Record Reviews
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  | DEEP PURPLE ~ BOMBAY CALLING
EAR MUSIC 4029759139959 (Barcode: 4029759139959) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1995 Released: 2022
This is a live album by the legendary British Rock group Deep PurpleFind albums by this artist, recorded on April 18, 1995 in Mumbai, India during the first tour by the Mk VII lineup, captured before the first studio album by that lineup, “PurpendicularFind albums with this title” from 1996, was released. It is considered to this very day as the greatest Rock concert ever played in India. The Mk VII lineup of the group included vocalist Ian GillanFind albums by this artist, guitarist Steve MorseFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jon LordFind albums by this artist, bassist Roger GloverFind albums by this artist and drummer Ian PaiceFind albums by this artist, and this is the earliest recording of them playing live. The 2 CDs present sixteen tracks and the DVD adds one more track not included on the CDs.
The group is in top form on these recordings, as expected, with the new energies brought by Morse, who astonishingly was able to take the role of the veteran leading guitarist Ritchie BlackmoreFind albums by this artist without creating a major crisis within the band. The material includes some new songs, which will appear on the a.m. studio album and, as usual, a selection of their crowd pleasing favorites, which are completely timeless Classic Rock pieces.
Overall, this is a brilliant document of the last reunion of the MK lineup and the history of one of the greatest Classic Rock groups of all time and British Rock unparalleled Masters. Although Deep Purple released a plethora of live albums, they are one of the very few acts, which produced such variety and diversity in their performances, that each and every one of their live albums is completely unique and worth listening to. As such this is another classic!
The album is a numbered limited edition and my copy is 2,687/10,000 ;)
| | Updated: 06/10/2022Posted: 06/10/2022 | 2CD+DVD 3 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | DEEP PURPLE ~ BURN (30TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION)
RHINO 081227464127 (Barcode: 081227464127) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1973 Released: 2005
This is a reissue / remaster of the eighth studio album by the legendary British Rock group Deep PurpleFind albums by this artist. It was the first album by the Mk III lineup of the group that included vocalist David CoverdaleFind albums by this artist, guitarist Ritchie BlackmoreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jon LordFind albums by this artist, bassist Glenn HughesFind albums by this artist and drummer Ian PaiceFind albums by this artist. The album presented eight original songs co-written by the group members. This remastered edition was expanded with five bonus tracks, which are remixes of four album tracks and a B-side of a single.
The lineup change had some minor influence on the musical direction, with included elements of soul and funk, but the prevailing riff dominated and Blues influenced style remained mostly intact. Coverdale turned out to be a fierce lead vocalist, to some degree more rounded and stable that his predecessor. Sadly, this lineup would exist for just over a couple of years, producing just one more studio album, called “StormbringerFind albums with this title”.
Overall, this is an everlasting Classic Rock gem, which lost nothing of its glory over time and stands as an icon of what Rock music is all about, making contemporary “Rock” look utterly ridiculous. An absolute must in any decent record collection.
| | Updated: 22/07/2022Posted: 22/07/2022 | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | DEEP PURPLE ~ COME TASTE THE BAND (35TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION)
EMI 5099964786629 (Barcode: 5099964786629) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1975 Released: 2010
This is a reissue / remaster of the tenth studio album by the legendary British Rock group Deep PurpleFind albums by this artist. It was the only album by the Mk IV lineup of the group that included vocalist David CoverdaleFind albums by this artist, American guitarist Tommy BolinFind albums by this artist, who replaced the “irreplaceable” Ritchie BlackmoreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jon LordFind albums by this artist, bassist Glenn HughesFind albums by this artist and drummer Ian PaiceFind albums by this artist. The album presented nine original songs, mostly co-written by Bolin and Coverdale with some contributions by Hughes. This remastered edition was expanded with one bonus track, which is a single version, and also adds a whole second CD with new remixes of the original album and two additional bonus tracks, which are outtakes from the original recording sessions.
The lineup change had significant influence on the musical direction, which took the band closer to American Rock and featured heavy Funk influences, mainly due to Bolin’s guitar style and songwriting, but the prevailing riff dominated and Blues influenced style remained mostly intact. Coverdale turned out to be a fierce lead vocalist, to some degree more rounded and stable that his predecessor. Sadly, this lineup would exist for just a few months, and Deep Purple disbanded by mid-1976 and it will be only eight years later, when they would reform again. Bolin died of drug overdose just a few months after the band split.
Overall, this is an everlasting Classic Rock gem, which lost nothing of its glory over time and stands as an icon of what Rock music is all about, making contemporary “Rock” look utterly ridiculous. It is an absolute must to all Deep Purple fans and in deserves an honorable place in every decent record collection.
| | Updated: 13/05/2023Posted: 13/05/2023 | CD 2 Slipcase Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | DEEP PURPLE ~ HARD ROAD: THE MARK 1 STUDIO RECORDINGS 1968-69
PARLOPHONE 825646337415 (Barcode: 825646337415) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1968 - 1969 Released: 2014
This wonderful Box Set includes the expanded and remastered versions of the first three albums by the seminal British band Deep PurpleFind albums by this artist: "Shades Of Deep PurpleFind albums with this title", "The Book Of TaliesynFind albums with this title" and the eponymous "Deep PurpleFind albums with this title". Recorded between May 1968 and March 1969, i.e. in just ten months (!), these are some of Rock and Prog cornerstones of epic proportions, seldom given their due as far as influencing future generations of Rock and especially Prog musicians in the decades to come. The Mark 1 lineup consisted of vocalist Rod EvansFind albums by this artist, guitarist Ritchie BlackmoreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jon LordFind albums by this artist, bassist Nick SimperFind albums by this artist and drummer Ian PaiceFind albums by this artist, who all contributed as songwriters, although obviously most of the group´s material was created by Lord and Blackmore. On those three albums the band played mostly their own music, but also arranged, quite dramatically one must admit, songs by other songwriters, like John LennonFind albums by this artist / Paul McCartneyFind albums by this artist (twice), DonovanFind albums by this artist, Joe SouthFind albums by this artist, Billy RobertsFind albums by this artist, Neil DiamondFind albums by this artist and others. All three albums were produced by the legendary British produced Derek LawrenceFind albums by this artist.
This Box Set includes both the original mono and stereo mixes (on separate CDs) of the first two albums and the stereo version of the third album. All five CDs are expanded by a plethora of bonus tracks, which include album outtakes, alternate takes, single edits, etc. all of which are studio recordings. For radio (i.e. live in the studio) recordings of the Deep Purple Mark 1 the fans should look up the excellent double CD album entitled "The BBC Sessions 1968–1970Find albums with this title", which collects all Mark 1 BBC recordings on the first CD.
It is also worth remembering that although the next Deep Purple album would be recorded by the Mark 2 lineup with vocalist Ian GillanFind albums by this artist and bassist Roger GloverFind albums by this artist, musically it belongs very much to what the Mark 1 lineup was doing on the third album, which included elaborate orchestral arrangements. The appropriately titled "Concerto For Group And OrchestraFind albums with this title" album, a pioneering and unprecedented merger of a Rock group with a Symphonic Orchestra, was a direct result of the work initiated on the third album and is a true closure of the Mark 1 chapter. The fifth album however, "In RockFind albums with this title", was a completely new story and came as a reaction to the release of the Led ZeppelinFind albums by this artist debut album in early 1969, which also prompted the personnel change from Mark1 to Mark 2. That album embedded Deep Purple´s role as a defining element of the Hard Rock / Heavy Metal genres and Rock music in general.
I often wonder why the role of Deep Purple Mark 1 is almost completely ignored by the Prog snobs. Even under the populist definition of Prog as an amalgam of Rock (electric instruments and rhythmic patterns), Classical (extended melodic and harmonic themes) and Jazz (improvisation), Deep Purple Mark 1 are the essence of Prog, much more so that say early YesFind albums by this artist, GenesisFind albums by this artist and other pretenders to the Big Five. By the same token the roles of other Deep Purple Mark 1 contemporaries, like NiceFind albums by this artist, Moody BluesFind albums by this artist and several others, are similarly completely overlooked, which is a pity to say to say the least. Prog was not just born one day with Robert FrippFind albums by this artist being struck by lightening…
This is an essential piece of history of the formative years of Rock and a beautiful example how great music remains untouched by time and perhaps even gets better in time. I can´t imagine a music library, which does not include these classic recordings, so now is the time to repent and remedy.
| | Updated: 26/01/2019Posted: | CD 5 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | DEEP PURPLE ~ IN CONCERT
PARLOPHONE 077779818129 (Barcode: 077779818129) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1970 - 1972 Released: 1992
This is a 2CD live album by the legendary British Rock group Deep PurpleFind albums by this artist. Released originally in 1980, the CD edition was expanded with two tracks. It presents two concerts by the first incarnation of the Mk II lineup of the group that included vocalist Ian GillanFind albums by this artist, guitarist Ritchie BlackmoreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jon LordFind albums by this artist, bassist Roger GloverFind albums by this artist and drummer Ian PaiceFind albums by this artist: CD1 was recorded in 1970 and includes four tracks and CD2 was recorded in 1972 and includes eight tracks, both recorded by the BBC for their “in Concert” live broadcasts.
The 1970 concert features a couple of songs from the “In RockFind albums with this title” album and two songs from the albums recorded by the Mk I lineup. The 1972 concert was taped just a week before the release of the “Machine HeadFind albums with this title” album and features live versions of six of the seven songs on that album.
The group is in top form on both these recordings, as expected. The 1970 concert is characterized by expanded Rock improvisations lasting for almost twenty minutes on two of the songs and the other two being only somewhat shorter. It is a perfect summary of the Prog period of Deep Purple. The 1972 concert finds the group in their second phase, closer to Hard Rock, but one of the tracks also lasts about twenty minutes and features long instrumental improvisations.
Overall, this is a brilliant document of the early period of one of the greatest Classic Rock groups of all time, as well as a hyper-productive period in British Rock. Although Deep Purple released a plethora of live albums, they are one of the very few acts, which produced such variety and diversity in their performances, that each and every one of their live albums is completely unique and worth listening to. As such this is another classic!
| | Updated: 18/08/2022Posted: 18/08/2022 | CD 2 Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | DEEP PURPLE ~ LIVE IN BIRMINGHAM 1973
HNE 025 (Barcode: 5013929912526) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1993 Released: 2013
This is a remaster / reissue of a live album by the legendary British Rock group Deep PurpleFind albums by this artist, recorded during the last tour by the second and last reunion of the Mk II lineup, promoting “The Battle Rages On…Find albums with this title” album from 1993. Released originally in 2006 as the second part of the 4CD Box Set “Live In Europe 1993Find albums with this title”, this 20th Anniversary Edition was remastered. The Mk II lineup of the group that included vocalist Ian GillanFind albums by this artist, guitarist Ritchie BlackmoreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jon LordFind albums by this artist, bassist Roger GloverFind albums by this artist and drummer Ian PaiceFind albums by this artist are heard here playing together for the final time.
The group is in top form on these recordings, as expected, despite the internal tensions, which led Blackmore to leave the group following the last concert of the tour. The material includes some tracks from their last album and, as usual, a selection of their crowd pleasing favorites, which are completely timeless Classic Rock pieces.
Overall, this is a brilliant document of the last reunion of the MK lineup and the history of one of the greatest Classic Rock groups of all time and British Rock unparalleled Masters. Although Deep Purple released a plethora of live albums, they are one of the very few acts, which produced such variety and diversity in their performances, that each and every one of their live albums is completely unique and worth listening to. As such this is another classic!
| | Updated: 27/12/2022Posted: 27/12/2022 | CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | DEEP PURPLE ~ LIVE IN CONCERT 72/73
EMI 317729 (Barcode: 094633177291) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1972 - 1973 Released: 2005
1st installent of the (so called) “Deep Purple DVD Archive Collection" series, which EMIFind albums on this label and the band intend to release, and it includes two concerts by Deep PurpleFind albums by this artist: one from 1972 (Copenhagen) and the other from 1973 (New York).
The first concert is filmed in black and white, which has a nice nostalgic effect to it. The sound is cleaned up and upgraded and the visual material pretty decent, so overall this is not too bad, surely better than most similar archival material.
The music of Deep Purple Mk II (Ian GillanFind albums by this artist, Jon LordFind albums by this artist, Ritchie BlackmoreFind albums by this artist, Roger GloverFind albums by this artist & Ian PaiceFind albums by this artist) was heading into heavy rock and although there is quite a bit of instrumental improvisation there (by Lord and Blackmore), the on-stage theatrics look pretty ridiculous in retrospect. They were a hell of a show for sure and they all could play incredibly well, as opposed to many of their contemporaries.
The interesting thing about the DVD is that there is an option to watch it with a “commentary” switched on, which means that you hear a commentator’s voice on top of the soundtrack. The commentary is quite well written, very informative and often even witty / funny – typical British humor mind you. This brings up considerably the educational value of the DVD.
