At a time when the epic storytellers were beginning to unravel (Genesis, Gentle
Giant, ELP), Renaissance gave us the compelling Novella to consider. Among the
handful of Renaissance albums I've heard (Ashes, Prologue, Live), this is the most
effective at building and sustaining a magical mood. The opening "Can You Hear Me?"
is one of my favorites from them, a blend of Genesis and Moodies and even a little
Yes delivered in the band's by-now distinctive voice. In a sense, Novella signalled
that the reinforcements had arrived. The original prog invaders had suffered
dissension in their ranks, and while acolytes argued over what lineup constituted
classic Yes or whether King Crimson and Roxy Music would ever regroup, Renaissance
was quietly putting out some of the best progressive rock of the era. Not too
quietly, thankfully, as Novella charted higher in the US than any Renaissance album
to date. By keeping the lineup consistent, Renaissance had assembled an arsenal of
sounds: Annie Haslam's voice, John Tout's refined keyboard passages and Michael
Dunford's acoustic guitar (Renaissance was one of the few prog bands to forego
electric guitars) had become readily identifiable. The songs this time are also
uniformly excellent, augmented with tasteful orchestration from Richard Hewson. The
way that "Can You Hear Me?" and "The Sisters" flow together is lovely, the echoes of
Crimson's distant Court wafting in the background. The second side consists of three
independent songs, beginning with the cautionary tale "Midas Man," anchored by Jon
Camp's bass playing. "The Captive Heart" begins with a piano passage that recalls
Tony Banks, though the lyrics (written by Camp?) err on the side of hyperbole. In
fact, those lyrics not written by Betty Thatcher might be the only chink in Novella's
armor. "Passing over timeless wastes of ecstasy" (from Touching Once) and "The
captive heart has lost and won a thousand lovers" (from The Captive Heart, natch) are
lines that sink despite Annie's voice. The fertile "Touching Once (Is So Hard To
Keep)" closes the album on a magical note much as Novella began, including orchestral
touches that invite favorable comparison to Tull's A Passion Play. If I'm tempted to
rank Novella as top-shelf prog, others aren't (presumably those whose tastes veer
from the pastoral side of prog). These are dulcet songs, belonging to a bygone age
even in 1977, but a captivating chapter in the story of Renaissance.
daveconn |4/5 |
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