Description:
(2023) Renaissance - Azure D'Or [Expanded Edition]
Review:
This expanded edition comprises 2 CDs featuring a newly remastered original stereo mix from the original master tapes and additional unreleased bonus material from the album sessions.
Issued in April 1979, the album followed the successful A Song for All Seasons and the hit single ‘Northern Lights’ released the previous year. The line-up of highly gifted vocalist Annie Haslam, Michael Dunford (acoustic and electric guitars), John Tout (keyboards, vocals), Jon Camp (bass, acoustic and electric guitars, vocals) and Terry Sullivan (drums, percussion) had recorded a series of acclaimed albums that fused classical music influences with progressive rock and had earned a loyal following in Europe and had enjoyed wider success in the United States and Japan. Working once again with David Hentschel (who had also produced the albums ‘A Trick of the Tail’ and ‘Wind and Wuthering’ for Genesis), the record featured excellent material such as ‘Jekyll and Hyde’, ‘Kalynda’ and ‘The Flood at Lyons’ and would be the last album by the band’s classic line-up and their last to chart in the UK. — cherryred.co.uk
***
This is one of the better late-era Renaissance albums from the original continuity of the "mark II" lineup of the group (which is the one everyone knows). It's also something of a step up from the two preceding albums, with lush, melodic passages, beautiful lyrics, and some splendid playing by all concerned. Moreover, it rocks pretty well too, songs like "Secret Mission" being one of the better showcases for the group's rhythm section, as well as offering Annie Haslam in a glittering, dramatic showcase for her vocals. Azure d'Or would probably compare very favorably with the group's early albums, but for two major changes in their sound -- the emphasis on the use of the synthesizer, which is a departure from the piano that was prominent in their earlier work, and the extended instrumental passages, which aren't all that interesting and change the focus of the band's music somewhat. Still, the overall sound is compelling, and when Haslam gets a piece of music into which she can sink her teeth, such as "The Flood at Lyons," the results are breathtaking. — allmusic
Track List:
Disc 1
01. Jekyll and Hyde
02. The Winter Tree
03. Only Angels Have Wings
04. Golden Key
05. Forever Changing
06. Secret Mission
07. Kalynda (A Magical Isle)
08. The Discovery
09. Friends
10. The Flood at Lyons
11. Island of Avalon
12. Jekyll and Hyde (Single Version)
Disc 2
01. Jekyll & Hyde (New Stereo Mix)
02. The Winter Tree (New Stereo Mix)
03. Only Angels Have Wings (New Stereo Mix)
04. Golden Key (New Stereo Mix)
05. Forever Changing (New Stereo Mix)
06. Secret Mission (New Stereo Mix)
07. Kalynda (A Magical Isle) (New Stereo Mix)
08. The Discovery (New Stereo Mix)
09. Friends (New Stereo Mix)
10. The Flood at Lyons (New Stereo Mix)
11. Island of Avalon
12. Friends (Extended Version)
13. Jekyll and Hyde (Single Version)
14. Kalynda (A Magical Isle) (Early Version)
15. Forever Changing (Acoustic Demo)
Media Report:
Genre: prog-rock, folk-rock
Country: London, United Kingdom
Format: FLAC
Format/Info: Free Lossless Audio Codec
Bit rate mode: Variable
Channel(s): 2 channels
Sampling rate: 44.1 KHz
Bit depth: 16 bits
Compression mode: Lossless
Writing library: libFLAC 1.2.1 (UTC 2007-09-17)
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