Dolby Digital 5.0 Surround Sound and DTS, 127 minutes.
| | Updated: 06/02/2024Posted: | DVD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | DEEP PURPLE ~ LIVE IN STUTTGART 1993
HNE 024 (Barcode: 5013929912427) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1993 Released: 2013
This is a remaster / reissue of a live album by the legendary British Rock group Deep PurpleFind albums by this artist, recorded during the last tour by the second and last reunion of the Mk II lineup, promoting “The Battle Rages On…Find albums with this title” album from 1993. Released originally in 2006 as the first part of the 4CD Box Set “Live In Europe 1993Find albums with this title”, this 20th Anniversary Edition was remastered. The Mk II lineup of the group that included vocalist Ian GillanFind albums by this artist, guitarist Ritchie BlackmoreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jon LordFind albums by this artist, bassist Roger GloverFind albums by this artist and drummer Ian PaiceFind albums by this artist are heard here playing together for the final time.
The group is in top form on these recordings, as expected, despite the internal tensions, which led Blackmore to leave the group following the last concert of the tour. The material includes some tracks from their last album and, as usual, a selection of their crowd pleasing favorites, which are completely timeless Classic Rock pieces.
Overall, this is a brilliant document of the last reunion of the MK lineup and the history of one of the greatest Classic Rock groups of all time and British Rock unparalleled Masters. Although Deep Purple released a plethora of live albums, they are one of the very few acts, which produced such variety and diversity in their performances, that each and every one of their live albums is completely unique and worth listening to. As such this is another classic!
| | Updated: 29/09/2022Posted: 29/09/2022 | CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | DEEP PURPLE ~ MACHINE HEAD
WARNER 081227976545 (Barcode: 081227976545) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1971 Released: 2019
This is a reissue of the sixth studio album by the legendary British Rock group Deep PurpleFind albums by this artist. It was recorded in December of 1971 by the first incarnation of the Mk II lineup of the group that included vocalist Ian GillanFind albums by this artist, guitarist Ritchie BlackmoreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jon LordFind albums by this artist, bassist Roger GloverFind albums by this artist and drummer Ian PaiceFind albums by this artist. The album presented seven original songs co-written by the group members. It contains the song “Smoke On The Water”, which is related to the circumstances surrounding the recording of the album, and which remains an anthem of the group, featured in all live appearances until today, over five decades later.
Grueling touring and recording schedule did not prevent from the band to create absolute master albums one after another, and this one is an excellent example of their early work. Deeply influenced by Blues and with some Prog tendencies, this album remains an icon of Classic Rock fifty years after it was recorded. No other Rock band managed to produce such an outstanding series of albums with absolutely no weak tracks on them like Deep Purple Mk II.
Overall, this is an everlasting Classic Rock gem, which lost nothing of its glory over time and stands as an icon of what Rock music is all about, making contemporary “Rock” look utterly ridiculous. An absolute must in any decent record collection.
| | Updated: 25/10/2022Posted: 25/10/2022 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | DEEP PURPLE ~ MADE IN JAPAN (DELUXE EDITION)
UNIVERSAL 602537696406 (Barcode: 602537696406) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1972 Released: 2014
British Rock legends Deep PurpleFind albums by this artist, in their second incarnation called Mk II, were one of the definitive bands of all times and this live recording captures the band at their absolute peak form, resulting in an iconic album which is an integral part of the pantheon of live Rock albums. The band was an incredible amalgamation of talent and included the fierce rhythm section: bassist Roger GloverFind albums by this artist and drummer Ian PaiceFind albums by this artist, two absolutely stupendous instrumentalists: organist Jon LordFind albums by this artist and guitarist Ritchie BlackmoreFind albums by this artist and a charismatic, energetic and unstoppable vocalist Ian GillanFind albums by this artist. Between them they also shared a rare ability to write incredible catchy riffs that stuck with the listener forever and some of the most beautiful Rock melodies ever composed. As a result at that time they had only very few competitors to the "Kings of Rock" title.
Originally this album was released as a double LP, a tradition that started in the late 1960s and continued for the decade to come, with most top Rock acts releasing at least one double live album during their career. The album included seven original Deep Purple tunes, originating from the three studio albums that preceded this recording: "In RockFind albums with this title", "FireballFind albums with this title", and "Machine HeadFind albums with this title". The average playing time of each of these tunes is over ten minutes, which means these were expanded versions, full of long solo spots, improvised passages and a general mayhem and race with the devil. The level of musicianship, energy, inventiveness and sheer stunning brilliance is simply astounding.
