BOOTLEG

At least at this early stage in their career, TEMPEST did little to justify categorization as "progressive" beyond occasional passages suggestive of big-time JETHRO TULL envy, and I suppose one could argue that's all the credentials they need. But so many bands, especially from the other side of the Atlantic, plied a similar trade in a more convincing, serious and authentic manner.

This is not bad by any means - it's entertaining and relatively well produced Celtic rock, not much different from what you'd get if a good Irish pub band was given studio time and a saavvy producer. This is particulary true on the first half of the selections, dominated as they are by revved up takes on overly played out standards like "Handsome Molly" and "Wild Rover". The proceedings are more than salvaged by the later selections - the thankfully wordless "Dance of the Third Leg", the punchy "Heart of Mine", and the ambitious "Man Without a Name" - all of which display more adventurousness and point to future potentia. At present I cannot say whether this was fulfilled since I pretty much dismissed TEMPEST as a MEN THEY COULDN'T HANG or OYSTERBAND midwestern wannabe in the early 90s.

Somehow the centuries of practice have provided their British Isles counterparts with a more spontaneous and enduring take on this little subgenre, which is celtic rock, no more no less,. However, if this is a favourite style of yours, as it is of mine, TEMPEST has done just enough to avoid sounding like a totally cheap bootleg. 2.5 stars rounded down.