TEMPEST

I have had a soft spot for Tempest ever since I first heard them back in the early Nineties, and here they are with what I think is their 12th studio album. Lief Sorbye (vocals, mandoguitars, mandolins, mandolas, harmonica, bodhrán) and Adolfo Lazo (drums) are still there, as they have been since the very beginning in 1988, but they have had numerous line-up changes over the years and recent times have seen no difference. None of the others appeared on their last album, 'Thirty Little Turns', namely Lee Corbie-Wells (vocals, fiddle, hurdy-gurdy), Nikolay Georgiev (guitars)and Hugh Caley (bass, vocals) but there is some continuity with an appearance yet again of Robert Berry (keyboards) who has been guesting with them for years.

This is celtic rock with some progressive overtones, for those of you who have not previously come across them then think of some of the music being produced by Jethro Tull in the late Seventies and you will not be too far from the mark, much more that style than that produced by the likes of Iona or Enya. As always, Leif is the heart of the band with wonderful vocals and his acoustic instruments, and one can certainly imagine him providing the songs to the rest of the band as almost complete entities awaiting their input, although it should be noted that half of them are traditional this time. Their last album was an undoubted classic, but while this is not in quite the same league there is no doubt the addition of Lee on additional lead vocals has provided the band with more breadth. She has a real strength and can stand her ground with Leif, and it allows the band to move in different directions.

Tempest have played more than 2500 gigs in their 35 year existence, and show no sign whatsoever of slowing down yet. Yet again Tempest have delivered an album which any fan of Celtic music will thoroughly enjoy.

When I discovered that this album had been released I was somewhat surprised, as it was so long since I had last heard from the band that I actually thought that they had stopped. The last album I reviewed of theirs was back in 1996, but here in 2018 they have released their latest album, titled to celebrate thirty years in the business, an incredible achievement for any band. Musically they have taken three British bands as references, and tend to move between Horslips, Fairport Convention and Jethro Tull, sometimes bringing them all together. Now, I have been known to listen to the odd bit of folk rock here and there, and indeed last year travelled from one side of the world to the other just to see Fairport Convention (okay, I also really wanted to see Show of Hands and particularly Richard Thompson, but you get the drift). According to Google that is a one-way trek of 11,750 miles (and I did come back to NZ, honest, straight after the gigs), so it is a form of music I really enjoy.

I prefer folk rock to straight folk, although I do enjoy it as well, as it has so many dynamics and power which is taken to a whole new level with the use of electric guitar. Somewhat strangely there is a cover on here, namely "Norwegian Wood (This Bird has Flown)", but somewhat unsurprisingly it does fit incredibly well with layers of mandolins and fine violin, which then takes the lead on a great jig in the middle. Band leader Leif Sorbye continues to show exactly what can be developed when one has a great love and understanding of the genre. Perhaps the most poignant number is the last, an instrumental medley simply titled "Swarb". It is probably safe to say that David Cyril Eric Swarbrick (5 April 1941 ? 3 June 2016) is the most influential fiddler in the last fifty plus years in the folk movement. Although I have seen Fairport in concert more times that I can remember, I only saw him play with the band once, sat in a wheelchair connected to oxygen, but still letting his fingers fly. The tribute here from Tempest is the closest I have heard to any band capturing the violin/mandolin interplay made famous by Swarb (all credit to Kathryn Buys for an amazing performance), apart from when Chris Leslie and Ric Sanders take flight in the current incarnation of Fairport.

I was playing this in the car, and when the song finished and the next album started I audibly groaned because it was over and I was enjoying listening to it so much. I must say that sort of reaction is incredibly rare for me, especially given the number of albums I play each week for review purposes, so it shows just how much I was invested in the music. This is a wonderful album, and let's just hope that the guys keep going as long as Fairport, currently touring in their 51st year. I love it, and I can see why Robert Berry is so involved.

US band TEMPEST have been a feature in the US music scene and the world folk music circuit for 30 years this year and are still going strong. 13 studio albums have been crafted by the band so far, in addition to countless live performances. As a solid nod to their long career their latest album is called "Thirty Little Turns", and was released by US label Magna Carta Records at the start of 2018.

Tempest is a veteran band on all fronts, and they have a sure confidence in what they do that shines through on all levels on this album. While not an album that will expand any musical boundaries, this is a high quality production through and through, and a production that merits a check if you enjoy folk rock in general, and in particular if you tend to enjoy bands of this kind that bring in dominant elements from Irish, Celtic and Scandinavian folk music into this context.

US band TEMPEST has been an ongoing venture since the late 1980's, with some line-up alterations occurring along the way as is natural for a hard touring, long lasting band like this. Under the leadership of Lief Sorbye they have more than a dozen album releases to their name, have played thousands of concerts all over the world, and is in general what can be described as a very well known name in the niche segment of the music industry in which they operate. "The Tracks We Leave" is their most recent studio production, and was released through US label Magna Carta in 2015.

With Tempest just about anyone will know what they get, but for those who haven't come across this band yet, Celtic rock and folk rock are the main descriptions used about them. Within the communities with an interest in music of that nature, Tempest is a name just about anyone is aware of, that they are regular performers at some of the better known folk music festivals in the western hemisphere probably indicates just the stature they have in those circles.

What we often get with bands as long lasting as this is an album that reeks of experience. These are musicians well aware of what works and what doesn't work musically, the main question is if they manage to capture the energy of their live performances into the mare tame environments of a recording studio. And from what I can tell the answer is a positive one on this occasion. I rather guess that some of these tunes will sound better live than on album, but by and large this CD is a satisfying experience as well.

Mandolin, electric guitars, flute and violin forms the backbone of most of the compositions here, in various guises and arrangements. Quite a few are clearly and undeniable relying on the Irish and Celtic heritage, with drums, electric guitars and organ adding a rock vibe to the proceedings in an effective manner. Both the instrumentals and songs featuring vocals work quite nicely as well, with strong and controlled lead male vocals and a satisfyingly contrasting female backing vocal making it's appearance in some key moments. The violin and flute alternates between being melancholic, mournful and uplifting, sometimes combining these features in the same arrangement as well.

While the Celtic and Irish orientation comes across as dominant, there are other aspects to this CD as well. An ancient, Norwegian folk tune has been included, a couple of other tracks feature certain elements that possibly has something of a Norwegian folk music touch to them as well, and there's even a song where the band opts to include a recurring, lazy reggae passage. Those fond of world music rather than strictly western oriented folk rock gets a slight nod as well, with the more Middle Eastern scales and notes used to good effect on concluding cut Surfing to Mecca.

While folk rock, just like many other aspects of rock music, arguably had it's heyday a few decades back, there are still artists exploring this type of music and still people with the desire to listen to it. Those who have a general taste for music of this nature, and then in particular for those with a certain affection for artists operating out from a core foundation of Celtic and Irish music of this kind, can note down that this album by Tempest is a safe, good quality choice.

Lend an ear to Tempest, you shall hear

The somewhat misleadingly titled The 10th Anniversary Compilation is not strictly speaking a compilation. Rather than compiling recordings from various sources, the contents here are re-recorded versions of songs that originally appeared elsewhere, including on the band's three first albums. As these early albums are seemingly impossible to find, The 10th Anniversary Compilation is probably the best substitute on the market. I located it on Spotify.

As I haven't heard the original Tempest versions of these songs, I cannot compare with these re-recorded versions. But I can say that The 10th Anniversary Compilation is up to par with some of this great band's regular studio albums. It is far from being their best and certainly not among their more progressive material, but it is a good album. Prog (Folk) fans will need to start with the brilliant Turn Of The Wheel and a couple of other excellent albums, but the present disc is a worthy addition to any Tempest collection. Had this been listed as a studio album, I would probably have investigated it much earlier than I did.

Irish like Prog Folk / Folk from USA ? I wasn't sure what to think at first. But over the course of time, I felt the need to listen to this album again and again. Catchy, indeed. Combination of my two (let's say) favourite genres (even Irish music has its music after which you will know everything, there's not much place to progress, not as, but similar to blues - you simply have to behave within certain limits, if you want it to work).

And it's combination of basic Irish Folk and something more. I though that this "something" isn't here (after listening typical ballad Let's Live For Today), but later on, especially in interludes within songs, it's present.

So probably

4(-), very barely. But because it's my first Tempest album and I don't know yet about said using of the same style, I'll stick with this rating. And I quite like it anyway.

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.

Tempest´s third offering was the second I had since I discovered this very interesting prog folk outfit. Compared to 2006´s The Double Cross, this one is slightly more on the traditional side (meaning the electric guitars here have not so much bite). I also prefer DC´s repertoire more than this one, but that´s just a matter of taste, for the usual high quality choice of songs, the excellent musicianship and the tasteful arrangements are all here ten years before that disc. I also love lead singer and multi instrumentalist Lief Sorbye´s voice. He sounds a lot like a old time minstrel coming from a Robin Hood film!

One thing there always puzzled me was the fact that this band is based on the USA since their music is not even remotely american. They are truly heirs of european groups like Steeleye Span and Fairport Convention. Tempest did modernize their sound and again the production is much superior to those two groups ever had. And the playing here is quite joyful and energetic with some fantastic electric guitar licks and brilliant bass parts along with the more traditional elements of the flute, violin and mandolin. You can see those guys really love what they´re doing. As a curio Keith Emerson does makes an appearance on the first track, The Barrow Man, delivering the odd synth solo.

Tempest hardly brings anything new to this kind of sound in terms of structure, but, boy, are they convincing! They do make everything here sound new! And there is no fillers anywhere. There are few lows here also, and even in those cases I must point out it is just my personal taste, not the quality of the material.So if you like prog folk, go for it. It is very unlike you won´t like this band. Rating: four stars.

This is my first Tempest album and I should say I never heard about this band before. But I read one of Kenneth Levine´s reviews about them and. since we have similar tastes, I decided to give it a try. And I did not regret it! Real good band and real good CD! Tempest does sound a lot like a modern version of Steeleye Span (sans the female vocals) from the mid 70´s (around the time of Now We Are Six, to be more precise). But make no mistake, they are not copycats. In fact they sound a lot rockier and the production here is quite superior.

Like Steeleye Span the repertoire has a lot of traditional songs, plus some original stuff. Lead singer Lief Sorbye has a fine voice, perfect for the style, like a young Ian Anderson (so, expect lots of personality!). The musicanship is top notch, of course and I particularly liked the electric guitar sound: powerful, crunching, but not overwhelming. The guy knows when to play and when no to play. The bass parts are also a highlight, great! There are some awesome traditional sounds too, like the violin (another fine feature here). this is a team efford of sorts and it´s one of the best I heard lately.

As it often happens with most of the good prog records, The Double Cross took a little time to be fully appreciated, even if the opening track (Captain Kidd) did make a strong impression since the very first moment I head it. There are no fillers and the instrumental tunes show all the prowness of this energetic band. Very convincing record. Even if they did not bring anything groundbreaking or new to the genre, this is the kind of CD every prog folk fan should own it. I´m looking forward to hear their other works, before and after this one. But The Double Cross is, already, highly recommended. .

They (seemingly) never tire of the road!

Ever since 1996 (I have not yet heard their very earliest albums; this band goes back to the late 80's), Tempest have been trying to make the "same" album over and over; same formula, same sound, same aesthetic, same producer, same label, etc. Some of the members of the band have been replaced over time, but the musical direction has remained basically the same throughout. They seem to live by a 'if it works, why change anything'- principle. And it has worked for them as they have indeed made several excellent albums that both Prog Rock fans and Folk Rock fans might find more than worth their while. However, what I have just said somewhat disguises the fact that some of Tempest's albums lean a bit more to the Folk side and other albums a bit more to the Rock side of the band. The present album falls somewhere in between on that scale.

Like their obvious heroes Steeleye Span, Tempest here mix traditional with original material in a Rock context and they even feature a cover of an old Pop song in Let's Live For Today which in the booklet is described as "our Celtodelic cover of the classic 1967 Grass Roots hit". As on all previous Tempest albums, we also once again get one traditional Scandinavian song sung in Norwegian (Jomfru) due to the origin of the multi-talended band leader Lief Sorbye. He has a great and distinctive voice and on this album he is credited with playing mandoguitar, mandolins, octave mandolas, flute, harmonica, bodhran and tambourine. But the sound of Another Dawn is, as usual with Tempest, dominated by acoustic and electric guitars, fiddle, bass and drums though I miss the excellent lead guitar from the Balance album.

While some previous albums featured unusual elements such as bagpipes and didgeridoo (The Double-Cross), female backing vocals (Shapeshifter), synthesisers (played by Keith Emerson on Turn Of The Wheel) and an abundance of flutes, Another Dawn features only the "basic" Tempest line up. Producer Robert Barry is, like on previous albums, credited with playing keyboards, but there is very little keyboards on this album - mainly Hammond organ and never to the front of the sound. Barry, who has been with the band for a long time, is in the booklet elevated to 'honorary band member'.

In conclusion I can say that this is a good and very enjoyable album from a great band, but in order to keep the Prog fan interested over their continued discography, Tempest will really have to start making some radical progression. With the present album they don't push things significantly beyond what Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span has been doing since the 70's. Indeed, attentative listeners will recognize a few of the traditional pieces that has been previously performed by these older Folk Rock bands. While Another Dawn is a recommended addition to any collection that already holds Turn Of The Wheel, Balance and The Double-Cross, I do not recommend starting your investigation into Tempest with this album. Those other albums are all better places to start and a bit more interesting albums from a Prog perspective.