Sonja Kristina & Curved Air

moshkito wrote: Psychedelic Paul wrote: ... CURVED AIR arrived on the English Progressive Rock scene like a fresh sea breeze in 1970. They're a classic band from the Golden Age of Prog, long before angry young oiks came along to spoil it all in 1977 by forming "bands", and then causing Anarchy in the U.K by snorting Harpic up their nostrils and then going on to make a godawful racket on Radio Riot FM by banging bits of furniture together - which is about as exciting to listen to as tuning into the Shipping Forecast on BBC Radio 4 to find out the state of the sea at Dogger Bank. Curved Air were a REAL band featuring the striking vocals of Sonja Kristina, who was actually from the unremarkable town of Brentwood in Essex, despite her exotic-sounding name.  ... Hi, The only thing missing here, is that Sonja Kristina, was not just another name or singer. She had been a part of the original HAIR show in London (1968), and you know who she was married to in the long run, when the brother ended up managing The Police. (Stewart and Miles).  But, being an actress/singer is not likely to stop a woman's dreams ... and it didn't as she was able to head up the band Curved Air. The two main in it, Darryl Way and Francis Monkman were (supposedly) at odds with each other a lot, as Darryl was more classically minded and Francis wanted to free form a  lot more according to one article around. Strangely enough, Francis helped Darryl in 1978's Concerto album for Darryl.

David_D wrote: David_D wrote: Psychedelic Paul wrote: David_D wrote: I'm very fond of    1972: Phantasmagoria  and have been that for many years now.  In that case, you might be interested in my spooky review for that same album.  Very interesting and enjoyable read, and curiously enough, I maybe seem to feel here your in some ways more "conservative tastes" in your perception of side 2, which I think of as less "crazy"/out there than you do, even "only in a good way".  Something else, I noticed, is that you've paid very good attention to the lyrics when listening to this album.

                 2005: Sonja Kristina with MASK - Heavy Petal (currently unavailable) 

^ To be honest, I think Curved Air would've sold more records if they'd featured lovely Sonja Kristina on every album cover. After all, it never did Blondie's album sales any harm to feature Debbie Harry on every album cover. Not that that had any bearing on me buying their albums.  

Edited by Psychedelic Paul - March 01 2023 at 11:43

For me Curved Air became dated regarding specific keyboard settings that were commonly used in those times...along with the usage of a Wah Wah pedal which aside from Hendrix..I was never particularly fond of. I love Curved Air but I must have the mindset or I won't bother.

Their music could be mysterious and with the addition of sound effects it got my attention in the 70s. "You Keep Looking Over Your Shoulder" was a bit eerie and impressionable. I liked their rhythmical ideas.

"Melinda (more or less) is a hauntingly beautiful Folk song which is totally up to par with bands like Mellow Candle and Pentangle . Curved Air transform into a European Folk band in Melinda. ...while the rest of the material on Phantasmagoria differs from it extremely. Their are sections of the Vivaldi take that are reminiscent of how King Crimson sounded with David Cross.

Air Conditioning felt like a collection of odd songs. The song "Stretch" has a kind of shuffle groove . The chord vamping during the verse reminds me of Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore and I can definitely hear Ian Gillian singing this...although Curved Air have their own distinctive sound.

The song "Screw" is truly odd. Curved Air possessed this darkside made more prominent on songs like "Piece Of Mind" . "Everdance" is timeless to me. Other bands of those times that had these kinds of leanings were Gracious, Rare Bird (particularly on As Your Mind Flies By), The first two Gentle Giant albums, Lucifer's Friend on the songs "Mother" and "Where The Groupies Killed The Blues "...and "Rose On The Vine" all were part of a formula in Progressive Rock during the early 70s. Curved Air developed a very unique style of their own. Even the early Van Der Graff Generator with songs like "Killer" . The difference in Curved Air being the sound of a woman's voice and the monster playing of Way and Monkman.