LIVE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL WITH THE ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA PART 2

This is the original album which I bought and reviewed as Mother Russia one year ago.

If this review sounds like the same as I did for Live at the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Part 1, one month ago, it is for a reason. I see no reason to invent the wheel twice.

An explanation is required, I guess. A Dutch label called Disky took this album and the part one album (which they re-released as Can You Hear Me), changed the songs around and re- released this mid-price album in a cheap packaging and bad sound. Fools like myself bought it. I have no regrets, actually, although what Disky did is nothing but a rip-off. But the original album Live at the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Part 2 (this album) is rather expensive and very difficult to get hold off.

Live at the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Part 2 is a lot better album than Disky's Mother Russia. The songs flows better into each other. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra adds more depth to the songs too.

The difference between this album and Vol 1 is that this album has all the long songs. The good songs in my view. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra orchestration is not that dense on this album too. The songs therefore finds more life and Rennaissance finds more space to express themselves. Something that really shows here. This is Rennaissance at almost their best. Some would argue; at their best.

Mother Russia, Running Hard and Prologue is brilliant here. Ashes Are Burning with it's very long hypnotic spaced out improvisation piece is simply stunning. It is perhaps my overall Rennaissance favorite. You is a new good song, but the weakest track here by many miles.

So, what's my gripes with this album ? I am here repeating what I wrote about Volume 1: I think it is a rip-off when one concert is being released as two full price albums. This makes me angry because we, their fans, deserve a bit of respect from the record label and the band.

But Volume 2 is clearly a better album than Volume 1. I think it in it's own right is a very good live album. But can we now get both albums re-released as a double CD for a normal price ? I think we, your dedicated fans, deserve this. OK ?

4 stars