Deep Purple - Purpendicular - 1996
I like "Vavoom: Ted the Mechanic". It's a groovy, slippery trip-blues jam. For some reason it reminds me of Steely Dan at their most energized.
Jon Lord's understated piano playing on "Loosen My Strings" are a welcome surprise, followed by the horrendous over playing of "Soon Forgotten", which this song soon will be. Ugh, imagine Deep Purple imitating Sparks circa 1975.
Purpendicular bears no relation to any previous Deep Purple album. Gillan doesn't sound like Gillan you know, Lord is toned down, Blackmore is gone and ex-Kansas guitarist Steve Morse has taken over. It's a pleasant enough record but when put side by side with the other pillars of metal, this band might as well be Chicago by now.
Musically, there's some fantastic moments, like "Cascades: I'm Not Your Lover" and the strange Irish/California hybrid rock of "The Aviator". But, if you walked in to a record store and the last thing you knew of Deep Purple was Machine Head or "Smoke on the Water", this would leave you scratching your head.
Grade: B
ASide: Vavoom: Ted the Mechanic
BlindSide: Cascades: I'm not your Lover, The Aviator
DownSide: Soon Forgotten
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