VALENTYNE SUITE

Though really not that different from their debut, it's still quite an improvement. Retaining their strong blues and jazz influences they go into a more progressive jazz rock territory, making Valentyne suite a delight. While the title track is a true prog epic, the other tracks are pleasant but not necessarily progressive. "The machine demands a sacrifice" is proggish jazz rock while "Butty's blues" is a straight forward blues number and as such it is a splendid track. "Elegy" seems to be a continuation of "Beware the ides of march", in dome ways, with it's warm and pleasant ambiance.

Conclusion: Valentyne's suite is a slightly more prog-oriented album, still retaining the bluesy jazz rock of their debut. It is the pinnacle in the first three albums Colosseum released and as such theobvious choice for anyone interested in the band, proto-prog, prog and/or jazz rock. Brilliant and well executed.