Deep Purple's 3rd album is an odd bird to be sure. It's a ship without an anchor. Is it prog? psych? hard rock? The answer is yes. They really have a great sound here with Blackmore displaying more of an acid tone than usual and Lord's Hammond way out front. This was to be the end of Mk. 1, before the band decided to rip their shirts open to show their hairy chest while their balls clanged to the ground. It was the right move at the right time, and Deep Purple are legends because of the variation of the band known as Mk 2. What would have happened had they continued with Evans and Simper? Hard to know but likely they would have stayed regional and ultimately faded away - one more 60s English band that is more a footnote than one with a true historical legacy.
In any event, I like this 3rd album - as quirky as The Book of Taliesyn that preceded it. No major highlights but an easy album on the ears that doesn't ask too much from the listener.
Ownership: CD: 2003 Purple (Japan). Extra thick gatefold papersleeve. This is essentially the same reissue as the 2000 UK version. Comes with 5 bonus tracks, 2 from a single and 3 from BBC radio sessions. Picked this up near the time of release and it was my introduction to the album. Recently I bought one of those cheap 80s single sleeve Tetragrammaton LPs at the Colorado Springs record show. But this CD is better than that - so off it goes.
12/4/22
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