SCHEHERAZADE AND OTHER STORIES

Another classic(al) Renaissance album from the classic(al) line-up, and again with relatively nothing new and absolutely no surprises, since the fans already knew the sidelong title track as it was previewed in concert and on the double live At Carnegie Hall album that came out just before this one. Graced with medieval miniature illustration gracing its cover, the back of album carries the story of the 1001 Nights myth and its "terrible" end. How pedantic.

The opening title track is another of these literary classic being put to music and as usual (not just for Renaissance) this is a failure but not quite to Wakeman standards he got us used to. Aside the soporific (and downright cheesy) title track with again plenty of Russian composer influences and orchestral arrangements, the album's flipside is not much of an alarm clock either, but two tracks manage to pull us out of our slumber. Indeed Trip to the Fair (no doubt inspired of the folk pieces) is a charming reinterpretation with its solemn classical adaptation/enhancement treatment. Limit cheesy and overstaying its welcome, even though if it ran throughout the whole album, it would better it. .Ocean Gypsy is another correct track, but it is really hard to find anything exciting, but a cheese fondue big enough for a battalion. It (and other tracks) seems made for escapist people looking to live out virtually their pastoral fantasies while masturbating mentally over Annie.

This is the album "going too far" - as did Yes with Tales, ELP with BSS and JT with Passion Play- the one where they go a tad too far, their formula became completely stale, their quickly melting inspiration and come out either as ridiculous, boring or/and pretentious. This album is barely saved by the bell (unfortunately not by the Gong ;o)), a thing we can't say for the next one. IMHO, best avoided, but as you will read below, I'm definitely in a minority.

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