Second Album - CURVED AIR*****

Young Mother/Back Street Luv/Jumbo/You Know/Puppets/Everdance/Bright Summer's Day 1968/Piece Of Mind

Self explanatory title for this fine album from the British progressive band Curved Air, which is every bit as good as its predecessor. Includes the UK No. 4 hit single Back Street Luv. (UK:11)

“A very creative mix of pop, prog rock and envelope pushing moves (weird drum machines and synth stuff). The songs themselves are unusual and memorable, some of them very catchy. There are great riffs, and Sonja Kristina's voice is sometimes sensual, sometimes beautiful. Overall, totally compelling, forward-looking early 70s art rock.”

“Orchestral prog rock with emphasis on keyboards, piano and violin, fronted by a talented female singer. In fashion with other groups of the time, recommended to lovers of British progressive rock and classical prog.”

“The album found the band trying to expand their musical horizons churning out an eclectic mixture of styles that included surprisingly impressive stabs at pop and rock, as well as side two's more typical classical/progressive-tinged numbers.”

“As it contains the best examples of both of the band's progressive and poppy leanings, Second Album is probably the best starting point in the Curved Air discography. Recommended to all fans of progressive rock, or of 70s art rock in general.”

“Curved Air, a delightful British band that had their heyday in the early 70s, are often called progressive folk-rock. Actually, if one were to take into account all their major influences, the correct label might be to add classical-jazz, theatrical phantasmagorical musical band, sometimes including strings and horns. In short, there is no type of musical genre that the band did not incorporate into their rich sound-stew.”

“It’s very good that the two songwriters took a side each here, because they show different aspects of the band. Side one is mid left-field progressive, with the three rockers, hitting the spot just right; a slightly darkish, heavyish sound with Sonja Kristina’s intense but beautiful, clear English folk-rock voice being the perfect foil. Side two steps further into progressive territory, and flows well Piece Of Mind is an opus of dark, gothic, classically influenced fast-moving heavy prog; a textbook example at it's most ambitious yet still not overdone.”