For many fans, Ashes Are Burning stands as Renaissance’s defining moment. While they would go on to further greatness with explorations of their special brand of songwriting and musicianship, this was the album where they fully realized their potential for the first time.
On the way out were the electric guitars, and in their place the more melodic yet no less powerful acoustic guitars of Michael Dunford. Jon Camp’s bass was now up-front and blazing new trails, carrying the melody lines instead of only the songs’ foundations. John Tout’s and Terry Sullivan’s playing became more intricate. Annie Haslam’s voice grew stronger and more confident. And most noteworthy, there was the addition of what made the Renaissance sound complete: the orchestra.
Annie Haslam recalls, "I remember being in the studio with John Tout and when we heard the first arrangement for what they were doing on ‘Carpet of the Sun’ and I just started stared crying, it was so emotional."
Annie was not alone in her affection for the song. For many, it was the first they’d heard from Renaissance. The song was released as a single in the USA, and to this day it remains a popular selection at Annie Haslam’s solo concerts. Another Ashes track, "Let It Grow," was one of the most requested songs during Annie’s 1997 tour of Brazil.
Two Renaissance epics frame the album: "Can You Understand" and the title track. Both songs contain the elements that make Renaissance’s music unique. Each band member is given the spotlight and is allowed to stretch musically, and the moments are never overdrawn or self-indulgent. The interplay between all five members of the group is so tightly knit that the listener is hooked at the beginning of the songs and cannot let go until the ride is over. The amazing thing is that in spite of the precision of the playing, there is a soul within these recordings. "Ashes Are Burning" in particular became the high watermark in Renaissance’s repertoire: for most of their career, it was the song they chose to close each show.
In the USA, the album reached a level of "underground" success thanks to the newly vibrant FM airwaves and the foresighted DJs who inhabited them. Ashes Are Burning was the album that brought many new listeners, especially on the college campuses of the States, into the Renaissance fold.
Over the next six years, Renaissance would continue to evolve their style and create music that touched their audience in a unique way. Their core of fans remains fiercely loyal, which stands as a testament to their work. Ashes Are Burning is the first moment of true brilliance in this wonderful band’s career.