Renaissance – Novella (2011)
Artist: Renaissance
Album: Novella
Genre: Symphonic Prog
Label: Repertoire Records
Year Of Release: 1977/2011
Quality: FLAC (tracks+.cue)
Tracklist:
1. Can You Hear Me? (13:39)
2. The Sisters (7:14)
3. Midas Man (5:45)
4. The Captive Heart (4:12)
5. Touching Once (Is So Hard to Keep) (9:22)
Personnel:
– Annie Haslam / lead & backing vocals, percussion
– Michael Dunford / 6- & 12-string acoustic guitars, backing vocals
– John Tout / grand piano, synths, Hohner clavinet, percussion, backing vocals
– Jon Camp / bass, Moog bass pedals, cello (2), acoustic guitar, co-lead (4) & backing vocals
– Terence Sullivan / drums, percussion, tubular bells & timpani (3), backing vocals
With:
– Richard Hewson / orchestra arrangements & conductor
Just another sublime Renaissance album! Following the marvelous “Song for Scheherazade”, Novella still has many of its magical moments. There are wonderful orchestral arrangements, unforgettable melodic piano parts, and the bass is well played, sophisticated and absolutely not timid. Annie’s voice is superb, as always, and the other musicians produce excellent backing vocals. There are harp, small bells, tubular bells and acoustic guitar. The keyboards fit well with the symphonic ensemble. The influence is, again, very baroque and progressive. There are some mellow, delicate, mystical & dreamy bits which are really addictive. If you like the previous album, then you should like this one too.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Review by greenback
