hit in the US for some odd reason a local AM station in my town use to play this song all the time. Growing up I didn't know anyone that had heard of this song. That is unless they came from my home town.
I loved it
Lovely song. I bought Live at Carnegie Hall as my first Renaissance album. And boy, was that good. I think I prefer every song on it to their original version. Including this one. As with most bands, I usually play all their music in a row. As I always think "Oh yeah, so good, I have to listen to this song, and that one and..." And so I end up playing all their albums.
I agree. LACH contains the best songs and versions of Renaissance from 1972-1976. It was my first introduction to Renaissance when it was released and it was love at first listen. Changed my life.
Renaissance has worked with several famous musicians: Roy Wood (ELO); Louis Clark (orchestra conductor for ELO, which might explain the string arrangements and prominent sound levels); Patrick Moraz (Yes & The Moody Blues); and Al Stewart, among others
This song is a gentle joy well orchestrated and crowned by Annie's voice.
One of my fav bands. When Annie hits a note in Ashes Are Burning....chills.
what a great band,, genre skipping greatness
btw a reminder LAST MONTH WAS THE 40TH ANIVERSARY OF THE REALEASE OF "BREATHING" BY KATE BUSH
you will really really really dig that song if you review it, Kate showing her prog-rock teeth
"Breathing" is a fantastic song! One of my true favourites and quite progressive indeed. The music video is also great. I've listened to the first three Kate Bush albums a lot.
If you like the folk rock genre another great female voice to check out is Sandy Denny. I really would enjoy your reaction to "A Sailors Life" when she was with Fairport Convention.
Always loved this song! Listen to I Think of You.
I first heard Renaissance at a party of archaeologists at the Hippy-Dog Hotel (west) who wanted to hear more Grateful Dead--or Old and In The Way. Jennie (Thank you, again!) put on Turn of the Cards and I was smitten amongst those who smirked (and smoked). It was a great night, and I feel I was among the few who remembered a large fraction of it. The night, that is. Damm--that was near 35 years ago.
Ahhhh.My days of pure happiness.The weather is unusual cold and gray here in Ottawa Canada.You just send me some sunshine Justin.Thank you kindly for your philosophical review.
Aw thank you Elaine!🌞
It's almost a bossa nova beat. Awesome song!
My favourite song from my favourite Renaissance album. Thanks! PS. sort of agree with you on the orchestra.
JP is 1000% correct. This is a GREAT light song. The only thing weighing it down is the overbearing orchestral strings. JP said it perfectly... If they turned down the volume on the stings a little (to allow the other instruments to be heard more), this song would've been much better. But, as always, LOVE Annie's voice.
Cold is Being from Turn of the Cards. Beautiful
Turn of The Cards is a great album to listen to as well. Great reaction.
Great Choice. But my favorite song of the band is, by far, Song of Scheherazade, followed by Black Flame, Mother Russia and Running Hard.
I have to agree Manny. My 1st listen to Renaissance was the Prologue album, and I only bought that because I liked the album cover. It only took one listen to that album and I was a fan...at least up to their "Live at Carnegie Hall" album....not much of a fan after that as I felt there was a big shift in the musical direction after that album that I just could not get into, but I love the hell out of all the albums before Novella (The Sisters is the only song on that album I really enjoy)
I can get behind this statement, if only to help Justin get to this list sooner 😃
Manny, you took the words right out of my mouth
A live favourite Annie often sang this in her solo career
You're right, this is the version of this song I prefer also.
For an interesting comparison try the other Renaissance (aka "Illusion") with Jane Relf singing the ballad, "Face of Yesterday". Not saying one is better than the other. I love them both.
Though they have completely different voices, Annie Haslam and Karen Carpenter's voices both had a... the only word that comes to my mind is "purity," that very few other vocalists have. There was an album back in the 90s that was of Yes covers that featured both members of Yes and guest performers. Annie and Steve Howe performed "Turn of the Century," and it was really beautiful.
