Reviews (page 6 of 13)
This album reminded me that this is a great band. Also that Purple wasn’t a one hit wonder. Smoke was all over the Summer of ‘72. I had forgotten how deep their catalog was and the travesty of how long it took for this band to finally be inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame.
Pictures Of Home is my favorite on the album.
An all time classic. 70's essential.
The album was pretty good. I liked the strumming. Nothing too special otherwise.
Probably Deep Purple's best studio album. A lot of great songs here. The problem is half of this record is best heard on the band's live album Made in Japan released later that same year. Key tracks: Highway Star Smoke on the Water Space Truckin'
Smoooookkkkeee on the waaaater
Much more bluesy than I thought. Liked it
Forward thinking and groovy proto metallic feel good rock
Incidentally, I am a Leo, but I'm not lyin’ either—this is some whole-grain rock. Fibrous. That good ruffage.
CLASSIC
Classic hard/blues rock 4/5
Hüt spieli au de "bin biz kreativlos"-joker und sege eifach, das mer s album ganz guet pässlet het und defür 4 fabelhafti chääsplätzli id pfanne haue.
in the most unexpected turn of events I really liked this album when I totally thought I'd have to skip. heavy rock from the 70s is good apparently and I am a fan. Songs were saved.
Decent album, Smoke on the water +1. 4/5
Classic
Really good album. Smoke on the Water suffers from decades of oversaturation.
Machine Head is Deep Purple at the pinnacle of their career. More focused than their previous efforts, this album has no weak tracks. Up-tempo hard-rocking opener Highway Star proves itself to be the ultimate driving song, with excellent guitar and organ solos to boot. Not much needs to be said about the iconic Smoke on the Water, as just about anyone who has picked up a guitar in their life knows this song by heart. Even the deeper cuts on the album are all worthwhile, including the 7-minute Lazy - which starts with another impressive organ solo by Jon Lord before transitioning into a fun bluesy rocker. While the lyrics throughout the record can leave something to be desired, it hardly matters when the music is this good. Deep Purple would go on to make more great music after this, but they would never reach these heights again. Highlights: -Highway Star -Smoke on the Water -Lazy -Space Truckin'
OK. So I'm a bit of an aging metal-head so I know that I'm biased. If this album were produced today would it hold up? Maybe not (except, obviously, Smoke On The Water which would be epic no matter when it was made). Is it a key part of the journey that rock made towards more modern metal? Hell yeah! Still sounds pretty damned good to me
Mixed bag here - some exceptional guitaring from Ritchie Blackmore, lovely fuzzy organs but the lyrics are god awful in places. Scrapes a 4 due to Blackmore. Smoke on the Water is amazing and I won’t take marks off for it being played to death 3.75/5
Awesome guitar solos! Solid rock album.
i really like this one. the kinda rock i'm looking for
On se vaan niin että Highway Star lähtee kun tykin suusta! Muu levy keveämpää laskettelua, joista heikoimpana kappaleena tuo iänikuinen Smoke. Mutta melkeen tolla alkupurasulla mä annan nelosen. Yks parhaista kaahailubiiseisetä evah! 4/5
So good!
Great list of songs and classic!
This stuff FUCKS
What a great album
Underrated, but classic. Way ahead of it's time.
Behemoths of the sound. Deep Purple propelled psychedelic rock into the stratosphere by making the sounds so dynamic and huge. I feel like I heard somewhere they were the loudest live band of 1972. Nothing short of good music, but its a bit played out I'd say. Anyone growing up with a guitar knows the Smoke on the Water riff. And those who played rockband know Highway Star is an iconic roadtrip song. Look to "Lazy" and "Maybe I'm a Leo" for unique sounds from this album.
many people credit deep purple as being one of the first “heavy metal” bands. deep purple was different though because of their prominent use of keyboards and organs. like many, my introduction to the band was through “smoke on the water”. classic rock radio ruined that for me, so i didn’t really take a deep dive into them. apparently i made a mistake with that assessment because this album COOKS. the searing vocals of ian gillan, the guitar wizardry of ritchie blackmore, jon lord on the keys and hammond organ, the solid work with the rhythm section holding it down… quality record through and through. highlights: “highway star” “pictures of home” “space truckin’ “
Good, classic rock. Not a lot more to say, really.
I was surprised that I loved this! "Lazy" was a stand out for me.
A fun listen if nothing else, I felt that some of the tracks had several ideas veering off in different directions but that's what happens in the early days of a genre I suppose.
Primera escucha impresiones: Highway Star: 82 Maybe I'm a Leo: 80 Pictures of Home: 80 Never Before: 65 Smoke On the Water: 85 Lazy: 88 Space Truckin': 75 Total: 79
Very cool record. Never before heard it all.
Amazing
I was surprised to enjoy it as much as I did. Obviously I knew highway star and smoke on the water before. But the rest of the album, although being typical 70s hard rock, is at the same progressive and purely fun to listen to. Probably one of the best dard rock has to offer
Loved this. Obviously 'Smoke on the Water' is well-known everywhere by now, but the rest of the album is also solid early metal. Really enjoyed this, more than I thought I would when it popped up.
No time to comment atm, Smoke On The Water every guitarists first song Yada Yada
I really liked this album; it's a classic rock album that, for some reason, I found particularly enjoyable.
Smoke on the Water is a classic. Some fun experimental tracks as well. Great album.
This was great! There was a lot to enjoy. Bonus points for having 5+ minute songs that didn't devolve into nonsense
I’ve really grown to enjoy Deep Purple far more than I thought I could. Smoke on the Water really doesn’t begin to capture what they’re about.
The organ tone is so good. The musicianship on every instrument is killer. Great riffs, great songs.
True classic
Classic, classic rock album
Its Deep Purple, I don't know what more to write. Highway Star and Smoke on the water are classics in my eyes and songs that I will always love. Great band and a great album.
This was pretty good. Strong start with Highway Star and Smoke On The Water seals the 4th star, but there’s not enough for 5. However, this begs the question, why on earth is Made in Japan on this list when Machine Head is essentially a better, shorter version of the same album?
Solid rock music would listen again.
Enjoy this much more than the live album that is on here. Some really good classic rock sounds.
