Deep Purple (Third Album)

[Zzzptm]

I had to dig and scratch to find this album when I was a kid, but I found it and eagerly gave it a spin. "Chasing Shadows" hit me like a ton of bricks, and it's been one of my favorite Mk1 tunes ever since, with that wildly complicated percussion and bass line and Evans' spaced-out vocal. It's still great to listen to, because it's just so different from everything else the band's ever done.

On the other hand, "Blind" is like the other classically-tinged pop tunes that are peppered across the first two albums. At least Evans' voice is brought forward some so I can enjoy it more on this track. But it's a reason why this album is not one of my overall favorites, because of meh songs like this. I'll go all the way through for the sake of this review, just in case there's anything in it that makes me wake up and take notice, but I'm pretty sure it's going to end up as much a miss for me now as it was when I first heard it and rolled my eyes at more of that misdirected pop.

"Laleña" is a lovely little soft ballad that I instantly forget about once it's over. And oh geez there's 5 minutes plus of it. Yeah, we need to rearrange the furniture on this band. The chemistry just isn't there with everyone and it's painfully clear here. Blackmore's final guitar part is wasted on this song, it belongs with a better, stronger tune.

"Fault Line/Painter" are better tracks, and I'm back to having fun with them, especially after the drag from the last two. I love the menace in "Fault Line" and "Painter" is a fun blues-based tune where everyone gets to let their overly-lacquered hair down. This is a direction the core trio are going to move in, going forward. Lots to like in this song.

"Why Didn't Rosemary" keeps going with the blues-based fun from the last track of side one and was the main reason I'd flip the album to side two. They're all playing fine here, but, again, lack of chemistry between the band and the singer.

"Bird Has Flown" I see as the last good track on the album. It's funky and unusual like "Chasing Shadows". Honestly, I can whittle this album down to a pair of EPs, one that I'd spin a lot and the other I'd let collect dust. By that, I mean I really am not looking forward to the TWELVE MINUTES of "April" coming up. I may actually skip through parts... or most... I paid my dues listening to "Blind" and "Laleña" and all the other classically-influenced pop stuff from the first two albums and I would REALLY like to get to In Rock... so, yeah, I'm planning to bail on "April".

Oh snap, it started... well, now I'm in for it. I do like the intro, though, I'll give it that. But I'm bailing out now. It's time for Mark 2.