Too often overlooked in favor of more shallow collectives, ILLUSION will forever stay in the memory of those who happened to hear songs like “Isadora” or “Madonna Blue” at least once, and it’s a pity that too many a listener forgot about this ensemble. Its members used to be called RENAISSANCE before passing the glorious name on to their touring guitarist and proceeding to pastures new only to resurrect the original line-up of Jim McCarty, Jane Relf, Louis Cennamo and John Hawken – after singer Keith Relf passed away – in 1976 and dust off the title of the second LP they had recorded together five years earlier. What followed was a pair of brilliant albums which showcased McCarty – now a co-vocalist and acoustic guitarist, rather than drummer – as a songwriter par excellence and now make the bulk of a new box set.
Titled “Everywhere You Go” and spanning four CDs, the collection that’s slated for release on February 24th, 2023 includes not only these classic Island platters – 1977’s "Out Of The Mist" (1977) and eponymous album from 1978, produced by McCarty’s colleague in THE YARDBIRDS, Paul Samwell-Smith – augmented with a smattering of previously unissued demos and alternative versions (marked below with asterisk), as well as the group’s third offering, “Enchanted Caress” – laid down in 1979-1980 and put out decades later, plus their reunion effort, "Through The Fire" from 2001. Prepared with the help of the musicians and accompanied by a 24-page booklet with introductions from Jim and Louis, it’s a great souvenir of the times when melodies used to be supreme and arrangements exquisite. Read the review.
Everywhere You Go
CD 1:
1. Isadora
2. Roads To Freedom
3. Beautiful Country
4. Solo Flight
5. Everywhere You Go
6. Face Of Yesterday
7. Candles Are Burning
8. Isadora (demo) *
9. Beautiful Country (demo) *
10. Face Of Yesterday (demo) *
11. Candles Are Burning (early mix) *
12. Isadora (alt. edit) *
13. Isadora (French version)
14. Please Be Home (demo)
CD 2:
1. Madonna Blue
2. Never Be The Same
3. Louis’ Theme
4. Wings Across The Sea
5. Cruising Nowhere
6. Man Of Miracles
7. The Revolutionary
8. Man Of Miracles (demo) *
9. Cherokee Moon (demo) *
10. Sister Helena (demo) *
11. Cherokee Moon (rehearsal) *
Everywhere You Go
CD 3:
1. Nights In Paris
2. Walking Space
3. The Man Who Loved The Trees
4. Getting Into Love Again
5. As Long As We’re Together
6. Slaughter On Tenth Avenue
7. Living Above Your Head
8. Crossed Lines
9. You Are The One
10. All The Falling Angels
Disc 4:
1. One More Turn Of The Wheel
2. Good Heart
3. Glorious One
4. Through The Fire
5. Blowing Away
6. Mystery Of Being
7. Beat Of The Earth
8. Beyond The Day
9. My Old Friend
10. Through The Fire (Reprise)
11. If There Was Something I Could Change?
12. Moving On
