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Oriphiel · 04-18-2015, 03:08 PM

I have a confession to make; since my last entry, I've fallen for Curved Air. And I mean fallen hard. There's just something really interesting about their take on the Progressive sound, and how they seamlessly mixed Hard Rock/Early Metal with Folk and Classical overtones. While they produced some great studio tracks, their live performances are when the band really shined; they have an amazing energy to them, especially when vocalist Sonja Kristina starts doing her thing. Not only that, but their electric violinist Darryl Way is very skilled, and he often messes around with distortion and feedback during live performances to give his violin a super-fuzzy tone that would feel right at home even on a modern Metal album, or sampled in a Drone song. But even without the distortion, he's very good at capturing a clean and Classical sound as well. So, without further ado, let's take a look at Curved Air and their debut album!

Airconditioning

Curved Air was originally formed due to a simple act of chance. Francis Monkman, an aspiring musician from the University of London's prestigious Royal Academy of Music, was shopping in a musical equipment outlet when he heard someone playing an electric violin. He investigated the intriguing sound, and ran into violinist Darryl Way. After their introductions, the two became fast friends, and decided to start a band together. They, along with classical pianist Nick Simon, formed the band Sisyphus, and were joined by musicians Florian Pilkington-Miksa and Rob Martin. While they quickly set about writing many Prog Rock songs, which would end up on Curved Air's debut, Sisyphus became known mostly for producing solid Classical and instrumental music, and they landed a gig providing the music for a play that was being performed. In the audience was Mark Hanau, who was impressed with Sisyphus, and he offered to become their manager. However, Sisyphus weren't the only musicians that Mark Hanau had taken a liking to; he also thought that vocalist Sonja Kristina, who he had heard performing music for a play as well, was a promising talent. He introduced Sonja to Sisyphus, and they formed the band that would come to be known as "Curved Air" (after the renowned song "A Rainbow in Curved Air"), after the departure of Nick Simon (who left after having several disagreements with Darryl over the band's direction).

1969 and 1970 were the formative years of the band, when they focused on practicing and playing live shows. Eventually, they managed to build up a good reputation and a decent following, particularly after they landed a tour supporting other Progressive/Early Metal bands like Black Sabbath. In 1970, they released their debut, "Airconditioning", which was received well among fans of Progressive Rock. After that, they managed to get mainstream attention after their single "Back Street Luv" became a top ten hit in the UK, and their second album (aptly titled "Second Album") climbed fairly high in the charts as well. From this point on, there was always a place in the public's heart for Curved Air, as their intriguing albums, catchy singles, and wild live performances managed to entrance a wide variety of fans. Even after multiple break-ups, reunions, and side project off-shoot bands, they still have a dedicated fanbase (particularly in the UK), and as of now are still touring (although the only original members in the current line-up are Sonja and Florian, after Darryl left in 2010). Now, let's get to the music!

Curved Air!

1. "It Happened Today" - Kicking off the album is a fantastic Hard Rock number with smooth yet strong vocals and a strong backbeat as provided by the drums, piano, and bass. The guitar work has a sharp Proggy feeling to it, and the occasional violin riffs are a nice touch (especially in the second half of the song, when the violin comes to the forefront for a nice break). I like this version of the song, and the various live versions are all just as good as they each add something new to the mix.

2. "Stretch" - Following a groovy Blues style riff played on the electric violin and the guitar, and the two instruments work surprisingly well together. It's got a steady beat to it, and it's a bit heavier than the opening track. The smooth vocals remain, with Sonja and one of her male bandmates singing together throughout the song. This track has a certain amount of emphasis on the main riff, with the violin laying down the core while the guitar provides various flourishes, but there are two great solos where the two instruments really get a chance to shine.

3. "Screw" - Mixing things up a bit, this song has more of a Folk feeling to it than the last few tracks (especially with the vocals). Still, it has a fair amount of the Progressive sound to it with the electric organs flaring up here and there, and the guitar occasionally gets really fuzzy and heavy for some nice Psychedelic moments! As always, the violin work adds a nice Classical feeling to the atmosphere.

