THE WHIRLWIND

Transatlantic

Symphonic Prog

4.07 | 1035 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Roine Stolt, Neal Morse, Pete Trewavas and Mike Portnoy are great musicians, but being great musicians doesn't guarantee great music. The Whirlwind is 78 minutes of lifeless, boring music. If you don't fall asleep listening to it, about 56 minutes in you get the suggestion of a hook when the music slows down during the passage, 'Is it Really Happening', then the whole thing speeds up again for the predictable grandiose finish. Epics don't necessarily have to be of a specified length. However, Beethoven's ninth symphony is about 65 minutes long and that's epic enough. Close To The Edge runs about 17 minutes in length and Supper's Ready is about 23 minutes long. Music shouldn't have to be a test of endurance. If that's the case The Whirlwind should be awarded a gold medal.

The bonus disc which accompanies The Whirlwind contains way much better music than the main disc. 'Spinning' is a great Roine Stolt composition. A very catchy melody you can hum having a shower, it takes 68 minutes less time than The Whirlwind to make a point. 'For Such a Time' is a wonderful Neal Morse number with similar pace to 'She's Leaving Home' and features a beautiful chorus line, as clever as anything he's come up with in any of his solo albums. 'The Return of the Giant Hogweed' is as good a Genesis cover as I've heard and one of the few bands you get to hear about these days, America, is featured in 'I Need You'. The arrangement makes a brilliant turn of events in the middle section when it morphs into 'Day Tripper'. And although 'Soul Sacrifice' is a fairly standard interpretation, Mike Portnoy puts in a superb drumming performance and it's a good way to finish off the album.

The Whirlwind is a disappointing follow up to 'Bridge Across Forever' which itself was a promising follow up album to the band's debut album. Perhaps the band had a rethink of their song writing approach, because the next album to this one, Kaleidoscope, has tighter compositions, a mix of short and longer tracks and more memorable tracks.

iluvmarillion | 2/5 | 2020-10-2

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