Art N' Soul - Touch of Soul (1996) ☠

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A
Genre: R&B

Label Number: 7567-92655-2

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☠: Selected by Lass

© 1996 Big Beat Records
*No professional reviews available for this release.

tags: art n soul, touch of soul, 1996, flac,

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Caesars Palace (Caesars) - Cherry Kicks (2000) ☠

Country: Sweden
Language: English
Genre: Punk Rock, Pop Rock
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☠: Selected by Lass

© 2000 Virgin/Delores Recordings
Review by Niklas Forsberg Release Magazine.net
My first Caesar’s Palace encounter was back in 1998. The single "Sort It out" had a sudden impact on me, initially not for its greatness, but due to the fact that it was totally different from everything else. Rock’n’roll, pop, psychedelica, punk, dub and electronics all at the same time, with a vague retro shimmer embedded. It may sound like total music chaos, but it sounds logical, like a new nameless genre being born.
"Cherry Kicks" continues where the last album, "Youth Is Wasted on the Young", began. It’s maybe a bit more pure pop now, but still very catchy and likable. More electronics are being used as well, which adds to an even more innovative music mix. Jocke Åhlund, also member of Teddybears Sthlm, has claimed that old krautrock and similar music always has meant a lot to him.
César Vidal may not have the purest of voices, but it has a fair amount of personality and is just the type of vocals that fit this type of sound. The small "but" of this review involves an occasional harmlessness, but it’s almost relaxing not to have to pay wholehearted attention all the time.
The title track, "From the Bughouse" and "Subhuman Girl" have become my favourites so far. But then again, I’m still listening.

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Caesars Palace (Caesars) - Love For The Streets (2002) ☠

Country: Sweden
Language: English
Genre: Pop Rock, Punk Rock
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☠: Selected by Lass

© 2002 Dolores/Virgin Records
*No professional reviews available for this release.

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Caesars - Paper Tigers (2005) ☠

Country: Sweden
Language: English
Genre: Pop Rock
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☠: Selected by Lass

© 2005 Astralwerks
AllMusic Review by Heather Phares
As the sticker on the album cover proclaims, the Caesars' fourth album (and second to receive U.S. distribution) Paper Tigers "features '"Jerk It Out"' as heard in the iPod Shuffle commercial." It's understandable that the band and Astralwerks want to capitalize on the song's success, but this is now the third Caesars' release to include it. "Jerk It Out" originally appeared on the band's 2002 album Love for the Streets, was collected on the 2003 comp 39 Minutes of Bliss (In an Otherwise Meaningless World), and now appears on this album as an extended remix. For better or worse, "Jerk It Out" remains the best song on all three of these albums; even though the remix of it dilutes the momentum that made people pay attention to the song in the first place, it still has more charisma than the rest of Paper Tigers. 39 Minutes of Bliss (In an Otherwise Meaningless World) suggested that the Caesars were becoming too polished and contained to really work as a garage rock-inspired outfit, and on this album the band ditches that sound -- save for a few spiky Farfisa organ riffs here and there -- for a lusher, poppier approach. Occasionally, as on the end-of-summer power ballad "Spirit" that begins Paper Tigers, this sound works, but more often than not, it ends up being ambitious but not distinctive. Songs such as "Out There," "May the Rain" and the aptly named "Throwaway" have pretty melodies and harmonies, but just aren't that memorable. Often, the intricate production ends up overpowering the album's weak songs (although the evocative, Mellotron-laden "Winter Song" comes close to a happy balance between sound and songwriting). "It's Not the Fall That Hurts" -- which keeps some of the hooky, nervy energy of "Jerk It Out" without being a blatant rewrite of that song -- and the cheery pop of "Soulchaser" are two of the too-few highlights on Paper Tigers. Ultimately, it's a flimsy album; though it's pleasant enough as background music, upon closer listening it falls apart.