Plenty of bangers on this one, Highway Star alone bumps this up a lot. This album is in here for a reason. 4.5/5
Absolute classic and must listen if you're a rock fan.
This album slaps. I had no idea all of Deep Purple's best tracks were contained to one album. This would have blown my mind on release. Fav Track: Lazy
Shoutout School of Rock, Better Call Saul and annoying music shop employees and guitar teachers.
I still can’t equate this with “metal” in my head, but this was a decent Groove album for a hard day.
Highway Star Smoke on the Water Lazy Space Truckin' When a Blind Man Cries
Picture of home I mean what a song, worst song I smoke on the water
this is something you should know
Enjoyable 70s rock and a couple of stone-cold classics.
Several classic songs here.
Rocks with the best. Underrated movers of the 70’s.
Heavy. Groovy. Badass. Just a cool and fun album to listen to. More bands need organs
Brilliant 8/10
A real classic. Blues, hard rock, great musicians: one of the fundamental albums that has legendary riff and melodies.
High energy, classic guitar and solos. Ritchie Blackmore makes me want to be a rockstar. A very live sound. All rock albums should be recorded this way.
this was okay, smoke on the water is good aye, few good tracks overall like
Smoke on the water. Lazy was cool
big slay very chill
Has there ever been a more thrilling start to an album than Highway Star on this one? It perfectly captures the feeling of driving like a maniac on an open road with some of the best guitar solo work on record. The album calms down a little after that with some nice bluesy rock before we hear *that* riff, familiar to anyone who’s ever been in a guitar shop, and probably the best song about someone burning down a casino. Funky Claudetastic!
I must say that I've never listened to Machine Head before today. I knew Smoke on the Water, and that was it. It's a solid album, much more diverse than what I imagined.
For Highway Star and Smoke on the water
Solid rock
can't get more classic than this
Respect...3 of the 7 songs on the album are all time classics.
Have heard some of the songs but never heard the album. This is a solid early metal album that still sounds good today. A handful of great songs and no real duds, which is a surprise for 1972.
First guitar riff I ever learned. Me, my mate Sam and a million other budding young guitarists. A fire in the sky.
4.3
This is a great album! I'm not sure why I see some people say there is only one good song on the album. I mean obviously "Smoke On the Water" is iconic. I won't dispute that is the best song on the album. "Highway Star", "Lazy", and "Space Truckin'" are all great too. This album is something I really like but am not quite in love with which is why I am giving it 4*s
I think we all love Smoke on the Water. The rest was alright.
A classic. I’ve loved all these songs on their own throughout my life, so banging em out on the way to work was something special.
Much better than expected
This album had some really strong and classic songs on there that bring it up to a 4 for me.
Better than I was expecting
I'm a sucker for a bit of dad rock. Some iconic tunes on this one as well
An album with songs ranging from pretty good to really good and “Smoke on the Water” in the middle. This gets a light 4 thanks to that track.
Decent album with a couple of absolute bangers... Legendary guitarist with an iconic riff gets this my first 4 stars!
Classic selection, any rocker knows the name of this band and album. Tearing out of the chute with the badass rocker "Highway Star", which is still played 50 yrs later on rock radio, sets the tone for this album. Sandwiching good songs like "Maybe I'm a Leo" & "Never Before" between mega-hits "Smoke On The Water" and the album-ending & hugely popular "Space Truckin'" (see the recent animated video if you haven't see it already). I can't say it's all killer with no filler, but it's a solid rock album and definitely showed a generation how to metal-up their rock n' roll. It was a joy to listen to, nothing screechy or too loud, just straight forward jams. Top 1001 worthy!
Classic rock done by a band at it's peak with five strong musicians. I think that Ian Paice is an underrated beast! Liked Songs Added: - Highway Star - Maybe I'm A Leo - Lazy - Space Truckin'
I am satisfied. Not the greatest rock album, but a very good one. The star of this album is all of the great organ solos. I've never really understood why they were considered metal. Even for the time, they are more of a blues rock band.
How have I gone my whole life without listening to a full Deep Purple album?
Deep Purple are not boring Smoke on the Water is boring Deep Purple are very talented
Good Lord, Jon Lord was one of the few who could make the organ sound metal especially his solo on Highway Star. Masterpiece of an album that paved the sound for future bands in the rock genre at large.
A few great songs on here that stand the test of time. A low 4 just due to a small portion of it ageing poorly.
Never heard the entire album, but it really does rock. Surprised how goos it actually is. Blackmore is god! His "Highway Star" solo makes the album!
4 pretty good
Funky jam sessions.
surprisingly plodding blues-rock, but gets an extra point for "Lazy" - songs much better played live on "Made in Japan"
While I'm not nor have ever been a fan of Deep Purple, I can come to appreciate how consequential they were to rock. This is probably the most 'classic' or album they have, with so many songs being cult classics. I don't need to go into much detail about Some On The Water or Highway Star, everyone has heard them, either consensually or by stepping food into a Guitar World for more than 4 seconds. I did just want to call out Lazy - man that song was good. It felt like a blues inspired rock ballad. The keyboards and harmonica really stood out here. Man, the back end of this album rocked. The rest of the album was pretty vanilla to me. As I said, Deep Purple just really isn't my jam, but this is still a pretty good album all things considered. I can't fault the instrumentals on here, but I definitely have my issues with the lead singer's vocals. I enjoyed this listen, and went to give it a 3, but the latter 3 songs on the album are all so good they're worth giving this thing a 4.
Truly a monumental accomplishment in corny dad rock. As well as being the soundtrack to the new developments in many peoples lives. We all knew that one annoying kid who thought learning the start of Smoke on the Water was the coolest shit ever, and I guarantee Highway Star was involved in a number of fatal road collisions (and one intergalactic space anomaly collision for my beltalowda). I was honestly more interested in the lesser known tracks on this compared to the hits that I am more well versed in. The repeated motifs, mostly lifted from Highway Star were a nice bit that felt like it made the album a more complete piece (though my cynical side wonders if they just wanted to reuse parts from other songs). The biggest surprise on this was Lazy. I liked a few of the other songs that I wasn't familiar with before like Maybe I'm a Leo and Pictures of Home. But Lazy came out of nowhere and might be my favourite song on this thing. I've never considered Deep Purples vocals to be their strong suit, I don't know if it's just the mixing but the vocals always feel like they don't take the command of a song like most others do and feel like they are usually performed in spoken word or at their most emphatic an angsty yell. Lazy doesn't really suffer from this since it practically ignores vocals for about 2 thirds of the song and just jams out, the actual singing feeling aptly lazy. It starts to feel like it takes on a blues feeling too as it moves along. Especially when they whip out the harmonica. This shit is definitely getting added to some playlists.
peak of inoffensive dadrock that has that one smelly insufferable guy in the bar going 'dude wait for this guitar riff they dont make music like this anymore' hard to dislike it but it's also hard to really love it when the genre has been built on and expanded so much. im sure this was super heavy and intense and experimental for the time but now i'd rather listen to one of infinite sub-genres that appeal to the specific mood and mindset im in. there is some sick guitar riffs though.
