TUSCANY

I agree with him. But a compelling backstory might help one to better appreciate a record. As with the case of the 2001 studio 'reunion' album by Renaissance titled Tuscany.

After the band's third incarnation lost their recording contract in 1983, both of the remaining mark II founding members, Annie Haslam and Michael Dunford, went the solo route. Both with albums baring the Renaissance name and containing little in the way of past glory and, more importantly, quality.

Haslam's solo ventures were based on her esoteric lyrical collaborations with numerous local musicians that was far from the Renaissance sound, and Dunford's casting of 'another woman' in Annie's lead vocal role in his new mark IV Renaissance venture titled The Other Woman was a dismal exercise that left fans feeling even worse by it's release in conjunction with the mark II lineup's long term absence. Complicating the hard feelings between Haslam and Dunford was the late Dunford ending up with the trademarked Renaissance band name and copyrights to extant but unreleased mark ll demos and completed songs.

Long time poetess/lyricist Betty Thatcher had endured a failed marriage and, by her admission, could only write bitter or regretful lyrics at the end of the nineties, and any idea of a reunion with past members seemed remote at best. The long departed, but ever controlling, bassist Jon Camp was not even a remote option, and former keyboard great John Tout was working for a British IT firm and had little interest or free time to entertain such an undertaking.

Luckily, Dunford decided to let Haslam have both creative input and partial business control over a rebooted Renaissance, with Annie writing lyrics in place of Thatcher. Mark Il drummer Terry Sullivan was still an active musician and stayed in touch with former keyboardist John Tout, and was receptive to the idea of a reunion, even if it was only partial.

All were finally reunited for the Tuscany sessions, but with Tout only able to participate on just few songs due to work commitments. Ex Camel and Mike Oldfield keyboardist Mickey Simmonds took over for Tout on the remaining songs and provided stunning orchestral keys and deft piano work. Camp was replaced by Sullivan's friend Alex Cord on bass, and the band were off to it after Haslam and Dunford had co written a dozen songs. Haslam raised her game and concentrated on the joys and tribulations of past love affairs and found a niche in her lyric writing that resembled early Renaissance numbers such as Bound For Infinity and I Think Of You, Haslam's personal favorites from the mark II song canon.

An interesting back story is only good if it goes along with interesting music and so it is with Tuscany. The intro to Pearls of Wisdom is instantly recognizable as a John Tout piano piece in that is both complicated and delicate and demonstrates that he had not lost his great touch. Dear Landseer features both Tout and Simmonds with Tout's piano and harpsichord giving the song a dose of the old Renaissance class. Indeed, Tout even seemed to have made peace with synthesizers and plays moving chords to backup Annie's heartfelt plea for the plight of beached dolphins on Dolphins Prayer. The song is made even more moving by it's real life story of thousands of unexplained beached dolphins that had occurred a few years prior to this albums recording, and guest backup vocalist Roy Wood (ex Move) actually reaches notes high enough to shadow Haslam's multi octaves. It's a beautiful song that's matched by the stark and stunningly emotive Eva's Pond and the sublime In My Life. Both are endearing stripped down piano, synth and percussion pieces. Lady From Tuscany and One Thousand Roses are classic sounding full blown symphonic prog with Simmonds rising to the challenge. The Race is a nifty pop like song with a propulsive rhythm that tells the story of a man's rush through life without enjoying it.

Tuscany has a couple of clunkers like In The Sunshine and the dreadful Life In Brazil, but considering all of this band's hurdles, it's a surprising return to form that would have naturally fit the mark ll band's recorded out put following the 1979 Azure D'or album. All considered, a reunion album like this, coming an incredible 18 years after their last studio album, 1983's Time Line, is even a bit of a minor miracle. And truth be told, I prefer it over the recent and more celebrated Grandine Il Vento material. Very close to 4 stars for this offering.

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