During the 1970s, Curved Air was one of the British bands vanguarding delicate progressive rock.
And now they are reformed and producing modern progrock that's rich with drama and sonic appeal.
CURVED AIR Live Atmosphere (CD & DVD on Curved Air Records)
This CD from 2012 features 58 minutes of lively progressive music recorded live during the band's 2010-11 tour.
Curved Air's new line-up is: Sonja Kistina (on vocals), Paul Sax (on violin), Kit Morgan (on guitar), Robert Norton (on keyboards), Chris Harris (on bass and backing vocals), and Florian Pilkington-Miksa (on drums).
This rock ensemble delivers a solid offering of enticing progrock.
Kristina's vocals are an integral part of the band's lustrous strength. Her voice is simultaneously commanding and lilting, alluring while emphatic.
The guitar contributes layers of searing riffs that soar and cavort, guiding melodies of entrancing complexity.
The violin is quite predominant, lending classical airs, yet doing so with a strictly modern flair. These strains definitely boost the music's animation.
The bass lurks like a brooding beast, its rumble establishing a tasty undercurrent of power.
The keyboards abound with slippery sweeps that bestow the songs with a certain buoyancy. Meanwhile, nimble-fingered piano conveys an engaging degree of twinkle.
The drums are powerful, belting out throbbing rhythms that provide energetic locomotion.
The performance borders on grandiose, tempered with instances of tenderness. A wondrous selection is offered of classic tunes from the band's Seventies' heyday; and yet the music hardly dated, serving forth songs that seethe with a modern flair.
The DVD features a visual document of the band live, and includes interviews, featurettes, and musical excerpts.
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