Deep Purple Album: “The House of Blue Light”
 Description :
Deep Purple: Ian Gillan (vocals, harmonica, congas); Ritchie Blackmore (guitar); Jon Lord (keyboards, synthesizer); Roger Glover (synthesizer, bass); Ian Paice (drums).
<p>Recorded at The Playhouse, Stowe, Vermont.
<p>During the '80s, Deep Purple, like Aerosmith, was a hard rock giant of the prior decade that ended up getting a second career chance. Three years after the band's triumphant 1984 comeback, PERFECT STRANGERS, the band released HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHT, a follow-up that continued showcasing the band's sweeping brand of hard rock.
<p>Anchored by the solid rhythm section of drummer Ian Paice and bassist/producer Roger Glover, the formidable triumvirate of Ian Gillan, Ritchie Blackmore, and Jon Lord drove these songs of devil women and outlaw living. As always, Gillan's forceful vocals and quirky lyrics brought to life femme fatales in songs like "Call of the Wild," "Hard Lovin' Woman," and the bluesy "Mitzie Dupree." The iron-lunged vocalist even wails a bit on harp before tossing in the kind of glass-breaking phrasing on "Black & White" that made "Highway Star" such a classic cut. When Lord's new-fangled synthesizers aren't replicating string sections on "The Unwritten Law," his trademark organ juices up songs like "Bad Attitude." Blackmore tattoos his distinctive string-bending technique all over BLUE LIGHT and particularly shines on "Dead or Alive."
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Track Listing :
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Album Information :
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The House of Blue Light |
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UPC:731454616225
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Format:CD
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Type:Performer
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Genre:Rock & Pop - Hard Rock
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Artist:Deep Purple
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Producer:Roger Glover; Deep Purple
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Label:Universal Special Products
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Distributed:Universal Distribution
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Release Date:2003/09/16
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Original Release Year:1987
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Discs:1
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Length:50:40
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Mono / Stereo:Stereo
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Studio / Live:Studio
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Customer review - September 08, 2000
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
- Underrated album
In my opinion, HOBL is the most underrated album of the band. True, only 3 years after their legendary reunion, Deep Purple was going through another crisis, which probably had its influence on the way fans received this recording... "Ahhh, this is one of their worst albums because I heard that the band was going through tough times". Also, the sound here is different than what we always expected from them.
Bad Attitude and Unwritten Law - as heavy as DP does it. Sound here reminds of the "In Rock" days and at the same time shows an innovative side of the band. Excellent vocals by Gillan.
Call of the wild is a never-seen-before piece of Purple. SOmewhat mellow and unusual.
Mad Dog - simply an excellent work! Very heavy and fast Black and white - blending vocal chorus works out well. The song sounds like a slow heavy train that just got back onto its tracks Hard Lovin Woman - rock'n'rollish tune, one of the concert favorites in 80's Spanish Archer - another classic. Remarkable play by Ritchie and great lyrics Strangeways - quite an odd song. Again purplishly heavy rhythm. Mitzi Dupree - pinch me... Is this DP? Call it blues rock, call it white blues, but again the band shows something unique. Finally, what a great closing with Dead or Alive. Highlight of the song is the keyboard solo by Jon Lord and another great vocal parts make this song.
Overall, this album shows the DP in quite an unusual light. Blue light.
John (New York, NY USA) - October 14, 2003
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
- Most bands would kill to have a album this good!
One of Purple's best but least-known and underrated albums, House of Blue Light has strengths that made Deep Purple so great are evident on this album. This album is humorous with clever lyrics, top quality musicianship and killer solos from both Blackmore and Lord. The songs are well-crafted and tightly-woven together.
The songs are great, with Bad Attitude and The Unwritten Law starting things off in fine fashion! Mitzi Dupree is entertaining in an Anyone's Daughter kind of way.
The Spanish Archer and Mad Dog are great straight-ahead rockers.
Strange-ways is unlike anything Purple has done before - it's refreshing; different.
Dead or alive and Hard Loving Woman are timeless tracks and my favorite is probably Call of the wild.
This album is stronger than Perfect Strangers, with a greater variety of songs and a lot more experimentation. An overlooked and unappreciated album. This was my favorite reunion era album until Bananas in 2003. A must get.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
- Deep Purple Still Had It In 1987
Some Deep Purple fans claim that, by 1987, the band had lost it, and that buying their comeback albums would merely clutter up your living space, thus keeping you from looking good for your significant other and/or your favorite celebrity. Nothing could be further from the truth. While the albums FIREBALL, MACHINE HEAD, MADE IN JAPAN, WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE!, and BURN, or, at the very least, DEEPEST PURPLE, remain definitive, the classic lineup reunited in 1984 and made two classic metal albums that rank with their very best, as well as above and beyond any of the "hair metal" that was popular at the time. This is the second one. While MACHINE HEAD is justly recognized as an all-time classic, HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHT is a masterpiece as well. The opener, "Bad Attitude", could be a song where the singer is venting anger over someone mocking him for not fitting a certain "little mold" that they want him to fit, while "Call Of The Wild" is about an unattainable woman. There are a couple of not-so-great songs, but just because this album was recorded past the band's youthful period doesn't make it any less great. 4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
- One of their best
The album was recorded in the times of (another) turmoil within the band. Blackmore and Gillan started barking at each other once again, not even 3 years after their grandiose reunion.
House of Blue Light is no "Perfect Strangers"... Meaning, the sound probably doesn't sound so fresh, at time a bit more dragged down and bluesy. But even that could not spoil the album, every single track is great. I truly found no weak points. A very misunderstood album that I think deserves much more praise than the feedbacks below
Customer review - April 15, 2004
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
- A really great cd
I think a very underrated cd. In my opinion I think its one of
Deep Purple best albums. From the song Bad Attitude to Dead or Alive its an excellent album but remember its my opinion. Good luck trying to find this cd new or for that matter used in stores, I could find anywhere else execpt for Amazon. Keep on rocking Deep Purple and everybody else keep on rocking to.
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