Reviews (page 9 of 14)
Thoughts before listening: Deep Purple put out some of the greatest classic rock radio songs of all time, but I've never dug deeper than these massive hits. I know they are very influential on the hard rock and metal scenes, so I look forward to listening to this full album. Review: "Smoke on the Water", "Highway Star", "Space Truckin'" are quintessential classic rock that set a blueprint for much of what would follow through the 70s. The rest of the album maintains this high level with "Pictures of Home" especially standing out as a new to me banger. I especially enjoy the extended instrumental sections throughout these songs, mostly led by Richie Blackmore's outstanding guitar work although Jon Lord's organ/keys (especially on "Lazy") is a nice addition not always found in 70s hard rock. 5-stars
Pictures of Home & Lazy
Iconic
Classic album from classic line up
Pretty good album but honestly forgettable other than a few classics.
I have always heard this album was hype and boy did it live up to the hype. All of the hits I've heard over the years are bangers and the rest of the album holds up great too. The first 5 star from me
Three of the best deep purple songs on one record. This is pretty good despite my distaste for endless noodling on songs (tbf they kept it pretty tame compared to Made In Japan) Enjoyable for the most part.
It's got two big hits here with Highway Star and Smoke on the Water and that justifies its appearance on this list. Otherwise, all the other songs are fine to good but never amazing. Nothing to dislike, but nothing I'd return to in the future. 20/01/25
One of the best albums ever made. Just perfect.
Quitando las 2 canciones conocidas del discos me ha parecido bastante blandito, salvado por su corta duración y porque con los años me he acostumbrado a escuchar la música de Deep Purple gracias a Rock FM. Canción destacada: Highway Star
This was fine, but largely forgettable.
It’s not my kind of vibe. Too heavy on the guitar and drums
Nice and rocking
In my head Deep Purple and in particular the riff for Smoke on the water are better than they actually are! I found this a bit plodding and slow. In mitigation it is 53 years old and blazed a trail for acts to come.
Still seems weird I never listened to these guys before this list. In Rock, I really liked and have listened to a lot more since it came up. Gave it a 4 when in hindsight it should have been a 5 (and therein lies a bit of an issue with this list in that it’s really hard to rate an album you don’t know a 5 straight off the bat). Anyway, I do like this album but not quite as much in comparison. This one feels more measured, which isn’t a bad thing, it is more varied perhaps. But I just prefer the slightly more unhinged nature of In Rock. Yeah Smoke on the Water has a legendary intro, but nothing on this album has the same mental experimental brilliance of ‘Child in time’.
Classic
Good. Kinda background music. Probably really good if you're into this stuff but it just didn't really do anything for me. I just felt like I was listening to classic rock.
Not my style but not bad. I’d probably revisit this if I ever decide to get more into rock music. From the top it reminded me of rock band style rock lol, smoke on the water surprised me / confirmed that.
Smoke on the water is their famous song but some other solid metal songs/guitar riffs
Yeah pretty good.
Highway Star
this is one of the first albums i personally think of when i think of TRUE early metal music. big hair, big beats, and the biggest guitar strums. the energy is just... BIG. that's the word i'm using to describe this album. this album is ambitious and it's so LARGE in terms of sound, impact, and historical value. rock on baby, rock on i say. get yourself a damn motorcycle and speed across the highway.
If it comes on I’ll listen to it but I won’t go out of my way to put them on.
Not exactly my cup of tea but this would be great to listen to if you were on a roadtrip somewhere with all the car windows down
“smoke on the water” is such a classic
Just some really solid classic rock. 4.1
Headphones and intoxicants take this record from a 4 to a 4billion.
Machine Head is pretty standard classic rock. Smoke on the Water, like everyone else was the first riff I learnt to play. But nothing on this album truly stands out. It’s good but standard 6.3/10
Funky head banger
Generic and bland. Not offensive but not wonderful either, just middle of the road. highway star is pretty good for the occasional listen. Smoke on the water's riff is pretty legendary but the song itself is kinda eh. 2/5 stars.
2nd best LP of '72
Not bad. I wanted it to be just a bit better to get to a 4, but it fell short.
The Good: Machine Head is an awesome song by Busch! The Bad: This isn’t a Bush album… The Ugly: Realizing that Deep Purple, DP, is NOT a reference to a sexual act… What a treat this album has turned out to be… and to think that this is the second DP album that I’ve been presented on this here voyage. The musicianship on the album is excellent, the songs are great, the solos are delightful… and yet, no 5* because I need to be a little more critical… and I wish that the rating would be between zero and 10 stars… then this album would get a solid 7* For now, here is the undeserved 3* because it should be 4*, but that is what I gave Ray Charles’s album yesterday, and that wouldn’t be fair...
Fine but a little boring. I like the crunchy guitar sounds.
yeeeaaahh yeeeaahhh yeeeaaahhh space truckin! this is head and shoulders above the rest the finest rock and roll work of the 70s
Just give me a Bud Light and put me in the garage with one of those caged work lights hung over a rafter because I am a 40-something year old dad puttering around okay. This song has not one but TWO (2) great road trip songs on it along with Smoke on the Water which is, yes, very overplayed including the time a couple of kids did it at karaoke at the skating rink once, but it is still very fun.
This one was just a little too over the top butt-rocky for me.
Classic early blues rock album. Early metal vibes for sure. Smoke on the Water, Space Truckin, and Highway Star are the classics but Maybe I’m a Leo stood out to me. Cool groove.
Typical 70s album. Not for me
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.
When I think of golden age classic rock, this is it.
I like the smoke in the air song; that's a classic. But overall, it's not my type of music.
I will give them credit, there were times were it sounded like they were at least trying to do something unique. The organ was a nice touch, but overall this is just so lazy. Smoke on the Water one of the most overrated songs of all time.
okay im starting this one. at least its fucking short. okay doing fun riff + comparing women to cars again. why is the top 1001 albums list full of identical rock albums w identical riffs from identical bands singing about women as objects. im sorry im sure theres technical skill on display w the shredding solo but so far yawn snooze boring been there its hour 4+ of this shit. OH OKAY this one is at least about how u were a dumbass and ur gf left u? that demonstrates more character + personality growth than any of these other chucklefucks so far. nothing else goin on here but moral victory ig? okay love the bass solo on pictures of home. they thought never before was the single on this one? lol. there is smth appropriate abt listening to a guy sing I NEVERR FELT SO BAD BEFORE, NEVER BEFORE given my current mental state (bad, stressed abt deadlines, feel like failure) + physical circumstances (gonna sleep next to the carbon monoxide detector bc we need to keep the unsafe furnace on 1 more night bc its 15 degrees out) + being stuck listening to dad rock. like girl ive prolly felt so bad before but this is up there! damn true! okay yeah smoke on the water. this is a pretty good song its true + the story of recording the album being the single off the album is charming - "no matter what we get out of this" money dude ig! just not sure smoke on the water is a good enough reason for this to be on a 1001 great albums list dude yno? okay hmm. ill suffer this 7m song 2 live bc it starts w extremely sad hammond organ. maybe everythingn the other long songs needed was hammond organ? much 2 consider. ooh its also abt depression lmao good. no wait harmonica?? put that back. space trucking? is this what teenage boys thought was cool in 1972? well at least that ones short i wouldve blown a gasket. oh my god im going to have to start listening to these on private spotify sessions i can already see my recommendations from the algorithm going to shit. i would not buy this record i would not tell my friends and family i guess smoke on the water is good but i am just out of fucking patience for this kind of white guys in the 20th century going meedly meedly mee on guitars kind of music!
I'm having a hard time deciding if this is a smart record pretending to be stupid, or a stupid album pretending to be smart, I think my gut is that it's the former. Some genuinely inspired arrangement choices and some virtuosic playing all around, coexisting with gobs of braindead blues rock and lead-poisoned lyrics about how sexy ladies are like sports cars. Highway Star is kind of an encompassing summary of the album in that way. The verses are dull monotonous melodies centered around the tonic while the rhythm guitar is doing neanderthal chugging underneath, and yet the chorus always feels so weird and off-balance. It's always a measure shorter than we'd expect, and the band always rushes slightly while going through the syncopations. And then there's Richie Blackmore's weird cascading scale exercise of a solo that works in what sounded like harmonic minor? This might be the first album I've ever listened to where my inclination is to just fast-forward to all of the guitar solos. "Maybe I'm a Leo" is by a good margin the worst song on the album, the most listless and unimaginative blues in the history of the British isles. The whole song is just every instrument clomping around heavily around minor pentatonic scales, no attempts at venturing away from the most generic bar blues-rock ever generated on earth. Give pat boone several sedatives and he'd still come up with a more visceral and compelling blues than this. My hot take on smoke on the water? The riff might be the worst part of the song. Honestly the verses here are brilliant, that free wheeling bass part works so well against the vocal melody, and the drum fills here are absolutely sick. Love the call and response chorus between vocals and lead guitar. Another corker of a guitar solo on this one, too, the 8 seconds where it switches to half-time is far and away the best part of the song, and I think they were a little short-sided to not use that as a bridge or post-chorus at some point. Every time the song goes back to the main riffs and the driving eighths you can feel the song downshift several times (an analogy deep purple would presumably appreciate). All in all I'd probably slot this in between back in black and physical graffiti for how much I enjoyed it. Some absolutely crazy performances in here, and you can hear a lot of more virtuosic metal being kind of grasped at here. In a lot of ways some of Richie Blackmore's playing sounds like Tony Iommi, where playing the blues and scales in fast motion gives you brief glimpses of what's to come. Still, there is a *lot* of filler on here, even for a 37 minute record. My gut is a 3.5 rounding down to 3 stars
Break Glass if you Need to Rock
Admittedly, Deep Purple has always been a bit of a blind spot for me. Like most, I obviously knew Smoke on the Water and to a lesser extent Highway Star, but beyond that I could not have named a song, nor had I knowingly listened to one. I think there are things on the album that are certainly innovative for the time of its recording. The hard rock and heavy prog sound that influenced and pushed other acts to follow is genuine. The keyboards, in particular, stand out in a way that would still feel fresh today. That said, there’s nothing that would draw me back in to listen again. If I’m looking for similar acts from the same time frame, I’ve always connected more with Thin Lizzy and Black Sabbath who pack a lot of the same sort of punch, but for any number of reasons connect with me more. This is a good candidate for 2.5 stars but I’m rounding down to 2.
