Deep Purple new album review.

Wyvern

Master of Disaster
Staff member
Nov 24, 2002
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Hello children, here comes auntie Wyvern with another delightful review...or maybe not.

‘Money Talks’ (5:34) has a very prog intro that hits at 0:57, the song starts much in the vein of lately DP music, which means if pure DP but with the modern sound. At 1:51 Gillan starts to pseudo-rap which is very annoying to me, and in general I don’t feel much Gillan singing as narrating. The instrumental section is basically what you can expect from the band. Pretty weak for an opener IMO, although the end of the tune is heavier.



‘Girls Like That’ (4:02) nice mid-tempo rocker basically what I expect from DP on this day and age. Don Airey keyboards are really good and had nothing to envy to the late years Jon Lord work. The chorus is pretty catchy too.



‘Wrong Man’ (4:55) another standard DP song, nothing astounding but easy listenable and with a nice guitar base. By now I can sincerely feel that Morse has printed his signature guitar sound into the band, the same way Blackmore has his back in the 70’s and early 80’s.



‘Rapture Of The Deep’ (5:57) the title song starts with a kind of Middle East melody and then get into a soft managing of vocals by Gillan with a very mesmerizing effect. Sadly again the pseudo-rapping comes to destroy the magic, I wonder wtf is happening through these guys’ minds lately. In general terms the song is cool, but the rapping surely feels like a thorn in the side, the instrumental ending is maybe the best part.



‘Clearly Quite Absurd’ (5:27) starts in ballad mood, with a nice acoustic guitar. Gillan vocals are really emotional although not as in ‘Wasted Sunsets’, a bit more dark too. So far the best song in the album IMO.



Don’t Let Go (4:33) another mid-tempo rocker, nothing worth to praise, nor despise.



‘Back To Back (4:04) a more active rocker has a lot of the material in “Purpendicular” which is good, but I don’t feel is material to become a classic either. As in the rest the instrumental section is astounding, and worth the value of the whole song.



‘Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (4:19) interesting drum driven tune. Heavier song than its predecessors, perhaps the third best of the album, keeps the interest throughout nicely.



‘MTV’ (4:55): so-so tune. Has that uncomfortable pseudo-rapping but the chorus is very melodic and grabs your attention. The guitar solo is very good but not to become a classic, the keyboard work in the instrumental part is damn good, love that Hammond sound. But why the damn rap mood?



‘Junkyard Blues’ (5:32) well not really a blues, more like an average rocker. I can’t see any of this material to become classic. But the piano work in the middle is truly enjoyable and bluesy based.



‘Before Time Began’ (6:30) the last song starts with a very neat vocalization by Gillan full of mystery and feeling. The ballad mood keeps developing with softness and magnetism taking the listener along, waiting for an explosion but instead keeping the slow drive, kind like a cat and mouse game. It’s IMO the second best song of the album.



In general terms I feel that this album is to “Bananas” what “Abandon” was to “Purpendicular”, a bad follow-up. Recommended mostly for die-hard fans, and I won’t recommend to buy it before a good listening in advance.



All and all, I must recognize that the instrumental work is extremely good and may bring a lot of fond 70’s memories to the listener. Moreover I have to give Don Airey extended credit for being the most interesting musician in the album and definitively a rightful successor to Jon Lord.

 
Thanks for the review.

Sadly, this is what I expected. After the brilliant "Purpendicular", they've gone downhill...and hard. Both "Abandon" and "Bananas" have, IMO, only 3-4 good songs each. And the rest if filler. But not only is it typical dull filler, it's actually really bad, putrid filler.

So, I shall have to hear a LOT of this one before I buy.
 
SoundMaster said:
Thanks for the review.

Sadly, this is what I expected. After the brilliant "Purpendicular", they've gone downhill...and hard. Both "Abandon" and "Bananas" have, IMO, only 3-4 good songs each. And the rest if filler. But not only is it typical dull filler, it's actually really bad, putrid filler.

So, I shall have to hear a LOT of this one before I buy.

I'm with you on this. I've been less than thrilled with each release since Purpendicular.
 
Actually I disagree. "Bananas" is the best album of Morse era, so I was expecting a lot from ROTD, sadly it didn't delivered.
 
I was just listening to "Abandon" yesterday and was pleasantly surprised. I was expecting sheer mediocrity. And while it was hardly cutting edge and vital, it was pretty damned good listening anyway. Morse in particular plays with a lot of passion.

Haven't heard the new album. Frankly, new era DP isn't a band that I would hunt down the CDs and pay full price, but if I fall ass backwards over a cheap or free used copy, then hell yeah.
 
Wyvern said:
Actually I disagree. "Bananas" is the best album of Morse era, so I was expecting a lot from ROTD, sadly it didn't delivered.
Here here! I went Bananas over Bananas. It might not be their most hard rockin' album ever, but to my ears it had the best songwriting they've done since the 80s.
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Thank you AUNTY WYVY! I did not even know that there was a new DP out!
 
Pabla said:
Thank you AUNTY WYVY! I did not even know that there was a new DP out!

Actually is due by Nov 01, but may surface before as an import.