ASHES ARE BURNING

I have an abiding memory of this album from my formative years living in a shared flat. Being a convert to the lush melodies and fine vocals of Renaissance, I bought the LP not long after its release. It quickly became a favourite, and was constantly on my turntable. Sharing a flat with three others, the best way to listen to music at a decent volume was to use headphones. So it was that I lay back on my bed and drifted off to the second side of the album. The relaxation qualities of the music were such that by midway through the feature (title) track, "Ashes are burning" I was pretty much asleep. Now for those familiar with the track, you will recall that after a lengthy instrumental section, all goes quiet, the silence only being broken by the voice of Annie Haslam singing "Imagine the burning embers..". These vocals are however only in one channel, and so it was that awoke with a start and leapt up in my bed, thinking an unexpected lady had entered my room and was speaking right into my ear.

Now that tale, while largely indulgent and irrelevant, does serve to convey the essence of "Ashes are burning" as an album.

The album opens in similar style to the previous albums with the lengthy "Can you understand" This superbly constructed piece begins with a piano dominated instrumental but it is Annie Haslam who shines. Her vocal performance here is one of her finest ever, the track presenting her with the opportunity to display the full range of her talents.

"Let it grow" is a beautiful relaxed ballad, where Haslam explores her five octave range backed by sparse accompaniment. The final track on side one "On the frontier", is the weakest on the album. It has all the usual Renaissance tenets, but lacks the spark of its illustrious peers.

The wonderful "Carpet of the sun" opens side two. This highly melodic piece once again offers Haslam the challenge she relishes with its soaring chorus. Lyrically the song is warm but whimsical, complementing the melody to perfection. "At the harbour" must rank as one of the band's most undervalued songs, a fact only partially rectified by the stunning version on Michael Dunford's Renassiance's "Ocean gypsy" album. This sad tale of fishermen's wives waiting in vain for the return of their loved ones was clearly inspired by such tragic stories from lyricist Betty Thatcher's native Cornwall. John Tout's haunting piano which bookends the track and Haslam's ghostly vocals only serve to heighten the dramatic effect.

The title track closes the album. This magnum opus sees the band bringing together all that has gone before, and moulding one of their greatest compositions. The track moves through highly melodic vocal passages, a wonderful organ section, and some exquisite guitar work by guest guitarist Andy Powell (Wishbone Ash). There is classically inspired keyboard work, and a truly progressive structure. This is a piece EMERSON, LAKE AND PALMER would have been proud of, I kid you not.

On this album, Michael Dunford contributes acoustic guitar and much of the song writing, but he is not yet credited as full member of the band (although he had actually rejoined prior to the album's release). He is joined in song writing duties for the first time by Betty Thatcher, a partnership which would be the cornerstone of Renaissance music for many years to come. Thatcher was a poet by trade, and had been a friend of former band member Jane Relf. Interestingly, when introducing the title track of this album on the "Carnegie Hall" live album, the band describe this as their "second album", choosing to ignore any releases under the Renaissance name during the Relf era.

This is the music which set the framework for bands such as MAGENTA and MOSTLY AUTUMN. It is as fresh and relevant today as it was in 1973. An essential album.

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