The sheer level of Dad Rock™️ has been off the charts but the one note here is we have something a little different to listen to. Some origins of metal here even if it’s DEFINITELY dated. First of all, shout out to the organ running through a rock amplifier. Such a good sound. “Highway Star” is absolutely predicting Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, though with a slight prog twist with the organ going all over the place. The twin leads solo is super fun but a little sloppy (which means you know these dudes were doing it for real). Song rocks, even if it’s incredibly dumb. “Maybe I’m a Leo” is…certainly a follow-up. They can certainly rip but this blues riffing is a) nonsensical and b) boooooooring. Real momentum killer here. “Pictures of Home” gets back in the groove and sweeps me back. It’s missing the edge and deeper groove of the Sabbath greats but have real “Children of the Grave” vibes, with a prog twist. Much better, and should’ve been the second song. Side note: some of these solos fucking rule; they’re not perfect, but that makes them all the more enjoyable. You feel like you’re listening to the cool older kids shred while you’re watching. It’s a neat vibe. Sigh, and then we’re back to the blues funk stuff which is just not good. “Never Before” is just more boring generic dad rock. It honestly makes me wonder if this album is gonna be back and forth the entire time. Also, is this a song about their estranged mom? Cause it sure sounds like a whiny teen. Ah, yes, “Smoke on the Water.” The first song anyone learns on an electric guitar. Though it should be an organ given this album. Anyway that fucking bass is DANK and the organ distortion is just perfect with the guitar riff. Plus, it’s a legendary rock story too. Classic song, perfect riff and a banger of a chorus. Again - everything in this album sounds like dudes just fucking jamming out with little to no effort to refine. I kinda love it. “Lazy” goes hard on the organ to start, which is always fun…and then it goes back to bullshit blues jamming. HOW DO THEY KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH THIS!!! Now I do know of “Space Truckin’” and I love it. Because it sounds like a song a trucker in space would love. Does what it says on the tin. Simple as. I’m not including “When a Blind Man Cries” for my review but general notes: 🤢🤢🤢 This is a deeply stupid album that I somehow mostly enjoyed. A very dumb rock band but they know it and I appreciate that and love that journey for them. Keep it up boys.
as a child who grew up on music from guitar hero, Deep Purple were an early favorite of mine whose records i sought out when i first started collecting. even if i like some songs from other eras more this is probably the most consistent lineup Deep Purple ever had, with everyone really holding their own. Ian Paice was one of my favorite drummers back then & i still love his filling, Ian Gillan can be corny as fuck but i still love him (and Jesus Christ Superstar), Blackmore rocks and is the only time i'll accept neoclassical guitar noodling, and Jon Lord's organ defines the sound of this record the notable songs on here are more notable for a reason, and while the shuffle & soloing on Lazy are fun it feels like this just alternates between great rocker & middling letdown. this was not as enjoyable as i remember it being the last time i heard it but the highs are still high!
For an album that’s so closely associated with that burgeoning eruption of late 60s/early 70s youth rebellion, it’s surprisingly boring. Plus Ian Gillan is one of the worst lyricists in music history. The (few) iconic riffs can’t save this album from its mediocre songwriting.
One of the greatest hard rock records ever
Without going too deeply into the whole Dad Rock discourse, this is fine. It's a legendary, heavy sound that would have freaked the hell out of a lot of parents back in '72. But you know what? It's kinda boring. I realize how Blackmore influenced just about everyone who ever picked up a guitar with those chops of his, but those chops are now mainstream -- and most bar bands have a guy who can at least keep pace here. Yep. You've got some certified FM radio classics on here. I hadn't heard "Lazy" before, which is a solid boogie after that big ol' keyboard intro -- but I'm not sure if "plugged a Hammond organ into a Marshall amp" certifies one for utter greatness. And the songwriting is...not great. But there are some good tunes you know, some you might not, and an understanding of why metal continued to evolve after this...
Realmente buen rock, suena único y coherente el proyecto, me encantó
Boring & repetitive. 1 star for 'Smoke on the water' and 'When a blind man cries' but the rest is really bad in my opinion.
An old school rock album.
Tremendous classic rock album, amazing riffs, keyboards, it all sounds great. An influence on many albums to come.
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'
Literaly the best Purple Album out there!
A classic rock album! All the songs blend together and at times sound quite similar to the point where you can’t tell when song has ended and a new one has begun. The only memorable song is “Smoke On The Water”.
Don’t think I had heard of these guys before. Album seemed like a typical 70s rock vibe. Like the song ‘Never Before’. And the very next song had a guitar riff that reminded me of a friend at uni that played it all the time, but never actually knew the song! Now I do ‘Smoke on the water’
Smoooookkkkeee on the waaaater
Much more bluesy than I thought. Liked it
Let's face it: Smoke on the Water is a much better song than guitar store owners all around are comfortable to admit. In fact, it's pretty good. Add to that the sublime When a Blind Man cries, and you have two instant classics. It is sad, then, that the rest of this album can't hold a candle to these two songs. It's mostly what passed as Hard Rock in the early 70s, with some bluesy passages interleaved (but without any Metal, mind you). But there is nothing special about most of these tracks. On the strength of the two aforementioned songs alone, this is 3/5.
Знаешь я так соскуфился
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.
Me get guitar. Me play songs. Dad's happy long time.
Boring
CLASSIC
Got a machine head! It’s better than th- oh, never mind, wrong band. It’s fine, first few songs are great and then it kinda peters out
I always enjoy listening to this album. Great!!!!!
Smoke on the water is such a meme but great song fr
I liked this, nothing too special but nice to listen to. Standout track: - When A Blind Man Cries (4/5)
Classic hard/blues rock 4/5
Slightly above average classic rock. Some good guitar playing and I'm glad it's not all as heavy and screetchy as Smoke on the Water (which is still a great song). "Lazy" was an album favorite. 5.5/10 (2.75/5)
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.
Deep purple hani mi nanie drigwsgt. Irgendwie e grosse begriff aber nie greizt. Chan mir vorstelle, dass das album inspo a villi witeri künstler*inme gsi isch. Aber mega packt heds mi nöd. Classy 3 cervesas für deep purple und mich
de mood isch eher deep gsi am morge und darum hani deepi expectations gha für deep purple, aber bin denn deeply überrascht gsi, dass sie au andersch chönd als „smoke on the water“ trotzdem bini nöd deeply impressed gsi und daher gids au eher es deeps rating
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.
3-4
Highway Star is great, Smoke on the Water, I can't listen to it anymore but it's legitimately a good song. Space Truckin' is nice too, but I can't say that I was really blown away by any of the other tracks. Also, is it me or Ian Paice is incredibly basic as a drummer?
Some good songs here and there, but it's mostly just blues rock with an organ. I largely prefer other albums from DP, or even Uriah Heep if I have to compare them to a similar band.
This might be classic because of Highway Star and Smoke On The Water, but, let's admit it, it's pretty mid overall. Nothing bad, but nothing stands out either. It still deserves its place here, I think!
Decent album, Smoke on the water +1. 4/5
Smoke on the Water might be the dumbest riff of all time. Highway Star, though? That song kicks ass.
Hard to argue against such a classic
Classic
Really good album. Smoke on the Water suffers from decades of oversaturation.
**A lot of noise and screaming. Most tracks sounded a like. Only “Smoke on the water “, worth listening to.
1-2
Das letzte Lied ist mein Highlight
My enduring memory of Deep Purple growing up is tied to our class lunatic (every school has one) who would challenge anyone—student, staff, young, old—to arm wrestling bouts. His "walk-on music" was humming the riff to "Smoke on the Water," starting softly and escalating to a scream by the time he reached the table. It was a fitting choice: brash, memorable, and impossible to ignore. “Smoke on the Water” is unquestionably one of the most iconic rock songs ever, with its instantly recognizable riff becoming a rite of passage for budding guitarists and a defining moment in hard rock history. Released on Machine Head in 1972, it propelled the album to multi-platinum success and cemented Deep Purple’s legacy. Its simple yet unforgettable riff earned it a place on countless "greatest songs" lists and in the Grammy Hall of Fame, remaining a staple of classic rock radio and streaming platforms to this day. The numbers don’t lie. But therein lies the challenge. How do you follow up a track like that? A few make valiant efforts, like "Highway Star," which opens the album with adrenaline-pumping energy and blistering solos; "Never Before," with its melodic hooks; or "Space Truckin’," a thrilling ride of pure rock intensity, packed with an infectious groove and larger-than-life swagger. Yet, Machine Head leans heavily on blues-rock formulas and similar riff structures, which can feel repetitive at times. For all its strengths, Machine Head hasn’t aged as well as some of its peers. It's Deep Purple's most recognizable release, but its reliance on a singular sound and formulaic structure limits its appeal today. Still, with a track like "Smoke on the Water," it has earned its place on the pedestal of classic hard rock. Did/Do I own this release? I owned "Smoke On The Water" on MP3. Does this release belong on the list? No. 1 in the UK and stayed on the Billboard 200 chart for 118 weeks, can't argue with that. Would this release make my personal list? Not really my go-to thing. Will I be listening to it again? Rarely.
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'
This is a big rock album, not sure it's the best thing they ever did but it does contain Smoke On the Water, so for that alone it's a classic.
Everything fails in comparison with Highway Star
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
Decent stuff but must hear? I don't think so.
Awesome guitar solos! Solid rock album.
I don't hate it. I just don't really like it.
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
Highway Star on kyllä kova biisi, mut muuten levy on aika unohdettavaa seiskarirockia. Toki Smoke on the Water on klassikko ala-asteen musatunneilta! 3/5
No question
Holy shit, the first song stresses me out. Just because you CAN play fast electric guitar doesn’t mean you should for endless minutes. Leo song is much more palatable pace.
I feel like I should be working on an old Trans Am in a neighbor’s garage and it’s 1974 and I have a mullet. Lead guitarist must have developed some wild scoliosis carrying this album.
A straight up classic.
Some of the instrumentation is inspired, like the drumming at the end of ‘Space Truckin’,’ but quickly gets repetitive. The songwriting is weak, and Ian Gillan’s voice does not do it for me. This defines generic rock music - without soul, try-hard lyrics that get you nowhere, blues riffs without true blues intensity that the likes of Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath manage to incorporate into their albums. ‘Lazy’ is the best song here - at least the harmonica has some oomph.
So good!
Great list of songs and classic!
This stuff FUCKS
What a great album
Underrated, but classic. Way ahead of it's time.
Skikkelig klassisk papparock
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.
