What Are You Listening To?

[Ruby]

Renaissance. I know Annie Haslam's voice but for some reason, never really listened to the Renaissance albums. I'm on the third now, and I went backwards. Quite normal for me! LOL! Starting with Grandine il vento or Symphony of Light as it is latterly known.

I liked it but as I listened couldn't help thinking that it really was just a vehicle for that voice, which despite its five octave range, became a leeetle wearying after a while. She was 67 when the album was recorded (only two of them from the original line-up) and the difference between the earlier albums I went back to, and this, is marked. She still has it, make no error but there's an effortlessness (is that a word? It looks weird suddenly??) in 1973's Ashes are Burning, and 1975's Scheherazade and other Stories whereas in 2014 she sometimes seems to have a harsher tone. Also, her own lyrics are not up to the same standard as those of Betty Thatcher who wrote most of the lyrics for the band in the beginning. And then there was the band as a whole - it was a much more complete sound. Hmmm - I will probably try out a few more, I think ...

Incidentally - Ms Haslam also paints and this is her cover art - "Immortal Beloved" from Symphony of Light ...





"Ocean Gypsy" from Scheherazade ...