The first Colosseum LP can be seen as a kind of extraction of the UK jazz/blues scene at the end of the sixties. Members backgrounds with John Mayall, Alexis Korner or other jazz and blues combos led their music to a mix of genres. By many it was seen as something pretty revolutionary at the time and a re-newal of the music scene. It's kind of historical I guess, but in retrospective not very exciting. Traditionally made and musically mostly on the jazzy side it's rather proper and a little too decent for my taste. I'm a big fan of what they did from the next LP and on - that's still revolutionary and sometimes breathtaking, but I have never been able to see the debute as other than preparations for the lift-off. When I got this copy I found some pre-release promo sheets stuffed behind the record inside cover. These were sometimes sent to DJ:s and journalists with information and order form to raise interest for coming groups or issues. Initially the record probably belonged to some media person who ordered it, didn't like and stuffed it after one play. One of the sheets has info unavailable elsewhere, so I'm enclosing that if anyone wants to click and check. 1:st UK with label as shown here, heavy vinyl and laminated fold out cover. Two first US Dunhill issues were totally different from UK in about every aspect, especially "The Grass Is Greener"
https://monolover.blogspot.com/2012/11/colosseumthe-grass-is-greener-ds-50079.html , which to my taste became one of their best offerings. (CÖL*)(ÖRJ*)
Big fan here as well, but this first step is indeed rather dull and uninvolving. The best tracks re-appeared on the posthumously release "Collector's Colosseum", albeit in remixed form.
SvaraRaderaNot easy to find this in splendid condition for a good price these days. The inserts are a nice bonus.
Yup I was surprised to find the sheets. Knew this kind of papers existed, but never seen it before with any record. They were bad quality copies sent around and always thrown away. The procedure seems almost too careful. I bet in US they just sent the promo records directly the the media, without asking first.
RaderaOh no, I'm in opposite to your point of view. First album is great and maybe even better than 'Valentyne Suite'. Second LP have fantastic main suite but rest of the material is only interesting. First LP contain a few top songs as title track, 'Walking In The Park', 'Debut', 'Plenty Hard Luck', 'Beware The Ides Of March'.
SvaraRaderaI apologise for my English.
Wojtek.
Hi Wojtek! Thanks for Your comment. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying it's bad, just to my ears the follow-ups are more exciting. "Walking In The Park" is a killer song, but so much better performed on the "Colloseum Live" album. UK "Valentyne Suite" isn't perfect either, but the US Dunhill version "The Grass Is Greener" is their absolutely best studio issue. It's all a matter of taste...
RaderaI think I know what you mean...Next records are more progressive, more sophisticated, on debut album compositions are 'simple' with jazz and blues influences (and in psychodelic atmosphere). On next records they went much farther.
RaderaP.S. Very nice insert and I suppose it's rarer than record :)
RaderaYes that's exactly what I mean. I like them a little more adventurous :)
RaderaThe insert is probably very rare - I have never seen or heard of another one existing today.
Erik
Those tracks are pretty good (and admittedly better than most of what is on Side 1 of the 2nd album), but I prefer the more adventurous approach of the later works. Just my opinion of course.
SvaraRadera