Easy beats, recognizable riffs. The recipe for Smoke on the water. The rest is average.
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’ “
I don’t care for some of their other albums but this one is pretty ok.
Good, classic rock. Not a lot more to say, really.
I was surprised that I loved this! "Lazy" was a stand out for me.
rockin. cool album
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.
Classic!
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.
I know earlier in my journey, I praised Deep Purple's In Rock as setting the blueprint for the group's later output. Now we got the arguable best of those albums. There's not much here I can say about Machine Head that hasn't already been talked about over the years. Every track is an absolute banger, including the deep cuts like the swaggerous "Maybe I'm a Leo" and Jon Lord's fuzzed-out Hammond organ introduction into the titan instrumental showcase "Lazy". Every one in the band shared the spotlight and exemplified their musical strengths, from Ian Gillan's high vocals from the get-go on "Highway Star" to the rapid-fire percussion of Ian Paice on closer "Space Truckin'" and of course Ritchie Blackmore's iconic riffs and soloing all throughout. Deep Purple would continue as a group through various lineups and some excellent songs to be sure. But it can't be denied that Machine Head is their magnum opus, and absolutely earned its place on this list.
Meh
Too hard for me
Not interested in that type of music.
Amazing
I know the first song from Rock Band lolol
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.
Bam! Klaar met de jaren zestig, bloemen in het haar en andere liefdoenerij. Deep purple leidt de weg en gaat raggen. Perfecte snelwegscheurmuziek of gewoon voor een wild dansje in de keuken. En dan begint Smoke on the water en dan gaat de volumeknop nog even een tandje hoger! Goed bezig, heren.
Man, wat hadden wij behoefte aan een kwaliteitsplaat! De eerste klanken maken het gelijk duidelijk. De komende 40 minuten krijgen we klassieke powerrock. Ik hoef niet uit te leggen dat dat zeker niet ten koste van de muzikale kwaliteit gaat. Wat een start! En toch raak ik even in een dipje. Nummers 2 en 3 doen mij niet zoveel. Gewone 4+ sterren kwaliteit. Never Before prikkelt het minste. Waarom is dit ooit een single geworden? En dan, mooi halverwege de simpele, maar geniale eerste klanken van Smoke on the Water. Een hoogtepunt? Welnee. Dat komt er direct na. Met de snelle jazzy klanken van Lazy. Het volgende nummer Space Truckin' heeft de pech dat het op zijn album vergezeld is door drie stevige concurrenten, waarin het zijn meerderen moet erkennen. De eveneens simpel klinkende maar zo fijne basis van het refrein zou zomaar voldoende geweest kunnen zijn om ook een single te dragen. Deze gaat binnenkort in de herhaling in de auto. Pedal to the metal!
Ouderwetse boomer hardrock plaat, een klassiekertje. De derde en laatste van Deep Purple die we mogen aanhoren. Ik heb weinig over de muziek te melden gehad bij de vorige twee platen, dus ik moet weer aan de bak eigenlijk. Wat hier gewoon erg fijn aan is, is ten eerste dat het allemaal lekker uptempo is. Vervolgens de gelaagde muur van geluid, die wordt veroorzaakt door gewoon lekker veel instrumenten te gebruiken. Een aanwezige bas, goede drumfills, uiteraard de gitaren op distortion, een gierend hammond orgeltje, de stem die voor extra gelaagdheid zorgt. En als laatste natuurlijk de muzikanten, want die kunnen allemaal een potje spelen. Dit is gewoon top, hun beste materiaal. Ik had nog wat sterren over deze week, maar ook zonder die extra sterren zou ik hier de maximale score voor over hebben. En dat is maar goed ook, want ik had sinds de laatste 5 al 4x een 1 genoteerd. Gelukkig is die negatieve streak nu doorbroken.
Smoke on the water is great but rest feels generic
Extraordinario. Poderosísimo, lleno de hits increíbles. Smoke in the water es genial y ni siquiera está entre las mejores del disco. Una gloria.
Decent early arena rock. Some great instrumental sections. Not a lot of replay value for me.
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.
There were a few good ones on this album. Overall, it was okay.
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.
It's hard to belive that this album wasn't trite and boring even when it came out. Every song here seems formulaic and unexciting. It's also hard to believe that 'Smoke on the Water' isn't about smoking from a bong. "Deep like the purple smoke on the water song. Taking hits from the bong" -State of Corruption (circa 1998)
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?
Perfectly agreeable rock. Simpsons: Yes
Solid rock music would listen again.
Enjoy this much more than the live album that is on here. Some really good classic rock sounds.
It was fine. Smoke on the Water isn’t even that good a song
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
Machine Head by Deep Purple is a rock classic from 1972. It's packed with legendary tracks like "Smoke on the Water" and "Highway Star," featuring powerful guitar riffs and incredible musicianship. The raw energy and innovative sound of this album have left a lasting impact on rock and heavy metal. It's a must-listen for any rock fan!
Absolute classic and must listen if you're a rock fan.
Opening right up with Highway star has me wanting to play rockband again! A solid band for the time such a shame they were put into the smoke on the water box
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
Better than 2, not quite a 3 but closer.
Shoutout School of Rock, Better Call Saul and annoying music shop employees and guitar teachers.
Album 586 of 1001 Deep Purple - Machine Head (1972) Rating : 4.5 / 5 Awesome album. That about covers it. Great tunes and great musicianship. Near perfect album.
I still can’t equate this with “metal” in my head, but this was a decent Groove album for a hard day.
Not bad, won't be listened to again for another 20 years or so.
I like this more than In Rock and it has a lot of classic songs, but I think I'm just not a huge fan of Deep Purple (Child in Time aside).
A little too slow for me, just didn’t hold my attention
I don’t feel like this has held up that well.
Loved it! Songs of my youth.
Highway Star Smoke on the Water Lazy Space Truckin' When a Blind Man Cries
Очень хороший альбом. Сразу два раза прослушал. Чувствуется как закладывалась основа утяжеления рока как жанра. Две супер песни: smoke on the water и when a blind man cries. Короче база
short album, pretty good! fun sound
This is bookended by the two best tracks on the album, but I enjoyed actually listening to this whole album vs just the highlights.
Someone must have laced these guitar solos with something because I am obsessed.
This is an old friend I've not listened to in a while. It's a great album. With, of course, their most iconic track. Smoke on the water. This version however also includes the beautiful 'When A Blind Man Cries'. Though it was not included on the original version of the album. Apparently Mr Blackmore hated it, and refused to let them use it. Well this is the second album from the classic mk II line up in this list. Roll on the third, Fireball. Well I suppose you've guessed what score I'm giving it.
Getting bored by the constant basic rock by numbers from the 1970s so popular in this list.
Blimey! Some 70's hair rock i didn't mind for once. It's impossible not to like 'Smoke on the Water', the rest was OK in parts. Still a tendency to head for the Prog route, but tolerable. I want to give it more than 2 stars but I'm not sure if it deserves 3.
Not for me. But thanks for inspiring millions of 14 year old boys to learn guitar
Really fun energetic album. Guess I’m the age that enjoys the lame dad rock that other reviewers hated.. plenty here to enjoy. 4.5/5
I mean, it's OK. I appreciate it's merit for the time it came from but without having grown up on it, I feels pretty much unheard of to me. Aside from the hits... 2 stars
After four 1 star reviews in the last week this album is a breath of fresh air and very welcome break from the dross I’ve been served up. In their early days and from the time this album was a product of, I was a big Purple fan. Having said that this is probably my least favourite album from that era. Their other albums from that period contain a lot more decent tracks than the ones making up this album. Machinehead benefits from containing what is arguably Purples most famous track, Smoke On The Water. The riff of that track is instantly recognisable and again arguably one of the top guitar riffs ever. Inclusion of that track alone makes this a five star album but it is admirably backed up with two other gold standard tracks Highway Star and Space Trucin’. Beyond that though for me the standard of the tracks are not top Deep Purple fayre but enough for me to give it its obligatory 5 stars. 5/5 1/11/24
Loud and brash and riffy but kinds slow
Picture of home I mean what a song, worst song I smoke on the water
The other Deep Purple album I had absolutely rocked. This one just felt kinda generic & bland.
7 songs and 38 minutes. It’s a short one!!! Great intro to Deep Purple though. I have not heard much of their work apart from smoke on the water (what a guitar riff that is!!) I really enjoyed Maybe im a Leo, pictures of home and never before. There are some great Dad rock songs on this album. Favourite song: Maybe I’m a Leo Least favourite: All were good. Album artwork: Good album cover
this is something you should know
Enjoyable 70s rock and a couple of stone-cold classics.
Granatenmäßiges Album. Hörenswert.
It rocks
Classic
Highway Star - what an absolute banger of an opening track. Magnificent. It does rather slump after that, sad to say. Smoke... is a brilliant song. It's just that it's been played to death, so it's very hard to listen to it objectively any more. Space Truckin' is a great tune as well, but overall, this album falls short of my expectations. The singles apart, there's not much here at all. The extended edition, with When a Blind Man Cries, is the better version, being bookended by two stunning tracks. Three stars because the original version is a bit dull despite the superb start.
When it comes to early heavy metal, I would argue Deep Purple had as much of an influence as anyone, including Black Sabbath. Machine Head is unquestionably the best album they released, which is an exceptional compliment, considering the quality of music they have continued to release into the present day. The album kicks off with what may be the greatest driving song ever recorded, “Highway Star” Big drums, scorching guitar work, and unbelievable organ. The album also includes the first song everyone in the world learns to play on their first electric guitar, “Smoke on the Water” is still a great rock n roll song, despite the overplayed intro riff. Shortly after that we hit the second greatest driving song ever written, “Space Truckin’” As far as early heavy metal/rock n roll goes, in my opinion, this is about as good as it gets. 5 stars
Everyone on planet earth knows “Smoke on the Water”, or at least the central guitar riff, which is what my expectations for this album were based on. I was thrown for a loop. One of the first words that comes to mind to describe this album is flamboyant. It’s like rock n roll jazz hands. If someone were to write a broadway show about Ozzie Osbourne’s life, this is what I’d expect it to sound like. Which absolutely sounds like something I’d hate, but this was a pretty fun listen. It gets a lil groovy at points. I like the bass solo near the middle-end of “Pictures of Home”. Some good musicianship on display notwithstanding, this album strikes me as very silly. Not a bad silly, but silly no less. 6.5/10
it's burning over the water
When I was a kid, my dad told me about a trip he took to Montreux, Switzerland to see Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention in an old casino. In the middle of the concert someone a little ways in front of him launched some sort of firework or flare, it started smoking in the rafters and soon flames engulfed the ceiling. They evacuated and he stood on the lakeshore with his friends and watched the building burn. As he told me this story, he fished out a cassette and put it in the stereo. "A few months later, I was listening to the radio, and someone had made a song about it," he said, and then he pressed play.