I was real ambivalent going into this one as my main knowledge of Deep Purple is as baby’s first guitar lesson of having to play Smoke on the Water for 38 straight music lessons cause my class was full of retards who didn’t pay attention and just fucked around while the teacher cried in the corner, and we therefore never progressed to anything more complicated (I was also fucking around). I am however immediately greeted by goated track Highway star (what plays in a truckies head when the goey hits on the Rockhampton to Brisbane run). Very nice frenetic pace, groovy tune, no one ever listened to deep purple for the vocals but I don’t mind em. Maybe I’m a Leo, or things to say when the chick you were talking to didn’t like the first star sign you said. Going into this track the drums were very forward. Really enjoy them, nice little walking riff. I really have never listened to much of Deep Purple. Probably should have. This is a much bluesier track. Not enough bands have a keyboard going on these days. Or maybe too many. Very odd tonal shift to pictures of home which I can only assume is about freezing to death on a mountain? Maybe I’m hearing the lyrics wrong. Pretty groovy track though. Kinda snoozing in never before. More of the same competent rock nothin special. Having said that though this coming out in 1972 the way they have the guitars tuned up etc is obviously such a massive influence on the next 20 odd years of rock this was probably still a hit at the time. And now the main event of songs with very recognisable riffs that I’ve heard far too many times to enjoy properly. I can’t hear that riff without thinking of year 8 music fuckwits using the schools cheap guitar strings to flick rulers and pencils and shit across the room like a bow and arrow. Honestly wish this wasn’t the big deep purple song cause even on this album they have better tracks. Speaking of better tracks the keyboard on the intro to Lazy is an immediate highlight for this album. Head moving feet jumping immediately. This one is going straight to the pool room (liked songs list). This songs lyrical content is how I’m trying to be. Love a good blues breakdown finish on a track (heroes actually finish songs instead of fading out like a coward). Last couple of tracks are probably on the weaker side. Didn’t really spark any sort of interest but I like the vibe of space truckin Good album
This album was pretty darn good. I found that the music felt well written and composed, the guitars sounded great and the vocals were pretty grungy and rocky which I enjoyed. However, I did think it sounded a lot like other bands of the time (even if it was quite good). That was until I realised this album was released in 1972 - like 5 years before anyone else sounded like this. The first track Highway star really sets a solid tone for the rest of the album. Space truckin is a great time. I don't think there was any song on the album I didn't really find overly bad or boring. That said, I did find smoke on the water ironically to be one of the less exciting tracks. I'd give this album a 7 if I could, so rounding up to a soft 4.
Not really my bag bit hard to deny this is a great album. If this was up your alley could very easily understand someone giving the album a 10/10 Last two songs felt a bit tacked on. Lazy a Masterpiece though fr, loved that track. Fav tracks - All of em -2 Least Fav - Space Truckin', When a Blind Man Cries
Dad rock Central. Really like the Album, somehow not my favourite Deep Purple Album. Gotta say though loved alot of the songs, blasting most of these while driving around feels like the way it was meant to be listened to. Smoking on the water always not be funny and a classic, dishonourable mention to space truckin that one sucked ass. 4/5
Highway Star slaps, but somehow this is not my favourite version of it. They did a cover of this in The Expanse series with the vocals sung in Belter Creole and it's a fuckin JAM. Maybe I'm A Leo feels sort of like a demo of a song that should be more complete, especially compared to Highway Star, this song feels like a step down musically. Maybe I am just jarred by the sudden shift in tone, this song is good for what it is but it shouldn't come after something as high-energy as Highway Star. Pictures Of Home is a song I'm surprised I've not heard before. Galloping bassline, rising vocals and solid guitar work; I would not at all be surprised if I found out this was young Steve Harris' favourite song, it really does feel like a prototype for Iron Maiden. Also the bass solo in this song goes really fucking hard. Never Before feels like it could have done a lot more, the song was okay and became great when the keyboard solo kicked in. Unfortunately this is at the very end of the song. Smoke On The Water is about a better band than Deep Purple. It's a classic, and no matter how many times I've heard it (on stream or some dickhead finger picking it), I don't think I'll ever get sick of it. Lazy is a decent jam, it has a good intro but I think this song meanders a bit and doesn't have as much of a direction as the other songs on this album. Space Truckin' gets bonus points for being about travelling through space in a truck. I'm including When a Blind Man Cries because it seems like it's included on the track listing for every release except the very original. This song should have been on the original, to end the album on Space Truckin' would have been a mistake to the flow of this album. This track perfectly carries out the album and ends on a high note. The guitar work here is excellent, the organ totally carries this song on its shoulders. Vocals are better here than on any other point of the album. Listening to this album feels more like riding an antique bike. Deep Purple was the inspiration for a lot of bands that would go on to do technically much more intricate and complex musical work. Having said that, this antique bike was a lot of fun to ride.
Deep Purple is a great band name
I knew the 3 radio play songs but had never listened to this album from top to bottom. I actually loved it. Come on! Let’s go Space Truckin! It has a super fun flair and energy. Sure, it’s a bit dated but that is hardly a criticism. Most music is a product of its time. Very little is timeless. Still, I really enjoyed this and had fun with it. Doesn’t sound like heavy metal but I can see how this was an influence on that genre. The high pitched howls are awesome. Just going for it.
A good rock album with an interesting history.
Fun, heavy, and very entertaining. Though there's something about this album that is lacking in energy from their previous albums. Excellent on it's own, but simply feels watered down and less original. But still very good regardless. Top tracks: Pictures of Home, Smoke on the Water, Lazy
Idk it was cool in a generic way. Like even the non-generic stuff was generic in a generic way
Great
Machine Head was definitely a fun album. The album had remained good throughout the whole thing but i think the album shined the brightest during the last 3 songs. Smoke On The Water was initially that one song i knew from that old arcade game Primal Rage where it played a lot but it was a really good song due to that great guitar hook. Lazy was also a really good one with that really cool sounding intro and had the ideas of that intro spread throughout the entire song. Space Truckin' was also cool too with it's hooks as well. The first 4 songs are good too but i still stan by what i said in the second sentence. The album is still great throughout the whole thing though. Best Song: Lazy Worst Song: Highway Star
Just crushing it. What a great album for the genre. This almost feels like it should be a greatest hits. Highway Star is an incredible opener and even if it isn't the most complex at times, the rhythm section is constantly strong and puts a great vibe to the album. 100% people heard this and started to learn instruments to play it.
The start blew my socks clean off. I mean Smoke on the Water. Lazy has some cool moments. Space Truckin is wild and so are it's origin according to it's wiki. The version I'm listening to seems a little muddy. I'd say a good album, not great. I would dive deeper on this one. I dig the 38 minute runtime.
Highway Star is great
A little machinal in the guitar playing, but undisputably an influential rock record. Smoke on the Water has been played by every guitar player ever since its writing. The opener stuck with me. Men really be writing songs about women and cars like they are the same thing.
Highway Star 3.7 Maybe I'm a Leo 3.8 Pictures of Home 3.5 Never Before 3.6 Smoke on the Water 4.2 Lazy 4 Space Truckin' 4.1 Score: 3.842857143
Positief verrast door dit album! Ja het is een soort hardrock album, maar het gaat echt best wel dik! Er zitten jazz en blues invloeden duidelijk in en meerdere nummers hebben dikke piano solos of baslijnen die de voorgrond pakken. Gezien mijn beperkte hardrock kennis: nooit geweten dat zij Smoke on the water hebben gemaakt, met DIE gitaar riff! De muziek is gewoon super strak, met ontzettend leuke gitaar, piano, bas en zelfs een mondharmonica(!?!?) solo! Dit album is voor mij gewoon best wel fun. FAVO: Maybe I am a leo, Never Before, Smoke on the water, Lazy, When a blind man cries
Enjoyed it
CAM ON CAM ON LETS GO SPACE TRUCKIN'
8/10
Great album! Can't go too wrong with Deep Purple tbh
Did not use a private Spotify session. Yes, this a classic album. Smoke on the water is so popular and easy to play it gets banned from guitar stores. I have actually seen this sign in guitar stores and not just in Wayne's World. File this album under albums to listen to while I work in the garage.
Both sides opening tracks are undeniable all time classics. The remainder is fine. But Highway Star and Smoke on the Water are both better than most will come near in their lifetimes.
It was very cool the way it was about cars. We liked it.
This album rips! I did not realize how great this record was. I will admit, Smoke On The Water kind of influenced why I never checked this record out. The song isn't bad... But it's Smoke On The Water... I truly just don't care for it anymore. A lot of awesome riffs. Killer solos. Vocals are on point! Great record.
I’m a sucker for the electric guitar
This album really impressed me. I love the songs where they have more of a hard-rock lean rather than a blues-rock lean. Highway Star is a great opening track and Space Truckin' is a good closer. Smoke on the water is a tad overplayed and simplistic but still good. The only song I wasn't a huge fan of was Lazy. All around great album. 3.5/5 -> 4/5
This went pretty hard, I dig it. I can see how influential it was for early heavy metal music. Stand-out: Smoke On The Water
Good classic heavy metal. Many songs I have not heard in a long time.
Deep Purple's 'Machine Head' has always been an album I've appreciated for demonstrating a strong understanding of what it meant to be 'hard rock' - no bells and whistles attached. Borderline metal at times too, the vocals on the opening 'Highway Star' remind me of Iron Maiden, and the guitar solo rips similarly to them, with an impeccably sharp tone. The musical interludes in this record are the highlights by far. The chilling lyrics and epic guitar riff driving the track 'Picture of Home' make it easily my favorite song here. 'Smoke on the Water' is cool but unfortunately suffers from the "I've heard that dumbass riff too many times to care" effect. Looking past that iconic riff and chorus though, there's a terrifically smokey song here with an infectious organ-tinged groove. Ritchie's guitar playing all over this album rules. Muddy, groovy, hard-hitting, dynamic, and insatiable all the way through, this album, to me, has always acted as an encapsulation of all the best ideas hard rock had to offer in its golden age. Or just "if cool was an album".
dos canciones que valen un potosí; Highway Star y Smoke on the water. Lo demás muy correcto.
Smoke on the water is overrated, but also instantly recognizable. The rest is ok, but not great (for me). I definitely do not like the sound of old school heavy Metal, it's to soft for me. Still, a good record at 3.5, so it gets a 4.
Heard one song previously, and thought this was going to be one of those albums where that's the only good song. I was wrong. Lazy was a surprise stand out for me. 4/5
Classic!
kinda funky. more harmonica somehow. fave track: maybe i’m a leo
4.25
Good solid blues rock album. 4/5!
I'm not sure I've ever heard this album before, or perhaps even many of the songs, despite how "Smoke on the water" was probably one of the first "heavy" songs I've ever heard (or practiced playing). And for good or bad, it's about what I would have expected, and it kind of confirms that I'm not a particularly big Deep Purple fan. But still a solid album, and I don't feel badly for giving a four-star rating simply for "Smoke on the water" (with nods to "Highway star" and "Space truckin'" too). Ironically, I think I'd always heard that the song was inspired by a fire on the banks of the Thames in London, but apparently the fire was in Switzerland, caused by an over-zealous Frank Zappa fan in the venue that Deep Purple intended to record this album. Even more ironic is that the lyrics tell exactly this story; I guess I never listened to the words aside from the chorus.... It's an impressive story of how they ended up in an abandoned hotel on the edge of Montreaux in the dead of winter, and equally impressive that they produced a decent-sounding album when they'd largely abandoned listening to the recordings because it was so cold and inconvenient to do so.
