Plain and Fancy: 08/12/15

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Colosseum - Daughter Of Time (1970 uk, remarkable prog jazz rock, 2004 remaster with bonus track)

1970's Daughter of Time is less bluesy, songs sound straighter, more vivid, the production is improved, sorta brightened, performances shine and gleam even when all around is dark.

As guests also appear additional saxist (f), plus brass duo and string quintet on two tracks ("Time Lament" and title song). This gives the sound width, depth and brightness, mentioned earlier, as the brass and string arrangements are demonstrating pristine gaiety. The opener, "Three Scores and Then ..." is straighter, as the openers should be or they usually are. "Time Lament" has so good orchestrated lines that it is rather festival than lament. The best track is "Take me back to Doomsday" with the superb melody and vocal lines, here Dave Clempson sings, fits more to my ears than Farlowe (maybe won't fit to yours, who knows; of course, neither him, nor Farlowe could surpass Hammill or Gabriel, still talking ‘bout my taste, and not anybody elses).

"Daughter of Time" begins with great orchestral part and proceeds rather solemn. "Theme for Imaginary Western" is cover of or is written by Pete Brown, don't know exactly. "Bring Out Your Dead" is great instrumental piece. Track no.7, "Downhill and Shadows", is still very bluesy and I must really "wade" through it in comparison with first six ones. O.K., sax at the begining is great but rest is much predictable. "The Time Machine" (last track) is recorded live and is Hiseman drum solo. Awesome, at least for track length and the endurability of a drummer. "The Rope Ladder to the Moon" and "Jumping-off the Sun" are peak efforts. If the rest of Grass is Greener is third-quarter as good, let's unearth this gem, which still remains un-rereleased and undeservably so.

by Nenad Kobal

Tracks
1. Three Score and Ten, Amen (Clem Clempson, Dave Greenslade, Jon Hiseman) - 5:38
2. Time Lament (Greenslade, Hiseman) - 6:13
3. Take Me Back to Doomsday (Clempson, Greenslade, Hiseman, Dick Heckstall-Smith) - 4:25
4. The Daughter of Time (Barry Dennen, Greenslade, Heckstall-Smith) - 3:33
5. Theme for an Imaginary Western (Pete Brown, Jack Bruce) - 4:07
6. Bring Out Your Dead (Clempson, Greenslade) - 4:20
7. Downhill and Shadows (Clempson, Hiseman, Tony Reeves) - 6:13
8. The Time Machine (live) (Hiseman) - 8:11
9. Jumping Off The Sun (1971 Chris Farlowe Version) (Taylor, Tomlin) - 3:36

Colosseum
*Mark Clarke - Bass Guitar
*Dave "Clem" Clempson - Guitar, Vocals
*Chris Farlowe - Vocals
*Louis Cennamo - Bass Guitar
*Dave Greenslade - Organ, Piano, Vibes, Backing Vocals
*Dick Heckstall-Smith - Soprano And Tenor Saxophones, Spoken Word
*Jon Hiseman - Drums, Percussion
*Tony Reeves - Bass Guitar
*Barbara Thompson - Alto, Soprano Flute, Tenor, Baritone Saxophones, Vocals

1969 Colosseum - Those Who Are About To Die Salute You (2004 remaster and expanded)