ILLUSION

Despite having none of the band members that would make Renaissance a huge international success in just a few short years, the group's fist album managed to sound like a precursor to the blend of folk, classical and rock that became their signature sound. Here, on the second album, guitarist Michael Dunford joins the band on one track (Mr. Pine), but doesn't dispel the feeling that this is a band in disarray.

Keyboardist John Hawken's notes on the original LP declares that this album is the end of one band (Renaissance) and the beginning of another (Illusion). The album sound somewhat halfhearted, with only a few songs showing any of the spark of the debut. Mostly the songs are plagued with poor, repetitious lyrics, and little of Hawken's classically inspired keyboards that graced the first album.

The exceptions are Golden Thread, a folky song that shows off Jane Relf fine voice, Mr. Pine, written by Dunford, who will become a prime composer in the next version of the band, and Past Orbits Of Dust, an experimental piece that may not be to everyone's liking.

Besides the LP, I also have a tape of a later release of the CD that contains four bonus tracks. I warn you, beware. These tracks are very mundane, and if anything detract from the original album.

Even so, the best I can give this is 2.5 stars, rounded down.