I've always liked Smoke on the Water but if this is our only Deep Purple album, then I wish it had Hush on it, though I suppose that earlier album is worse overall. This was pretty good--also liked Pictures of Home a lot.
deep purple is bad ass
Not my genre but a pretty good record with a handful of really stand out tunes
rock n roll at its most basic. all the songs were too long
This feels a little like double-dipping since half of these songs were also on Made in Japan. That said, Deep Purple kicks ass so whatever! 4/5
Man, banger album. I like this whole thing. It's just great. 4.49/5
I won’t lie, I think the songs they perform in Made in Japan sound better there, but this is as good as hard rock can get regardless. Martin Birch is one of the all-time great producers and the band was firing on all cylinders. A-
This is so close to being a 5, but there a couple of tracks that I didn't much care for - never before and when a blind man cries. The rest are absolute masterpieces tho.
I knew Jon Lord was a complete wizard, but I didn't appreciate just how technically accomplished the band was — Blackmore in particular — until I'd heard all of Machine Head in one go. Very nearly five stars for me, amazing collection of songs and the band feels really tight and powerful.
Ok, Lots better than In Rock. More swagger, more swing. I heard a lot more fancy guitar work from young mssr Blackmore. Lots of tremolo, maybe some tapping? Masters of riff rock.
It’s funny what certain popular songs do to a band’s reputation…even though said song doesn’t really sound like the rest of the band’s catalog. Smoke on The Water is a perfect example of this. And upon hearing it as a kid and a million times since, it clearly did not provide an accurate description of this band’s talent. The rest of this album did though. Complete with blistering guitar work and really good tone on the drums for the time only made it that much more enjoyable. This was a really good rockin album and makes me regret that I did not give them that much ear time growing up. That will all change now.
I dig this, was surprised at how solid this album was throughout, given I hadn’t heard much of this. Some great solos, love the organ usage, just solid 70s rock, man.
Crazy how one of the simplest riffs can become one of the most iconic of all time. Also crazy that song is influenced by Beethoven’s 5th symphony played backwards…or something like that. I dunno, there’s a video…look it up. A most solid classic rock album. Love me some Highway Star. I love it! I need it! Space truckin is also what I wanted to do when I grew up.
I was def meh on hearing Smoke on the Water for the millionth time…but what a delightful surprise when that was one of my least favorite tracks on the album. Maybe I’m a bigger fan of deep plodding rock than i previously thought. A solid 4* for me. 4/5
Not too shabby! Crazy I've never heard of them
Really liked this album, but it just feels a bit generic at some points. Which keeps it from 5 stars
I don't like heavy metal. I don't like heavy metal. I don't like heavy metal, But I do like this Deep Purple.
A Delightful Early-Metal/prog-rock record, understandable why it's a seminal record in the history of the genre. Almost every song is a standout performance musically, and lyrics are not necessary to enjoy the album (although the lyricism is fine). Highway Star/Maybe I'm a Leo/Pictures of Home/Lazy are my favorites of the record. A 4-star record for me.
From that lovely time, where, if you hit it right, you could groove just as much as you could rock. I’ve already mentioned, well, they’re not Zeppelin or Sabbath, but few are, and that’s why you hear from them less often. At the same time, it makes their straightforward approach a bit more refreshing. I bet they were good live too, in their prime.
These guys can certainly rock. The guitar riffs on this thing go hard and when the band locks in the grooves are entrancing. The deeper cuts on this are great, but the standout tracks are truly where Deep Purple shines. Highway Star slaps so fucking hard (shoutout Rockband 1) and who can forget Smoke On The Water. Fav Songs: Highway Star Smoke On The Water Lazy Space Truckin’
This is my second Deep Purple album. The first one I had was Live in Japan, which I hated - so much self-indulgent fart-sniffing that it just made me want to wrap barbed wire around my cock and then pretend I was trying to start a very old and rusty chainsaw as a more enjoyable pastime. Naturally I was not particularly looking forward to this. I was very pleasantly surprised. Yes, there is still a huge amount of self indulgent solowanking, and some of the lyrics sound like the song that Homer Simpson wanted Tom Petty to write in the episode when they went to rock school, but it is a very enjoyable time. Smoke On The Water is hugely overplayed, but you can't deny it is a good tune, and it doesntbstand alone here. As a whole there is far too much bullshit to make it five stars, but this is definitely four for me, and probably my first entry in 'Controversial Artists'
Pleasantly surprised, smoke on the water a standout!
Not my thing but good musicianship
Good example of why I shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. I wouldn’t necessarily call it funky in a Parliament sense, but it’s still way more rhythmic and grooving than I would’ve assumed a Deep Purple album would be. Pretty great guitar work throughout, from both a lead and rhythm perspective. Good enough to consider diving into more of DP’s catalog.
Smoke on the Water!
No está mal.
I think I listened to this in a fever dream but it was good
0 3 5 0 3 6 5 0 3 5 3 0
Banging. Not sure where my initial review went, but loved the album. 'Pictures Of Home' is a new find! :)
Classic hard rock album and definitely the best one of Deep Purple
It seems that this is an album with strictly one idea/riff per track. Most of the ideas are great, but every tracks is much, much longer than it should have been.
Last three songs are an incredible run
Very good album. A lot of classic songs like Highway Star, Some on The Water etc. Great instrumentation, guitar harmonies, drums
Banger after banger after banger after banger after banger after banger….
Powerful and heavy in its early rock roots. Iconic, but I feel like its underappreciated.
The significant milestone in rock music.
Just a masterclass in guitar and a fun ride. 4.5/5
Definitely more hard/metal than most of the rock music I listen to, but loaded with lots of cool guitar riffs and solid drum beats AND Smoke on the Water! I don’t think I’d listen to most of these songs on my own but I can see it being a great album for the right person.
This is pretty cool. A heavier, classic rock sound than Deep Purple's earlier stoner blues sound, I find more palatable. Smoke On The Water is actually surprising to me that it was the big hit on this album.
ponk wibes from purple dad rock..
