COLOSSEUM/COLOSSEUM II — Valentyne Suite (review)

COLOSSEUM/COLOSSEUM II — Valentyne Suite album cover Album · 1969 · Jazz Related Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
AtomicCrimsonRush
Inspired Early Prog - But Nowhere Near Masterpiece Quality.

This is a breakthrough album certainly not only for Colosseum but for prog rock, and jazz. This album features all the proggish elements: the side long epic 'The Valentyne Suite' (absolute brilliance), the thematic proggy 'The Machine Demands A Sacrifice ' and the ultra riff heavy 'The Kettle ' (my favourite). This in itself is deserving of a high star rating.

However there are a few rather dull moments for the rest of the CD and this marrs the rating considerably as it is so inconsistent. The extra bonus tracks and second version of the disc have some excellent moments too such as 'JUMPING OFF THE SUN' but the rest is all rather forgettable unfortunately.

I saw this eye catching CD and grabbed it eagerly expecting a masterpiece in light of how much people rave about this album. Instead I was thrown off balance at how ordinary a lot of it is. Perhaps it was ahead of its time and the band did not seem to know which direction they were heading. Jazz fusion, heavy rock riffs, orchestrations and even blues, but all as inconsistent as these genres themselves. There are notably 4 great tracks but they are set amidst a wash of forgettable tunes. It still is worth getting hold of for the aforementioned tracks but ultimately it is not as great as many will have you believe. 3 and a half stars for the innovative music.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Green Puma / Tropical Dandy Jazz Related Rock
THE LINK QUARTET
Buy this album from MMA partners
Vinny Golia Quintet : Can You Outrun Them? 21st Century Modern
VINNY GOLIA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Bow Code Fusion
SAMPO HIUKKANEN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Anthem For No Man’s Land Jazz Related Improv/Composition
ANDREAS SCHAERER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Cabaret Eclectic Fusion
MARIUS NESET
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Paper Plane Pilot
MIKE DE SOUZA
js· 5 hours ago
Green Puma
THE LINK QUARTET
js· 5 hours ago
Heavy Cream
SAMPO HIUKKANEN
js· 7 hours ago
Sunday afternoon
FURIO DI CASTRI
snobb· 20 hours ago
Harmônicos
FABIANO DO NASCIMENTO
js· 1 day ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed