Description
Colosseum – Daughter Of Time – 180 Gram Vinyl Record
Colosseum – Daughter of Time, released in 1970, is a bold and ambitious album that exemplifies the adventurous spirit of British progressive rock and jazz fusion at the dawn of the new decade. It’s the third studio album by Colosseum, a band formed by drummer Jon Hiseman, and it showcases a fusion of jazz, blues, classical, and rock elements, delivered with a high level of musicianship and a taste for the dramatic. With Daughter of Time, Colosseum moved further away from their early blues-rock roots into more orchestrated and progressive territory, creating an album that is complex, conceptual, and emotionally rich.
One of the most notable changes on this album is the introduction of Chris Farlowe as the primary vocalist. Known for his powerful, soul-inflected voice (and his earlier work with Atomic Rooster and his hit with “Out of Time”), Farlowe brings a gritty theatricality to the record that perfectly suits its weighty themes and epic arrangements. His delivery adds a commanding, almost operatic presence to songs like the title track “Daughter of Time”, which deals with existential questions and human suffering, wrapped in philosophical lyricism and dramatic musical swells.
Daughter of Time is driven by the interplay of Hiseman’s explosive drumming, Dave Greenslade’s atmospheric keyboards, and Dick Heckstall-Smith’s innovative saxophone work, which often uses double sax techniques to create harmonically dense textures. Clem Clempson’s guitar playing brings a bluesy edge to the proceedings, grounding the jazz and classical influences in rock grit. Mark Clarke’s bass work is fluid and forceful, helping to bind the album’s many stylistic threads together.
Tracks like “Take Me Back to Doomsday” and “Theme for an Imaginary Western” (a cover of the Jack Bruce/Pete Brown classic, interpreted with grandeur and pathos) highlight the band’s ability to fuse lyrical sensitivity with dynamic instrumental interplay. The arrangements frequently feature brass and string elements, adding a cinematic scale to the music, but never at the expense of groove or intensity. The title track in particular stands out as a prog-rock mini-epic, shifting between ominous piano motifs, sweeping orchestration, and Farlowe’s commanding vocals.
Though not as commercially successful as some of their contemporaries like King Crimson or ELP, Colosseum were deeply respected musicians’ musicians, and Daughter of Time is often cited as their artistic peak. It’s an album that demands close listening, rich in detail and mood, and one that stands at the crossroads of several genres—jazz-rock fusion, progressive rock, and British blues—without being confined by any of them.
Daughter of Time is a visionary, genre-blurring record that captures the intellectual ambition and emotional intensity of early ’70s progressive music. It’s a testament to Colosseum’s virtuosity, innovation, and willingness to push boundaries, and remains a cult favorite among prog and fusion enthusiasts.
Brand new, never played and still sealed in the factory plastic
Track Listing
Three Score And Ten, Amen
Time Lament
Take Me Back To Doomsday
The Daughter Of Time
Theme For An Imaginary Western
Bring Out Your Dead
Downhill And Shadows
The Time Machine
