Although they are not one of the better-known San Francisco bands to
have emerged from the ballroom circuit of the late '60s and early '70s,
It's a Beautiful Day were no less memorable for their unique progressive
rock style that contrasted well with the Bay Area psychedelic scene. Led
by David LaFlamme (flute/violin/vocals) and his wife, Linda LaFlamme (keyboards),
the six-piece unit on this album vacillates between light and ethereal
pieces such as the lead-off cut, "White Bird," to the heavier,
prog rock-influenced "Bombay Calling." One of the most distinct
characteristics of It's a Beautiful Day is their instrumentation. The
prominence of David LaFlamme former violin soloist with the Utah
Symphony and original member of Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks adds
a refinement to It's a Beautiful Day's sound. Likewise, the intricate
melodies mostly composed by the LaFlammes are structured
around the band's immense virtuosity, a prime example being the exquisitely
haunting harpsichord-driven "Girl With No Eyes." The noir framework,
as well as lyrics such as "...she's just a reflection of all of the
time I've been high," point rather candidly to the hallucinogenic
nature of the song's if not the band's influences. The same
can be said of the languidly eerie "Bulgaria." The almost chant-like
quality of the track slowly crescendos into an hypnotic and dreamlike
sonic journey led by LaFlamme's brilliant violin work. By virtue
of being a Bay Area fixture in the late '60s, It's a Beautiful Day could
also easily double as a hippie dance band which they can also execute
with great aplomb as the wildly up-tempo "Time Is" amply
proves. It's a Beautiful Day remains as a timepiece and evidence of how
sophisticated rock & roll had become in the fertile environs of the
San Francisco music scene.
(by Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide)