Renaissance [ORIGINAL RECORDING REISSUED]

Vanilla Fudge

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 1, 1998)
• Original Release Date: 1968
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued
• Label: Sundazed Music Inc.
• ASIN: B00000GX0C
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #19,481 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Reissue of their 2nd album with the original cover art intact, plus updated liner notes & three bonus tracks added, 'All In Your Mind', 'Where Is My Mind' and a cover of the Bacharach/ David hit 'The Look Of Love'. 10 tracks total. The group featured drummer Carmine Appice & bassist Tim Bogert. 1998 Sundazed release.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Likely Their Magnum-Opus, February 23, 2002

By	Hans Pfaall (Connecticut, USA) - See all my reviews

This album was a fine example of progressive rock, and at the same time, had arguably the most heavy metal credibility out of all the band's releases. For Vanilla Fudge, the album was also the first to feature predominantly original compositions. Some of the highlights were the albums first two tracks, The Sky Cried, and Thoughts. The former featured some excellent guitar work, and is one of the most intense songs the band ever recorded. The latter started off in relaxing fashion before pounding into the bands trademark heaviness. It is the opinion of this writer that usually the best heavy metal has a density of instruments combining, as opposed to sheer volume. This statement would undoubtedly apply to the Fudge, as the organ and fuzz combine for the unparalleled density previously described. There really are not any "obviously inefficient" tracks, arguably making this the band's most consistent album. The album ends with what has to be the most intense version of Season of the Witch ever recorded, and a poem read in a most unusual voice. This version is reminiscent of Vanilla Fudge's earlier version of Eleanor Rigby, but has a paranoid energy that puts it in a class all by itself. The bonus tracks are generally good, with All In Your Mind and Where is My Mind both being effective soul/pop fusion, but the bonus cuts really do not go along with the original album's seven songs. Overall, the album is an emotional roller coaster ride with much mystery and despair. In the opinion of this writer, it is the best album by the band, and is strongly recommended.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Masterpiece!, August 3, 2000

By	Tony Allen (Lane Cove, N.S.W. Australia) - See all my reviews

To my tastes, this is the greatest rock LP ever recorded!

Renaissance has a dense, intense sound that permeates every track. It is an emotional whirlpool...

...the introspection of "Thoughts", the triumph of "Thats What Makes A Man", the bliss of "Paradise", the desperation of "The Sky Cried When I Was A Boy" to the utter horror of "The Spell That Comes After".

Played a high volume, the overwhelming climax on "The Spell That Comes After" will plaster you to the back wall whilst the poem in the middle of "Season of the Witch" will make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck.

It has a consistency of style throughout from the opening crash to the spooky whistled signature of "the beat goes on" at the end, always intense and often at the point of mental and physical breakdown. Blistering guitar (Vince Martell must surely be the most under-rated guitarist of all time) drenched in Hammond organ pumped through a wall of Leslie speakers backed by one of the best rhythm sections ever, not to mention Mark Stein's powerful emotional vocal.

No other record sounds like this record, it is truely unique.

I am surprised that David Loftus's review said that Tim Bogert suggested that the LP was a contractual toss-off. He was almost certainly refering to "Rock & Roll" (which was recorded whilst the band was breaking up), since I know that Vince Martell considers this LP his career highlight.

The Sundazed edition has the best sound ever for this record since the original masters (complete with splices etc) were dug out of the Atlantic archives for this release. The bonus tracks are fine and useful but don't quite fit into the style of the original LP. Where Is My Mind/The Look of Love was a single from the "Beat Goes On" period and "All In You Mind" was an outtake not released until recently. These three tracks might have been on the second LP if Shadow Morton hadn't convinced them to record his "master-work" ("The Beat Goes On").

If you like intense heavy music buy this!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great psychedelic rock, June 7, 2002

By	Marcel Wild (Matieland 7602 South Africa) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I wouldn't agree with Tony Allen that this is the greatest rock LP ever made (that honour goes to "Every good boy deserves favour" of the Moody Blues), but it likely ranks among my all time top 15 CD's, and it features some of the best psychedelic music I'm aware of! I agree with other reviewers that there is no weak song on this album, my favorites being Thoughts, That's what makes a man, Season of the witch. If you like this type of psychedelic music, check out Jefferson's Airplane's "After bathing at Baxter's", or the 17 minute epic "In held twas in I" from Procol Harum.