Customer Reviews

Camera Camera

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Ok - you've got one of the most over-the-top progressive mid-70s bands in history containing in their catalog mammoth concept albums full of endless songs and then... the 80s hit. Somehow they managed to get a recording deal with IRS and release Camera Camera. Considering all the factors this album is a landmark! The songs have a slight edge, are shorter, but still have cool arrangements and, of course, the greatest female voice in history -- Annie Haslam. I just put it on after probably 15 years and I loved it. I saw them a few times back in the early 80s when they were promoting this album. And let me tell you right now -- they rocked. They seriously rocked. What a great trio Dunford, Camp, and Haslam were.

After a 2 1/2 year layoff in recording, Renaissance bassist Jon Camp reunited with vocalist Annie Haslam and guitarist Michael Dunford for "Camera Camera" in late 1981. Joining them was new drummer Peter Barron and keyboardist Peter Gosling, who had recorded demos with Dunford and Haslam (found on the CD "Pictures in the Fire") and a couple of singles under the name Nevada. During those sessions, Nevada began moving away from the classical/progressive music of 70's Renaissance towards synthesizer dominated pop which was the hallmark of the 80's. "Camera Camera" clearly reflects this influence -- Gosling's rather tacky synth stylings are at the center of the sound. Many fans of the band's epic orchestral sound,(provided largely by keyboardist John Tout),were put off by Gosling's staccato, oh-so-80's playing on the title track and "Tyrant-tula" or the harsh discordance of "Jigsaw" and "Remember". And the first single, "Faeries"(co-written by Gosling and demoed by Nevada) is a New Wave dance tune! There are a few bright spots -- Annie is in strong voice, as always, although in a couple of instances her experiments at pop stylization ("Jigsaw" and "Faeries") don't work. Camp's "Running Away from You" is the best pop song here, a catchy upbeat tune that could have been a hit. But the only tune that will strike any resonance with 70's fans is the second single, "Bonjour Swansong", a mostly acoustic mid-tempo ballad from Dunford and longtime lyricist Betty Thatcher. Even so, it's too obvious a clone of the band's biggest hit, 1978's "Northern Lights". On the whole, though, this album's attempt to find a compromise between their classic 70's sound with the dawning techno-pop of the 80's just does not work. For stolid fans of the band only.

I was a huge fan of Renaissance and saw them live when they toured Pennsylvania in 1982. The concert was easily one of the best I have ever attended. Annie's multi-octave range hit the highs and lows with equal clarity & gusto. When I think of the performance of the song, 'Ashes are Burning'... I can still feel the goosebumps on my skin today.

Their tour that year was to promote this album, 'Camera, Camera'. When these techno-pop tunes were intermingled with the classic Renaissance stuff on stage, it worked very well to create a vibrant and energetic concert. I purchased the album the next day.

It's been a while, but I recently dug out my old LP's and this is one of the top-5 albums I missed listening to (I never did purchase the CD). Listening again does bring back some of the emotion of their live performance more than 25 years ago.

In my opinion, this album provides a nice mix of Annie's amazing voice, early-eighties melody and a good sounding production. However, there are really no 'famous' songs here. If you are looking for just one Renaissance album, then I would not choose this one (Tales of 1001 Nights - Vols 1 & 2 or Ashes Are Burning are better picks).

However, if you are a Renaissance fan & want to hear Annie's familiar vocals in a somewhat different genre, then this CD is probably worth a look.

I became a fan of renaissance in the 80's. They became my favorite all time band. I was told that their last two albums (camera camera & timeline)were not any good. It seems they changed their style and the old fans didn't come along. Loving the group so much I tried and failed to find those last 2 CD's for about 10 years. Thanks to Amazon I finally was able to purchase Camera Camera. I blame the old fans for the demise of a great group. If they would have supported this album Renaissance could have kept their recording contract and kept pumping out great music. The symphony backing would have returned in due time. Yes they changed, but this CD is a masterpiece in itself. I love the change in singing style of Annie Haslam. The CD offers variation in the catalog of a great band. I especially love the title song, Remember (with psychedelic sounds), and Ukraine Ways. Never have I been so pleasantly surprised. I listen to the CD all the time. Friends who never heard of Renaissance like it also. So if you heard the same bad rapps about this CD, you may want to give it a try anyway. Although using a synthesizer there is still that classical sound, great arrangement and great singing. I love this variation in the Renaissance sound. Some of their best work is on Camera Camera.

That this previously progressive and interesting band would try to artificially cram themselves into an 80's pop pigeonhole is just sad. Sorry fans....this disc is awful.

With the so called "progressive rock" genre pretty much dead and buried by new wave punk Renaissance entered the 80's firmly abandoning the grand epics and sweeping statements that made their heyday for a straight ahead synth pop sound. The results are hardly compelling, but not quite as dreadful as you might think.

"Camera, Camera" contains more than its share of filler, but also contains some genuinely catchy pop moments such as the shoulda been a big hit single "Bonjour Swansong."

But on the whole this is not an impressive chapter in the band's career. Fans of their earliler work will not be impressed, and synthpop fans aren't overtaking by nostalgia are more likely to seek out examples of the style that were actual hits.

In short, for the most dedicated and devoted of Renaissance fans only.