Check out the new concept album from Rusty Shipp!
Check out the new concept album from Rusty Shipp!

JFH Music Review


Mark Schultz, Renaissance
CLICK COVER TO ENLARGE

Mark Schultz
Renaissance



Artist Info: Discography
Album length: 10 tracks: 36 minutes, 42 seconds
Street Date: September, 2011


Take one large part Michael W. Smith, Freedom era, one part Jim Brickman on a very good day, toss in just a pinch of George Winston, and you've got Mark Schultz's Renaissance. Inspired by a trip to Europe, this project was conceived, birthed, and largely recorded in Florence, Italy. The finished product plays like a little string of musical post-cards. And what lovely post-cards they are.

The "Highlands" beckon with all the right pipes and whistles. The "Road to Girona" is joyful and full of promise. "Normandy" swells with solemn patriotic pride. "Snow in Paris" is quietly magical. The "Cathedrals" rise majestically. "Leaving Florence" is bittersweet. But at the end of the journey, "Coming Home" plays like a landing plane and a car rolling into a familiar driveway, to the tune of a romping piano and B-3 Hammond.

The title aside, there isn't anything authentically Renaissance-sounding about the project, so if you were looking for medieval lutes and lyres, you'll be disappointed; this is straightforward orchestrated pop. As mentioned earlier, it bears many resemblances to Michael W. Smith's instrumental project, Freedom. One could take a number of the tracks on Renaissance and simply pair them up with similar tracks on Freedom (e.g. "Normandy" and "Freedom," "Leaving Florence" and "The Giving," etc). The main difference between the two albums is that Renaissance is a little less epic, a little more focused on the piano. In fact, it never uses a full orchestra. However, many of the pieces would still feel right at home in a movie soundtrack.

If I could point out a weakness of the project, it would be that a few of the pieces sound over-produced -- "too Nashville," if you will. This can be a bit of a distraction in the midst of what is mostly a very lush, mellow album. "Off the Map" is a particularly odd track, jerking from peaceful piano to heavy drums and ominous strings to electric guitar angst and back to peaceful piano again. "Letters" is lovely, but, again, could have been better without the whole "works." Simply keeping it stripped down to the piano like "Road to Girona" would have improved it greatly. Speaking of "Road to Girona," it is without question my favorite track on the project. It's the dash of George Winston in the mix --a strikingly gorgeous piece that will send you careening to the piano to pick it out for yourself (if you're like me anyway).

Another small complaint is that the liner notes don't indicate which tracks actually feature Mark's piano playing and not another studio musician (he shared the load with Jason Webb and Bob Cooper). Fun tidbit: All the piano was recorded at St. Mark's Church in Florence.

But there is, really, not much to complain about on Renaissance. Fans of Mark will obviously snap this up, but this is good music that deserves a spin even for casual fans. You've heard the singer/songwriter side of Mark Schultz for the last decade. Now he unveils a new side: composer.

JFH Reader Review: Review date: 10/29/11, written by Beth M. for Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!




(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

 

. Record Label: Lucid Artist
. Album length: 10 tracks: 36 minutes, 42 seconds
. Street Date: September, 2011
. Buy It: FamilyChristian.com

  1. Highlands
  2. Road To Girona
  3. Autumn
  4. Normandy
  5. Letters
  6. Snow In Paris
  7. Off The Map
  8. Cathedrals
  9. Leaving Florence
  10. Coming Home

 

Leave a Comment


 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 

 

                 
Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

Search JFH



This Friday, June 27, 2025
ALBUMS
7eventh Time Down We Praise You [BEC]
The Browns 25th Anniversary: Better Days Ahead [StowTown]
Franni Cash Wild Child - EP [Capitol CMG]
Matt Crocker interlude [Anotherland]
Jimmy Fortune Songs of an American Dreamer [Gaither]
Roxanne Grace Road Trip - EP [DREAM]
JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise The Live Reunion: Washington, DC [James Town]
Kutless The Seventh Seal - EP [BEC]
Evvie McKinney It Ain't Over - EP (independent)
Rusty Shipp Capsized Empire (independent)
SEU Worship A Forgiving God [Provident]
The Shimmering Carnelians The Doorway (Version 2.0) (independent)
We Are Messengers A Thousand Times - EP [Curb]

SINGLES
Anchor & Braille Rattlesnake - Single [Equal Vision]
ANTHNY imposter syndrome - Single [Provident]
Blanca Right On Time - Single [Curb]
Landry Cantrell & Elenee sunshine & rainbows - Single [DREAM]
Eddie Clark Never Content - Single [Syntax]
Colony House Atomic - Single [Roon]
Megan Danielle Preachin' To The Choir - Single [Provident]
Drea LP & OnBeatMusic Don't Try Me (DTM) - Single [Syntax]
Joseph Habedank Running to Me - Single [Daywind]
Lonnie Hunter Flow (Like A River) - Single [Uncle G]
Kashh Kade HELP - Single [Syntax]
KB x KEANU Keanu's Song - Single [Provident]
Tasha Layton Singing In the Dark - Single [BEC]
Tasha Cobbs Leonard The Hand That Keeps Holding - Single [Motown Gospel]
Tim Lovelace Celebration of America Medley (feat. Charlie McCoy) - Single [StowTown]
Lecrae Tell No Lie (feat. Jackie Hill Perry) - Single [Reach]
LO Worship The Perfect Love of Jesus - Single [Integrity]
Patrick Mayberry Thank The Lord - Single [Provident]
Michael Monroe John The Baptist (feat. Chris Renzema) - Single [Provident]
Alexander Pappas A Great Awakening / Un Nuevo Despertar - Single [Integrity]
PEABOD Summer in Seattle - Single [RMG Amplify]
Rave Jesus Walk On The Water Remix (From The Chosen) - Single [Provident]
The Rocky Valentines Nat Song - Single [Velvet Blue]
Saints In Exile & Cutright My Dead End (ft. Jeannie Ortega, Luc DiMarzio, Jericko) - Single [Syntax]
Emilie Weiss Take Care (Studio Sessions) - Single [BEC]

DVD
Jimmy Fortune Songs Of An American Dreamer DVD [Gaither]

Next Friday, July 4, 2025
ALBUMS
Chad Cory America [DREAM]
Tenielle Neda The Way Of Love [Wings]

SINGLES
Christian Back Now - Single [DREAM]



For all release dates, click here!
 

Check out depositphotos for royalty free images