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I'll also be hosting Rural Electric right after the Island Messenger at 7 pm until 9 pm.
This week's Rural Electric spotlights country songs about cheatin' and lyin'
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.[1
Phantasmagoria is the third studio album by Curved Air. Released in 1972, it reached No. 20 in the UK Charts[2] and is notable for its early use of the EMS Synthi 100 synthesizer to process lead singer Sonja Kristina's voice on the second side. Unavailable for many years, the album was reissued on CD in April 2007.
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
Allmusic called Phantasmagoria "the culmination of all that Curved Air promised over the course of its predecessors" and "the band's grandest hour by far". Their review praised the vast majority of the individual tracks, especially complimenting the blending of musical styles and absence of pretentiousness.[1]
Review by
Trotsky
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
The sound of Sonja Kristina's heavily accented vocals singing "Fire in their hands/Steel
in their eyes, they rise chanting "Revolution, Vive le Nation!"" remains my abiding
memory of Curved Air's outstanding album Phantasmoria. This follow-up to The Second
Album, which spawned a great single Back Street Luv, contains many of Curved Air's
finest compositions and most progressive moments. I heartily recommend it.Of course, the bloodthirsty, (ahem) majestic Marie Antoinette is one of those essential art-rock songs, with rollicking piano, chants, fuzz guitar from Francis Monkman and eerie synths from Darryl Way, and Sonja Kristina presiding over it all. The beautiful folk ballad Melinda (More Or Less) is also unforgettable. With Kristina on acoustic guitar (let's not forget that this former folkie initially replaced Sandy Denny in The Strawbs!), Way's violin, Monkman's harpsichord, Mike Wedgwood's understated bas and a notable guest flute appearance from one Annie Stewart, also succeed in transporting listeners back a couple of centuries.
As great as both songs are, neither is the album-defining classic, an honour that belongs to Monkman's classic Over And Above. Oustanding moments abound in this song that resembles some of the work that Annie Haslam and Renaissance would craft in subsequent years. A swirling, multi-dimensional mini-epic, it's fuelled by astounding guest performances from vibraphonists/xylophonists Crispian Steel-Perkins, Paul Cosh and Jim Watson and also features stellar contributions from Way and Monkman, both with an otherworldly synth solo and some earthier wah-wah guitar (which is largely absent on this record) to close off the piece. With symhonic dashes, jazzy runs and even the yet-to-be-sacred tubular bells, it is arguably the most progressive song Curved Air ever recorded.
The rest of the album is not quite in the same league as this masterpiece, but is generally very strong. Not Quite The Same begins with medieval brassy sounds before evolving into a bouncy folk-jazz with a melancholic chorus, and an unusual Canterbury- influenced synth solo (both Way and Monkman play synth on this one). Cheetah is an upbeat Darryl Way instrumental sees him starring on violin, with just enough unpredictable changes to keep the piece fresh. The title track is another one of those eerie, theatrical Curved Air cuts, although I don't really like the chorus.
The one real downer is Ultra-Vivaldi, a sped up sequenced version of a song that has already been performed twice before by the group on Air Conditioning). The sequencer idea may have seemed worthwhile back in 1972, but it really stinks now. Of the three Curved Air Vivaldi pieces (Vivaldi, Vivaldi With Cannons and Ultra-Vivaldi) the original Vivaldi track is the only one I consider worth listening to. Luckily the damage is over in just 1:24! Whose Shoulder Are You Looking Over Anyway? is another experiment that sounds cool but ain't entirely convincing. The track consists of Kristina vocal tracks fed through a "PDP8/L computer and a Synthi 100 Synthesizer", and it's all edited to create a ghostly atmosphere. It's not as tacky as Ultra-Vivaldi, but does go some way towards making the album feel dated.
The totally wild, unpredictable feel of the album is emphasized by the concluding track Once A Ghost, Always A Ghost, a strange brassy cabaret song that isn't a personal favourite, but does end the album on an offbeat, yet stimulating note, thanks in part to another incredible vibraphone solo. You have to give this album and its creators marks for not resting on the laurels of the previous year's hit single, and going on to craft a daring album despite the increasing friction that developed between the group's two main songwriters.
Unfortunately, the band imploded after this excellent album, losing both Way and Monkman ... and things were never the same. But should you ever need to convince anyone of Curved Air's greatness, kindly direct them here. This is something else. ... 85% on the MPV scale
Astrolabio is the second album by the Italian progressive rock band Garybaldi. It was produced by Maurizio Salvadori and published in 1973 by Fonit. 1]]
There are only two songs, one on each side of the disc. It is a Long Playing much appreciated by fans of the genre, present in the selection of the book "The 100 best records of the Progressive Italiano", of 2014, written by the critic Mox Cristadoro.
