<><> Japan (Papersleeve) Mini LP CDs <><>: Renaissance - Illusion (2nd Album Progressiv Rock UK 1971)

onsdag 12 oktober 2016

Renaissance - Illusion (2nd Album Progressiv Rock UK 1971)

250:- (24-Bit Limited Remaster Edition. Utgången utgåva.)

After their debut album's success (especially in France, Germany and Belgium), the group went in the studio for the follow-up in a state of disunion. Indeed, McCarty had become tired of touring, but chose to remain as a songwriter and studio member (and was trying to build as touring version of the band), and before Illusion was finished, the group had disbanded.

Indeed Keith's failing health was also forcing him to stop touring and wanted to concentrate on writing, Cennamo left for Steamhammer via Colosseum (both the latter would meet up again in Armageddon, Keith's fateful end), Hawken coming and going from the group, then finally splitting for Spooky Tooth and later Strawbs, but was persuaded to finish the album. But by the time things had imploded, the album was still too short for release, and it is the reserve/touring group that produced the final track. So Renaissance's Mk II line-up lasted one studio song, but would tour a few months and be filmed for a Belgian TV special.

Again recorded in the Island studios, but this time produced by Keith instead of Samwell-Smith, Illusion was released in early 71 with no promotion and only in Germany, but comes with a superb cosmic artwork gracing the gatefold sleeve, with a mystic inner gatefold artwork enhancing it. (I base myself on the Repertoire mini-Lp for this, because I've never seen the vinyl with my own eyes.)

Most of Illusion is very worthy successor of the debut (might even be a tad folkier too) and remains well in its continuity (despite the acrimony about musical direction), even if not quite as inspired. And well beyond the track recorded by the Mk II line-up, you can (barely) see the future Mk III line-up peeking through, as Dunford and future external lyric-writer poetess Betty Thatcher each share a credit, but not the same track.

Opening on the rather-poor Relf-only written song of Love Goes On, while not catastrophic, is certainly not a good omen for things to come, but this is thankfully quickly over. The much better Golden Thread renews with the previous album's style (even if it wouldn't manage to find a space on it) and reassures the fans, and features a humming finale heard on Trespass. Next is a first collab between McCarty and Thatcher (nope, not talking politics here ;-))), the good but also ill-fitting (in the album's context) Love Is All, a song that obviously was lifted (and rearranged) by Roger Glover's Butterfly Ball project. As if not enough confusion, the Mk II track Mr Pine is next (I'd have included it last), but sort of announces sonically the future Prologue album with Hawken playing a rare (for Renaissance's Mk I) Hammond organ.

In the Belgian TV broadcast, it would be John Tout that would play this track and the other Illusion tracks they played. Face Of Yesterday returns to the first album's soundscapes (and should've been grouped with Golden Thread, IMHO). The album closes on the lengthy (and over-extended) Past Orbits Of Dust, where the original group is joined by an extra organ player. This track is a bit jammy, comes with incantations, but also augurs Prologue's more psychedelic soundscape.

Definitely not as good as the debut, Illusion is a confused and patchy album (for the reasons stated), but surprisingly still good and a definitely a Renaissance-worthy album, that should not be overlooked, but investigated in a second or third wave. And if you manage to find in its Repertoire mini-Lp form, you might want to go for it a little dsooner than expected, because it is a beauty.

*** Biography ***
There were two groups under the banner of RENAISSANCE. The first group included Keith and Jane RELF (vocals) and came from the YARDBIRDS ashes. The second and better known incarnation produced some of the best music that I have ever heard. Annie HASLAM's five octave range fit perfectly with the classical/orchestral rock (lot of piano playing & full symphony orchestra backup) created by the other members. The quick description I usually give is they are sort of like the old MOODY BLUES with a an incredible female vocalist. The soprano voice of Annie and the piano virtuosity of John TOUT allied to the beauty and refreshing melodies, the refinement of the arrangements gave their music its magnificent splendour.

