Prologue

The first album by the '70s (i.e. Annie Haslam) version of Renaissance is a transitional work, rooted in more standard hard rock sounds (including psychedelia) than what followed. One can spot the difference, which may please some listeners and put others off, in the fairly heavy guitar sound of "Prologue," Rob Hendry's electric instrument playing both lead and rhythm parts prominently at various times behind Annie Haslam's soaring vocals and adjacent to John Tout's piano.

Joining the likes of Winterhawk, Amulet, and Truth and Janey in the role of obscure Midwestern hard rock bands to have their '70s recordings belatedly reissued by Monster Records was seemingly not enough to satisfy Kansas City's JPT Scare Band, who proceeded to launch their own imprint in the wake of 2000's favorably received Sleeping Sickness CD in an attempt to expose any newfound fans to even more of their music, both old and new. The oddly named Kung Bomar was that imprint, and 2002's Past Is Prologue its first product, which amazingly revealed that the core trio of vocalist/guitarist Terry Swope, bassist Paul Grigsby, and drummer Jeff Littrell, had in fact carried on with their basement jam sessions for nigh on 30 years, in spite of the general public's complete ignorance of heir existence.

The first album by the '70s (i.e. Annie Haslam) version of Renaissance is a transitional work, rooted in more standard hard rock sounds (including psychedelia) than what followed. One can spot the difference, which may please some listeners and put others off, in the fairly heavy guitar sound of "Prologue," Rob Hendry's electric instrument playing both lead and rhythm parts prominently at various times behind Annie Haslam's soaring vocals and adjacent to John Tout's piano. "Kiev" may also startle some longtime fans, since Haslam doesn't handle the lead vocals, the male members' singing being much more prominent. The ethereal, flowingly lyrical "Sounds of the Sea" is the cut here that most resembles the music that the group became known for in the years ahead, and shows Haslam singing in the high register for which she would become famous.

The first album by the '70s (i.e. Annie Haslam) version of Renaissance is a transitional work, rooted in more standard hard rock sounds (including psychedelia) than what followed. One can spot the difference, which may please some listeners and put others off, in the fairly heavy guitar sound of "Prologue," Rob Hendry's electric instrument playing both lead and rhythm parts prominently at various times behind Annie Haslam's soaring vocals and adjacent to John Tout's piano.