'Colosseum' is an English formation which has already existed for a good fifty years, and which released four studio recordings, two in 1969 and two in 1970 and which mixed on a jazz, rock and blues basis. They subsequently released a few disparate albums, one in each of the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. on keyboards and Malcom Mortimore on drums, 2022 sees the release of a new opus, 'Restoration' which offers a variety of styles taking us back to the 70s starting with an energetic 'First in Line' which recalls the beginning of rock progressive and which integrates beautiful vocal harmonies and which highlights the warm vocals of 'Chris Farlowe' without forgetting the beautiful successive solos of guitar, keyboards and saxophone. We got off to a good start and 'Hesitation', which follows, is heavier and takes us into a mid-tempo that 'Deep Purple' would not have denied in the early 70s, then 'Need Somebody' softens the atmosphere for a sensual and timeless blues/rock with again very beautiful choirs and a new keyboard solo with Hammond sounds. In the continuity of the previous title, 'Tonight' offers us a very beautiful refined ballad in a piano bar atmosphere and in which 'Chris Farlowe', accompanied in certain places by 'Clem Clempson', shows a touching sensitivity, then, return to a direct and effective rock with 'A Cowboys`s Song' with saturated guitar riffs on a swaying rhythm à la 'Led Zeppelin', and the blues/rock 'Innocence', more happening everywhere, benefits from very beautiful interventions by ' Kim Nishikawara' on saxophone. We find jazzy atmospheres in the second part of the album with 'If Only Dreams Were Like This' which is very sensual and which has a beautiful, unbridled section in the middle of the title, then, 'I'll Show You Mine' returns to energetic blues/rock that still reminds us of the early 70s with two different tempos that bring all the originality to this title. We find jazzy scents with 'Home By Dawn' which takes us into the atmosphere of a jazz club and the album ends with 'Story Of the Blues' which alone contains all the ingredients of this album, the energy of rock, the warmth of blues and the lightness of jazz and which can make you think, although the style is not necessarily comparable, to the joyful atmospheres released by certain titles of 'Santana' in the 70s.
In summary, as you will have understood, if you fell into the pot of 70s music with this subtle mix of rock, blues, and jazz, you should, without a doubt, adhere to this album which brings together, on its own, all the ingredients of an album that would have wreaked havoc in another era... | |
