TRIP TO THE FAIR

Be careful with this compilation. When Michael Dunford, Renaissance´s golden era guitarrist and main songwriter, decided to create his own version of the group in the 90´s (billed as Michael Dunford´s Renaissance), he released only two albums with singer Stephanie Adlington (The other Woman, with only new material, and Ocean Gypsy, a kind of acoustic reworking of their classic stuff plus two new songs). Believe it or not this is what this album is all about. Yep, this is a best of of two CDs. Or the two CDs in one, almost. Oddly enough the only missing track is...Trip To the Fair! The very one that very one that names this record (go figure!)

What about this record? Well, I guess I´m one of the few who always loved Adlington´s voice and liked The Other Woman very much. Maybe because I never tried to compare her to Annie Haslam. Haslam is one of kind, period. Stephanie Adlington is an excellent singer on her own and the simple fact that she managed to handle the classic Renaissance tunes without ruining them speaks for itself. Very few vocalists can record those songs and be convining. Adlington is one of them. Of course the new compositions are not up to what they recorded during their heydey in the 70´s, but they are good anyway (and they are far better than the techno pop Renaissance put out in the early 80´s).

Is questionable to exist a compilation of only two CDs, but in the end this is a good way to get both Michael Dunford´s Renaissance records in one CD (minus the title track). And to know some interesting interpretations by this fine, underated singer. They are both very good, but far from being essential. 3 stars.