WHIRLWIND

Spin - Whirlwind (1977)

The cover, the bandmembers (some ex-Ekseption), the instruments. I had the feeling this was something I could try. Futhermore Il intend to collect everything from the Dutch progscene, for it is my homecountry.

Spin has a mellow fusion/jazz rock sound with few surprises. Sometimes the main themes of tracks are quite interesting, but they try to keep it acceptable for the mainstream music listener. This is my main problem with this record: it's to cheesy! Some screeming guitars and hammonds would have made this quite nice! Some of the windinstruments are recorded compressed, which make the solo's a bit patronising instead of confrontating like on a Miles Davis record. Some composions are boring, some are acceptable. The mainstream focus of the band and the will to play fusion seems to be a failing concept. After this second record SPIN disbanded. I must admit it must have been a band with big potential, all instruments are played profressional. They should have picked one audiance!

If you like smooth jazz you might try this, but if you are looking for an adventoure, skip on this one. The coverwork is very nice, but It's for collecters and fans. Two tars.

3.5 realy

Second album by Spin and aswell their swansong, released in 1977 on Ariola named Whirlwind has the same atmosphere as previous release. Same funky jazz, well played, well balanced, some female voices of Martha Pendleton and Sue Chaloner appears on You're a clown, nice arrangements and smooth played. Again all pieces stands as good, but aswell nothing groundbreaking. I don't think worth 2 stars, 3 stars at least, some parts are realy good, make me give 3.5. The cover art is excellent like on first album. Enthusiasts of jazz/rock fusion might find this album a little bit on the soft side though, but the songs are well balanced and feature some catchy horn arrangements. Neither of them become very successful, so they disbanded in late 1977, but they leave behind some good example of how must sound this kind of jazz funk, also they had a minor hit in USA with the piece Grasshopper from their first album.

As mentioned most of these guys were members of Ekseption who got tired of the classical rock,and decided to move on and do some jazz rock fusion.Maybe with this move they lost their fame and fortune since Ekseption were pretty well known in Europe and their new band Spin got lost in the wealth of other bands out there doing this kind of music.

Spin is playing as mentioned some nice mellow easy breezy jazz rock funky fusion light with a bit of brass rock thrown in here and there.They move very effortlessly between the different genres and still make it sound like a natural development.A little bit of easy listenable Ian Carr's Nucleus ,Passport,Blood,Sweat and Tears without the singing.

So as someone who prefers my music as less complicated,since I wanna relax with it,this is a very nice mellow ,well executed very well played album .3 stars easy.