COLOSSEUM

By the time you get to Beware the Ides of March, you get more classical influences, with Dave Greenslade on keyboards and Dick Heckstall-Smith on sax in particular showing that anything Procol Harum were doing at this time, Colosseum could match. On the other hand, By the Road She Walked Before ends up being fairly conventional light psych-tinged pop, and perhaps the shortcoming of the album is the sheer range of styles it tries to incorporate, not all of which are created equal and some of which taste decidedly like filler.

1. "Jumping Off the Sun" (3:00) psych rock in a GENTLE GIANT vocal form. The music is a bit closer to the psych rock bands of the late 1960s--like SPIRIT but those vocals sound just Derek Shulman. The musicianship is very high, very tight. (8.75/10)

2. "Lost Angeles" (5:30) this one sounds like a sophisticated THE WHO song with Paul Weller singing the vocal. Drummer Jon Hiseman is so good that you can tell that the rest of the band feeds off of (or is driven by) his powerful skill. Great Jimmy Page-like guitar solo from David Clempson in the third minute. The rest of the band around him (including a second guitar track) are equally great: all focused on delivering the unmitigated CREAM-like power that Hiseman and the spirit of this song seem to demand/require. I can finally hear Dick Heckstall-Smith's sax in the final minutes of this one. Excellent song. (9.3333/10)

3. "Elegy" (3:26) a famous song that brings to mind both SPENCER DAVIS and BRIAN AUGER. Guest vocalist James Litherland has a great, soulful voice. The song's basic chord progression and melodic hooks work very well: a very memorable song. The role of the soprano sax and Neil Ardley's strings is noticeable but not a major contributor. (9.66667/10)

4. "Butty's Blues" (6:45) yes, full on organ-lead blues: the first song on which Dave Greenslade gets to really shine. He's very good--with an excellent horn arrangement behind him from Neil Ardley and excellent bass and drum play from Tony Reeves and Jon Hiseman. Once the amazing "big band" intro is over at 1:28, the song turns into a very typical blues/blues-rock tune--like something JOHN MAYALL or ROBIN TROWER would do. But then the horns return to remind us of the modern juxtaposition and Dick's tenor sax takes a solo in place of the second vocal verse. The dynamic whole-band finish is awesome! I normally don't like blues/blues rock but the participation of the horns makes this very dynamic and exciting. (13.5/15)

5. "Rope Ladder to the Moon" (3:42) an outlier in that this song had not appeared on any previous Colosseum releases, the song was picked up Jack Bruce and made more famous as one of his anthemic concert favorites. It is a very cool song with great vocal, lyrics, melodies, and full-band support music. Rated up purely on the vocal performance & clever lyrics (and delivery). I have the feeling that this song may also have been influential to Derek Shulman and his brothers. (9/10)

6. "Bolero" (5:28) one might laugh upon seeing this title on the page but the band actually do Ravel's original quite some justice with this heavy, full power-rock version. Nice keyboard and sax play over Jon's impeccable drumming, but it's David Clempson's fiery, bold-like-TERRY KATH electric guitar solo that really gives it its unique identity. It is one of those great, truly original and, therefore, iconic guitar solos. As a matter of fact, it's so good (and the rest of the bands' performance on his coattails) that you are actually transported into forgetting that this is Ravel's "Bolero"!! (9.125/10)

7. "The Machine Demands a Sacrifice" (2:48) another song lifted off of the previous year's Valentyne Suite album, this one has a psychedelic feel not unlike that of Iron Butterfly's "In-a-gadda-da-vida"--especially in the drum-and-bass- centered music. (8.75/10)

8. "The Grass Is Greener" (7:31) one of the pieces lifted from the actual "Valentyne Suite," this one is gentler and more prog-tempered than the album's other tunes--probably because it's an instrumental on which the band hope to show off their skills as musicians. I'm surprised at the uncredited full-horn ensemble opening as well as the slower TRAFFIC/Southern Rock tempo. It seems as if all of the band's instruments gain some showing here with full-spotlight solos from Hammond organ, bass, volume-pedal-controlled electric guitar, even sax and drums. The tempo shift into high speed for final three minutes (as well as the long, protracted dénouement at the end) will become such a template for so many Southern Rock bands like LYNYRD SKYNYRD, MOLLY HATCHET, CHARLIE DANIELS, and THE OUTLAWS. (The Allman Brothers were already doing it--so maybe Colosseum picked up the idea from them.) (13.125/15)

Total Time 38:10

I very much like this album: it has great musicianship--feeling as if each member of the band is fully committed to and engaged with each song. At the same time, despite the presence of horn sections on several songs and despite the excellent (probably virtuosic) musicianship, I could probably never be convinced that this music is Jazz-Rock Fusion. It's just progressive blues-rock psychedelia dressed up in some jazz fittings.