This Deluxe edition of the album adds a second CD of previously unreleased material recorded at the same concerts that produced the original album, and includes mostly encores the band played at the time. It includes songs which were not included on the original album, one of which is the band´s cover of a classic Rock song (they rarely played covers so this is a treat). Of course one can only speculate when the complete recordings done on the three nights in Japan will be released in their entirety.
In retrospect this is a piece of the Holy Grail, which appeared on earth for a brief decade and then was lost again. Nobody makes music like this any more and probably nobody will ever do. Thank God for sound recording and record labels for sharing this Ambrosia with us (for a fee, mind you). I pity the generations that came after ours for being ignorant of this music´s existence.
| | | CD 2 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | DEEP PURPLE ~ MADE IN JAPAN (LIMITED EDITION SUPER DELUXE BOXED SET)
UNIVERSAL 602537696383 (Barcode: 602537696383) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1972 Released: 2014
This is the expanded reissue / remix of the seminal live album by iconic British Rock group Deep PurpleFind albums by this artist, recorded in Osaka and Tokyo during three consecutive nights on August 15, 16 and 17, 1972. The album was recorded by the original Mk II lineup of the group with vocalist Ian GillanFind albums by this artist, guitarist Ritchie BlackmoreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jon LordFind albums by this artist, bassist Roger GloverFind albums by this artist and drummer Ian PaiceFind albums by this artist.
The Box Set presents the full concerts played during the three nights on CD1 to CD3 and the encores of all three nights on CD4. There is also a DVD with a documentary about these concerts and other material, as well as a replica of a 7” Vinyl single released in Japan during the tour and a plethora of printed materials.
The set list of the three concert is identical, as are the encores (with one exception). This provides the fans with an opportunity to compare these concerts looking for subtle (and sometimes less subtle) differences between them. Of course, every live concert is different from another, but the creativity of these musicians is truly amazing and in fact they are able to create many variations of the same tunes in a most astonishing way.
This album has been hailed for generations as “the best live Rock album of all time”, and it certainly deserves an honorable place on a pedestal of most memorable live recordings for its sheer power, ingenuity and brilliant music, uniquely combined into one. The new remixes might surprise listeners, who have listened to the earlier versions of this album (and who hasn’t?), as it offers a much more detailed separation between the instruments and clear sound. Of course even if you already have an earlier version, this Box Set is worth having, except for the fact that it now has an astronomical price rag.
Overall, this is a monumental historic Rock document, which is an essential part of every decent Classic Rock record collection, not necessarily in this expanded version. If your wife is bothering you about wasting money on buying records, tell her that this album is now worth over ten times as much as you paid for it ten years ago ;) Best investment ever!
| | Updated: 06/02/2024Posted: 06/02/2024 | 4CD+DVD+VINYL SINGLE 6 Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | DEEP PURPLE ~ ORIGINAL ALBUM CLASSICS
SONY 886979445024 (Barcode: 886979445024) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1990 - 1996 Released: 2011
This Box Set collects reissues of three albums by the iconic British Rock group Deep PurpleFind albums by this artist, originally released on the RCAFind albums on this label label between 1990 and 1996. They are: “Slaves And MastersFind albums with this title” (1990), “The Battle Rages On…Find albums with this title” (1993), and “PurpendicularFind albums with this title” (1996).
“Slaves And Masters” is the thirteenth studio album and the only album recorded by the Mk V lineup of Deep Purple, in which the lead singer Ian GillanFind albums by this artist was replaced by the ex-RainbowFind albums by this artist vocalist Joe Lynn TurnerFind albums by this artist. The rest of the members were veterans since the forming of the Mk II lineup in 1969: keyboardist Jon LordFind albums by this artist, guitarist Ritchie BlackmoreFind albums by this artist, bassist Roger GloverFind albums by this artist and drummer Ian PaiceFind albums by this artist. Some string orchestral arrangements are also present. The album presents nine songs, all co-written by the band members. Later reissues of the albums included single edits as bonus tracks, which are not present here.
“The Battle Rages On…” is the fourteenth studio album and the only album recorded by the second reunion of the Mk II lineup of Deep Purple, in which the lead singer Ian Gillan returned to his vocal duties, alas for the last time. This was the last album recorded by the classic Mk II lineup. The album presents ten songs, all co-written by the band members.
