AIRCONDITIONING

Curved Air

Eclectic Prog

3.38 | 218 ratings

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Easy Livin
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin

Full frontal nudity!

This, Curved Air's first album, achieved instant success due in no small part to the clever marketing of the initial copies. Although it has been done many times since, I believe this was the first commercially produced picture disc. Initial copies came in a clear plastic sleeve, with only the actual LP (complete with images of full frontally naked women), inside. This of course made it instantly desirable, no matter what the music was like. The problem was that after a number of plays, the paint started to be worn off by the stylus! (I apologise if this means little to the CD generation!).

As for the music, it is actually very good. The combining of Sonja Kristina's distinctive vocals with the instrumental prowess of Francis Monkman (keyboards) and Daryl Way (violin) making for some excellent tracks.

The opening song, "It happened today", sees Kristina sounding very assured, backed by some excellent violin, particularly on the slower instrumental ending. There's a good mix of soft tracks, where Kristina is given the opportunity to bring her unique voice to the fore ("Screw", "Situations"), and funkier or more upbeat pieces ("Stretch", Hide and seek").

It is however the two "Vivaldi" pieces which form the signature tracks of the album. "Vivaldi" is a 7 minute track featuring virtuoso multi-tracked electric violin by Daryl Way. While loosely influenced by the work of the namesake composer, this is an original composition. It was later covered on keyboards by SKY when Monkman joined that band. The theme is reprised at a more sedate pace but with exploding fireworks on the brief "Vivaldi with Cannons" to end the album.

The hype surrounding this album meant that it found an audience far quicker than it otherwise would have, but in truth, it is a mighty first album by any standard.

Easy Livin | 4/5 | 2004-4-12

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