Several classic songs here.
Rocks with the best. Underrated movers of the 70’s.
Boring. Has one iconic song surrounded by 70s mediocrity.
Heavy. Groovy. Badass. Just a cool and fun album to listen to. More bands need organs
Die Maschine rattert, poltert, gibt Gas, schmettert, stampft, zeigt wo und wie es lang geht. Die Soli unbeschreiblich gekonnt arrangiert und verspielt. Soviel Spaß schwingt in die Ohren bis zu den Zehen. Jede Sekunde sorgt für ein Meisterschaftsgegühl von Großen Musikern in Perfektion ausgeführt. Hier geht's lang und voraus. Die Lücke hinter sich ist groß.
This is the only Deep Purple album I am familiar with. And after playing it through twice, I don't think it has stood the test of time (53 years since release). I think the individuals in the group are accomplished, but collectively, they make music that seems to me to be plodding and banal, particularly the lyrics. I suspect this album was influential on other bands through the early 1970s, but really in the mid-2020s it's not a very exciting listen (and not at all challenging).
Great classic rock staple.
Brilliant 8/10
Smoke on the water and other prog rock tracks
Much better than I expected, acid rock
A little old school but still pretty damn good.
A real classic. Blues, hard rock, great musicians: one of the fundamental albums that has legendary riff and melodies.
It's really hard to look back objectively because so much of our current experience has been built cumulatively over decades. Think of what you laugh at and remember that there was once vaudeville and knock knock jokes, and before that people farting and hitting each other. Deep Purple get a lot of mileage from playing scales really fast and singing basic lyrics, but once upon a time this was new, and men didn't scream lyrics, and guitars weren't distorted. Was it important? Yeah. Would I listen to it now? Not really. I'm waiting for it to end as I write this. Three stars.
Albumi #82, 18.10.2024 Deep Purplen kuudes studioalbumi vuodelta 1972.
I’ve always heard about this album, but never listened. Kicks off with highway star. What a record so far. Ok, the drum intro to “pictures of home”. Ozzy’s band clearly ripped this off for “over the mountain. This album is great and had a quite an influence. The bass playing on this record is amazing and over the top. Clearly this had to be an influence on Steve Harris.
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.
70s glam rock just is not my bag. The fake seriousness just makes me cringe.
Two pretty good songs, the rest forgettable.
this was okay, smoke on the water is good aye, few good tracks overall like
Smoke on the water. Lazy was cool
It was ok, but not really my cup of tea
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
Highway Star - Sounds like almost every single other rock band from this era, 6/10, not horrible Maybe I’m A Leo - Slightly better, not enough to warrant a full number shift, but, 6.5/10 Pictures Of Home - 6.8/10 Never Before - 6/10 Smoke On The Water - Iconic song, 7/10 Lazy- 7.5/10 Space Truckin’ - 7.3/10 When A Blind Man Cries - 8.5/10, A beautiful song Overall - 7.1/10
can't get more classic than this
6.5/10 Highlights: When a Blind Man Cries Lazy Smoke on the Water Highway Star
What a great rock album. Love it.
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.
God the electric guitar in this album is so sexy I’m obsessed. The drum solo in Space Truckin’ is fantastic. When a Blind Man Cries (B-Side) from the 2016 Version is absolutely beautiful
crazy head
Hair metal meets cialis commercial
4.3
It’s good, had I heard this when I was younger I’d be into it more.
First listen. A few pretty good songs. The rest was ok.
A song filled with classic songs and an iconic sound. It won't make it into a regular rotation, but I appreciated it during these listens. 3.5
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.
Gotta know where you came from to understand where you are now. Not the best album but a foundational one
This list does not need three (and counting) Deep Purple albums, but this is the best of them. It's got Smoke on the Water on it and the rest of the tracks are quite varied and sound good. I would scrap the other two albums and make room for someone else, seriously.
Deep Purple has never really been my jam... Highway Star was unlistenable for me. Pictures of Home was the best Smoke on the Water everyone knows I hope the other 1,000 albums are better :)
Terrible album with one good single - Smoke on the Water.
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.
It sounds amazing. The every riff, every line. It’s a really impressive noise. I’m struggling to call it art, though, because the only emotion or concept that anyone seems to be trying to communicate is Look What I Can Do. They try to get emotional on the last track. The last line of the album is “When a blind man cries, Lord, you know he feels it in his soul.” Not to be insensitive but… why? What are you talking about? Why wouldn’t blind men cry? What the hell do those things have to do with each other? It’s slightly more affecting than the song about hoping that nobody steals his car but not by much. I’m glad they made the album. Because more interesting people were able to listen to it and steal all the good bits.
Much better than expected
I just don't like the singer. If the album was purely instrumental it would be amazing and 5 stars. Smoke on the Water is great though.
Like others - recognized 'Smoke on the Water' but I'm not much a hard rock guy.
