Curved Air: The Albums 1970-1973 (4 CD Box) + Midnight Wire 1975 + Airborne 1976

 

Curved Air are an English progressive rock group formed in 1970 by musicians from mixed artistic

backgrounds, including classical, folk and electronic sound. The resulting sound of the band is a mixture of progressive rock, folk rock, and fusion with classical elements. Curved Air released eight studio albums, the first three of which broke into the Top 20 in the UK Albums Chart, and had a hit single with "Back Street Luv" (1971) which reached number 4 in the UK Singles Chart.
                     

 One of the most dramatically accomplished of all the bands lumped into Britain's late-'60s prog explosion, Curved Air was formed in early 1970 by violinist Darryl Way, a graduate of the Royal

College of Music, and two former members of Sisyphus, keyboard player Francis Monkman and drummer Florian Pilkington-Miksa. Adding bassist Robert Martin, the band named itself from avant-garde composer Terry Riley's A Rainbow in Curved Air, a touchstone that would inform much of their early work.
                           

The quartet originally came together to provide accompaniment for producer Galt McDermott's musical

Who the Murderer Was; it was McDermott who suggested, once the stage show closed, that they add vocalist Sonja Kristina, with whom he had worked in the U.K. production of Hair. In this form, the band launched a well-received U.K. tour and, that summer, they signed with Warner Bros. -- the first British band on the company's roster.
                   

The band received a much-publicized advance of £100,000 and their debut album Air Conditioning was released in November notable for its being issued as the first commercially available LP picture disc in the UK. The album reached number 8 in the UK Albums Chart, preceded by a single, "It Happened

Today". John Peel picked up on the band and they performed on several Peel radio Sessions and Roundhouse ‘Implosion’ events.  Bass player Rob Martin left due to a hand injury, and was replaced by Ian Eyre. The band released "Back Street Luv" which reached number 4 in the UK Singles Chart to become the band's most successful single to date. The Second Album peaked at number 11. A non-LP follow-up single, "Sarah's Concern", went by unnoticed.
                   

By the time of the third album's release, serious musical differences within the band emerged. According to Sonja Kristina's Cherry Red interview (2007), Francis was fascinated with overtones and natural harmonies, and "His other obsession is/was jamming... real 'out there' cosmic rock jamming.

Phantasmagoria was recorded with bassist/guitarist Mike Wedgwood, who replaced Eyre. The album's title was drawn from the Lewis Carroll poem of the same title. The album came out in April 1972 and reached number 20 in the UK Albums Chart. Curved Air split up, Way formed Darryl Way's Wolf, Pilkington-Miksa joined Kiki Dee's band, and Monkman moved into session work and was later to play in, among others, the supergroup Sky.
                       

The reunion tour saw Sonja Kristina play her role as Curved Air's sex symbol far more dramatically than she had before. Between the band's previous breakup and the reunion tour she had worked as a

croupier at the London Playboy Club[8] and returned to the stage with Curved Air in see through lace, feathers and beads, highlighting her sexuality. A live album and single were recorded during the lauded three week reunion tour, and they succeeded in paying off the tax bill. With their debts paid, Monkman and Pilkington-Miksa had no more reason to remain in the band. And so, Curved Air broke up for the third time in as many years.
                  

The group struggled with studio work. Phil Kohn left and the band, unable to replace him in time for the sessions for Midnight Wire, relied on guest musicians to play both bass (John G Perry) and

keyboards (Peter Wood). Norma Tager, a friend of Kristina's, penned the lyrics to the "Midnight Wire" songs. Kohn was later replaced by Tony Reeves,[3] formerly of Colosseum and Greenslade, but the recording sessions for both Midnight Wire and 1976's Airborne were expensive and highly stressful for everyone involved. Both albums – as well as "Desiree", a single drawn from Airborne – failed to break the charts.
                     