“Purpendicular” is the fifteenth studio album and first album by the Mk VII lineup of Deep Purple, which marked the arrival of ex-Dixie DregsFind albums by this artist / KansasFind albums by this artist American guitarist Steve MorseFind albums by this artist, as a replacement for Blackmore (The short-lived Mk VI featured American guitarist Joe SatrianiFind albums by this artist, who eventually could not join the group on a permanent basis). The album presents twelve songs, all co-written by the band members. Later reissues of the albums included single edits as bonus tracks, which are not present here.
Although these albums were met with mixed reception by critics and fans at the time of their release, they are still classic rock album created by Masters of the trade, who never played a wrong note in their life. Considering how dreadful Rock / Pop music created in the 1990s was in general, these three albums are some of the last strongholds of sanity and of course they are an essential part of the Deep Purple legacy.
And yes, all the three album covers are amongst the ugliest ever! ;)
Side Note
The "Original Album SeriesFind albums with this title" by Warner Bros.Find albums on this label, the "Original Album ClassicsFind albums with this title" by SonyFind albums on this label, the "5 Original AlbumsFind albums with this title" by UniversalFind albums on this label, the Box Sets by RhinoFind albums on this label and other similar releases are an archetypal example of how good intentions turn sour. Although these new editions often bring back to life some of the best music ever made on this planet, which in many cases has been lost in the tides of time and was unavailable on the market for ages, they suffer from an unforgivable disregard for the essence of cultural values and general sloppiness, contrary to human decency, which requires as to treat our Cultural Legacy with respect and loyalty.
The Box Sets produced under these monikers have no discographical information whatsoever about the lineups, musician names, composers, lyricists, dates and places of recording, original release data and even basic copyright data (the last is strictly illegal BTW). Although the original LP sleeves are reproduced, they are often edited and information (which would be in most cases too small to be readable) is removed. Most importantly these Box Sets don't include any booklet offering a historical background and perspective about the Artists and the Music, which are extremely important and vital to the preservation of our Culture and passing the knowledge to the next generations.
In short the fact that these Box Sets are meant to be inexpensive, does not mean that they have to be cheap. Considering the fact how many times this music has been sold over and over again by the labels, this is a crying shame!
| | Updated: 06/02/2024Posted: 11/09/2021 | CD 3 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Recommend To A Friend |
  | DEEP PURPLE ~ PERFECT STRANGERS
POLYDOR 731454604529 (Barcode: 731454604529) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1984 Released: 1999
This is a reissue / remaster of the 11th studio album by iconic British Rock group Deep PurpleFind albums by this artist, which was also the first album recorded by the first reunion of the Mk II lineup with vocalist Ian GillanFind albums by this artist, guitarist Ritchie BlackmoreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jon LordFind albums by this artist, bassist Roger GloverFind albums by this artist and drummer Ian PaiceFind albums by this artist. Blackmore and Glover arrived from RainbowFind albums by this artist, Lord from WhitesnakeFind albums by this artist, Gillan from Black SabbathFind albums by this artist and Paice from Gary MooreFind albums by this artist’s band, which emphasizes the omnipresence of these musicians on the British Rock scene at the time. The album presents eight original songs and this reissue adds two bonus tracks.
The album offers an excellent collection of songs, which resulted in turning it into one of the most successful albums in the band’s history. The instrumental performances are as perfect as always, offering impressive solo parts. Despite the fact that the Rock music in the 1980 was already completely disintegrated, Deep Purple firmly hold on to the formula forged over a decade earlier, and were simply way above any other Rock group active at the time.
Overall, this is a superb Classic Rock album, which despite the continuous attempt to classify it as Heavy Metal, has absolutely nothing to do with that genre. Forty years later this still sounds better than everything you can hear these days in what remains of the media. Definitely worth to be re-visited!
| | Updated: 16/06/2022Posted: 16/06/2022 | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | DEEP PURPLE ~ STORMBRINGER (35TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION)
EMI 5099926464527 (Barcode: 5099926464527) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1974 Released: 2009
This is a reissue / remaster of the ninth studio album by the legendary British Rock group Deep PurpleFind albums by this artist. It was the second (and last) album by the Mk III lineup of the group that included vocalist David CoverdaleFind albums by this artist, guitarist Ritchie BlackmoreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jon LordFind albums by this artist, bassist Glenn HughesFind albums by this artist and drummer Ian PaiceFind albums by this artist. The album presented nine original songs co-written by the group members. This remastered edition was expanded with five bonus tracks, which are remixes of four album tracks and an instrumental version of one track. The bonus DVD audio offers the original Quad mix of the album in 5.1 and PCM stereo versions.