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Caesars - Strawberry Weed (2008)

Country: Sweden
Language: English
Genre: Pop Rock
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© 2008 Delores Recordings
AllMusic Review by Andrew Leahey
Side B outweighs Side A on the Caesars' fifth album, which features the band's familiar mix of garage rock guitars and power pop melodies. This is the first Caesars release in years not to feature "Jerk It Out," the Farfisa-fueled song that orchestrated iPod commercials through the mid-2000s, and only a few songs here (including the Swedish single "No Tomorrow") feature contributions from that retro instrument. Instead, the band places an emphasis on guitar hooks, most of which are pleasantly rough around the edges but fail to flaunt much staying power. That's the problem with Strawberry Weed; it's an entirely enjoyable album that lacks a high-caliber "Jerk It Out" equivalent. Had the Caesars existed during the '60s -- a decade that this album so consciously emulates -- Strawberry Weed would've been overshadowed by the band's influences, from the Sonics to the 13th Floor Elevators. The group's appeal, then, owes a good deal to the 21st century, since few contemporary bands flaunt the attitude of the '60s (if not necessarily the decade's hooks) as the Caesars. And while nothing on Strawberry Weed can rival "Jerk It Out," the album is still one of the Caesars' best in recent memory, as there are enough affable pop songs to override the filler that clogged Paper Tigers. Situated halfway through the set list, the charming title track kicks off a string of tracks peppered with handclaps, background harmonies, and guitar tremolo. The album ends on a high note (perhaps literally -- the last song, "New Years Day," dissolves into a psychedelic acid rock freak-out that takes a page from the band's druggy forebears), and although Strawberry Weed doesn't lodge its melodies into the listener's brain, it still makes a good case for repeated listens.

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La Oreja De Van Gogh - El Viaje De Copperpot (2000)

Country: Spain
Language: Spanish (Castellano)
Genre: Pop Rock

Label Number: 499572 2

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© 2000 Epic Records
AllMusic Review by Jenny Gage
Even without the reference to Steven Spielberg's kiddie hit The Goonies in the title of La Oreja de Van Gogh's second album, it wouldn't be too hard to date the childhoods of the five college buddies from San Sebastian to the mid-'80s. Lead singer Amaia Montero's giddy soprano and "ooo-sha-la-la" choruses turn El Viaje de Copperpot (Copperpot's Journey) into a trip down new wave-nostalgia-lane, back to the days when the Go-Go's ruled the airwaves and "Vacation" was all they ever wanted. So what if the lyrics all sound a little like verses written by a graduating senior in her ex-boyfriend's yearbook, and the music like something they maybe danced to at the prom? If there are those who would spurn either the memory or the hope of young love, they probably aren't from Spain, where singles "Cuídate" (Take Care of Yourself) and "Paris" became every couple's favorite song, and where "La Playa"'s (The Beach) promise to "write (the listener) the most beautiful song in the world" was understood as its own fulfillment. It's catchy stuff, love. Why resist?

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La Oreja De Van Gogh - Grandes Éxitos (2008)

Country: Spain
Language: Spanish (Castellano)
Genre: Pop Rock

Label Number: 88697331812

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© 2008 Sony BMG Music Entertainment
AllMusic Review by Jason Birchmeier
Following the departure of lead vocalist Amaia Montero from La Oreja de Van Gogh, the internationally popular Spanish pop/rock band released its first greatest-hits collection, LOVG: Grandes Éxitos. During its 11 years together the band released four chart-topping albums -- Dile al Sol (1998), El Viaje de Copperpot (2000), Lo Que Te Conté Mientras Te Hacias la Dormida (2003), and Guapa (2006) -- and a very long list of singles, 17 of which were chart-topping hits. LOVG: Grandes Éxitos compiles 16 of these singles, drawing primarily from El Viaje de Copperpot (2000) and Lo Que Te Conté Mientras Te Hacias la Dormida (2003), the band's two best albums, for 11 of the 16 inclusions. Given the exceptionally high quality of material on La Oreja de Van Gogh's full-length albums, which spawned as many as eight singles apiece, a lot of great songs were overlooked here out of necessity. Fans of the band's most recent album, Guapa, may be particularly disappointed to note that only three of its songs were included, and the same goes for fans of the band's debut, Dile al Sol, which is only represented by two songs. LOVG: Grandes Éxitos is nonetheless an accurate representation of La Oreja de Van Gogh, including standout hits such as "El 28," "Cuídate," "La Playa," "Puedes Contar Conmigo," "Rosas," and "Muñeca de Trapo." While the band's albums are surely worthwhile listens in their own right, filled with songs nearly as appealing as those found here, anyone unfamiliar with La Oreja de Van Gogh will find LOVG: Grandes Éxitos an ideal introduction to one of the Spanish-language world's best pop/rock acts.

