IN THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN

Renaissance

Symphonic Prog

3.57 | 45 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

The Tuscany reunion tour yielded this fine album that's probably a bit less precious to fans now in light of the band's 2011 reunion, subsequent live CD/DVD and the new Grandine Il Vento album.

Live in Japan 2001 does not feature the old ever familiar band members and it shows in their sometimes metered but still accomplished performances. What is immediately apparent is how much better sounding the four songs from the Tuscany album, Lady From Tuscany, Dear Landseer, Pearls Of Wisdom, and One Thousand Roses, sound live with two keyboardists filling out and adding the more immediate and dynamic sound to these live versions.

This would be the first time Renaissance utilized two keyboard players, the incredible Mickey Simmonds and the equally talented Rave Tesar, who stunningly bring this material to another level.

Other notable songs are the evergreen Northern Lights, and text book covers of Mother Russia and a very full and dense sounding Trip To The Fair. Annie is in good but measured voice throught.

The highlight of this live collection, all recorded in one night in Tokyo, is a brilliant extended encore of Ashes Are Burning. This song features Simmonds and Tesar in a wonderful dueling piano jam before touring bassist David Keyes performs a very Jon Camp sounding bass solo before Simmonds goes ballistic on synth leads that mimic distorted lead guitar. Annie concludes the piece with a 'primal' sounding wordless vocal that closes out the song.

In The Land Of the Raising Sun is far the more immediate sounding then the orchestrated Carnegie Hall and King Biscuit concert albums. A good time is guaranteed if you're one of the few that's particularly partial to owning the myriad of live Renaissance recordings. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

SteveG | 4/5 | 2015-10-18

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