Record Reviews

CURVED AIR ~ SECOND ALBUM WARNER BROS. 26434 (Barcode: 075992643429) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1971 Released: 2000 2nd album by Curved AirFind albums by this artist and a remarkable follow up to their superb debut. The band follows a similar pattern, with Darryl WayFind albums by this artist and Francis MonkmanFind albums by this artist sharing the compositional duties (this time each got a whole side of the original LP), with a clear difference between them - Way producing a more Rock oriented pieces while Monkman tendencies are more classically / Prog oriented. Sonja KristinaFind albums by this artist is excellent all the way, establishing a firm position in the lead of UK female Prog singers. Another classic.

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

CURVED AIR ~ SECOND ALBUM (EXPANDED EDITION) ESOTERIC 2637 (Barcode: 5013929473744) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1971 Released: 2018 This is a reissue of the second album by the British Progressive Rock group Curved AirFind albums by this artist, one of the most unique and ambitious representatives of the genre. The band was fronted by the charismatic and idiosyncratic female vocalist Sonja KristinaFind albums by this artist and included two classically trained musicians: violinist Darryl WayFind albums by this artist and keyboardist / guitarist Francis MonkmanFind albums by this artist. Bassist Ian EyreFind albums by this artist and drummer Florian Pilkington-MiksaFind albums by this artist completed the lineup. A string section was also used on this album. The album presented eight original songs written by Way and Monkman, which offered a unique amalgamation of British Folk, Classical Music, Electronic Music, Rock and Jazz influences, unmatched by any of their contemporaries. This remastered and expanded edition adds five BBC radio recordings and entire DVD of TV clips of the other video material by the band. The somewhat muddy sound quality of the original album was significantly improved on this reissue. When originally released in 1971, the album (and the group) achieved both commercial success and critical acclaim, despite its unconventional sound and complexity, which of course was a sign of the times. Curved Air were one the first British acts to use the violin in their lineup (see also High Tide and East Of Eden) and the first to feature violin to such an extent. One of the songs on this album ("Back Street Luv") charted successfully and introduced the group to much wider audience beyond the strict Prog circle. The two sides of the original LP album were quite different; the first side with the songs written by Way and lyrics by Kristina is more Rock oriented whereas the second side with songs by Monkman is much more complex and experimental and includes an almost thirteen minutes long epic track which closes the album. Sonja Kristina remains to this very day one of the most distinctive Rock vocalists. She managed to maintain a steady, although less glamorous career over the years, producing a substantial volume of excellent music. She also fronts the reformed edition of Curved Air. Overall this is one of the essential British Classic Rock / Prog albums, which lost absolutely nothing of its strength over time and still sounds fresh and moving today. This reissue is a splendid opportunity for the new generation of music listeners to discover this everlasting classic. Essential piece of music history!

Updated: 21/07/2019Posted: 19/07/2019

CD+DVD 2 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend