Disco de Deep Purple: “Purpendicular”

If album (cd) sales were based solely on the quality of the music PURPENDICULAR would have sold ten million copies. Unfortunately, that is obviously not the case, but PURPENDICULAR is a spectacular album all the same. Combining classic MACHINE HEAD or IN ROCK style Deep Purple with the jazzy influences of new guitarist Steve Morse (ok, new to Deep Purple - the guy has been doing fusion albums forever!), PURPENDICULAR shows a band staying in touch with their roots, while growing musically at the same time. "Vavoom: Ted The Mechanic," "I'm Not Your Lover," "Somebody Stole My Guitar," and "A Castle Full Of Rascals" all have the great Deep Purple Hard and Heavy sound, and are given a little flash, courtesy of Morse. "Loosen My Strings" sounds like Purple meets Sting, "The Aviator" sounds like Purple crossed with acoustic Led Zeppelin, and "Rosa's Cantina" sounds like....well Purple meets ZZ Top with a 90's groove - very laid back and funky, but fairly uptempo (a GREAT song). "Hey Cisco" offers a combination of Purple and a jazzier Van Halen, while "The Purpendicular Waltz" would fit, well... perfectly on PERFECT STRANGERS. PURPENDICULAR shows a more mature version of Deep Purple willing to venture into new musical territory, while at the same time keeping themselves firmly rooted in their past. Strong performances from all in the band, but particualrly from drummer Ian Paice, who hasn't played this well since WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE! A HUGE artistic success. -(If you like this one, I also HIGHLY recommend UFO's WALK ON WATER!)

When guitarist and band leader Ritchie Blackmore left Deep Purple in 1994, many fans doubted the band's ability to continue on without him. After all, Blackmore had been the primary musical force in the band throughout their entire career, and it didn't seem that Deep Purple -- an aging hard rock band whose glory days as the founding fathers of heavy metal (along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath) were nearly 20 years behind them and who were derisively known to the general public as a "dinosaur rock" act -- could survive his loss. In truth, when lead singer and primary lyricist Ian Gillan assumed Blackmore's leadership responsibilities and replaced the legendary guitarist with Steve Morse, he reinvigorated Deep Purple in a way that no one could have foreseen.

PURPENDICULAR is Deep Purple's strongest album since their 1972 masterpiece, MACHINE HEAD. While it's true that nothing on this album is going to make Deep Purple major rock stars the way that album's "Smoke on the Water" and "Highway Star" did, PURPENDICULAR should succeed in silencing the critics who had written the band off as a group of outdated dinosaurs who played only an out-of-fashion brand of stomping, arena-ready hard rock. Without the arrogant Blackmore calling the shots, Deep Purple sound like they're having more fun than they ever have. This is by far the most adventurous, eclectic album the band has ever recorded.

A large part of this is due to Morse. Universally lauded as one of the best (and most underappreciated) guitarists alive, Morse brings to the band a whole new world of influences that would have been horribly out-of-step with Blackmore's narrow hard rock vision. It should be noted, in Blackmore's defense, that during the group's heyday, his brilliant incorporation of classical music themes into his guitar solos set incredibly innovative new standards for hard rock guitarists, who had previously never thought to venture outside of the standard heavy-handed whiteman blues licks of Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck. But Morse's ability completely eclipses his predecessor. Nothing he does on PURPENDICULAR is going to set new guitar-playing standards the way Blackmore's solos did, but his chops -- which he developed during his years as the leader of jazz-fusion pioneers the Dixie Dregs -- are far superior and more adventurous. This is a Deep Purple album that Ritchie Blackmore never could have led them to.

The rest of the band is in top form as well. Ian Gillan seems to have matured into his voice, with the result being his best vocal performances since the heart-stopping "Child in Time." The pseudo-operatic histrionics that alternately enhanced and marred Deep Purple's classic recordings are absent here, since Gillan is no longer capable of them; what we get instead is a mature voice not unlike that of a classic bluesman, no longer trying too hard (and failing pitifully) to recapture his bombastic heavy metal screams, but still capable of producing some soaring high points that send chills down the spine (in "Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming," he does just that, and he does it well). Roger Glover's bass has never been this prominent or assured; Ian Paice's drumming stretches out more than he's dared to in the past, resulting in the best stuido performances he's ever done; and Jon Lord -- no longer under pressure to provide extra heaviness to the riffs with his Hammond B3 organ -- takes a slightly more subtle approach to his instrument. While Lord doesn't disappoint with some killer organ solos that without fail eclipse their guitar-based counterparts, he also uses other keyboards to provide textures, which he's never done (at least not this well) before.