Review by
Sean Trane
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Prog Folk
The second album under the Garybaldi name (but the third overall from the group) is
maybe their best, but be prepared for a very short track list as only two of them
lasting each their own vinyl side. With this album, they only confirm the direction they
had taken with the sidelong suite from their debut album. Rumours has it that
keyboardist Lio Marchi played on this as a session man - he does not get any writing
credits, although he is very present. Mother Of Lost Causes starts off as a very spacey-sounding exploration, but soon develops superbly what they had promised with the Moretto Da Brescia pinnacle of Nuda. Simply superb double-tracked guitar wailing somehow reminding more of Robin Trower (another Hendrix-ey connection) and very abruptly ended by an almost sonar- echoed repeating key that is reminiscent of a great Argent track. Astounding stuff, you proheads!!! In Italy only Flea (with their Topi O Uomini album) approaches such a complete feast of guitars at the time.
The second track is recorded live and is kick-arse rock'n roll (sometimes sounding a bit like Hendrix's Voodoo Chile played by Trower) and some wild KB-guitars (Purple-like) call and response. This track is not quite as proggy as the previous one, but shows another facet (improvising) of the group. Pity these guys stopped so soon, even if Fossatti will make further records.
Easily their better album, this lengthy solo feast is never over-indulgent or gratuitous heroics and in its genre is a textbook example of its own.
Solaris unfolds slowly, its deliberate pacing inviting viewers to sink into the vast silences and lingering imagery that define Tarkovsky's cinematic language. Long tracking shots through rain-soaked landscapes and the dim corridors of the space station evoke a sense of isolation and introspection. The film's visual and aural textures work in harmony, crafting an atmosphere where memory feels as palpable as the physical environment. This immersive quality is heightened by the sparse yet evocative electronic score by Eduard Artemyev, whose droning soundscapes and abstract compositions mirror the psychological disorientation experienced by the characters.
Tarkovsky himself described the film as an attempt to explore "the moral problems of man in a space environment," but its implications extend far beyond that premise. Solaris ultimately reflects the timeless struggle to understand ourselves and our place in the universe. For this reason, Solaris has left an indelible mark on artists across disciplines, from filmmakers to musicians and writers. Its dreamlike ambience and philosophical depth resonate deeply within the world of sound art and experimental music. The sonic landscapes of Solaris have inspired countless musicians to explore the emotional terrain between the cosmic and the intimate, crafting compositions that echo the film's ethereal and introspective essence.
This compilation is a tribute to Tarkovsky’s vision, an attempt to translate the enigmatic beauty of Solaris into a sonic experience. Each track, like the planet’s ocean, reflects fragments of memory and imagination, evoking both wonder and melancholy. The music contained here draws from the textures of ambient, drone, and experimental electronics, mirroring the film's hypnotic pacing and its exploration of the liminal spaces between waking and dreaming. In these compositions, you may hear the echoes of Kelvin’s (the main character) sorrow, the undulating mystery of Solaris, and the endless dance between presence and absence. To immerse oneself in Solaris is to embark on a journey without easy answers. Likewise, this collection of music invites you to drift into the unknown, to embrace the mysteries that lie beneath the surface of sound, and to discover, perhaps, something of your own subconscious reflected back at you. Tarkovsky believed in the spiritual power of art to transcend time and space. In that spirit, let this tribute be a continuation of his search for meaning beyond the visible world.
credits
REVIEWS
Bizarrechats
bizarrechats.blogspot.com/2025/05/eighth-towers-music-and-reflections.html
bizarrechats.blogspot.com/2025/05/eighth-towers-stories-and-reflections.html
Music by: rauðvik, Mark Hjorthoy, SÍLENÍ, Psychophysicist, Yousef Kawar, zooneman, Mario Lino Stancati, 400 Lonely Things, Kloob, Solaris, phoanøgramma, Michael Bonaventure.
Psychophysicist / Torus Apparatus: exclusive pre release composed / produced by Adi Newton 2025.
Curated and mastered by Raffaele Pezzella (a.k.a. Sonologyst).
Layout by Matteo Mariano.
Published by Eighth Tower Records (Cat. Num. ETR060).
© 2025 All rights reserved.
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Superbly crafted 70's mellotron/moog laden progressive rock gem with
great artistic expressionism and full instrumental interplay. "Night On
Bald Mountain" was produced by KING CRIMSON's Ian McDonald who also
contributes some sax on the album. Musicianship on this album is simply
awesome with some of the most scrumptious interplay you have ever heard.
Opening number 'Les Cathedrales' is absolutely in the same brilliance
as early GENESIS with the most captivating and delicate of melodies.
This five member band incorporate some wonderful musical instrumentation
including xylophone, glockenspiel, chineese bell tree, gong, finger
cymbals, tubular bells, triangle, hammond organ, pipe organ, celeste,
mellotron, moog , Taurus pedals, and everyone's favourite... electronic
devices. Vocals are quite well done with some great lyrics as well.
"Night On Bald Mountain" contains 2 epic tracks and a couple of shorter
but well pieced tracks. For those lucky enough to have snagged a copy of
Setticlavio Record's (Italy) re-released CD pressing can also enjoy
their second album as well... 7 extra bonus tracks from the album titled
"Two Too" (1976)... although it is always nice to have this bonus
material is ranks much lower IMHO than "Night On Bald Mountain" which is
a great album and in my opinion an essential piece of Prog Land history
!
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