"Bread and Circuses" is the seventh studio album released by British band Colosseum. The album was first surfaced in March 2010, provided by Ruf Records. Colosseum is uniquely known for their fusion of jazz-Rock and progressive rock, creating a unique, distinguishable sound. The band originally disintegrated in 1971, but made a return after more than two decades in 1994.
"Bread and Circuses" includes performances from the band's original members: Jon Hiseman, Dave Greenslade, Clem Clempson, Chris Farlowe, and Mark Clarke. The album is highly praised for its sophisticated mix of both progressive and acid rock, and bluesy jazz, in an array of thrilling compositions. The sound of the band in this album preserves the original flair of 70's band while showing a mature, evolved sound that acknowledges the passage of time.
The phrase "Bread and Circuses" is derived from Roman satirical poet Juvenal’s phrase "panem et circenses," which criticizes shallow, self-serving politics that use cheap populist entertainment and mere freebies to fool the common people. This could give a hint into the deeper meanings behind the music of the album.
Track listings include songs like "Safe as Houses", "The Net", "Bread & Circuses", "The Faceless Men II" which, like most of their music, have lengthy instrumentals and emotionally powerful lyrics. While the album maintained an overall jazz and rock touch, it also incorporated several other styles making it a diversely rich musical project.
