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Renaissance - Turn of the Cards CD (album) cover

TURN OF THE CARDS

Renaissance

 

Symphonic Prog

4.15 | 745 ratings

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Marty McFly
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
4 stars I got to this record perfectly clean, with almost no background known. I just know that 70s and this group is good combination. So this review is different. Nice cover art, although I don't believe such things as card predicting (propheting?), astrology

"Running hard" contains all elements of good Ren. music. Strings (truly symphonic prog), godly (I imagine this harp, played by minstrels in Ancient Greece times), shifting of fast/ slow pace of song and finally, Annie Haslam's voice. But didn't offer any more markable melody. Maybe my expectations are too high, because of limits pushed far by Scheherazade year later. "I Think of You" is strange song. Short, focusing on her amazing vocals, but not offering much more. Melodic though. "Things I Don't Understand" reminds me previous year's Ashes Are Burning song. After a while, presents a change in the song and few other later. That's good. Although quite intriguing, it's prog style after all. Thrills listener, shows him various techniques and in the end, returns to good, old, well known and pleasant style, so circle is closed.

"Black Frame" is rather quiet song. If you're fan of combining Her voice with piano + power bridges. I do. "Cold Is Being" is said (wiki) that rips of music from some 18th century composer I never heard about. Yes, I know this melody. Played on organ with Voice, perfect combination. And the name of song fits with theme of last track, "Mother Russia", theme reminding me this Porcupine Tree's track, Russia On Ice. But also has one important thing. Symphonic orchestra (there has to be one) will be later used more in next album's last track. You know which one, don't you. No, I don't get lyrics at all, sadly. But lyrics are beautiful, that can even I understand.

Decent album which is worse, so 4(-). Seems like in shadow to me. Of two albums which this is between.

Marty McFly | 4/5 |

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