The real cornerstone of PURPENDICULAR is Deep Purple's most fun and adventurous set of songs. While not quite as good or consistent as MACHINE HEAD's heavy riff rockers, these songs represent new heights of creativity for the band. Gillan's lyrics -- which were occasionally straightforward ("Smoke on the Water" and "Highway Star" being key examples) but usually ranged from raunchy (though you weren't sure why) to abstract to downright weird in the past -- are his most assured, which only enhances an already-strong set of songs. The most straightforward hard rockers -- album opener "Ted the Mechanic," "The Purpendicular Waltz," "Soon Forgotten," "Somebody Stole My Guitar" -- aren't really straightforward at all. The aforementioned "Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming" is the album's centerpiece, and features a guitar theme from Morse that, if recorded in the early 70s, would today be as recognizable as Blackmore's immortal "Smoke on the Water" riff. "A Touch Away" is a beautiful ballad, "Hey Cisco" is a fun, jazzy shuffle, and "Rosa's Cantina" is a great blues-rocker. But the real gem to be found here is the Scottish highlander-flavored "The Aviator." Words alone cannot do justice to this song; it has to be heard to be belived.

Deep Purple and their die-hard fans have accepted that the band will never again be the major rock stars they were in the early '70s. But if PURPENDICULAR is any indication, their recording career still promises to be full of interesting and rewarding albums. "Dinosaur rock"? Hardly. That term applies to bombastic heavy metal that has long since lost its effect through being performed by old men who don't act their age. (It should be noted that not all early '70s/'80s hard rock falls into this category; a number of popular acts from that era are still capable of the same caliber performances they were in their prime.) Rock stars only "get old" when they refuse to mature as they age. And Deep Purple prove with this album that they have most certainly matured into a rock band still capable of equalling the recorded work of their prime.

I Like this release as well as anything the band this thru out their 35 year career. All the songs are brillant. I especially like Hey Cisco, Ted the Mechanic, Somebody Stole My Guitar, Cascades: I'm Not Your Lover,....... Heck I like them all, Ok how about this....... if I had to be hyper critical and choose a worst song it would be Purpendicular Waltz because it drags just a little bit and still it would have been a high point on Battle Rages On. You know God Bless Ritchie Blackmore but let it be said IMHO that Steve Morse saved this super group's creativity.

This album really shows that DP does not need Blackmore to make great music. Progressive, and with fresh blood in their veins the boys just dig in to thier instruments and deliver a melodic and groovy album in the finest DP spirit! The song "Sometimes i feel like screaming" is one of their best ever (Check out the live version with the London Symphony Orchestra)!

Some rock bands go down hill; however, UFO and DP just keep getting better and better.

I am a big DP fan and think it is criminal that I never heard a track from this recording ever prior to purchase. The radio chooses to blow smoke on us. I bought this in the cut out bin but would have gladly paid full price. Isn't it criminal that Bon Jovi gets air play and new DP does not?

Abandon may be better, but for some reason whenever I play DP I end up playing Purpendicular.

Having Blackmore leave DP is a good thing as it frees him to record a Rainbow recording. I'm still waiting for him to top Rainbow Rising. I'm optimistic that 2000 may be the best decade for traditional hard rock. We just need to let all the teeny boppers know that there are bands better than Bon Jovi and Creed. Seriously, I do not know why mediocre metal sells when we have rock veterans like DP and UFO recording excellent albums. Check out Mogg/Way's Chocolate Box if you doubt rock veterans abilities to rock circles around the Limp Biscuits of the world.

There is not a single bad track on this recording. It has a gestalt and can be put in the player and placed on repeat. The best DP since In Rock:)