Album Review
Kirk Windstein – “Dream In Motion” [Album Review]
Kirk Windstein’s Dream In Motion (eOne) is a timeless album from a man that isn’t afraid to put himself on full display for all to see, and will satisfy those willing to take the journey.
Kirk Windstein is a legendary name in heavy music with his output through Crowbar, Down, Kingdom Of Sorrow, and numerous others, a focal point in the sludgy NOLA scene, and possibly the only worthy successor to the enormous throne dominated by Scott “Wino” Weinrich. He comes off as a straight-up nice guy with a strong work ethic and soul oozing through everything he does, so it was a welcome surprise to hear that he had a solo album coming out.
Dream In Motion has a fairly laid-back ‘70s approach that, whilst not James Taylor, is still full of heart and passion. There is still heaviness built into the machine (which is to be expected, given Windstein’s discography) that is more atmospheric than in-your-face, more of a foundation for the music than a vehicle for riffage. His voice has a great old-man hoarseness to it that gives each of the ten songs terrific shape and allows the listener to meditate on the personal and meticulous lyrics. Duane Simoneaux utilises tasteful drum-work with Kirk handling the guitar, bass, and vocals, a tight unit that feed off each other and have a singular vision. This is the kind of record that you put on when you have some solitary downtime and need inner-nourishment, a sludgy soup for the soul if you will, and there’s much to take in.
The title track opens the album with a lot of grimy Windstein crunch to it within an ominous frame, but even here (also seen in “Toxic”) there’s genuine emotion that lends itself to tenderness without wimping out. The melodies throughout the record are easy on the ears (and catchy when the music calls for it), with that lived-and-seen-some-things approach that evokes an aging Waylon Jennings weariness, Kirk’s personality shining through every note. This is the ultimate goal of releasing this music that’s been two years in the making – with all the distortion, grime, and Cro-Magnon imagery from his other projects stripped away, this is a chance for the man to display himself as just a man, an artist with a lot on his mind that needs to get it out through whatever avenue possible. And just to add some additional weight and context to the proceedings, the album ends with Windstein’s take on “Aqualung” by Jethro Tull, clearly a song and band from which he takes inspiration.
Here’s the dynamic video for the title track:
This album is for fans of Kirk himself, not necessarily the pounding machine that gives Crowbar its strong right hook. It’s a collection of songs that reveal themselves over time with intricacy and heartfelt intent, a journal of where he came from, where he’s at in 2020, and where he might possibly head in the future. Dream In Motion is a timeless album by a man that isn’t afraid to put himself on full display for all to see and will satisfy those willing to take the journey.
Dream In Motion Track Listing:
01. Dream In Motion
02. Hollow Dying Man
03. Once Again
04. Enemy In Disguise
05. The World You Know
06. Toxic
07. The Healing
08. Necropolis
09. The Ugly Truth
10. Aqualung
Run Time: 43 minutes
Release Date: January 24, 2020
Record Label: eOne Music
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