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Au Revoir Simone - Still Night, Still Light (2009) ☠

Country: U.S.A
Genre: Synth Pop, Dream Pop

Label Number: OSRC03

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© 2009 Our Secret Record Company
AllMusic Review by Tim Sendra
On their third album, Still Night, Still Light, the dreamy trio Au Revoir Simone don't do anything too differently than they did on their previous release, Bird of Music. The basic structure of the sound (vintage synths/keyboards and drum machines) and voices (winsome leads and rich harmonies) is firmly in place. The palpable feeling of introspection and melancholy is still there, the gentleness of the melodies and sweetness of tone is present also. What has changed is that they seem to crank the melancholy and sadness up just a touch; there are no songs as bright and lovestruck as "Stars" here. Even the uptempo songs with cheerful-sounding melodies like "Anywhere You Looked" and "All or Nothing" have heartbreakingly bleak lyrics. That's not to say the album itself is bleak by any means. The warmth that the group wrings out of its keyboards is enough to dry up the tears, and the fuzzy blanket of sound producer Thom Monahan wraps their sound in gives you a strangely peaceful feeling that makes the sadness seem OK. It also helps that they keep things interesting sonically by changing up their sound throughout the album, with the disco sheen of "Another Likely Story," the unlikely junkshop glitter groove of "Only You Can Make You Happy," the motorik groove of "Shadows," and the doomy synth pop of "Organized Scenery" being most impressive. The straight-ahead ballads like "We Are Here" and "The Last One" are made better by the wide range of sounds that surround them. Thanks to Monahan and the strength of the songs the trio wrote for the album, this stands as Au Revoir Simone's best work so far.

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Various Artists - Dracula 2000: Music From The Dimension Motion Picture (2000)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Industrial, Nü-Metal, Alternative Metal

Label Number: CK 61585

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© 2000 Columbia/Sony Music Soundtrax
AllMusic Review by Steve Huey
The soundtrack to Dracula 2000 is yet another one of those new '90s-metal collections designed to increase awareness of the accompanying film among its young male target audience. The problem here isn't the blatant marketing-department calculation, though -- it's the unevenness of the material. Pantera, Slayer, and Monster Magnet are their usual selves, but the soundtrack is padded out with material from a lot of as-yet-unknown outfits, who don't necessarily separate themselves from the alt-metal pack. Some of the new recordings by bands fairly well-known in the alt-metal community -- Powerman 5000, Disturbed, System of a Down, Static-X, Linkin Park, (hed) P.E. -- are decent, but whether that's enough to carry an entire soundtrack album depends on just how rabid an alt-metal fan you are.

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Changing Faces - Changing Faces (1994)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: R&B

Label Number: 92369-2

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© 1994 Big Beat Records
AllMusic Review by Alex Henderson
Changing Faces' recording career was off to a pleasant, if less than spectacular, start with this self-titled debut album. The name Changing Faces alluded to changing trends in 1990s R&B, which was moving away from hard-driving, hard-edged new jack swing and toward a smoother, softer type of medium-tempo groove. In fact, pretty much everything on this CD (which was produced by R. Kelly, Heavy D, Kenny "K-Smoove" Kornegay, and Devante Swing, among others), favors a medium tempo -- the New York duo doesn't inundate the listener with either ultra-slow ballads or fast, danceable material. Cassandra Lucas and Charisse Rose, collectively Changing Faces, are competent singers -- and while slow jams like "Thoughts of You," "Movin' On," and "Come Closer" are neither mind-blowing nor distinctive, they're likable enough. Not surprisingly, "Foolin' Around" and "Stroke You Up" (both written and produced by R. Kelly) became major hits -- Kelly was huge in 1995, and his Isley Brothers-meets-hip-hop approach was very much in-demand. Even though this slick debut isn't a gem, it let listeners know that Changing Faces had potential.

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That Dog - That Dog. (1994)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Lo-Fi

Label Number: dgcd-99999

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© 1994 DGC/REP
AllMusic Review by Heather Phares
The group's debut is uneven but exciting. The mix of sweet harmonies, crunchy guitars, and scratchy violins makes it an entertaining listen, especially on songs like "Raina" and "Punk Rock Girl."

