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Elly Roberts reviews
Market Square
- Released: August 2006
- Rating: 8/10
In true 1960s style, Sonja Kristina was a real musical troubadour.
From her stage exploits in hit musical Hair, she went on to front short-livedprogressive rockers Curved Air, winning several accolades and became a pin-upin the process.
They released one of rocks greatest singles, Back Street Luv, inAugust 1971, peaking at four on the UK charts. Three albums also charted,Air Conditioning, Curved Air and Phantasmagoria. At a time whenmen the ruled the rock world, Kristina became one of rocks first big names.
This re-issue of her 1980 solo release brings her back into the spotlight its a far cry from her former bands repertoire which had greater jazz andclassical influences. Her individual efforts have never charted, which is ashame, because she was one of best vocalists on the scene. Though not intune with music from the period, New Romantics and New Wave, its aninteresting account of her progression with a more expansive range.
Some songs continue to show a progressive edge in particular The Comforter– a rambling rocker about the downside of dabbling in self-medication andhedonism Street Run about uneasiness in the air at Notting HillCarnival St.Tropez a storming rocker with rasping guitar licks. Totallyout of synch with the rockers is the cabaret like Fade Away by Ron Hill.
Renegade can be considered a stylish classic Euro soft-rocker withjangling synths floating throughout. Rounding off is a sublime cover ofDionne Warwicks hit Walk On By, perfect for her cultured voice.Kristina vocally excels herself on delicate love ballad Colder Than A RoseIn Snow and the stunning Full Time Woman, both being the albumshighlights.
The closest she comes to an out and out pop song is the breezy synth-drivenBreaking Out In Smiles. Commercially it might not be a big seller;nevertheless, its a solid album.
Weblinks:Sonja Kristina.com /Market Square Records.co.uk /Mask.uk.net
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Street Run
2. Man He Colour
3. Colder Than A Rose In Snow
4. Break Out I Smiles
5. Mr.Skin
6. Roller-Coaster
7. Full Time Woman
8. The Comforter
9. St.Tropez
10. Fade-Away
BONUS TRACKS
11. Renegade
12. Were Only Human
13. Walk On By
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.