VALENTYNE SUITE

I was completely blown away by this album. Especially since I never warmed-up to their following effort, "Daughter of Time". "Valentyne Suite" was their second and final album with the original lineup of keyboardist Dave Greenslade, bassist Tony Reeves, guitarist/vocalist James Litherland, drummer Jon Hiseman, and saxist Dick Heckstall-Smith. Reeves and Litherland would be the ones to defect from the band after this album.

"Valentyne Suite" was the very first album ever released on the "swirl" Vertigo label (if you own the version on Bronze Records, you have the reissue, which was issued after the band made the move to that label in '71). Without a doubt, this is by far the most interesting John Mayall-related album I have ever heard (Heckstall-Smith and Reeves had played in Mayall's Bluesbreakers). "The Kettle" is a rather rocking number, dominated by heavy use of guitar. "Elegy" is a rather jazzy piece complete with strings. Great piece. "Butty's Blues" is, as you expect, a bluesy-piece, but you get lots of CHICAGO or BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS-like horns. "The Machine Demands a Sacrifice" is more hard rocking, blues-influenced number then unexpectedly (at the end) finds the band doing a bizarre experiment that reminds one of Krautrock bands that would appear in the next couple of years. The album closes with the totally amazing title track, divided in to three movements. This is basically Dave Greenslade's time to shine. The music is just unbelievably intense, and you should check out Jon Hiseman's drumming! I can hardly believe it!

Amazing album, and for those who don't mind jazz and blues in their prog rock, you should get this album.