The lineup change had a relatively minor influence on the musical direction, with included elements of soul and funk, but the prevailing riff dominated and Blues influenced style remained mostly intact. Coverdale turned out to be a fierce lead vocalist, to some degree more rounded and stable that his predecessor. Sadly, this lineup would exist for just over a couple of years, producing just one more studio album, called “BurnFind albums with this title”.
Overall, this is an everlasting Classic Rock gem, which lost nothing of its glory over time and stands as an icon of what Rock music is all about, making contemporary “Rock” look utterly ridiculous. An absolute must in any decent record collection.
| | Updated: 18/09/2023Posted: 18/09/2023 | CD+DVD 2 Slipcase Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | DEEP PURPLE ~ WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE
EMI 724352160723 (Barcode: 724352160723) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1972 Released: 2000
This is a reissue / remaster of the seventh studio album by the legendary British Rock group Deep PurpleFind albums by this artist. It was the last album by the first incarnation of the Mk II lineup of the group that included vocalist Ian GillanFind albums by this artist, guitarist Ritchie BlackmoreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jon LordFind albums by this artist, bassist Roger GloverFind albums by this artist and drummer Ian PaiceFind albums by this artist. The album presented seven original songs co-written by the group members. This remastered edition was expanded with seven bonus tracks, which include remixes, outtakes and a lengthy instrumental jam.
Grueling touring and recording schedule did not prevent from the band to create absolute master albums one after another, and this one is an excellent example of their early work. Deeply influenced by Blues and with some Prog tendencies, this album remains an icon of Classic Rock fifty years after it was recorded. No other Rock band managed to produce such an outstanding series of albums with absolutely no weak tracks on them like Deep Purple Mk II.
Overall, this is an everlasting Classic Rock gem, which lost nothing of its glory over time and stands as an icon of what Rock music is all about, making contemporary “Rock” look utterly ridiculous. An absolute must in any decent record collection.
| | Updated: 16/07/2022Posted: 16/07/2022 | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | DEEP PURPLE ~ WHOOSH! (LIMITED EDITION)
EAR MUSIC 4029759141358 (Barcode: 4029759141358) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 2020 Released: 2020
This is the 21st studio album by the iconic British Rock group Deep PurpleFind albums by this artist, released three years after their previous studio album “InfiniteFind albums with this title” from 2017. It is also the fifth studio album by the Mk VIII lineup of the group: vocalist Ian GillanFind albums by this artist, American guitarist Steve MorseFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Don AireyFind albums by this artist, bassist Roger GloverFind albums by this artist and drummer Ian PaiceFind albums by this artist. It is the 3rd album by the group produced by Bob EzrinFind albums by this artist. The album presents thirteen tracks, grouped into two six songs sets called Act 1 and Act 2 and one bonus track. All the songs were co-written by the group members and Ezrin, except the final track of Act 2, which is a re-make of a song from the group’s debut album “Shades Of Deep PurpleFind albums with this title” from 1968, written by Ritchie BlackmoreFind albums by this artist and Jon LordFind albums by this artist. The Limited Edition includes a bonus DVD, which includes an interview with Glover and Ezrin and a full live concert performance filmed in 2017.
The music is everything one would expect from Deep Purple: a highly dynamic Rock music, which offers melodic themes and classic Rock riffs, which are the group’s trademarks. The current lineup completely consolidated its ranks since 2002 and became a perfect Rock machine, which has but a few contenders despite the advanced age of its members.
The songs are distinctly shorter in duration, featuring less instrumental passages, but retain the Classic Rock formula faithfully and are all performed brilliantly, producing a time capsule, which sound nothing like contemporary music, thank God!
The sound returns to the organ drenched heavy sound that was the group’s trademark from its onset, Gillan’s charismatic vocals are still one of the most recognizable Rock symbols and the music still manages to grab the listeners by their hearts, so what else would one want?
Overall, this is another great album by a veteran band, which refuses to rest and still sounds better that any of the wimps that call themselves Rockers these days.
| | Updated: 05/08/2024Posted: 13/03/2022 | CD+DVD 2 Digibook Recommend To A Friend |
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