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Helmet - Strap It On (1990)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Post Hardcore

Label Number: 7 92235-2

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© 1990 Interscope Records
AllMusic Review by Jason Birchmeier
Little noticed upon its initial release, Helmet's debut full-length, Strap It On, left a sledgehammer-like indention upon those few who did hear it at the time and served as the template for the band's successive major-label breakthrough, Meantime -- albeit a very raw and abrasive template that may jolt fans of the band's later work. The nine-song album is a brief one, clocking in around a half-hour, but even such brevity proves wonderfully exhausting by the time you near the last couple songs. In fact, by the time you make it past "Sinatra," one of the album's highlights and also the halfway point, slow fatigue threatens as the riffs continue to hammer away unrelentingly and vocalist Page Hamilton's sometimes-tuneful, oftentimes-bellowing shouting grows seemingly further agonized. The overall relentlessness should be a sheer pleasure to those who enjoy the intensity of metal without the clownish clichés yet, at the same time, enjoy the originality of alt-rock without the pansy passivity. Much like Black Flag and the Jesus Lizard, Helmet plays rabid alt-rock -- teeth-grinding, sweat-inducing, ear-bleeding, head-smashing music that transcends trend and is downright physical for the hell of it. Of course, this shouldn't be news to anyone familiar with Helmet's other albums, yet Strap It On is a less labored, more grating album than any of its successors. Its production is borderline lo-fi, sounding as if the album was recorded to eight-track in a Lower East Side basement, and the tone is consistent throughout, sounding as if the band recorded the songs one after another with little, if any, post-production. As such, the album plays best as a whole, with few tracks standing out except the aforementioned "Sinatra" and the stop-and-go "Bad Mood," which in some ways foreshadows the neck-snapping rapture that would be "Unsung." On the other hand, these very qualities that make Strap It On such a compelling listen also limit its appeal. It's simply too harsh and confrontational for anyone but metal/alt-rock fringe-dwellers, and the utter lack of hooks certainly don't make it any more accessible. Though definitely not the place to begin investigating Helmet's legacy, Strap It On is an album that fans will want to seek out at some point down the line. [Originally release independently by Amphetamine Reptile in 1990, Strap It On was re-released by Interscope in 1991 shortly before the label unleashed Meantime.]

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Helmet - Meantime (1992)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: Post Hardcore

Label Number: 7-92162-2

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© 1992 Interscope Records
AllMusic Review by John Franck
In 1991, Interscope won a ferocious multi-label bidding war (which according to firsthand accounts, pitted an estimated 18 to 22 different labels against each other) and signed Helmet for a reported cool one-million-plus dollars. Under the watchful eye of the record biz, and on the heels of Nirvana's huge commercial breakthrough, Helmet were curiously touted as the next big thing. Unsurprisingly, expectations would never be fully realized. Arguably one of the most influential and overlooked rock records of the '90s, Meantime threw the rule book out the window. Led by the classically trained Page Hamilton, Helmet's bludgeoning riffs combined with their stop-go-stop-go minimalist attack changed the face of aggro-rock. Its importance cannot be overstated. From the Steve Albini-produced title track through "Role Model," the band is relentless. On "Give It," Hamilton spews "killing hurts/has to be done/peace and love/who's number one," and later "the right to give/learn to bleed/it's free/pain is outside/lift it up to see." As the hypnotic riff and John Stanier's piccolo snare echo throughout, the band thrashes through the song like a ten-ton hammer. Again, every song is colored by Teutonic riffs, with only "Unsung" hinting at a gasp of commercial accessibility.

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Helmet - Aftertaste (1997)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Post Hardcore

Label Number: INTD-90073

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© 1997 Interscope Records
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Helmet pushed at the boundaries of their sound with Betty, perhaps too much for their audience's liking -- the album stiffed in comparison to Meantime. As a result, the band returned to straightforward Helmet territory with Aftertaste, restoring grinding guitars and pummeling rhythms to prominence. Theoretically, this approach should have made Aftertaste a more immediate, visceral record, but it is simply numbing. Without the invention of Betty or the gut-level force of Meantime, Helmet is simply a bland alternative metal band, lacking riffs, hooks, and purpose and relying only on volume. It's a shocking and disheartening turn of events for one of the more intriguing metal bands of the '90s.

