JDIZZY's 365 # 107: Island

Island - Renaissance (1969)

Progressive rock makes for a very strange family tree. Lineup changes plague almost every major group in the genre (Remember Emerson, Lake and Powell? How about The Buggles-led Yes?) However, none come close to Renaissance. By the time Annie Haslam took the band into the British Top Ten, not a single original member remained! Annie's version is transcendent, beautiful music, but my pick comes from their debut album, when Keith Relf of The Yardbirds was their leader. He started the group because he wished to explore the combination of Rock, Folk and Classical sounds. This strain would run through the remainder of Renaissance's existence, but this track lead the way for all that was to come. One thing's for certain: it's a long way from "For Your Love"!