Was I just in a bad mood when I listened to In Rock? Because Machine Head is soooo on my wavelength. Do I actually like Deep Purple?! All the problems I had with In Rock — meandering songs filled with mediocre solos, failed prog attempts, and too much organ — are tightened to the point of nonexistence on this record. Instead, this is just a tight, proto-metal album with hard rock rhythm, gritty vocals, and neo-classical solos. Sure, it’s the sonic equivalent of hotboxing a Trans Am, but something about this is just a good, heavy vibe. And the fact that “Smoke on the Water” is one of the lesser songs on here should convince you of its overall quality. I do still think this could still be tighter overall. There’s some studio flourishes of flanger and organ effects that make me roll my eyes, and, conversely, there’s some bad vocal takes and stiff solos that don’t knock it out of the park. And sure, the end does go a bit off the rails for me: “Lazy” is just lazy blues rock pastiche, and “Space Truckin’” did not need a drum solo. But unlike on In Rock, none of these issues become so all-encompassing that I can’t tolerate it. Overall, this is just good meat-and-potatoes hard rock in the era right before it turned into actual metal. That’s all Deep Purple ever needed to be — in fact, trying to be progressive feels like the band’s Achilles Heel — and sometimes, that’s more than enough to elevate an album to classic status.
Ultimate dad rock. In my case, my dad would always sing the "Smoke on the Water" riff everytime he entered my room like it's his wrestling entrance theme, so I don't think I can go any daddier-rockier than this. "Highway Star" and "Smoke on the Water" deserve a 4/5 alone. Great album, aged so much better than most other hard rock from this era.
This is exactly the kind of sound that made me fall in love with classic rock and metal as a kid. Catchy riffs, lengthy guitar solos throughout (even a bass solo on "Maybe I'm a Leo", and some longer jam sessions mixed in was the perfect formula for a great listening experience for me. The mix between the simplicity of the main riff of "Smoke On The Water" and the jazzy licks of "Lazy" was perfect for my money. Definitely adding some of these tracks to my normal rotation. 8.5/10
Rock on
I assumed this would be terrible, but I accidentally kind of like it.
It's got some classics, but maybe that's the problem, it's too stereotypically classic rock. Maybe that's because they are one of the bands that pioneered what became 'classic rock' and can't be held responsible for it being played to death.
Super influential and enjoyable just didn't have enough pazazz for a 5
Smoke on the Water is an all-time classic. Highway Star and Space Truckin are bangers. The rest is typical early 70s hard Rock, which isn't a bad thing at all.
Oh 70s hard rock, I can never quit you.
After two listens spread out over a week, I have a better appreciation for Deep Purple. These guys know how to write a riff and blend them together. I was only familiar with Smoke On The Water before this and I must say there are 4 or 5 songs I like better. I’m glad I know more than just Smoke On The Water now.
Another album where I knew a hit song but never listened to the album before. Great classic rock sound. I’ll listen to this again.
This is better than I would have expected. Sure, Smoke on the Water but it’s good blues based rock.
Oh well. A lot of old dad-rock fans clearly overrate Deep Purple, including on this app. When it comes to blues-inspired, original "metal", I will always favor the darker tones and more exaggerated, off-kilter "moods" of the early Black Sabbath LPs to the technical virtuosity displayed in such a record--impressive, but not always potent on an emotional or "cinematic" level. *Machine Head* is part of the canon of "classic" rock albums. But that doesn't mean you must be blind to its streamlined nature, its self-indulgent moments, or to the patchy songwriting here and there. That said, begrudging the importance of *Machine Head* (and also *In Rock*) would admittedly be unfair to an extent. Of course, having the iconic "Smoke on the Water" in the tracklist gives an extra point to this record all by itself, as overplayed as that song is--not only on dad rock radios, but also by almost every beginner learning how to play the guitar. Amazing how that simple riff entered public consciousness for ages to come. That Swiss casino burnt down to the ground for a reason, I guess... The best tunes are found elsewhere, however. They're the catchy opener "Highway Star", epic and cosmic "Space Truckin' ", "Maybe I'm A Leo" and its bouncy riff--whose ripples can be heard up to the era of the Red Hot Chili Peppers--and that touching ballad "When A Blind Man Cries", originally a b-side, but now included in every copy of the LP. Apart from that, you get very nice jams with another batch of inventive guitar solos during the course of the other tracks "Lazy", "Pictures Of Home" and "Never Before". Not revolutionary, but well-crafted overall. The specific Deep Purple touch, that deep and sizzling hammond organ supporting the six-strings heroics, is also aptly recorded here. Which makes the record pleasant for everyone interested in classic rock, hard rock, or early metal. 4/5 for the purposes of this list. 9/10 for more general purposes (5+4) Number of albums left to review: 221 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 337 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 199 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 250
This has grown on me quite a bit, and there's a lot of great bits here. I can see how this album was very influential.
Guter gitarrenlastiger Hardrock mit dem Klassiker Smoke on the water, es geht also auch anders in den 70er
Highway Star Smoke On The Water
So good
Damn good album that I’ve heard much about but have never listened to. Loved every second of it!
4/5
COOL!!
A classic for the ages.
This is the boulder that Planet Rock has been leaning on for decades. Total slammer, I LOVE IT, AND I NEED IT
Day96 - there’s a reason they’re in the rock and roll hall of fame. this is a really good rock album more than just smoke on the water
4.5 This album was a banger, and has the first riff I (and everybody) learned to play
Average/not bad. Might listen again
This is an album packed with what are now some stone-cold classics, and a number of other lesser-known gems. It may not be the greatest rock album of all time, but it f*king rocks.
Solid album that makes me wonder why smoke on the water was the breakout hit when there are at least two songs better on the album
I got this on vinyl. There's a scratch on it that will cause the needle to skip over Smoke on the Water entirely. Best version of the album imo.
Great guitar solos, felt like the whole album had a slightly dark mellow vibe. Easy listen
Solid rock but I don't think it stands out from other rock that much
A classic album with one of the most recognisable riffs from the history of rock music. Smoke on the Water is such a great song. The overall album has very good versatility, and the musicianship is excellent. Despite of this, I admit I don't listen to their music that much because to me personally it doesn't really stand out from that era (I prefer the more exciting prog rock, for instance). Obejctively it's a close 5 album but I'm giving it a 4.
Ritchie Blackmore, vastly underrated guitarist. This is an iconic rock album.
Están abusando seriamente de la escala pentatónica menor. It still slaps. 7/10
Really good songs on here. Some of the best road trip songs of all time..
