Renaissance
Tuscany

The album is mediocre, so I prioritize a, as much as possible, brief history of Renaissance, made up of rather peculiar vicissitudes at least as peculiar as the music of this group.

It all begins sixty years ago with the Yardbirds, a decent sixties London band oscillating between blues and rock’n’roll, persistently attached to changing guitarists (as long as they’re good... from Clapton to Beck and finally Page) while elbowing their way to full success; to the point of making an appearance in 1966 at the Sanremo festival, greeted foolishly ("gallinacci") by the ignorant presenter Mike Bongiorno.

In 1968 the singer and drummer leave the formation, leaving everything in the hands of Jimmy Page (who will bring out Led Zeppelin, good for him), they reject the rock blues then in full bloom and turn to... romantic folk! Even symphonic.

Thus, they create a new scheme of progressive pop folk song, which with minor variations and rare exceptions will then be repeated largely in their noteworthy discography. They enlist for the venture a classical pianist, the kind that studied at the Conservatory with full marks, and have him play substantial preludes, possible interludes, frequent finales, in short, substantial and professional pianistic rambles for two-thirds of a song, better if inflated with an orchestra, if possible. Debussy and the Russians plundered by the handful, for minutes and minutes.

The two ex-Yardbirds guys, however, quickly tire and leave this venture as well, and would you believe it? Like the Led Zeppelin from the Yardbirds, the group rises from the ashes (this time without changing the name), regains vigor with the introduction of new elements, and reaches notable success within a couple of albums. Without absolutely changing style.

Returning to the typical structure of the songs, the last third not invaded by the piano, usually the central section, sees the arrival of... an acoustic guitar! Because the composer is the guitarist, the pianist only serves to classicalize. The atmosphere calms, becomes... folksy and the singing begins, narrating tales, ancient stories, distant epochs, princes, and sultans and damsels. Said like this, it seems nothing special, but no because the voice is at the level of Fine Arts, Annie Haslam is a nightingale perhaps a bit cold and lacking in soul, but the pathos generated by her exceptionally full and round and penetrating tone, besides being extended in high like a true soprano, works tremendously. Even the Americans fall in love with these sonorous folk operettas of ours and for years the group fills auditoriums with full philharmonics behind them pumping strings and woodwinds. Quite a success, quite a bit of money for a substantial five years of glory, more or less from 1973 to 1978.

Everything changes with the arrival of the eighties, with their strict fashionable and commercial demands. Renaissance tries, like many, to completely recycle themselves in the dominant pop/disco/electronic reality, but they don't have the roots for it and succumb. By 1987 they are finished.

However, the eighties also end, and in the mid-nineties, the group regroups. The survivors are counted, the pianist needs to be replaced because he's depressed, the singer still has all her octaves intact, they can go and they do for another couple of albums and related concert tours.

One of those two albums is this "Tuscany" (2002), dutifully adorned with an evocative farmhouse, iconic cypresses, and inviting dirt road up the hill, as Tuscany demands. But it doesn't work: Renaissance belongs to that portion of Rock Dinosaurs that has not been able to recycle maintaining interest, freshness, incisiveness, quality in new songs.

The sound and style are there: here’s the pianist roaming far and wide, Annie's silvery and radiant voice describing vast melodic spirals, an orchestra pumping in the most triumphant phases, but successful songs are lacking, the right melodies, meaningful passages, unforgettable moments that can stick in your head, at least by the third listen, not to mention the first. There’s nothing disgusting, on the contrary, it’s just all... superfluous. Renaissance is already not for everyone, it requires a dose of inclination towards progressive above average; these last (or penultimate..., there is another more recent album, I think), are almost not for anyone anymore... just for their few die-hard fans.