Camera Camera (Renaissance album)

Infobox Album
Name = Camera Camera
Type = Studio
Longtype =
Artist = Renaissance


Released = 1981
Recorded = 1980-81
Genre = Progressive rock
Length = 45:50
Label = I.R.S. Records
Producer =
Reviews =
*"Allmusic" Rating|3.5|5 [http://wm10.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:w9fwxqt5ld0e link]
Last album = "Azure d'Or"
(1979)
This album = "Camera Camera"
(1981)
Next album = "Time-Line"
(1983)

"Camera Camera" was a 1981 album by progressive rock band Renaissance.

Information about the album

After losing two of their five members and being dropped from their label, Renaissance signed on to I.R.S. Records. The departed members were replaced by keyboardist/singer Peter Gosling and drummer Peter Barron. Given that the new members were not pictured on the album at all, it's unclear just how official their membership was.

Between the previous Renaissance album and this one, Haslam and Dunford had worked with Gosling as a trio called Nevada, releasing two singles and recording several demos. Nevada's somewhat
new wave sound strongly influenced "Camera Camera". One of the "Camera Camera" songs, "Faeries", had previously been recorded (but not released) by Nevada. [Liner notes from the Nevada compilation "Pictures In The Fire", released in 2000]

This album's attempt to blend Renaissance's signature sound with synth pop is largely considered unsuccessful -- due at least in part to the prominence of harsh synthesizer sounds -- but its songs are said to have worked very well in concert. [Liner notes from the "Tales Of 1001 Nights" compilations]

The original U.K. LP release of "Camera Camera" did not include the single "Bonjour Swansong"; but the song has been included on all other releases of the album, including later U.K. ones. [ [http://www.nlightsweb.com/lib/rendisc.htm Renaissance Discography ] ]

This was the last Renaissance studio album to include lyrics by the band's longtime lyricist Betty Thatcher. She wrote the words to "Bonjour Swansong" as "a private goodbye to the group." [Liner notes from the CD reissue of "Camera Camera"]

Track listing

#"Camera Camera" (Camp-Dunford) - 6:05
#"Faeries (Living At The Bottom Of The Garden)" (Dunford-Gosling) - 4:02
#"Remember" (Dunford-Thatcher) - 4:36
#"Bonjour Swansong" (Dunford-Thatcher) - 3:40
#"Tyrant-Tula" (Camp-Dunford) - 6:00
#"Okichi-San" (Dunford-Thatcher) - 6:00
#"Jigsaw" (Dunford-Thatcher) - 5:07
#"Running Away From You" (Camp) - 3:54
#"Ukraine Ways" (Camp-Dunford) - 6:26

Personnel

*Annie Haslam - lead & backing vocals
*Jon Camp - bass, guitars, backing vocals
*Michael Dunford - guitars, backing vocals
*Peter Gosling - keyboards, backing vocals
*Peter Barron - drums, percussion, backing vocals

References