Tales of 1001 Nights, Vol. 1
Like a prog-rock Pentangle, Renaissance served up a pleasing melange of classical, Celtic, pop, and rock influences that reached its peak during the mid-'70s recordings anthologized here. Live renditions of "Can You Understand" and "Carpet of the Sun" prove the band was as technically proficient (and long-winded!) on stage as they were in the studio. Annie Haslam's sweetly operatic vocals are complemented by orchestral-strength rock arrangements, including that obligatory Rickenbacker bass sound. With the inclusion of "Running Hard" and "Mother Russia," this collection features most of the band's best-known songs, although "Ashes Are Burning" is conspicuously absent. (Had to save something for volume two.)--Billy Grenier