Thursday 19 March 2015

Lovely Illusion Songs (formerly Renaissance)


For those familiar with the original version of the band Renaissance, Illusion was essentially that band reformed later in the 1970s. They had some excellent and lovely songs.  Here are three of their recordings, beginning with this beautiful, dreamy, and romantic Pre-Raphaelite painting in song, 'Beautiful Country':  




'Isadora':


'Nights In Paris':
 

Thursday 8 January 2015

Stackridge



 Here are some examples of fanciful, imaginative music by Stackridge, a great band who had many wonderful, melodic songs full of clever and amusing stories on their various albums.  Personally, I have a penchant for witty, very English music with a hint of good old-fashioned eccentricity, you really can't go wrong!  The first selection is 'Pinafore Days':

and here is 'The Galloping Gaucho':

Both were from the album 'The Man In the Bowler Hat' a fine album produced by George Martin.
Here they are going retro again, perhaps a 1920s mood, with this performance of 'Dancing On Air, on the Old Grey Whistle Test: 


'Anyone For Tennis'?