B/four stars; though I find the skillful and tight musicianship on this album to be exceptional, the songs are not always aligned with my own personal preferences. At the same time, I can definitely imagine the success and popularity that an album like this would have created in 1970/71.

'First In Line' is promising beginning! It reminds slightly 'Lost Angeles'. But where's sax? It comes into last minutes and then everything's fine! But mood changes into 'Hesitation', it's hardrock piece with too heavy guitarsound. Really don't like modern synths in the middle of it, luckily they're not on the top. But again direction changes: 'Need Somebody' is really good feeling bluesballad. 'Tonight' is even slower ballad, where Clem & Chris are singing together. Not bad, but little bit mediocre. 'A Cowboys`s Song' is another highlight in this album. It mix together hard rock riff and beautiful melodies. 'Innocence' is again little bit mediocre funky blues-piece. 'If Only Dreams Were Like This' is more Colosseum II-track in it's guitar and synth dominate fusionjazz.'I'll Shown You Mine' is a heavy-blues piece sung by Clempson. I think Cream could have made this kind of song if they had recorded new material in their reunion. 'Home By Dawn' is standard blues song with slight jazz flavor. 'Story Of the Blues' ends album quite the same way as previous piece, except tempo is faster.

Absolutely this is the weakest Colosseum album. Not sure why they made it, because bands haven't needed new album as excuse to go on tour in last decades. I don't hear that joy of playing anymore, that is those 3 former after reunion albums. But the weakest part is songmaterial. It's obvious when Greenslade made over half of the songmaterial and also mostly the best of them, the rest just can't make enough good stuff. One thing also seems often be wrong in these old bands new albums today. When recording has become very easy with the new digital equipment, it often seems to make fast and cheap. In this album as some others specially drums are sounding very awful in many songs. I believe Hiseman had standards how he's drums had to sound in Colosseum album, but new drummer Mortimore seemed not care about that. I believe me and also other in the fortcoming Colosseum concert will not be sad, if they're not playing anything from this album. But this album is not poor, it deserves two stars.

In the nineties I noticed their reunion, when they were coming second time to Finland. Not sure why I didn't go to see them then, It's possible I wasn't very cheerful at the old progbands reunions then, because I was just so disappointed Pink Floyd's Division Bell-album. Anyway saw Colosseum Reunion concert 1994 DVD about ten years ago and that really hit me! Really wanted to see them in 2011, when they were third time in Finland, but I was then out of money and they didn't play near of my town. It was last year I noticed, they have also made three studio albums. Really didn't expect them much, but wanted to listen them all. In VdGG-concert last year somebody told me Colosseum didn't split after Hiseman's death and they're coming again to Finland. So now I have ticket to their concert in November!

Listened two first reunion albums and then noticed this third hasn't got any reviews here. So I think I have to made it. This is first album after Heckstall-Smith passing and although he was really great musician, Jon's wife Barbara filled his place really well! Album starts with 'Safe As Houses' that is very smooth, bluesy piece with jazz flavors. Next 'Blues To Music' is made by Jon's and Barbara's daughter Ana Gracey. She's also singing this very positive blues-song together with Chris. 'The Way You Waved Goodbye' is really melodic piece and has great vocals from Chris and Mark. 'Dick's Licks' seem to be tribute to Heckstall-Smith from Colosseum longtime lyricmaker Pete Brown and Dave Greenslade. I believe Dick would have loved it! Specially kind of chorus is really great!

'City Of Love' is again good blues-jazz -piece. 'Nowhere To Be Found' is beautiful ballad sung by Mark. In the vinyl these last two tracks have put in the other way round, naturally ballad ends the vinyl a-side better way. 'You Just Don't Get It' got good slide playing from Clem and sax playing from Barbara. 'New Day' uses partly the same chord rotation as there is in 'Beware the Ides Of March', that was taken to Procol's Whiter, that was taken to Bach's Air. Anyway really beautiful this new piece from the old ideas! 'Anno Domini' ends the official album really well, I think there is most the old Colosseum feeling. But in the CD there is also good version of Jack Bruce 's 'Morning Story' that is from Bruce's great 'Harmony Row'-album. Not the first time Colosseum made version from his material, there are good versions of 'Theme For an Imaginary Western' and 'Rope Ladder To the Moon'.