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Witchery - Dead, Hot & Ready (1999)

Country: Sweden
Language: English
Genre: Thrash Metal
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© 1999 Necropolis Records
AllMusic Review by Paul Kott
Witchery presents a well-produced and disturbing (if somewhat clichéd) offering here. Black and power metal influences combine with a hard-rocking sensibility, reminiscent of Motorhead at times, to create a powerful musical landscape for lyrics that invoke evil and death. The title track alone should make this album an obvious choice for kids who want to scare or anger their religious parents but, for some fans of metal, the spooky cover art and song topics may seem like a horse that's been beaten to death a zillion times over. The lyrical themes -- or any other single element on its own -- are really not what makes this a worthwhile listen, however. The blending of musical styles and delivery may evoke certain tried and true metal themes and approaches, but the band has carefully blended these styles to create a unique delivery that manages to hold the listener's attention, and at times even manages to be exciting and entertaining. While not groundbreaking, this is definitely not a bad attempt by Witchery.

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Witchery - Symphony For The Devil (2001)

Country: Sweden
Language: English
Genre: Blackened Thrash Metal
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© 2001 Necropolis Records
AllMusic Review by Brian O'Neill
By combining the influences of the nascent thrash of the mid-'80s with the increased spittle and gristle of the modern black metal of the band's homeland, Witchery made a name for themselves on the underground. With the release of Symphony for the Devil, the Swedish troupe perfected the admixture and made a classic album on par with some of the legendary artists of the genre. The riffs come at you fast, such as on the chugging neo-classical thrash of instrumental "Bone Mill" and the blow-out-your-doors intensity of "Wicked," or decelerated to grindy mid-tempos, such as on such as on the Motörhead-inspired "Unholy War," and with varied tempos within the parameters of a single song. ("Shallow Grave," for example, melds doomy passages and lightning-quick solos immaculately.) The key is the guitars here, always bigger than life and leading every song like a general would troops to battle. Though the production allows for the other instrumentation to be heard -- witness "Enshrined" and its prominently displayed bouncy, fuzzy bassline -- it is the amazing fretwork that drives Symphony for the Devil to the dizzying heights to which it aspires. Toxine's vocals still resemble a poor-man's Lee Dorian, which isn't to say that he's in need of replacing; however, it's understandable if some see his pipes as the weak link in the Witchery ensemble. But this is a minor complaint. On this, the band's third full-length (not counting an EP and a disc that retroverts to the Satanic Slaughter salad days of bandleader Ztephan Dark), Witchery takes the aggression of the earliest Slayer and Metallica discs to new levels while adding the songwriting abilities that both of those acts would find later. There's nothing watered down about Symphony for the Devil, except for the tears of joy from rivetheads who have been looking for a disc this satisfying for a decade.

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Aura Noir - Black Thrash Attack (1997)

Country: Norway
Language: English
Genre: Blackened Thrash Metal
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© 1997-1999 Century Media
AllMusic Review by Steve Huey
Aura Noir's second album, Black Thrash Attack, was originally the follow-up to the band's 1995 debut Dreams Like Deserts, but was not issued in the U.S. until 1999. the album improved the band's melding of Norwegian black metal with the influence of early European death-thrashers like Kreator, Sodom, and Destruction, setting the stage for their first official domestic release, 1999's Deep Tracts of Hell.

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Black Fast - Starving Out The Light (2013)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Blackened Thrash Metal
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© 2013 Not On Label (Self Released)
*No professional reviews available for this release.

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Black Fast - Terms of Surrender (2015)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Blackened Thrash Metal
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© 2015 eOne
Review by Tony Shrum New Noise Magazine.com
Comparisons can be a bit misleading. In the run-up to Black Fast’s awesome eOne debut, Terms of Surrender, just about every outlet took to comparing the St. Louis band to another band that combines thrash and death metal, Revocation. There are certainly moments and segments of Black Fast’s sound that recall the famed Boston band, but it’s a bit like comparing mac n’ cheese and spaghetti and meatballs. Sure, similar types of ingredients are used for both recipes, and both will fulfill your desire to consume delicious carbs, but it does a disservice to both dishes (and bands) to worry too much about similarities. To be more fair, Black Fast sounds like Revocation, Skeletonwitch, Death, and Goatwhore shoved into a musical blender, with bits of Megadeth and Fallujah spices added in later for added texture.
Quite frankly, you won’t likely be too concerned with dissecting Black Fast’s sound after about 30 seconds of listening to the band; you’ll be too busy headbanging. That’s really what Black Fast does best. While the group certainly has a unique ability to make such a filthy and modern album still have the essence of old-school extreme metal, Black Fast doesn’t really seem that intent on worrying about genre or sound semantics. Terms of Surrender might as well just reference how quickly your lizard brain will take over while listening. This is a majestic heavy album of the highest order, with a keen ability to take you on a wonderful journey throughout this break-out album.
If there’s a complaint to be levied, it’s that, despite the band’s progressive and technical leanings, the songs are a tad formulaic and can eventually become predictable. It doesn’t really bog the record down, aside from making some of the songs blend together. Otherwise, Black Fast, and their brand of techincal metal is fun and furious. They are definitely a band to watch. (Nicholas Senior)