That's a perfect description mh
Enjoyed the track. Nothing special but a nice song to relax with. Justin that little drum intro reminded me of my first drum lesson. At the time I didn't have a drum set (wondering how I was going to practice) and my teacher said "you are the drum set". Then he went on to demonstrate a cool groove with his hands lap and feet.
On a separate note I was rather surprised you never heard the song "Eye in the Sky" on your last video. Which made me wonder, songs I take for granted everyone should know are they lost by the generation gap. Like I assume everybody should know Hotel California by the Eagles. I understand HC is an iconic song and Eye in the Sky is not at the same level of popularity. However, it made me think of songs like "American Pie" by Don Mclean and "Cat's in the Cradle" by Harry Chapin songs that have iconic status in the folk/rock genre. Speaking of Don Mclean, a must listen is "Vincent" (aka Starry, Starry Night). The song is an ode to Vincent Van Gogh. To me, it has the one of the greatest songs ever written melodically/lyrically and simply is a masterpiece in song writing.
We're all drums now🥁 I agree tbh. I definitely know HC, but I cant say the rest sound familiar. Of course, they could be in that bank of songs that "I've heard but dont know the names of"
Enjoyed that! Funny, have not heard of Renaissance b4...
Here is something else! Tears for Fears - Pharaohs. This is "art for art's sake". A tone poem (so rare outside of Debussy), the music is the backdrop for a BBC announcer reading the Shipping Forecast (weather for mariners). Hypnotic, lyrical portrayal of deep, rolling seas and intonations of abstract names (regions of the North Sea on a map) and mystic messages summarising the next days weather. Millions in the UK have heard the shipping forecast and fallen to sleep to it, for it was broadcast after radio shuts down for the night. TFF have other art projects too; check out "Saturnine Martial and Lunatic".
Renaissance probably backed themselves into a corner with future albums that had wonderful arrangements but with the necessity of an orchestra. Therefore, in live concert the gigs with orchestras were better than without. Today, keyboards can recreate the orchestral songs with ease, but back then the technology did not exist.
I have been in love with Annie Haslam's voice since the late seventies but also find the strings a bit excessive at times. I'm glad you noticed this too although it is a matter of taste I guess.
Justin, thanks for getting back to more Renaissance. Did you ever listen to the live version of Ashes Are Burning for your own enjoyment. Keep up the good work young man. When you move into rock brass(Chicago, Blood, Sweat and Tears, etc let me know. I have a rec for you. Thanks again.
Oh I have, its perfect 🙃 ty!
I always feel so good after hearing renaissance
Of course you knew I’d be happy to see you react to this song.
It’s a staple in the Renaissance repertoire and one of their few shorter songs. Annie probably hasn’t done any solo or Renaissance concert without singing it from 1973 up to the last Renaissance concert in October 2019.
I agree the orchestra is mixed too loud. I don’t know why but the sound on all the Renaissance studio albums up through Turn Of The Cards is mixed so Annie’s voice is too low. You don’t get to hear how powerful her voice really was back then. You’ve already heard the difference between AAB on this album and the Live At Carnegie Hall album. For this reason, you should listen to the version from the Live At Carnegie Hall album version for your own enjoyment. The sound is so pristine, I guess because it was Carnegie Hall which has the most amazing acoustics of any venue I’ve ever been in, and/or perhaps it was a combination of the venue and whoever was doing the sound and final mix but it is far superior to this version in every way. They had an orchestra there too, but it wasn’t overwhelming like it’s mixed here. You’ll hear!
There is everything to love about this song, except the sound mix.
I’m glad you did this one and liked it. It’s wonderful. Thanks, Justin!
Another great review. It seems like you're reviews get better after every reviews. RIP Florian Schneider of Kraftwerk. In honor of him it would great if you look at Autobahn by Kraftwerk next. If you do not know the song ; trust me it will become a ear-worm in the best way.
How is Annie not as famous as Barbra Streisand? Her voice is magical.
@@Sandervideoclipsegames-or7ui Barbra is amazing and obviously far more famous than Annie.
@@Sandervideoclipsegames-or7ui I never said it was, but I disagree that Barbra doesn't come close to Annie's talent. Both are 2 phenomenal singers. One got attention. The other, sadly, didn't.
