Turn Of The Cards - RENAISSANCE***

Running Hard/I Think Of You/Things I Don't Understand/Black Flame/Cold Is Being/Mother Russia

The progressive folk-rock group Renaissance went through many personnel changes during their existence. However with the highly regarded Turn Of The Cards they retained the same line-up as their previous album, featuring the distinctive voice of Annie Haslam. US:94)

“Many try to bring back the magic spirit of 70s with their music today, but only bands that actually created and played at that time really had it.”

“This is the album where Renaissance fully came of age. Most likely due to the fact that for once they had two consecutive albums with the same line-up. This stability meant that they could finally focus on the music at hand.”

“Annie Haslam's voice is fantastic and it really brings these lyrics alive. I think this album is almost perfect, and is essential for any true progressive rock fan.”

“Renaissance were one of the greatest progressive folk bands of all time. No one ever combined folk with progressive rock like they did, and Turn Of The Cards was their masterpiece. What set Renaissance apart was they had one of the most amazing vocalists in history, the incredible Annie Haslam, whose voice is simply stunning and amazingly powerful. The band's all time greatest song is here in the long and wondrous epic Mother Russia.”

“Not exactly the sort of album that makes cash registers ring, but the formula of simple acoustic guitar songs bolstered by imaginative orchestration and delightful piano playing makes for a very rewarding listen.”

“Some might describe the entire album as downright depressing, and this isn't entirely inaccurate. The haunting tone however, doesn't detract from the pure beauty of either the whole or its individual parts. This is certainly a masterpiece in its own right and offers listeners a level of excellence that the band never managed to equal in any of their subsequent releases.”

“Through the years there have been many great female singers, with powerful, angelic voices. However, none have ever topped Annie Haslam when she was with Renaissance. Her voice had a magical quality and a smoothness that few others had. Though she had no formal training, her voice, seemed to be the most perfectly pure voice of all.”