Can You Hear Renaissance?
Alan Caylow | USA | 01/06/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Annie Haslam & the boys have done it again---they've made yet another superb album! 1977's "Novella" is a beautiful Renaissance disc, one of the group's best, and further evidence that this was one very special band that deserved much bigger success than what they got, rather than being relegated to cult status (though strong the cult of Renaissance fans are!). Just five songs long, "Novella" finds Renaissance once again taking the listener on an incredible musical journey. The album's music is rich with emotion, atmosphere, and power, all great hallmarks of this great band. The 13-minute "Can You Hear Me?" is an absolutely stunning piece that will take your breath away. "The Sisters" and "The Captive Heart" are both very lovely. The acoustic strummer "Midas Man" is a fabulous song, memorable and hypnotic, and one of the band's greatest tunes. And the grand finale, "Touching Once (Is So Hard To Keep)" is a real tour-de-force for the group, starting off as a ballerina-esque piano piece, before switching gears into full-on classical/prog rock. It's marvelous. Once again, major kudos to Annie Haslam (ah, what a voice!), Michael Dunford, Jon Camp, John Tout and Terrence Sullivan for creating another musical masterpiece. "Novella" is an outstanding Renaissance classic."