Customer Reviews

Turn of the Wheel

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

"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!

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.

Tempest is amazing. They have a wide range of musical styles in this album. Bonden og Kraka is excellent as is the traditional Dunmore Lassies and Nine Points of Roguery. The only thing better is seeing them live! Michael Mullen's fiddle blazes through each cut with true artistry while Adolfo Lazo's drums and Lief Sorbye's vocals provide the heart and soul. They celebrate 10 years this year and here's hoping for another 10!

I can't recommend this album highly enough to people who like the intersection of folk, rock, and Celtic music. Their style is reminiscent of Tull - I mean, they've got flute & electric guitar! - but not derivative, IMO - the only place you could say they "ripped off" anything was from traditional Celtic and Norwegian tunes. "Bonden Og Kraka", from the latter culture, has lyrics entirely in Norwegian and is the highlight of the album.

It's hard to find anything negative to say about this. It has great, evocative vocals, interesting lyrics, music which evokes feelings and moods in the listener, amazing consistency (no weak songs) and strong performances from accomplished musicians. I heard this once and was immediately hooked!

I saw Tempest perform at MusikFest in Bethlem, PA this past Aug. They were, for a lack of words, incredible. Tempest played quite a number of songs from this CD, Turn of the Wheel, and unless people watch them in person, they will never get the full experiance. The entire audiance was on its feet cheering and clapping. I have yet to see a band with better stage presence and appeal than Tempest. Anyone who rates them with such poor remarks as some of the people here have, are close minded and probably rather mainstream themselves into the Eminem or NSYNC crowd. :-P

Lief, Michael, Ronan, Ariane, Adolfo....Thank you.

Whether you already like celtic rock, or are just looking for a group who's music actually takes some skill to play, Tempest delivers. The Norwegian/Celtic blend they showcase is a little unusual, but they manage to pull it off flawlessly. All the songs on this album are rich with history and skillfully played. You won't be able to get them out of your head, nor will you want to. The Soul Cages is the best, or perhaps the "first among equals" Highly recomended!

tempest, is the best celtic rock band out today. all their cd's are very good but the "turn of the wheel" is great. it comes closest to the bands live performance as far as sound and feel. if you like celtic rock this is a must have cd!!!

Excellent Progressive-Celtic-Psychedelic hybrid from a group that manages to avoid the soft, schlocky ballads of so many other groups purporting to perform "Celtic Rock".

The minute I heard this CD, I was hooked. The music just attaches itself to your brain and won't let go. I once drove 7 hours to see Tempest live. All are excellent musicians, and there is no possibility of sitting still when you listen to the tunes. Well worth the money! --Leah