On 4 September 2015, Curved Air played a special concert at Under The Bridge, London, to mark the 45th Anniversary of the release of Air Conditioning. The album was played in full for the first time. The band was joined on stage by Darryl Way for "Vivaldi" and two other songs. Ian Eyre also played

bass during "Back Street Luv". Kit Morgan returned to the band in November 2016, replacing Kirby Gregory, but left in August 2018 because of problems with his back, so former Purson guitarist George Hudson made his live debut with the band at The New Day Festival in Kent. Florian Pilkington-Miksa left in November 2017 and was replaced by Andy Tween. In 2019, Kirby Gregory returned on guitar in place of Hudson, and Grzegorz Gadziomski replaced Paul Sax on violin, both playing with the band at London's 100 Club on 17 October.

                            

Curved Air – The Albums 1970-1973
Label: Esoteric Recordings – PECLEC42749
Format: Box Set, Compilation
Country: UK
Released: Jan 29, 2021
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock, Psychedelic Rock

CD 1. AIR CONDITIONING 1970       

                        

  
01. It Happened Today
02. Stretch
03. Screw
04. Blind Man
05. Vivaldi
06. Hide And Seek
07. Propositions
08. Rob One
09. Situations
10. Vivaldi With Cannons

BONUS           

11. It Happened Today
12. What Happens When You Blow Yourself Up

MP3 @ 320 Size: 397 MB
Flac  Size: 587 MB

CD 2. SECOND ALBUM 1971       

                              

  
01. Young Mother
02. Back Street Luv
03. Jumbo
04. You Know
05. Puppets
06. Everdance
07. Bright Summer's Day '68
08. Piece Of Mind

MP3 @ 320 Size: 372 MB
Flac  Size: 542 MB

CD 3. PHANTASMAGORIA 1972       

                           

01. Marie Antoinette
02. Melinda (More Or Less)
03. Not Quiet The Same
04. Cheetah
05. Ultra-Vivaldi
06. Phantasmagoria
07. Whose Shoulder Are You Look Over Anyway?
08. Over And Above
09. Once A Ghost, Always A Ghost

BONUS       
    
10. Sarah's Concern

MP3 @ 320 Size: 371 MB
Flac  Size: 537 MB

CD 4. AIR CUT 1973           

                        

01. The Purple Speed Queen
02. Elfin Boy
03. Metamorphosis
04. World
05. Armin
06. U.H.F.
07. Two Three Two
08. Easy

MP3 @ 320 Size: 367 MB
Flac  Size: 522 MB

MIDNIGHT WIRE 1975

                       

Curved Air – Midnight Wire
Label: Repertoire Records – REP 4499-WY
Format:    CD, Album, Reissue, Repress
Country: Germany
Released: 1975   
Genre: Rock
Style: Art Rock, Prog Rock

TRACKS

01. Woman On A One Night Stand   5:06
Written By – Kristina/Tager
02. Day Breaks My Heart   4:38
Written By – Way/Tager
03. The Fool   4:27
Backing Vocals – Derek Damain
Written By – Way/Tager/Jacques
04. Pipe Of Dreams   3:58
Written-By – Jacques
05. Orange Street Blues   5:01
Written By – Way/Tager
06. Dance Of Love   4:36
Written By – Jacques/Way/Tager
07. Midnight Wire   7:32
Written By – Way/Tager

LINE - UP

                                    

Bass – John Perry
Drums – Stewart Copeland
Guitar [Guitars] – Mick Jacques
Keyboards – Peter Wood
Lyrics By – Norma Tager
Violin – Darryl Way
Vocals – Sonja Kristina

MP3 @ 320 Size: 355 MB
Flac  Size: 509 MB

AIRBORNE 1976
             

Curved Air – Air Cut
Label: Repertoire Records 4493
Format:    Album, Remastered, Stereo
Country: UK
Released: 1976   
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock

TRACKS

01. The Purple Speed Queen    3:28
02. Elfin Boy    4:13
03. Metamorphosis    10:39
04. World    1:34
05. Armin    3:42
06. U.H.F.    5:06
07. Two-Three-Two    4:11
08. Easy    6:39

MP3 @ 320 Size: 374 MB
Flac  Size: 552 MB