ASHES ARE BURNING

This is one of the best Renaissance releases. This group had created an unusual blend of folk (mainly from the vocals and melodies), classical (from the piano, organ and crafty harpsichord tickles) and rock. The bass lines are particularly strong throughout this album. "Ashes Are Burning" was the first of several albums by the band to feature orchestral arrangements and they work beautifully. "Can You Understand" is quite magical, with plenty of twists and turns to keep things interesting. As other reviewers have pointed out, the music is quite accessible to people with a wide range of tastes. Aside from the epic title track, there are some shorter numbers, of which "Carpet Of The Sun" is particularly gorgeous with its acoustic guitar and bright touches from the keys and strings. Haslam's voice makes it all the more uplifting, whilst "The harbour" brings in a melancholic mood but it's a really powerful piece. In all, we have another stunning, highly recommended work and the musicianship is just fabulous. Four and a half stars.