4. "Blind Man" - This track goes for a sort of Baroque Pop sound, having a light tone and soft vocals. At times, it's a bit reminiscent of the Folksy and slightly Psychedelic artists of the 1960s, like Donovan and The Byrds, and it's a good change of pace.

5. "Vivaldi" - The violin work here is absolutely fantastic, going from clean and Classical to heavily distorted and downright metallic over the course of the song, and the rest of the band provides a solid Rock backdrop that mixes well with it while also allowing it to stand out. Over seven minutes in length, this is one of the longer songs of the album, but I think it's justified; the song just has a way of grabbing your attention, and I think most people will find themselves listening to the very end. Roughly four minutes in, Darryl starts playing around with feedback and distortion, giving his violin and the song in general a weird and almost Drone-like sound. At about five and a half minutes in, he replicates the sound of a car zooming down a highway, which is just awesome! But my favorite part is from six minutes and twenty seconds onward, when the band re-plays the opening section of the song with extra speed and energy. Whether it's the studio version or one of the more heavy, experimental and improvised live performances, I highly recommend that you seek out one of the cuts of this song!

6. "Hide and Seek" - Returning to the Heavy Prog sound with a solid backbeat and fuzzy guitar work, this song opens with the piano taking the forefront. However, the song quickly shifts into a heavy and groovy guitar solo, before the tone of the song suddenly changes (in true Prog fashion) and Sonja jumps into the fray with strong and haunting vocals. This is a great song that kind of has a loose and "jamming" feeling to it, as the band goes through different tones and riffs throughout.

7. "Propositions" - This track kicks off with a kind of Punk feeling to it, with fast and hard drumming mixed with a dirty and simple guitar riff. The vocals are as smooth as ever, but I think it would have sounded better if Sonja sang this one without the male backing vocalist. Anyway, the song shifts into some Psychedelic-tinged guitar jamming, before returning to the original riff and finishing things off in this relatively short song. It's a fun track, but I really prefer the harder-edged live version, as it leans more heavily towards an intriguing Hard Rock/Early Metal sound, and Sonja's vocals are much more rough and raw (with a fantastic scream at the end of the chorus).

8. "Rob One" - The piano and violin work that open up this track are excellent, and this would basically be a Classical song through and through if it wasn't for the loud drumming and bass work in the background! From the start to the finish, this is a beautiful song.

9. "Situations" - Another of the album's longer tracks, this one begins as a haunting and subtle song, kept very subdued at first (save for the drum breaks when the song speeds up a bit, and the vocals have a little more power to them). The song shifts tones and becomes faster and less dark as it goes on, culminating in a fantastic Psychedelic guitar solo! The vocals are an excellent match for the song, fitting the general feeling very well. Every now and then, there are some fun electronic songs in the background (which I think are either made using the electric violin, or a synthesizer). It's solid and a bit Avant Garde, but really the whole album is kind of in a similar vein!

10. "Vivaldi With Cannons" - The shortest song of the album, we're played out with a return to the main section of "Vivaldi" (and, just as promised, there are cannons in the background). The violin has a good amount of distortion to it, and there are some synthesizer effects here and there.

So, whaddya think? Progressive bands definitely had the right idea when they combined Rock with elements of other genres, as it creates a very fun and intriguing sound, and Curved Air were one of the masters of mixing Progressive Rock with Classical music. Like I said earlier, I've really taken a liking to them, and this album is a great example of the range that they had (being rough yet also mellow, as well as classy and clean yet also occasionally stripped down and raw). Not only that, but Curved Air had a pretty good amount of influence on their peers, and many bands that came after them borrowed a bit of their thunder (I mean, watch a video of them playing live back in the day, and then listen to Heart for awhile. The Wilson sisters were obviously fans of Sonja's look and sound). I recommend this album very highly, especially if you're a fan of the Progressive Rock sound, and even if you aren't, I still recommend giving this album a shot sometime!