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Black Fast - Spectre of Ruin (2018)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Blackened Thrash Metal
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© 2018 eOne
Review by Max Southall for Distorted Sound Mag.com
As far as aptly-named bands go, BLACK FAST may just take the cake for a sound that deals in equal parts shrieked Schuldiner-esque vocals and ripping thrash. With two records already under their belt gradually building them up to relative acclaim within the modern thrash scene, Spectre Of Ruin, their latest offering, sees them delve further into the progressive soundscapes they’ve flirted with in the past. But the real question is weather this translates to a good record overall.

This is a question that crops up alarmingly often over the 40 minute run-time of Spectre Of Ruin. The basic components of their previous records are there and that’s great because a modern thrash fan into bands like NERVOSA, HAVOK or WARBRINGER is going to be all over this band. As always with BLACK FAST, vocalist Aaron Akin is front-and-centre delivering a phenomenal vocal performance, effortlessly peeling out soulful shrieks and cries that link them to the vocals of the bands listed above.

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Renaissance - Renaissance (2008 Reissue)

*Reissued in 2008 by Repertoire Records. 

Contains 2 bonus tracks. 

7 tracks total.

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Progressive Rock

Label Number: REP 5105

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© 1969-2008 Repertoire Records
AllMusic Review by Bruce Eder
The original group's debut album was a then-groundbreaking meld of progressive rock with classical and jazz influences. The album is a little clunky by today's standards, and far druggier than the later group in its ambience (cofounders Keith Relf and Jim McCarty were the heavily psychedelic half of the final lineup of the Yardbirds, which made them anathema to Jimmy Page), but vocalist Jane Relf had a striking individual style, and the classical influence was unique for its time. [The 2002 Collector's Choice reissue cuts "Sea" and the second version of "Island" from the track listing.]

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Renaissance - A Song For All Seasons (1978) ☠

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Progressive Rock

Label Number: 7599-25959-2

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☠: Selected by Buccaneer

© 1978-1996 Sire Records
AllMusic Review by Bruce Eder
The next to last album by Renaissance as a full-time, ongoing group, A Song for All Seasons was a courageous effort in its time, wearing its classically based progressive rock colors proudly on its sleeve amid the punk and new wave booms that were sweeping across the musical landscape. Vocalist Annie Haslam and pianist John Tout generated some memorably beautiful moments, ably supported by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor/arrangerHarry Rabinowitz. The first two tracks, "Opening Out" and "The Day of the Dreamer," ultimately promise a little more in the way of classically based lyricism than the album delivered; and the harder rocking moments are only fitfully interesting, despite the best efforts of bassist Jon Camp and guitarist Michael Dunford. But the pop tracks here, most notably "Northern Lights," "Back Home Once Again," and the acoustic guitar-driven "Closer Than Yesterday" are appealing on a level that was mostly new to the group. A few more numbers like those, interspersed with the more ambitious works on this album, and Renaissance might have found that wider following that always eluded them. But ultimately the album pulls in one or two too many directions at once, especially on the moody "She Is Love." For a finale, the title track, "A Song for All Seasons," (clocking in at almost 11 minutes) plunges us back into heavily orchestrated art-rock head-first and several yards deep, and succeeds better than most of the group's ambitious suites and song cycles of the second half of the '70s. The album has some gorgeous moments, but coming out at the end of the '70s, it was timed about as poorly as any LP ever issued, in terms of finding an audience -- which doesn't stop modern audiences from savoring its appeal or those moments, three or four decades on.

tags: renaissance, a song for all seasons, 1978, flac,

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