While Renaissance started to veer from prog rock to new wave pop, Annie Haslam and Roy Wood concocted this little gem to hold over the prog fans. Annie in Wonderland is whimsical, fanciful, and verging on precious. One of the highlights is the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic "If I Loved You" (which acts as a precursor for Haslam's One Enchanted Evening album). It is interesting to compare the version of "Nature Boy" on this CD with her post-Moulin Rouge interpretation of the song on One Enchanted Evening. In both versions, Haslam gets right to the heart of this beautifully soulful song. Haslam brings the pipes, Wood makes sure to keep it weird -- and the result is something for early Renaissance fans who missed the band's far more interesting swing toward the mainstream. Interestingly, it would be 22 years before Haslam would release another solo album. ~ Tomas Mureika, All Music Guide
Annie Haslam (Vocals), Annie Haslam (Vocals (Background)), Annie Haslam (Main Performer), Annie Haslam (Photography), Annie Haslam (Title), Annie Haslam (Booklet Design), Louis Clark (Synthesizer), Louis Clark (Flute), Louis Clark (String Arrangements), Louis Clark (Brass Arrangement), Louis Clark (Choir Arrangement), Louis Clark (Polymoog), Roy Wood (Guitar (Acoustic)), Roy Wood (Bass), Roy Wood (Guitar), Roy Wood (Arranger), Roy Wood (Balalaika), Roy Wood (Cello), Roy Wood (Drums), Roy Wood (Guitar (Electric)), Roy Wood (Keyboards), Roy Wood (Saxophone), Roy Wood (Wind), Roy Wood (Producer), Roy Wood (String Bass), Jon Camp (Guitar (Acoustic)), Jon Camp (Bass), Jon Camp (Guitar), Jon Camp (Vocals (Background)), Jon Camp (Bass Pedals), Dave Donovan (Drums), Dick Plant (Vocals (Background)), Dick Plant (Engineer), Barry Kidd (Assistant Engineer), Michael Dakota (Photography), Linda Hennrick (Transcription), Kaz Akaiwa (Liner Notes)
Annie in Wonderland is the first solo album by Annie Haslam, vocalist with the 1970s band Renaissance. Produced by the multi-talented Roy Wood, who also wrote some of the material, the album features a range of musical styles enabling Haslam to experiment with vocal styles outside the ethos of Renaissance. The range for which Haslam is well-known is still apparent, however, especially in the showcase number "Rockalise". The album peaked at #167 on the Billboard "pop albums" chart.[1]
Annie in Wonderland was originally released in a gatefold sleeve featuring original artwork by Roy Wood. Many of John Tenniel's characters from Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland appear, in particular the Knave of Hearts (as a teddy boy), the March Hare (as a football supporter), and the caterpillar (as Wood himself) - the caricatures are reasonably faithful to the original illustrations. The interior features photographs of the performers, friends and family as well as the track listing and credits.
Personnel
(rendered as on the album sleeve)
“
Annie Haslam - lead vocals and backing vocals
Roy Wood - electric and accoustic [sic] guitars, bass gtr, string bass, cello, balalaikas, saxaphones [sic], drums, bass clarinet, trumpet, african drums, percussion, string ensemble, moog, piano, clavinet, backing vocals
Jon Camp - bass guitar on 'i never believed in love', 'nature boy' and 'inside my life'. together with bass pedals and accoustic [sic] guitar on 'if i were made of music'. backing vocals on 'inside my life'
Dave Donovan - drums on 'nature boy' and 'if i were made of music'
Louis Clark - polymoog on 'rockalise', flute on 'going home', also string arrangements 'rockalise' and brass arrangements and choir arrangements 'going home'