Information about the band: Curved Air, http://www.progarchives.com/artist.a...s_monkman.html, Curved Air - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, http://www.discogs.com/artist/356873-Curved-Air

04-18-2015, 03:08 PM	#91 (permalink)
Oriphiel Ask me how! Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: The States Posts: 5,354	I have a confession to make; since my last entry, I've fallen for Curved Air. And I mean fallen hard. There's just something really interesting about their take on the Progressive sound, and how they seamlessly mixed Hard Rock/Early Metal with Folk and Classical overtones. While they produced some great studio tracks, their live performances are when the band really shined; they have an amazing energy to them, especially when vocalist Sonja Kristina starts doing her thing. Not only that, but their electric violinist Darryl Way is very skilled, and he often messes around with distortion and feedback during live performances to give his violin a super-fuzzy tone that would feel right at home even on a modern Metal album, or sampled in a Drone song. But even without the distortion, he's very good at capturing a clean and Classical sound as well. So, without further ado, let's take a look at Curved Air and their debut album! Airconditioning Curved Air was originally formed due to a simple act of chance. Francis Monkman, an aspiring musician from the University of London's prestigious Royal Academy of Music, was shopping in a musical equipment outlet when he heard someone playing an electric violin. He investigated the intriguing sound, and ran into violinist Darryl Way. After their introductions, the two became fast friends, and decided to start a band together. They, along with classical pianist Nick Simon, formed the band Sisyphus, and were joined by musicians Florian Pilkington-Miksa and Rob Martin. While they quickly set about writing many Prog Rock songs, which would end up on Curved Air's debut, Sisyphus became known mostly for producing solid Classical and instrumental music, and they landed a gig providing the music for a play that was being performed. In the audience was Mark Hanau, who was impressed with Sisyphus, and he offered to become their manager. However, Sisyphus weren't the only musicians that Mark Hanau had taken a liking to; he also thought that vocalist Sonja Kristina, who he had heard performing music for a play as well, was a promising talent. He introduced Sonja to Sisyphus, and they formed the band that would come to be known as "Curved Air" (after the renowned song "A Rainbow in Curved Air"), after the departure of Nick Simon (who left after having several disagreements with Darryl over the band's direction). 1969 and 1970 were the formative years of the band, when they focused on practicing and playing live shows. Eventually, they managed to build up a good reputation and a decent following, particularly after they landed a tour supporting other Progressive/Early Metal bands like Black Sabbath. In 1970, they released their debut, "Airconditioning", which was received well among fans of Progressive Rock. After that, they managed to get mainstream attention after their single "Back Street Luv" became a top ten hit in the UK, and their second album (aptly titled "Second Album") climbed fairly high in the charts as well. From this point on, there was always a place in the public's heart for Curved Air, as their intriguing albums, catchy singles, and wild live performances managed to entrance a wide variety of fans. Even after multiple break-ups, reunions, and side project off-shoot bands, they still have a dedicated fanbase (particularly in the UK), and as of now are still touring (although the only original members in the current line-up are Sonja and Florian, after Darryl left in 2010). Now, let's get to the music! Curved Air! 1. "It Happened Today" - Kicking off the album is a fantastic Hard Rock number with smooth yet strong vocals and a strong backbeat as provided by the drums, piano, and bass. The guitar work has a sharp Proggy feeling to it, and the occasional violin riffs are a nice touch (especially in the second half of the song, when the violin comes to the forefront for a nice break). I like this version of the song, and the various live versions are all just as good as they each add something new to the mix. 2. "Stretch" - Following a groovy Blues style riff played on the electric violin and the guitar, and the two instruments work surprisingly well together. It's got a steady beat to it, and it's a bit heavier than the opening track. The smooth vocals remain, with Sonja and one of her male bandmates singing together throughout the song. This track has a certain amount of emphasis on the main riff, with the violin laying down the core while the guitar provides various flourishes, but there are two great solos where the two instruments really get a chance to shine. 3. "Screw" - Mixing things up a bit, this song has more of a Folk feeling to it than the last few tracks (especially with the vocals). Still, it has a fair amount of the Progressive sound to it with the electric organs flaring up here and there, and the guitar occasionally gets really fuzzy and heavy for some nice Psychedelic moments! As always, the violin work adds a nice Classical feeling to the atmosphere. 