My favorite RENAISSANCE albums are "Ashes Are Burning" and "Turn of the Cards". I also recommend "Novella", "Scheherezade and Other Stories" and "A Song for All Seasons" are must haves. I would add "Live At Carneige Hall" and "King Biscuit Hour Parts 1 and 2" as their 'prime' material. Plenty to fill a day with class, power and ethereal delights. The best introduction to the band would be the "Tales of 1001 Nights" compilation, which together contain of the band's best material from 72 through 80. Also the very first album from '69 is essential. After 1979, the band moved towards a more pop direction, like many other bands did in the late 70's.

01. Love Goes On (2:51)
02. Golden Thread (8:15)
03. Love Is All (3:40)
04. Mr. Pine (7:00)
05. Face Of Yesterday (6:06)
06. Past Orbits Of Dust (14:39)

Bonus Tracks
07. Shining where the Sun Has Been (02:52)
08.All The Fallen Angels (05:27)
09.Prayer For The Light (05:26)
10.Walking Away (04:21)

♪♫♪ Nyheter (Album på ingång) ♪♫♪

♫♪♫♪ Jag har sedan den 13/6-23 rensat ut Mini LP från min egen samling. Alla album är ospelade och i nyskick ♫♪♫♪

» ♣ « Jag använder mig mer och mer av förköpslistor som skickas ut via email då och då, och som du kan förhandsboka 1 till 2 månader framåt.

Du mejlar tillbaka om du ser något album som du vill köpa, sen mejlar jag dig när jag fått hem det du beställt. Ett bra sätt för dig att se vad som kommer att släppas som Mini LP, då det är lite av en djungel att veta vad framförallt små japanska skivbolag släpper.

Vill du ha listorna så skicka mig ett email till: chrisgoesrock@outlook.com, skriv "förköpslista" som rubrik. Jag behöver även din adress och ditt mobilnummer.

Så här handlar eller byter du av mig:

* Betalning bör ske inom 3 dagar om inte annan överenskommelse gjorts. Betalningen sker till mitt konto på SWEDBANK. Porto tillkommer.

* OBS - VIKTIGT FÖR DIG: Normalt skickar jag alla Mini LP som vanligt brev. Jag kan tyvärr inte ta ansvar för hur posten sedan hanterar försändelsen, om den blir skadad eller ej kommer fram. Om du vill vara säker på att få ditt album så säg till att du vill ha albumet skickat som REK brev eller postpaket, då är du säker på att din vara kommer fram! Jag packar alltid skivorna noggrant och stöttåligt.

* Jag kan väl passa på och säga att jag vid det här laget har skickat över tusen försändelser som vanligt brev och inget av dem har skadats eller kommit bort. Någon missnöjd kund har jag ej heller fått.

* Du köper eller byter av mig genom att skicka en beställning om den CD/CDs du vill köpa till: japan.cd@hotmail.com eller per TELE: 070-774 68 04

* Du kan även hämta albumet hos mig om du bor i storstockholmsområdet och vill spara in på portot.

* Skivan skickas omgående efter det att summan syns på mitt konto.

* Alla mina mina Japanska Mini LP CD's är nya och ligger i obruten förpackning. Jag samlar på dessa Mini LP CD's själv sedan 2009 och köper eller byter till mig dem direkt från Japan. Jag skaffar då till mig dubletter som jag sen säljer eller byter på skivmässor samt på den här Mini LP sidan.

* Om du undrar över något så är du välkommen att mejla eller ringa.

Om Mini LP CDs

Bra att veta om dessa CDs: Replica CDs are official audiophile releases manufactured in Japan with incredible attention to detail. CDs made in Japan are revered by collectors and specialists for their very clean sound, production quality, and they are superior in nearly every way to pressings from other countries.

The Japanese packaging of classic albums in cardboard sleeve miniature is a wonder to behold. Mini-LP CD albums are like precious stones or perfectly cut diamonds.

The superb mastering (often SHM-CD, 20 Bit, 24 Bit, K2, DSD, or HDCD) and resultant sound quality is superior to that of MFSL releases.

Replicas are often the nearly exact duplications of the first pressings of the 12" LPs and everything that was present in the original LP may be included such as gatefolds, booklets, lyric sheets, posters, printed CD sleeves, stickers, embosses, special paper or inks, and die cuts.

