Curved Air - Curved Air Live FLAC album

Thanks for that great info on this album. I think I read that they had to do this album as they owed the record company one more record so they got together and did a live gig. I've wanted to get this album ever since I heard about it shortly after I started to get into Curved Air. I only found out about them about 3 years ago while watching old stuff on You Tube. Backstreet Luv video popped up and I was in love with Sonja before the song ended so I looked for more. Then I looked for their albums which are damn hard to find and when you do find them they are $$$$. I got Second Album, Air Cut and the one that is white that starts with P :-). Later I got Air Conditioner which I think is their first album. Anyway I wondered if there was an album released with Stuart Copeland on drums? I would like that as well. Discogs is very limited in their listing of Curved Air. Maybe I should list mine I guess. Again thanks for the info on the band.

The is basically the original Curved Air lineup reunited, minus the bassist (as the original lineup had trouble keeping bassists to begin with). This time they brought in American bassist Philip Kohn (he won't be the only American musician to join ranks of Curved Air, Stewart Copeland would be too just shortly after this recording). Recorded in December 1974, the band concentrates solely on their first three albums, which makes sense, since this lineup would not be as familiar with the Air Cut material (except for Sonja Kristina, naturally). I was rather surprised to see the band take on a more hard-edged approach to these songs, and I'm not accustomed to Sonja screaming and going sorta more into Janis Joplin territory, or perhaps Ann Wilson (Heart) or Jenny Haan (Babe Ruth) territory, so that was something I needed to get a bit used to. These songs are still recognizable, but they take on new twists. Take, for example, "Propositions", Francis Monkman decides to throw in some Terry Riley type of organ, reminding one, naturally, of A Rainbow in Curved Air, which is no surprise given that album (and composition) was where the band got its name. Much of "Vivaldi" is still recognizable, but for some reason Darryl Way decided to throw in a bit of "The Sailor's Hornpipe" and even Sonja sings in one short spot. Even gentle songs like "Marie Antoinette" finds Sonja belting like she's about to turn Curved Air into a heavy metal band (the music still isn't even hard rock in reality). I do find that Sonja is often a bit over-the-top here, as all the songs all originally featured her singing in a much more calm, relaxed manner, more closer to Annie Haslam than Janis Joplin. Still the band put on quite a show. Yes one can grumble about the lack of Air Cut material, but that has to do with this lineup never recorded those songs and would require more rehearsing to get this lineup familiar with the material presented. If you love their first three albums, you owe it to get this album, it brings a new twist to the songs you know and love.

Thanks for your info, I like the insight! Being slightly new to Curved Air, not completely knowledgeable about the lineup. Also I am a sucker for live music, so this was a no brainer, but good to know that it is a little different than a lot of their stuff.