Gillan - Future Shock
#162
By Luca Barnacles
March 1981
Gillan
Future Shock
Genre: Deep Purple Is On Hiatus
Allen’s Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Luca’s Rating: 2.23
If your cousin Carl recorded this album, you’d be all like “Hey! Check out this album my cousin Carl made with his band! It’s kinda like Deep Purple, only without the songwriting. And for some reason occasionally very odd keyboards. He’s a Social Studies teacher now. “
Unfortunately, this album was made not by your cousin Carl, but by a sometime (well, 3 times actually) lead vocalist for Deep Purple. And his band, which features occasionally very odd keyboards.
Being recently reminded of Billy Squier’s very good ‘81 effort “Don’t Say No” I was finally able to frame this record for what it is, and what it isn’t. And what it isn’t is very good.
At a time when a decidedly contemporary and forward looking Squier was delivering the RAWK with more than a nod back to the Heavy Cats of the 70s, Gillan is still merely mired in what Deep Purple was doing five years earlier - but without the songwriting chops on board. The only recognition we get that it’s a new era are those occasionally very odd keyboards (not to be confused with the Very Deep Purple Keyboards that suffuse the whole record).
Lest you think Not Cousin Carl’s LP isn’t worth checking out, there is one interesting track: Side One closes with the 1960 Gary US Bonds hit “New Orleans”, sporting an almost Gary Glitteresque treatment that works quite well.
To sum up, carrying its well worn baggage, Future Shock is neither futuristic nor shocking. It’s no Don’t Say No. It’s Just Say Meh.
https://open.spotify.com/album/38rgxB4FW5eBvG1opzWNp3?si=KBruhHxJTnCCLZQgNjv5fw
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