Yes, I admit progworld could have keep on going without these three (and maybe also four) new Colosseum albums. On the other hand to me it seems, when old progband make reunion and naturally can't make masterpieces anymore, it's even highly recommended to mock them or at least feel pity. And when nineties born progbands rotate mostly old ideas adding them only awful cold sounds and common cold feeling, everybody just keep on praising them! There are of course exceptions, but very few of new progbands I have found interesting. Instead I like to listen these old bands new albums, because at least they have a warm feeling. I think Faust, King Crimson, Jethro Tull, Van Der Graaf Generator and Gong have made better new albums than Colosseum, but I believe I will listen these three albums again, although they will not be in heavy rotation. Next I am going to listen bands latest album and if it deserves more than one star, I will make a review also from that. Although music has always been important to me, I don't take it as serious as somebodies take religion. If musicians enjoy make music, I think they have right to make it also in their old band names. Who can make a rule, when you can't use your old bands name anymore? Well, I think there have been some ridiculous legal actions over bands names. In these three Colosseum albums you can really hear they enjoy making music.

Cover says "Colosseum" in recognized lettering, and there is even a silhouette of a guy we recognize from the best live album there is. Now, I'm looking at the album of the band that declared retirement honorably seven years ago. Well, even the name of this album suggests what we have around: shaping up what's declared over & out a while ago.

Two of the three good ghosts of Colosseum ? Jon Hiseman and Dick Heckstall-Smith ? paid their toll to the boatman and left the scene. The third one, Dave Greenslade, retired and I guess there is no one who could persuade him to join resurrected band just like Hiseman did back in 1994 (and not without quite some effort, if I remember hat story well). Guys that gathered are good and honorable musicians, there's nothing wrong with them being in action ? but hey, using renown brand made them pull the pistol first.

I listened to this album last night. And I'd only recognize this a Colosseum album if threatened my life.

The only guy trying to make it up is Clem Clempson. And that is not enough. And those... female backing vocals... Female backing vocals? What the heck? Wh$%^^!@#%!!!! Come on! It's sold as Colosseum, not as a Eurovision contest candidate! Whoever produced this album wasn't thinking too much about all those who respect Colosseum as one of a kind. This music is not one of a kind and that makes it odd to think about it as a Colosseum album. I'm not sure what it's all about. Second to last number, "Home by Dawn", gets a bit closer to Colosseum blend, but that's not enough. If I'd want to listen to this once again, I'll need to persuade myself with more effort than pushing myself to dentist.

Don't get me wrong: this is a decent album and one can hear some decent musicianship on it. But it would be immature to rate any music by capacity of participants. This seems to be a contextual miss: we are suggested to measure the value of it by the same people who decided to pull up a retired brand we loved so dearly and stick it on the cover beside that silhouette taken form the album we all have in our collections and know the last bit of a sound from it. In other words: if I shoot them down, that's because they drew first at me, I had no other choice.

The first side of Valentyne Suite starts with the Kettle, a song I was the most familiar with before my first focused listen. Jon Hisemen's busy jazz-rock drumming style contrasts perfectly with the sometimes droning heavy psych guitar. The vocal line has a very pleasing airy quality to my ear. To me, the Kettle is a song that's constantly bordering falling apart but never does. The scat solo at the end at the unison with the guitar is also quite fun. Elegy contrasts the psychedelic heft of the first song with some British R&B influence. In this track, Greenslade's key playing becomes more of a clear factor of the music. It concludes with a tasteful saxophone solo. Butty's Blues is a very nice jazz-blues track where the organ is finally singled out as one of the star instruments of this album. I quite enjoy the sound of an old organ, even with the murky and inconsistent production. The way the horn arrangements collide with psychedelic blues reminds me of Chicago's debut album, albeit in a british r&b style. The Machine Demands a Sacrifice is the last nugget on the first side and is two minutes of song combined with a hypnotic percussion vamp.

The stars of this album are definitely the title track, one of the great early epics in prog history. The contrast between the recording quality of some instruments is funny in retrospect. For example, the xylophone is sharp and tinny while the organ is so muddy. This song really defines Colosseum with the swells and trills of organ, the adventurous jazz-rock instrumentation, and the fast and sometimes sneaky segues into new material. Instead of lead vocals, this song opts for some truly haunting backing choir arrangements in a classical style instead of a jazz style. The meshing of these genres might be crude, but it was pioneering at the time. One thing I like about the production is how it seems to blow out when the song hits a dynamic peak. Am I saying that this is a lofi masterpiece? Potentially.

While the sides of this album are a bit uneven, I think this album is clearly essential and enjoyable. I wouldn't single this out as THE example of prog, but Colosseum deserves recognition alongside King Crimson, Procol Harum, etc. as one of the first masterworks in prog.