TIME ON OUR SIDE

Colosseum become my big favorites in the eighties, when I started to listen progmusic. Main reason was, that my brother had 'Valentyne Suite' as vinyl in his shelf. I didn't remember him to listen it ever, but that time I just wanted to listen every record he got. I wasn't yet into prog then, so after first listening specially the b-side was too much for me. But few years later, when I got into Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Wigwam, Genesis, Yes, Rush, Kansas, Procol Harum and Moody Blues, I started to love also that album. Very soon I bought myself other classic Colosseum albums. My brother bought me also 'Strange New Flesh' from Colosseum II, that never hit me the way first Colosseum did. Still haven't heard their 'War Dance'-album. To me it seems you are first or second Colosseum-fan, never seen anybody being both incarnations big fan.

In the nineties I noticed their reunion, when they were coming second time to Finland. Not sure why I didn't go to see them then, It's possible I wasn't very cheerful at the old progbands reunions then, because I was just so disappointed Pink Floyd's Division Bell-album. Anyway saw Colosseum Reunion concert 1994 DVD about ten years ago and that really hit me! Really wanted to see them in 2011, when they were third time in Finland, but I was then out of money and they didn't play near of my town. It was last year I noticed, they have also made three studio albums. Really didn't expect them much, but wanted to listen them all. In VdGG-concert last year somebody told me Colosseum didn't split after Hiseman's death and they're coming again to Finland. So now I have ticket to their concert in November!

Listened two first reunion albums and then noticed this third hasn't got any reviews here. So I think I have to made it. This is first album after Heckstall-Smith passing and although he was really great musician, Jon's wife Barbara filled his place really well! Album starts with 'Safe As Houses' that is very smooth, bluesy piece with jazz flavors. Next 'Blues To Music' is made by Jon's and Barbara's daughter Ana Gracey. She's also singing this very positive blues-song together with Chris. 'The Way You Waved Goodbye' is really melodic piece and has great vocals from Chris and Mark. 'Dick's Licks' seem to be tribute to Heckstall-Smith from Colosseum longtime lyricmaker Pete Brown and Dave Greenslade. I believe Dick would have loved it! Specially kind of chorus is really great!

'City Of Love' is again good blues-jazz -piece. 'Nowhere To Be Found' is beautiful ballad sung by Mark. In the vinyl these last two tracks have put in the other way round, naturally ballad ends the vinyl a-side better way. 'You Just Don't Get It' got good slide playing from Clem and sax playing from Barbara. 'New Day' uses partly the same chord rotation as there is in 'Beware the Ides Of March', that was taken to Procol's Whiter, that was taken to Bach's Air. Anyway really beautiful this new piece from the old ideas! 'Anno Domini' ends the official album really well, I think there is most the old Colosseum feeling. But in the CD there is also good version of Jack Bruce 's 'Morning Story' that is from Bruce's great 'Harmony Row'-album. Not the first time Colosseum made version from his material, there are good versions of 'Theme For an Imaginary Western' and 'Rope Ladder To the Moon'.

Yes, I admit progworld could have keep on going without these three (and maybe also four) new Colosseum albums. On the other hand to me it seems, when old progband make reunion and naturally can't make masterpieces anymore, it's even highly recommended to mock them or at least feel pity. And when nineties born progbands rotate mostly old ideas adding them only awful cold sounds and common cold feeling, everybody just keep on praising them! There are of course exceptions, but very few of new progbands I have found interesting. Instead I like to listen these old bands new albums, because at least they have a warm feeling. I think Faust, King Crimson, Jethro Tull, Van Der Graaf Generator and Gong have made better new albums than Colosseum, but I believe I will listen these three albums again, although they will not be in heavy rotation. Next I am going to listen bands latest album and if it deserves more than one star, I will make a review also from that. Although music has always been important to me, I don't take it as serious as somebodies take religion. If musicians enjoy make music, I think they have right to make it also in their old band names. Who can make a rule, when you can't use your old bands name anymore? Well, I think there have been some ridiculous legal actions over bands names. In these three Colosseum albums you can really hear they enjoy making music.