This album had some really strong and classic songs on there that bring it up to a 4 for me.
Recognized Smoke on the Water.
Dancing on the fence between prog rock and riff rock, then flipping into the blues jams to mix it up (lazy). A classic from start to finish. Love the fat sounds of the guitars and bass, and their signature synth pushing into distortion making it almost like another guitar. All tubes and analogue. No rough edges to be found.
Better than I was expecting
Solid album. Enjoyed their sound.
9.5/10. This is a revolutionary album that pioneered hard rock and metal music. Rainbow is one of my absolute favourite bands, so it's great to see some pre-Rainbow Ritchie Blackmore work in this 1001 album project. Although, I am disappointed by the fact that there aren't any Rainbow albums in the project. :)
Two songs that I dig, the first and of course Smoke on the Water. The rest was just good old classic rock.
dobra svirka, ali nije nista specijalno i verovatno ne bih slusao ponovo osim smoke on the water i highway star. tri zvezdice jedino zbog svirke.
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.
Eh… not bad?
Decent album with a couple of absolute bangers... Legendary guitarist with an iconic riff gets this my first 4 stars!
I had some fun with this, even if it is Dad Rock. Most of the songs were just ok to me. Cool guitar though.
I prefer Black Sabbath.
I truly had only heard Smoke on the Water. I assumed it was all psychedelic stuff. I was surprised from the first song. Great album.
No
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!
Bored now.
Smoke on the water is simply amazing
I like Pictures from Home. I assume the way the drums sound is due to the remastering - the drums are particularly loud and clear. I hear them more than the guitars. "We all came out to Montreux on the Lake Geneva shoreline..." Come on, let's go space truckin'.... The singer's voice sounds really good in the slower songs when he's not screaming. The screaming just sounds like generic rock screaming.
Early metal that influenced guitarists all over the world
smoke on the water innit
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.
Not my thing.
Tight album at 37 mins. Favorite Track: Space Truckin'
How have I gone my whole life without listening to a full Deep Purple album?
Lots of hits on here, while memorable I didn’t love many of the other songs however. What works, works. 3.3
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.
Good album but didn't find myself wowed. All solid, just nothing stood out. The tones were a little too rough and grating.
I think I'm just too familiar with Smoke on the Water for it to have any sort of musical impact to me. The rest of the album is actually pretty awesome, though. My expectations were pretty low, and I'm pretty blown away. I think my expectations were pretty low because I don't have a ton of respect for Smoke on the Water anymore. So I was pleasantly surprised when the rest of the songs on the album has interesting guitar riffs and and fun instrumentals. It still doesn't really measure up that well to its contemporaries, but it's at least a good, fun, and complete album. Favorite Song(s): Maybe I'm a Leo, Never Before
Fun at times and a part of the rock tapestry but lacking dimension.
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!
Smoke On The Water is severely overplayed and overappreciated, but I enjoyed more of this album than I thought I would despite the unappealing organ noises. Highway Star is a banger.
Machine Head was an album my dad introduced me to when I was really young. At the time, Deep Purple was just another classic rock band in the mix, and I didn’t fully appreciate them until more recently. Growing up, they were always playing in the background, but it’s great to now look back and really understand their place in rock history. Whether it’s hard rock, metal, or prog rock, these guys definitely made their mark. And honestly, how can you not love that Hammond organ jamming along with their music?
4 pretty good
This was really good in my opinion. I listened to this several times and will probably go back for more. 5/5
Funky jam sessions.
surprisingly plodding blues-rock, but gets an extra point for "Lazy" - songs much better played live on "Made in Japan"
bizarre wankery but not too bad
3.49
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.
I've only heard Hush and Smoke in the Water from Deep Purple before listening to this album for the review. Highway Star - this just rocks. Awesome tempo and layered guitar bits. I just love this tune, it's so cool and I'm very glad I've discovered it. Maybe I'm a Leo - this one is already, nothing special off about it, just doesn't hit the same marks as the other tracks in the album. Pretty good guitar solo followed by a keyboard solo around the middle. Another solo at the end, okay this is pretty sweet then. Pictures of home - another awesome tune that just rips. Same vein as Highway Star that has an awesome thumping tempo. This has a bass solo too!!! Never Before - a little funkier at the start. Decent track overall, not as epic as some of the other tunes in the album. Helped somewhat by the solo around the end Smoke on the water - can't take this song seriously anymore. It was introduced to me when I was 8 and learning guitar for the first time. The riff is seared into my brain permanently. I guess it speaks to how immortal this song is that it's so simple and catchy that it's literally baby's first tune learning and instrument. Great song overall, keyboard, bass and drum bits were excellent which I hadn't paid enough attention to on this track in the past. Superb guitar solo too. Lazy - really enjoyed the keyboard section at the start. Best parts of this song are either side of the vocals. Particularly during the first section of vocals before the harmonica the bit the song went mild for me before it picks back up again. I did enjoy this track though. Space Truckin' - pretty fun lyrics in this one. Most of the instrumentals were pretty basic but this didn't stop it from being an enjoyable track. Not as good as others in this album. When A Blind Man Cries - this might be my favourite on the album. I liked the slower tempo to close the album out. Vocals were clean and showed off more talent that some of the other tracks. The guitar parts too were sensational. The more I listen to the album the better it gets. Which is taking it from a 4 to 5/5
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