Music review: Deep Purple – -Whoosh!’
Where does the time go?
Back in 1972, a friend turned me on to 鈥淢achine Head鈥� from a British band with a cool name and a guitarist that would inspire me to eventually start a band.
With tracks like 鈥淪moke on the Water,鈥� 鈥淪pace Truckin'鈥� and 鈥淗ighway Star,鈥� it seemed like every cool kid in my school owned a copy of 鈥淢achine Head鈥� in one form or another. Its influence would lead me to follow other bands with similar styles like Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Rainbow.
Forty-eight years later, the rock icons keep the music fresh with the release of a vigorous 13-track set that features original drummer Ian Paice, longtime members Ian Gillan on lead vocals and bassist Roger Glover with assistance from keyboardist Don Airey and guitarist Steve Morse continuing the band鈥檚 tradition of delivering substantial rock arrangements containing weighty doses of blues and small traces of progressive rock.
鈥淲hoosh!鈥� is Deep Purple鈥檚 21st album and the third consecutive studio release with Bob Ezrin masterfully handling the duties at the producer鈥檚 table and getting the most out of the band once again with performances that embrace early Deep Purple efforts.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 escape tomorrow, it鈥檚 another day/I鈥檓 hanging here, I鈥檓 here on solid ground,鈥� sings Gillan on the opening number as if to prove the band鈥檚 ability to stand the test of time.
鈥淒rop the Weapon鈥� is a call for cooler heads to prevail during these uneasy times as Gillan鈥檚 soulful vocals and Airey鈥檚 soaring keyboards provide the timely track with a vintage Deep Purple vibe.
鈥淣othing at All鈥� is a rock ballad that addresses the uncertainty of the future with fond memories of the past and simpler times when love was innocent and charming as Gillan sings, 鈥淲hen I hear about the doom and gloom/That鈥檚 around the corner and coming soon/I take a sip of mother鈥檚 ruin/And sit with my back to the wall.鈥�
Rousing rockers 鈥淣o Need to Shout鈥� and 鈥淭he Long Way Round鈥� serve as a high-octane joyride demonstrating that the boys can still stir things up with plenty of gusto.
鈥淒ancing in My Sleep鈥� closes things on a positive note with Gillan declaring, 鈥淚 get the feeling everything will be alright.鈥� And somehow I believe him.
No matter how fast the years roll by, 鈥淲hoosh!鈥� proves that Deep Purple鈥檚 sound will never go out of style.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.