Simon McBride now a permanent member of Deep Purple.

ICBM

prowla said:

I was listening to the "Deep Purple" album and there is some great stuff on there; "Chasing Shadows" has some really good bass and drum parts.

However, the guitar sound and general playing on that album is quite horrible and intrusive to the point it wrecks some of the songs.

I’ve been listening to the first three albums more since I originally wrote my earlier post, and there’s quite a lot to like… although the Beatles, Neil Diamond and Ike & Tina covers are really quite odd choices and it’s hard to not cringe slightly. Of the three I think I like that album best, and I don’t mind the sounds and playing at all - April is probably my favourite song of the whole MkI era.

Philly_Q

Philly_Q said:

RocknRollDave said:

New album is out. 

I was never a Deep Purple fan, but I think this could have been a decent effort but for the elephant in the room.

McBride sounds - and plays - great on it. There are some good songs, well-crafted lyrics, the album sounds good…


…but Gillan’s voice…

I've been meaning to listen to it but haven't got round to it yet.  I've watched a couple of the videos and it sounds pretty promising, McBride's not as "sophisticated" as Morse but they sound more like a rock band again.

Gillan's voice... I haven't listened enough to opine on what kind of form he's in, but I was never really a fan, either of his voice or his tiresome "humorous"  lyrics.  I just don't particularly like him.  But I will listen to the album.

Well I've listened to about half of it.  I enjoyed some of the keyboard/guitar interplay, as for Gillan he still sounds like himself, although his voice is weaker.  All the lyrics have his trademark rambling, anecdotal style.  Not fair to judge on one listen, but nothing struck me as very memorable - and that includes the keyboard and guitar riffs.

Fair play to them for not becoming their own tribute band, and still producing new material - they're quite prolific, too - but I'm not bowled over.

Offset

The 'classic' lineup is the only one I ever really liked on record.  Absolutely cannot stand Coverdale (in Purple or anywhere else for that matter), love Glenn Hughes - but again not in Purple.  Gillan's voice may be a bit fucked now (he IS 78 for goodness'sake) but back in the day, he was imperious.

I saw Gillan, Lord, Paice, Glover and Morse at The Brixton Academy in the early '90s and they were absolutely brilliant.

* EDIT - just listened to the track 'Lazy Sod' from the new album - it's just about OK but it won't set the world alight.  McBride's guitar does fit well, but poor old Ian... his voice is a bit more than fucked I'm afraid.  It does sound like Purple however, especially the keys.

Philly_Q

Offset said:

* EDIT - just listened to the track 'Lazy Sod' from the new album - it's just about OK but it won't set the world alight.  McBride's guitar does fit well, but poor old Ian... his voice is a bit more than fucked I'm afraid.  It does sound like Purple however, especially the keys.

The songs are all very meandering... some never really get going, others start promisingly but have really weak verses or choruses (or both).  I guess they wrote by jamming in the studio, then didn't spend a massive amount of time fine-tuning anything.

There's a ballad near the end of the album which really "showcases" Gillan's voice... it's basically in tune, there are bits where he sounds OK and other bits where he sounds totally cracked and wheezy.  I think they've made a decision to say "well, this is how I sound now", rather than trying to fix it with a load of studio processing.  I approve of that.

ICBM

Offset said:

It does sound like Purple however, especially the keys.

I’ve always thought Don Airey sounds more like Keith Emerson than Jon Lord.