THE WHIRLWIND

I sooooo wanted to like this album. I loved the first two Transatlantic albums. I was a big fan of Spock's Beard before Neal left, and Transatlantic introduced me to Roine Stolt and the Flower Kings.

But something happened. Neal Morse decided to put his evangelical Christianity first, and become a kind of rock-evangelist. I have tried to like his work, but I think that his priorities now have had a detrimental effect on his songwriting.

I have loved the veiled Christian mysticism of Yes, Kansas, Robert Fripp, The Flower Kings, and many other progressive acts. It seems like Progressive Rock is the perfect place to explore realms of the spirit.

But when doctrine dictates what you're writing, the result is like a pathetic sermon, dressed up to appeal to "the kids."

"The Whirlwind" is about the end times and the last judgment, and everyone who doesn't invest in God being "blown away." It's strange, because I'm a Christian, but when I hear Neal Morse singing it, I don't like the religion or the music. I just don't see things that way, and the lyrics stand in the way of the music too much to enjoy it.

It's interesting, because a similar sentiment of lostness and the need for redemption was explored on their last album, "Bridge Across Forever." But that work was filled with compassion for the "Motherless Children," where this work seems to have faceless contempt for a humanity that won't obey.

I can tell that some hard work went into making this album. There were some real melodic possibilities laid as a foundation for this work. But a concept album takes the risk of being ABOUT something, and if that something isn't worth an hour of your attention, then the music can't save it.

Also, a concept album needs music that fits the lyrical ideas. I get the sense that not all of the band's prepared ideas fit with Neal's lyrical concept, but that they were jammed in anyway under Neal's sermon.

I rarely do this, but as soon as I finish writing this review, I'm taking the CD out to the dumpster and thenceforth pretending it was never published.