Du bon gros rock comme je l'aime !
Good stuff.
it's kinda funny how I got their live album, "Made in Japan" before I got this one; I recognize a lot of the songs from this album from the live one. I still think it's really good!
Really liked this one. Took me back to my youth.
A classic by any standards. Less heavy than I expected, really quite tuneful and even reminded me (just now and again) of the Doors in terms of the arrangements. My brother says it's brilliant, but I'm not quite there, and am unlikely to have it on heavy rotation... I'd feel mean giving three though, for his sake, so four it is.
Good album, definitely something to keep in rotation.
Unconventional guitar solos (Pictures of Home, Never Before, Lazy) put an emphatic underline on the smashmouth tone of this album. It’s clear this was a key forefather of power/arena rock. While the vocal performances aren’t anything special, they don’t detract from the musicality and are well-mixed for the era. Listened to: on a plane from Puerto Rico to New York. Favorite tracks: Highway Star, Pictures of Home, Space Truckin’
The most iconic riff ever? This one puts the heavy in Heavy Metal.
Ye pretty good I guess
Deep Purple in their finest hour
Classic 70’s rock. Forceful energy.
Sin duda, el disco definitivo de Hard Rock. Mezclando perfectamente las tendencias progresivas de los '70s, con riffs duros y melodías sumamente pegajosas que se extienden en interpretaciones perfectas de guitarras, órganos y percusiones que evocan al rock n' roll y al blues, claramente Deep Purple estableció un estilo, influyendo a cientos de músicos y bandas luego del lanzamiento de este LP. Sumamente recomendable.
Great album
Highway Star and Space Truckin’ take to the 4 Star level
Very good album. Not their fault "Smoke on the Water" became every learning guitarist's first riff and soundtracked every visit to every music store for the next five decades. "Highway Star" and "Space Truckin'" are fantastic bookends. Don't think Iron Maiden would exist without this.
No está mal.
Highway Star is clearly a song about a man who makes love to his car, yet by Space Truckin’, he’s moved on to a new vehicle. Heartless.
Classic album, the debut of Smoke on the Water :)
First time actually listening to this in its entirety, really solid and a classic for a reason
I love the songs included in this record but i remember that when i bought this record (after listening to Made in Japan), the ones played in Made in Japan turned out a bit disappoint here
takes a bit to get good but has such a solid run of songs in the middle. the story behind smoke on the water is pretty cool i remember my dad telling me about it at breakfast like a month ago
Solid hard rock album, iconic songs (BA-BAM-BAM) and lesser-known gems.
solid album not to flex or anything but i can actually play smoke on the water on the guitar.. and no you can’t have my number sorry.. 4/5
It's a classic
Good solid hard rock and roll- no body screaming indecipherable lyrics, no screeching guitars stepping on everything else, no navel gazing woe is me bullshit.
Deep Purple is always better than I expect
Been a little while since I've listened to Deep Purple and boy do I forget how good they are, particularly this album.
In a huge disagreement with my father but I bloody love this album and deep purple. Gillan was always my favourite singer in this band and the only reason I'm giving it a 4 is because I prefer In Rock more.
Great bongos on Space Truckin’. Ez 4.5
Overall -real solid rock album sound -killer solos peppered throughout -this is WILD that smoke on the water is not even one of the best on this album -This is literally a blues album, what the fuck this is wild Picture of Home -Ooooo I love the blend of blues sound in here -holy shit, oh fuck, that guitar solo is absolutely gnarly -is that a keys solo ???? -a bass solo ???? Never Before -oh that intro 😮💨 -oh the fucking blues in here -oh my god the keys Lazy -oh my fucking god
Good rock, will listen more.
Great great rock, liked it a bunch.
Gitarrensolos von Blackmore und generell der Sound und Gesang sind es immer noch Wert nach 50 Jahren gehört zu werden. Und Smoke on the Water bleibt ein Ohrwurm.
Don't think too much about it, just roll with it. Ian Gillan's vocal range, the face-melting guitar and organ solos on 'Highway Star', and the most recognizable guitar riff in music history.
lyrics/vox are whatever but music and riffs rip.
Have listened to this at least once before if I remember right, but the bass playing really jumped out at me this time.
No está mal.
💖 lazy 🗣️ 7️⃣
Rocks
I don’t often listen to metal, but found this album surprisingly enjoyable. Vocals and instrumentation worked together seamlessly
The Legendary 0-3-5 Progression that all guitarists know! Deep Purple shines brightly in this album with overdriven and fuzzed out guitar, grainy and gainy rock organ, tight and precise bass, simple but clean rock drums, and a literal Jesus Christ Superstar vocal talent. The band relies pretty heavily on classic blues rock chords and shapes, but dials the intensity up with trading solos, churning eighth-note rhythms, and wailing lyrics. Deep Purple manages to translate a live-feeling performance onto a record without getting caught up in jam purgatory or sloppy musicianship. I only knew two tracks coming into this listen, but was blown away by the talent hidden in the rest of the songs. Plus I felt like a total Highway Star blasting it in my work truck. Stand out tracks include "Highway Star", "Pictures Of Home", "Lazy", and "When A Blind Man Cries". Ironically, "Smoke On The Water" is strongly outshone by most of the lesser-known tracks.
WOW LEAN AND PERFECT NOT A SINGLE SONG ON HERE IS FLUFF. I like some songs more than others. The background vocals and simple guitar chords, I literally can feel the influence for so much coming from this record. I hear alot of video game music from this one Like there is literally the battle theme from Final Fantasy 7 in Pictures of home. I will be listening to this one for a while. Here is my rank Lazy Never Before Smoke on the Water Highway star Maybe I am a Leo Pictures of home Space Truckin
Alright, Deep Purple album #2! I listened to Deep Purple in Rock just under a month ago, and I thought it was a solid classic rock album. One thing that I saw when doing research for In Rock was that the general consensus for the best Deep Purple album was that it was either that or Machine Head. Well, after listening to Machine Head, I now have an answer for which one I like more. I'm gonna have to go with Machine Head. I mean, it's the one with Smoke on the Water. What more can I say? Well, quite a bit actually. I feel like, in retrospect, In Rock was a bit repetitive. Not the most repetitive album I've ever listened to, but it did feel a bit samey in some regards. I feel that Machine Head is a more sonically diverse album, albeit just slightly. The songs on this thing are pretty good. The aforementioned Smoke on the Water is an absolute classic and a pretty good song. The other songs are quite good too. I really like Pictures of Home and Never Before. The singing is still pretty decent. The lyrics are solid. There isn't a ton to say. I think that this is a pretty good improvement on what worked in Deep Purple In Rock. Light 4/5.
