COLOSSEUM/COLOSSEUM II — The Grass Is Greener (review)

COLOSSEUM/COLOSSEUM II — The Grass Is Greener album cover

Album · 1970 · Jazz Related Rock

4.5/5 · 2011-04-23
Sean Trane

Fifth article in a series of five

This hybrid album is a North American release only and a sort of bastardised products with a mix of tracks released elsewhere but in a different version and a different line-up. It even takes the artwork from the Valentyne Suite album, and an almost similar inner gatefold also. Yet in my eyes, this album is much deserving many attention from fans (and even almost the right to be an full-blown studio album in their discography) as there are two completely new tracks , two more that were to be featured on the double Live album, and from the four remaining tracks, three are a different version than the ones you can get on the two UK releases. As this album states, Clem Clempson is now the guitarist and Butty Litherland only appears on one track, the superb Elegy. But clearly Clempson is not a good lead vocalist, although he is fine back-up vocalist), and it is no wonder the Colosseum will be hiring Chris Farlowe for the next full release.

Jumping Off The Sun is a very interesting tracks loaded with vibes and bells and great time sig, but Clempson’s voice can do no match to what Litherland or Farlowe would’ve done for this track. Lost Angeles is yet another very interesting but not well exploited idea, and if you compare to the extended live version of Colosseum Live, it will pale in comparison, but it is still superb on this vinyl, as you can hear the greatness of the Greenslade/DHS composition. Elegy might just be the only tracl present on this album that might come in the same previously available one, although slightly shorter. Butty’s Blues is another track from Valentyne Suite, but stick with the previous version, as Clempson’s vocals are no match for Litherland’s and there is a full blown big band on the other .

The Jack Bruce-track Rope Ladder To The Moon is the first of a few tracks that will have Pete Brown lyrics and if the instrumentation is great (especially Greenslade’s percussions) the greatly expanded-live version with Chris Farlowe is more impressive. Bolero is is unavailable-elsewhere track and might just be the first example of Ravel’s piece with rock instrumentation, a few months before Crimson’s and two full years before ELP’s. It is probably the best version of all three because it is the one straying farthest from the monotony of Ravel’s piece. Machine is a shorter version of the track on Valentyne Suite. The last track is the third movement of the Valentyne Suite that hat had been released in North America as The Ides Of March on the first UK release. Did you say confusing? ;-(

Although this album is a bit lost in the jungle, it was never released as a CD on either side of the Atlantic, but recently new expanded re-issue of Valentyne Suite with the tracks from both album was issued. I can only warmly recommend it if you do not own the album yet, and if you do already and you are a major fan of Colosseum, you might just have to dip in your pocket again.