In nearly all replica releases a detail sheet is included, and although the text may be in Japanese, the insert will often include the lyrics in English, which is a big plus if the original LP did not include them. Japan promotional strips, also called OBI, are usually included with the package as a way of advertising the CD to the Japanese buying public.

On occasion a replica CD will have bonus tracks included that were part of a later CD release. However, the notes about the bonus tracks are never added to the album artwork, only the promotional strip or the detail sheet. Thus the integrity of the original LP artwork is maintained.

Replica CDs are not officially for sale outside Japan, but they are worth the trouble and cost to get them. Replica CDs are expensive in Japan. New releases of replica CDs cost anywhere from $30 to $60 a piece and Japanese law forbids putting "new" CDs on sale or selling at any price other than listed on the Obi (promotional strip).

Most replica CDs are manufactured in a limited quantity and sell out quite quickly after release. Because of this replica CDs are splendid keepsakes that hold their value and will likely continue to be items sought by collectors.

About Paper Sleeve CD's

The world of paper Jacquet collected the best of technology that Japan is proud of. Work is not only the music, the stunning artwork of the LP era, which has been talked about with its jacket, original color and form, of course, it has been thoroughly reprinted up to the texture and texture of the paper. Especially from the late 60's and 70's, special specification jacket elaborate stiffness are also many announcement, a perfect reproduction of them with miniaturized is also reminiscent of a miniature garden and elaborate model

Utvik Konvolut

Open When the jacket of luxury specifications on the inside, such as photos and lyrics are printed. Because it is similar to the photo of the album, there is a theory that began to call the album LP record for singles. Overseas called gatefold. Front and back, medium surface within bag work of Keefe and hypnosis that was designed (to be described later) in a consistent concept is popular. In addition, 2-Disc LP, etc., open state in the double-jacket that there is a pocket for accommodating the LP to the left or right, but what there is no pocket only one with a single thing called a semi-double jacket, double as their generic name - sometimes referred to as a jacket.

Special Konvolut

That of the jacket with a special design / production process in order to get a personality. It has been originally produced on the basis of a certain standard LP is there, spread and may become like the poster, or attach the 3D (three-dimensional), embossed ( embossing) or the processing, die cut (hollowed out) processing or the, that or use a paper that has been with the textured and pattern, the more attractive for the fans It increases. The box set that was bundled a booklet of materials and bonusand, what made a jacket with a special material.

"Obi" Fliken

EXTRA TILLBEHÖR SOM PÅ ORIGINAL LP'.

BONUS KONVOLUT
Original and different (different) things jacket using the design. Or if the Publisher of the label in the UK and the US different, especially many in the world release of the mid '60s. The SHM-CD / paper jacket of Universal International, for a Def Jacquet title, has been set as much as possible in the form of "bonus paper jacket".

INNERPÅSE
That of the bag to protect the records that are in the inside jacket. Although often nothing of what print is also not pure white, is designed with a jacket and a similar concept, that such as photos and lyrics are printed is reproduced even paper jacket CD. Other, there is also what is referred to as Company Sleeve which has been used the same general-purpose design and other LP that was released around the same time. The foreign Release LP disc was housed directly in these paper bags, Japanese board LP often are housed in clear plastic bag called Shaw Rex.

LÅTTEXTER
Generic name of the hand, adjunct that is not a bag-shaped. Many have described such as musicians, referred to as the ones that are especially me lyrics and lyrics card. Of course, it is the part that is reproduced in the paper jacket CD.

CD ETIKETT
Paper label on the center of the record. Rarely in such singles some of which were the direct printing on PVC material. Artist name, album name, music, music creator, the label name is described, the production process, since the time of jacket printing to others not determined the song order is an important part reveal the recording contents. But usually it is used record company common design, there is also a place that changed the design to the each time as Island Records, become material, even for understanding the issue time of record. In addition, there are also those that are designed with a jacket and a consistent concept. The SHM-CD / paper jacket of Universal International, has this label was two-sided printing (AB surface) "label card" as much as possible inclusion.