Valentyne Suite, The

This double-CD anthology offers a healthy cross-section of Colosseum's work from across the five albums they cut on the Bronze label between 1969 and 1971 -- in that regard, it is a more expansive alternative to An Introduction to...Colosseum, released a few years later, and many of the tracks do overlap, including all of the obvious ones, such as "Walking in the Park" and "Valentyne Suite." Where this set departs significantly is in its use of mono mixes on several of the tracks in place of the more familiar stereo versions, sacrificing some clarity and instrumental components in addition to the channel separation. In addition to providing an explanation for this, one also wishes that the producers had assembled the material in chronological order. Instead, the tracks are jumbled up between the two CDs, and this is a particular problem where the vocalists are concerned -- with all due respect to James Litherland, his singing is just nowhere in a league with that of Chris Farlowe, and the Litherland-sung numbers suffer in juxtaposition to the Farlowe tracks. Add the fact that they were two very different bands, one more jazz-oriented and the other a strange (and powerful) mix of prog rock and blues, and the effect of this collection is more confusing than enlightening. On the other hand, there's no denying the sheer power of all of this music -- this was a group that, in two separate incarnations, could easily have crossed swords with both Cream and Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and track for track this is still a potent (if flawed) overview, as well as providing new light on a less familiar corner of the progressive rock firmament. ~ Bruce Eder|