Turn of the Cards

Turn of the Cards is a 1974 album by progressive rock band Renaissance.

Information about the album

• "Things I Don't Understand" was founder member Jim McCarty's last contribution to the band; it had already been performed live for several years when it was finally recorded.
• "Running Hard" quotes a melodic phrase first used in "Mr. Pine" from the Illusion album, as well as the piece "Litanies" by French composer Jehan Alain.
• "Mother Russia" quotes a melodic phrase from the second movement of "Concierto de Aranjuez" by Joaquín Rodrigo.
• Richard Gottehrer, one of the albums three producers, is still at it - having produced the latest album by The Raveonettes' Lust, Lust, Lust.
• The music to "Cold Is Being" is taken entirely from "Adagio in G minor" (attributed to Tomaso Albinoni) and, contrary to the album credits, was not actually contributed to by Michael Dunford. It was, however credited in the back notes: "Thanks to Jehan Alain (for the opening piece of RUNNING HARD) and Albinoni for COLD IS BEING".^[2]
• The first BTM UK pressings had an alternate back cover, with a moody close-up portrait of Annie Haslam framed in one of the 'cards'. Later pressings, and in the US, a rather bland picture consistent in style and size with the other members portraits were added.
• Some credits on the original album were later inexplicably cropped: "Many thanks to Miles Copeland, Julian, Shirley" had originally read, "Many thanks to Miles Copeland, Julian, Shirley, Richard and Natalie Halem."
• This was the last Renaissance studio album to include excerpts from existing classical pieces.^[3]
• In the UK, this was the very first release (BTM 1000) on Miles Copeland's fledgling label, BTM Records (British Talent Managers). In 1977, after releasing a total of 10 albums, including 2 more by Renaissance (BTM 1006: Scheherazade and Other Stories, and a 2 LP, BTM 2001, Live at Carnegie Hall), the label folded due to bankruptcy.^[4]
• The cover picture features Warwick Castle.

Track listing

All songs credited to Dunford/Thatcher except where noted.

1. "Running Hard" - 9:36
2. "I Think of You" - 3:08
3. "Things I Don't Understand" (Dunford/McCarty) - 9:28
4. "Black Flame" - 6:25
5. "Cold Is Being" - 3:02
6. "Mother Russia" - 9:18

Personnel

• Annie Haslam - lead & backing vocals
• Jon Camp (listed as "John Camp") - bass, backing vocals
• John Tout - keyboards, backing vocals
• Terence Sullivan - drums, percussion, backing vocals
• Michael Dunford - acoustic guitar, backing vocals

References