AIR CUT

Charming, but quite uncharacteristic Curved Air album. After the break up of the original band, founding member Sonja Kristina and bassist Mike Wedgood (who played on Phantasmagoria), put together a new line up that included two outstading teenage musicians: 19 year old Kirby Gregory on guitar and 17 year old Eddie Jobson on Keyboards and violin, plus drummer Jim Russel. Most fans did not believed in the band without Darryl Way and Francis Monkman. So Air Cut was not that welcomed by critics and public at the time.

Right, the songs were maybe too different from the original Curved Air, but it did contain some inspired and powerful tunes. More rocking and less experimental than earlier works, Air Cut had its share of prog moments anyway, specially with the wonderful Jobson's penned Metamorphosis and the great instrumental track Armin (absolute fantastic violin, guitar and bass interplay). Also of notice is the folky Elfin Boy and the powerful prog-ballad Easy (one of Kristina's best songs ever) The opener is a simple hard rocker, but Jobson's daring VCS synthesizer solo actually saves The Purple Speed Queen to be a mediocre track. The others are well below that but are actually not that bad, World being the only real throwaway song.

Maybe with time this line up could cut a better, more focused album, but this was not meant to be. Jobson soon left for Roxy Music (and later to Jethro Tull and UK), while Kirby joined the bogus 'Fleetwood Mac' band and Mike Wedgood would find his way to Caravan. The production was ok, and the cover was very well done (specially the back, with a beautiful paimting of the band members in a fairy scene. When I had the original LP it was really stricking).

A bit overlooked at the time, it was nevertheless a very fine release by this underrated british group. I liked it very much, but I don't think it is Curved Air's best (Second Album is my pick). However, it has some remarkable songs and it is the debut work of the now legendary Jobson. Even at that young age his playing is totally awesome. I rate this album between 3,5 to 4 stars.