SECOND ALBUM

CURVED AIR are one of those bands from classic period of prog development that I missed checking while being a crazy fan of record buying in my teens. I had only heard of their fame and occasionally read a few articles in magazines but never had I stumbled upon any of their albums. Especially in time when THE POLICE were popular during New Wave, I occasionally found their name connected with drummer S. Copeland and I was like "hmmmm, what's this?"

Thanks to PA (:-)) I got a sample listening to "Back Street Luv" and it immediately caught my attention. But when I listened to the whole "Second Album" I could not help but wondering - how is possible this music never got much popularity like other bands from the era? To be sure, this is 1971, the year when classic prog acts like YES or GENESIS just released their first fully developed albums. "Second Album" is surely not worse than "Nursery" or "Yes Album", and in some respect it is even equally interesting. Female vocal and electric violin gives unique listening experience that was not often found at that time. Sonja Kristina is perhaps not so elaborated or skilled vocalist like Sandy Denny or Annie Haslam but she is firm, energetic, emotional and delivers excellent songs. "Young Mother", "Backstreet Luv", "Puppets" and "Pieace of Mind" are prog masterpieces with very good of combination between violin, organ, synths and guitars, all arranged in largely vivid, rhythmic songs. "You Know" with its combination of male/female vocals, hints at JEFFERSON AIRPLANE, with excellent guitar solo. Mellotron-filled "Puppets" is one of the best prog ballads I heard.

I don't know whether I would the same opinon, had I heard this long time back but now I can only say - wow! This is an unjustly forgotten gem of British progressive rock of early 1970s and should be given a second chance. Now or never!