New York Renaissance Band Illusion CD

New York Renaissance Band/Renaissance/Renaissance: Jim McCarty , Keith Relf.

Renaissance's last official studio album before the band called it quits. It embarks further on the new wave theme the band had been building through "A Song for All Seasons" and "Azure d'Or" and had really brought into full bloom when they switched labels to IRS and released "Camera Camera" two years earlier. It's the same kind of new wave-prog hybrid as "Camera Camera," with anachronistic -- but irresistible -- little numbers like "Richard the IX." The majority of the record is written by Jon Camp and it has his signature pop savvy. "Flight," "Auto-Tech," and "Orient Express" are solid new wave contenders. An enjoyably peppy record. And a tragically short demise to a singularly unique band. (Renaissance would reunite over 15 years later.) ~ Tomas Mureika

The second Renaissance album is the least-known in the group's entire output, having originally failed to get released anywhere except Germany. Although it is a much less bold, more smoothly commercial album, Illusion was also the work of at least three distinctly different lineups representing the group, Jim McCarty dropping out from playing after an illness, and Keith Relf and Louis Cennamo exiting the performing lineup soon after, while Jane Relf played some gigs with John Hawken acting as leader of a new ensemble. It was around this time that the words of lyricist Betty Thatcher started turning up in the group's work and on this album, and guitarist Michael Dunford started writing as well. The results here aren't quite as hard rocking as the previous album -- acoustic guitars supplant electric and Jane Relf's vocals are hooked around a mix of art rock and art pop melodies, without any trace of the psychedelic or freakbeat echoes of the previous album's work. One song, "Mr. Pine," contains an instrumental bridge that Dunford later folded into "Running Hard" in a more developed guise. The lighter textures anticipate the sound of the later lineup of the group, while some of the pop-oriented material harkens back to what Relf and McCarty had in mind for a sound in 1969. ~ Bruce Eder

Digisleeve CD Remastered. The package includes detailed, extensive liner notes, including an exclusive new interview with founder member Jim McCarty, by respected author and journalist Chris Welch expertly remastered-superb sound-top quality reproduction. 5 tracks.

Renaissance: Keith Relf (vocals, guitar); Jane Relf (vocals, percussion); Jim McCarty (vocals, drums); John Hawken (keyboards); Louis Cennamo (bass).

Additional personnel: T. Crowe (vocals); M. Dunford (guitar); Don Shin (electric piano); Neil Korner (bass); T. Slade (drums).