@@Sandervideoclipsegames-or7ui I don't know how you can say her voice is far superior. Barbra has one of the greatest voices I've ever heard. So does Annie. My point was very simple and obvious. It's amazing to me how 2 women, both who have incredible voices, yet we've only heard of one. Barbra became famous because she was one of the greatest singers in the world, and she could act, which only added to her fame, but it was her voice that made her famous. Annie never became famous. Many singers have become famous, who did not do Cinema, so I could easily compare Annie to ANY famous singer. It's amazing to me that Annie didn't achieve the fame that Barbra did, or any other famous singer, but I mentioned Barbra because she is considered by many to be one of the greatest, and is also one of the most famous, so the comparison just made sense. You can keep saying that Annie is far better and I'll keep disagreeing with you. If Annie was FAR BETTER, I THINK everyone would know that, but obviously you're entitled to your opinion on their voices.
Hope you react to more Renaissance. Love their Folk Prog sound.
Definitely have to!
Nice song to have in the middle of the week - a favorite of Annie's. It was Renaissance' first experience of recording with an orchestra - the Carnegie Hall Live album has a better mix (here's a 45 single of it being played, on a Technics turntable - the same as mine!
ua-cam.com/video/-ZTPwHHEj00/v-deo.html.
Nice bright lyrics. Another bright and cheerful song on Ashes are Burning is "Let It Grow".
What were you tapping at the beginning of the video? That was sweet! 🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁
Honestly, no idea lol. I just hand-drum sometimes
"Prologue" it's their best album.
Good choice, ashes are burning is a great album. When you get time, you should check out shaharazade
Beautiful song. Her vibe (not her voice) reminds me of Spanky McFarlane of Spanky and Our Gang, a pop group from the mid- to late '60s you probably never heard of. Here's their hit 'Sunday Will Never Be the Same':
ua-cam.com/video/07nK9CXZvAI/v-deo.html
Choosing a Renaissance song because you want to hear Annie is good enough for me!! Do you know the Turn Of The Cards album?
Have u heard At The Harbor from the same album its my favorite song also you ve done 2 songs off the Ashes are burning album which is really good. This song is cool too this album is something i relax to xD.
C'mon, man, 4,000 of your subscribers are waiting for you to cover "The Gates Of Delirium". COVID-19 may be a bummer, but it's the wait for your erudite review which is really killing us.
Lol! I'll be working on it soon🙃
React to Black Flame from Turn Of The Cards album, thats just a gorgeous song.
There's really no bad songs from 1973 - 1978. Some really good stuff from 1969 - 1972 as well although that's before Annie.
Rob Gray Prologue was 1972 and Annie and Jon Camp’s debut. I think it’s excellent but Renaissance just kept getting better in the 1970s with every album.
@@justintime42000 Yes. Prologue was 1972...I was off on my range by a year. The pre-Annie years were 1969 to 1971.
Very similar to Renaissance (at least in vocals) is Steeleye Span, maybe more traditional folk but interesting none the less, you should check out the track "Long Lankin", a grizzly tale of the murder of a woman and her infant child by a strange evil character who lives on the moor !!
ua-cam.com/video/sSUH6YPM9oI/v-deo.html
Flower Power writ large!
As a fan of ambient music i hope you'll give "Subterraneans" by David Bowie at his most experimental a try!
Ty Tony!
Justin can you understand is a great song on this album
If you listen to Mother Russia I've always thought that it should be a James Bond movie.
A song that Nightwish could use to do a cover version. :)
Absolutely
Try Sonja Cristina and Curved Air.
Here's the late great poet, lyricist and songwriter of Hawkwind, Bob Calvert's take on the style. Brave New World. ua-cam.com/video/r32rSTP7ND0/v-deo.html from Lucky Leif and the Longships an album of variable quality.
I wonder if the world of seeing is a reference to Carlos Castaneda and Don Juan?
I can't get into this band for the most part, but I love the opening instrumental on this one and the Prologue album is pretty great.