Search - Tempest :: Turn of the Wheel

5 Stars? How About a Million Stars?

07/30/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Turn of the Wheel" is Tempest's crowning achievement; it is not only Tempest's greatest work but one of the best rock albums ever (Jethro Tull, Schmethro Tull; Jethro Tull NEVER rocked this hard!)"Turn of the Wheel" is one of the best CDs in my extensive collection. It is certainly in my top 10 favorite CDs and probably in the top 5, although I haven't strictly ranked them. It is one of those rare recordings which easily meets all my criteria for a solid 5 star rating: 1) There is dazzling, high-quality musicianship displayed throughout; 2) It has a high degree of repeatability; i.e., you can listen to it from start to finish over and over again without ever getting sick of it; 3) There is a lot of variety both within songs and among songs so the listener is not apt to get different songs confused with each other; and 4) The production values are excellent, if not spectacular. From start to finish, this melodic, powerful, intricate music will leave you begging for more. I love the way the songs shift through a series or progression of moods, feelings, and tempos so that the listener is never given a chance to tire of a particular pace, melody line, or treatment of a musical idea. Throughout the songs, the various instruments such as guitar, mandolin, acoustic fiddle, electric violin, hammond B-3 organ (and occasionally, flute or harmonica) work their way around the rock-solid foundation provided by a hard-driving-bass-and-ferocious-drumming-combination that would put the bass-drum combos of most hard rock groups to shame. "Barrow Man" and "Soul Cages" are simply classics. "Soul Cages" has a melody that is so sweet it will stick to your head like bees to honey and won't let go. "Midnight Sun" and "For Three of Us" have that haunting, etheric, spiritual quality which surfaces in Tempest songs from time to time and is virtually nonexistent in the music of contemporary groups of the genre. Unexpected twists and turns are another Tempest strength, a prime example being "Bonden Og Kraka", a traditional Norwegian seafaring folk tune. All of a sudden in the middle of the song, this unexpected electric slide guitar solo comes flying in out of nowhere! Tempest pulls it off wonderfully without it sounding like a confused mishmash of styles. And "Bogey's Bonnie Belle" is the best song Tempest has ever done. It starts out as a fast shuffle, goes through various interludes and eventually works itself into a furious climax where guitar, bass, drums, electric violin, and mandolin all fuse into harmonious, ferocious, blistering-paced unison, literally knocking you out of your seat. The last minute and a half of this song have to be some of the most intense rock music ever recorded. I could go on, but you get the idea. I wish I had never heard "Turn of the Wheel" so I could experience the joy of listening to it for the first time!"

It is good for what it is

08/19/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"First, These guys are not Celtic rock but are more folk rock with a Tull sound. Anyone looking for pure Celtic rock in the Wolfstone Genrre will be very disappointed. If you like the sound of Tull or Fairport a pleasant surprise awaits in this Tempests best album. If you get a chance to see these guys live I suggest you do it. They put on a wild show."

Stinks - weak Jethro Tull ripoff - irritating vocals and so

06/13/1998

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I had heard this was a good group, and bought this CD on a recommendation - it sucks and my copy will soon be in a used CD store. They might be good in a bar (if you're trashed) but they're a Jethro Tull ripoff (and a weak one at best). The songs on this CD are irritating and disjointed. Run away - don't buy this one - yeech. They wouldn't let me give this one 0 stars - so I gave it one."