4. "Blind Man" - This track goes for a sort of Baroque Pop sound, having a light tone and soft vocals. At times, it's a bit reminiscent of the Folksy and slightly Psychedelic artists of the 1960s, like Donovan and The Byrds, and it's a good change of pace. 5. "Vivaldi" - The violin work here is absolutely fantastic, going from clean and Classical to heavily distorted and downright metallic over the course of the song, and the rest of the band provides a solid Rock backdrop that mixes well with it while also allowing it to stand out. Over seven minutes in length, this is one of the longer songs of the album, but I think it's justified; the song just has a way of grabbing your attention, and I think most people will find themselves listening to the very end. Roughly four minutes in, Darryl starts playing around with feedback and distortion, giving his violin and the song in general a weird and almost Drone-like sound. At about five and a half minutes in, he replicates the sound of a car zooming down a highway, which is just awesome! But my favorite part is from six minutes and twenty seconds onward, when the band re-plays the opening section of the song with extra speed and energy. Whether it's the studio version or one of the more heavy, experimental and improvised live performances, I highly recommend that you seek out one of the cuts of this song! 6. "Hide and Seek" - Returning to the Heavy Prog sound with a solid backbeat and fuzzy guitar work, this song opens with the piano taking the forefront. However, the song quickly shifts into a heavy and groovy guitar solo, before the tone of the song suddenly changes (in true Prog fashion) and Sonja jumps into the fray with strong and haunting vocals. This is a great song that kind of has a loose and "jamming" feeling to it, as the band goes through different tones and riffs throughout. 7. "Propositions" - This track kicks off with a kind of Punk feeling to it, with fast and hard drumming mixed with a dirty and simple guitar riff. The vocals are as smooth as ever, but I think it would have sounded better if Sonja sang this one without the male backing vocalist. Anyway, the song shifts into some Psychedelic-tinged guitar jamming, before returning to the original riff and finishing things off in this relatively short song. It's a fun track, but I really prefer the harder-edged live version, as it leans more heavily towards an intriguing Hard Rock/Early Metal sound, and Sonja's vocals are much more rough and raw (with a fantastic scream at the end of the chorus). 8. "Rob One" - The piano and violin work that open up this track are excellent, and this would basically be a Classical song through and through if it wasn't for the loud drumming and bass work in the background! From the start to the finish, this is a beautiful song. 9. "Situations" - Another of the album's longer tracks, this one begins as a haunting and subtle song, kept very subdued at first (save for the drum breaks when the song speeds up a bit, and the vocals have a little more power to them). The song shifts tones and becomes faster and less dark as it goes on, culminating in a fantastic Psychedelic guitar solo! The vocals are an excellent match for the song, fitting the general feeling very well. Every now and then, there are some fun electronic songs in the background (which I think are either made using the electric violin, or a synthesizer). It's solid and a bit Avant Garde, but really the whole album is kind of in a similar vein! 10. "Vivaldi With Cannons" - The shortest song of the album, we're played out with a return to the main section of "Vivaldi" (and, just as promised, there are cannons in the background). The violin has a good amount of distortion to it, and there are some synthesizer effects here and there. So, whaddya think? Progressive bands definitely had the right idea when they combined Rock with elements of other genres, as it creates a very fun and intriguing sound, and Curved Air were one of the masters of mixing Progressive Rock with Classical music. Like I said earlier, I've really taken a liking to them, and this album is a great example of the range that they had (being rough yet also mellow, as well as classy and clean yet also occasionally stripped down and raw). Not only that, but Curved Air had a pretty good amount of influence on their peers, and many bands that came after them borrowed a bit of their thunder (I mean, watch a video of them playing live back in the day, and then listen to Heart for awhile. The Wilson sisters were obviously fans of Sonja's look and sound). I recommend this album very highly, especially if you're a fan of the Progressive Rock sound, and even if you aren't, I still recommend giving this album a shot sometime! Information about the band: Curved Air, http://www.progarchives.com/artist.a...s_monkman.html, Curved Air - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, http://www.discogs.com/artist/356873-Curved-Air __________________ ---------------------- \|---Mic's Albums---\| ---------------------- ----------------------------- \|---Deafbox Industries---\| ----------------------------- Last edited by Oriphiel; 04-28-2015 at 07:54 AM.