Deep Purple - The House of Blue Light - 1987
Workmanlike, at best, this second record by the Mark II version of Deep Purple is actually my favorite of their post "Smoke on the Water" records. It's no Fireball and it's definitely no Machine Head but the band is in fine form and their songwriting has improved from the extrapolated jams of the last one. Every song is just a little too long and desperate in it's need to make room for everybody. Gillan needs his vox, Lord needs a place to shine his fancy fingerplaying and Blackmore needs to prove that he's relevant.
All that said, Blue Light is better than Stormbringer or Come Taste the Band, by a long shot. The glory days have past but these guys can still give their fans what their fans want. Although, by 1987 I'm seriously wondering who their fans are...
Grade: B-
ASide: Call of the Wild
BlindSide: The Spanish Archer
DownSide: The Unwritten Law, Mitzi Dupree
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