I attributed some of their songs to other bands!
Solid rock album. Jams!
Énorme !
I like this album. Yes, it is VERY classic rock and very "jam band-y" but it has some great tracks on it. The guitar solos are incredible and the synth sounds great. "Highway Star", "Smoke on the Water" and "Space Truckin" are my favorites.
Solid.
"this is divorced dad rock blah blah blah blah" what's so wrong about that? what's wrong about being like the man who held you when you were first born and fed you your first bottle?
Great blast from the 70s!! This was absolutely 💯 one of my favorite 8tracks (yesss.....). I mean: Smoke on the Water, Space Truckin, Highway Star..... far out, man. Totally groovy driving tunage.
0 3 5, 0 3 6 5, 0 3 5, 3, 0
- Eines der Wegbereiteralben für Heavy Metal und sicherlich eines der größten Hard-Rock und Blues-Rock Alben out there. - Ich kannte das Album in weiten Teilen (besonders die zweite Albumhälfte + Highwaystar) - Wenn die Hammond Orgel richtig scheppert, die Overdrive Gitarre kratzt und der Bass schön schnurrt dann ist bei mir eh schon vieles gewonnen. All diese Knöpfe drücken Deep Purple auf dem Album und setzen mich auf eine Harley im amerikanischen Hinterland, wo man sich wie der wortwörtliche Higwaystar fühlt. - Ich mag das Album einfach wirklich und kehre immer wieder gern zurück! Rating 4/5
- Absolut ikonisch und genreprägend mit einigen absoluten mega bangern - Leider konnte ich mich, mit Ausnahme einiger Songs, nie wirklich für Deep Purple im Ganzen erwärmen. - Um deshalb jetzt eine nicht ganz so gute Bewertung zu geben, ist das Album aber zu krass. So viele Dynamik und Energie, auch in den langsamen Stücken. So facettenreich und doch durch wiederkehrende Stilmittel extrem charakteristisch 3,75/4 -
It was a better album than I expected before looking at the track list. I'm not savvy on Deep Purple, but I knew and enjoyed every song.
Listened in the kitchen with the kiddo and it was a really fun album. Nothing ground breaking or completely unique but sounds that have stood up to time.
This was definitely better than that lame ass Mount Rushmore album or whatever and is even really good by general 70s classic rock standards. It’s a little bluesy and rocks pretty hard. Smoke on the water goes without saying
Peut-être le meilleur album écoute jusqu'à présent, j'ai adoré ! C'est le bon mix entre rock et hard rock je trouve. Dommage que les voix soient pas un peu plus fortes mais franchement belle découverte.
Très bons solos guitare 🎸
I actually really liked this album. Short and sweet but great rock music
another progenitor album, this time heavy metal, but by today's tastes almost indistinguishable from other genres of rock. It's actually pretty easy to listen to. "Smoke on the Water" ... "Highway Star" ... "Space Truckin"
Really good album i don’t know what else to say classic
Deep Purple. De lo mejorcito del rock duro.
Great 70’s rock band. Set the stage for other rock bands to follow. Smoke on the water, an all-time classic song.
This was some good ol fashioned rock n roll. Enjoyed the track selection overall and the solos were fantastic.
This was an enjoyable romp of an album! The playing and vocals are super tight and it’s just high quality rock. Smoke On The Water was the only song I knew before and is probably my least favourite off the album tbh. Happy to spend more time with this album in the future.
Intriguing. Forgot how many good songs besides smoke on the water is on there
This album has 5 star moments!
Very dad rock, good album!!
Lots of great classics, and some I had never heard that made me tap my foot. 4 stars
Really good! So much better than the live album I had to listen to from them before. But my favourites mostly remain the same. 8/10 Top 3: 1. Highway Star 2. Smoke on the Water 3. Space Truckin’
As good as it was in the 70’s. Loved it again!!
#94. You know you've made a good song when it's so popular it gets on the forbidden to play list at music stores, right? The whole album is cheesy as fuck, but in a way that you don't hate it, somehow. 4/5: Space truckin', son, ain't what it used to be
Some sweet classic rock. Nothing super special here but it has all the elements of a good classic rock album. Plus it doesn't overstay it's welcome. I'm a fan
Magnificent, good strong riffs. Pleasant singing. A bit of funk and jazz along with the heavy blues rock. More enjoyable than Black Sabbath (certainly less dark) and less disjointed than Led Zeppelin. Excellent.
Simply a good bluesy, jammy, psychedelic album. Machine Head hit the spot for me, cool guitar riffs including one of the most iconic of all time on Smoke on the Water. Highway Star is a great track and Lazy hits hard too. Only miss was Maybe I’m a Leo. 4 stars
I love this album. And it's a great example of why I put up listening to stuff I don't like on this project. I've spent the last 50 years listening to Smoke on the Water. But for some reason, I had never listened to the album. Holy Macaroni. I'm so glad I have.
Hammond Organ
love it, that smoke on the water song is so familiar...hmmmm
- Fantastic jamming and guitar work - Some iconic songs like Smoke on the Water - Appreciated the length
Pretty good, groovy with solid guitar work
It was pretty great, a few songs I knew and liked.
oh thats some bluesy rockin!
Metal from before metal was widely considered metal. And who doesn't like Smoke on the Water?
Tight AF 4/5
Apart from Smoke on the Water I have never heard Deep Purple: to what I enjoyed this, the band worked well together and it was solid rock. Can definitely see myself really enjoying this after giving it more time. Powerful guitar, bass, drums and good vocals lead this to be very enjoyable.
Solid
Good solid rock with a cool blues approach. Clear classics on the album and an overall interesting listen!
Hitit oli ne tylsimmät biisit, noin muuten tämä oli melko menevä levy! Parempi kuin oikeastaan olin tästä bändistä olettanut.