VALENTYNE SUITE

Just had a few disappointing experiences with recent Prog releases (PoS, Therion, Nemo) - honestly what a bad start for 2007, but the year's still young and there's still hope - anyway sorry for starting my review this way. But those ones triggered me to do a huge leap back to the times when everything began in progressive rock. We're 38 years in the past, in the year of 1969 when four of the seminal Prog bands - Genesis, Yes, VDGG and Crimson - had their debuts of which actually only the latter one set a milestone. Else Canterbury style had been on its heyday, German Krautrock bands like AD or Can started to do some weird innovative stuff, in the US there was of course Frank Zappa already quite creative and psychedelic bands like Pink Floyd as well as some Proto-Prog ones like The Nice, Procol or Traffic had been releasing already a few remarkable albums since one or two years. And there was a band called after the famous ancient amphitheater in Rome releasing their second and stunningly excellent album which presented a quite innovative blend of jazz, blues and rock. Listening to this record nowadays some people might argue that it's not really anything special but I think considering the time of its release this had been some absolutely exciting (and enjoyable at the same time) music. Especially the title suite which occupies the whole second side of the original vinyl is a masterpiece on its own and this record is still a big fun to listen to even after almost 40 years. An excellent work by brilliant musicians and a must-have for anyone interested in the history of Prog, especially if purchased as its limited edition double CD set containing as well the 70's album 'The Grass Is Greener'! 5 fully deserved stars!!