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First day, first chart success
Now what?! has been released in a number of countries today, April 26, and is charting very well on Amazon.de. At the time of this writing (23:43 CEST) the limited edition is at #2 in overall album chart (with only a Bravo magazine compilation sneaking ahead) and #1 in ‘Hard Rock’, ‘Rock’, and ‘Limited Edition’ categories. MP3 dowload is #1 in ‘MP3 Albums‘ category, and regular CD is #50 in ‘Music’, #2 in ‘Hard Rock’ and #13 in ‘Rock’. The Hard Rock Top 20 chart is absolutely dominated by Deep Purple with six entries (sic!): two editions of the new album at #1 and #2, Rapture of the Deep at #8, 30: Very Best of compilation at #9, self-titled 1969 album at #16, and Made in Japan at #19. Add there Whitesnake’s Made in Japan at #6, and Purple family domination is utterly absolute. Like Bayern München this season 🙂
Even knowing that Amazon charts are a feeble thing and change on an hourly basis, this leaves us here at the THS ivory towers with warm and fuzzy feeling. 😉
Well done, gents!
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Great!
April 26th, 2013 at 22:36I purchased two copies at a Platekompaniet store yesterday, one for a friend of mine and one for myself. My friend is not a Deep Purple fan, but he was curious and wanted me to buy him a copy. We listened to the whole album together, we both liked it very much. We played it loud, using a Marantz receiver and B&W speakers. The sound on Now What?! is very clear and sharp and the bass is deep. Lots of vibrations throughout the room. This is the best post Blackmore album, its slightly better than Purpendicular. Which was until yesterday, my favorite Morse era album. My top three tracks are Out of Hand, Uncommon Man and Vincent Price. I appreciate the direction Bob Ezrin has taken Deep Purple into with this album. Makes me wonder why BE and DP did not work together before.
It’s not measurable success really, it’s tiny in the numbers game because of how little stocked at each location depending on interest from the buyer. Usually in the two to three on hand range. It doesn’t add up to much to anyone with expertise on it. It does likely have the affect of being on the cover of a magazine but still not selling much though. All these little crumbs start to add up.
April 26th, 2013 at 22:37Hello from Norway!
The new album (Limited Edition) came in the mail today. Since then i have heard it about 5 times with some of my music friends. The album is just fantastic! Now i know why the record company had that sticker out about “Perfect Strangers meets Made In Japan”. They are wrong and they are somehow right….
This album has surprises all over.It’s Purple at it’s best,with instrumentals ( mostly fantastic keyboards from Don) all over the album. It’s Theatrical,Deep,Heavy and Hard Rock all the way!
Why would the record company put that sticker on the album? This is why: This album is recorded almost full LIVE. You can hear that if you’re not deaf. This is (for me) the best album since Purpendicular. But you can hear elements of many things in this album. Also from “Made In Japan”,Purpendicular and Abandon.
Gillan is sounding extremely good on this album. His voice has changed a lot since 2005 Rapture Of The Deep. I could feel the difference in his voice in 2009 with the solo album “One Eye To Morocco”. Ian, fantastic vocals all over the album!
Steve Morse. His “few” solos on this album is amazing! He have “slowed down” on this alum but his solos and riffs are just “smooth”. The co-working battles with Don is just…again..fantastic!
Roger and Ian Paice holds the album steady. I have never heard a better bass drum sound on an Deep Purple Album.Ever!
I don’t want to compare this album with Made In Japan ore another. Made In Japan stands alone, You can’t compare that album with any other! It’s the live album number 1 in the World. It always will be.
Please my friends.Buy this album and support Deep Purple!!!.Don’t fell for the opportunity to download this album from torrent sites from Nigeria……;) You will be sorry……It will be Hell To Pay….
At present, this album is nr#3 at Norway iTunes and nr.#3 at Germany iTunes .:) 🙂
All the best
Bjorn
April 27th, 2013 at 01:56#14 at Amazon UK’s overall albums chart
#21 at Amazon France’s overall albums chart
#1 on both rock charts
April 27th, 2013 at 03:3631# on itunes (italy) TOP ALBUM!!!!!
April 27th, 2013 at 08:17Still great to see Purple back in the charts, shows what can happen when an album is properly promoted worldwide.
April 27th, 2013 at 09:18However small or large these numbers are, its perfect testament to my complaints over the years regarding PROMOTION. Alice Cooper is from the same era as Purple. He promotes. He still makes albums. He TOURS the US. He promotes his new albums by playing songs from them. He sells out large venues. He doesn’t whine about being a Classic Rocker. He stays current by appearing on talk shows and staying visible. Though Bob Ezrin is the Producer and not the Promoter, bringing him on board got the machine running. He wasn’t going to take this effort lightly. He never does. Promotion is how the product is exposed to the public. No matter how good the product is, if it goes unknown, who would know? Well, finally the Promotion aspect is underway. Now, it’s up to whether or not the product stands up to the hoopla. From what I’m reading, it looks as though it’s a winner everywhere it’s being exposed and pushed. I surely hope there is an avid effort towards the same here in the States. As of yet, I haven’t seen nor heard anything regarding any adverts about the upcoming release that is just around the corner.
Ch-BeerZ?!
April 27th, 2013 at 14:001. In Rock
April 27th, 2013 at 14:362. Machine Head
3. Burn
4. Perfect Strangers
5. Now What?!
Just brilliant! On Above and Beyond IG sounds very close to 70s. It’s almost a miracle to me.
Thank you very much the Band I love!
Wwwwwooouuwww! It’s a M O N S T E R !!!
April 27th, 2013 at 15:26What a surprise. It IS Purple at it’s best. They do, what they want and what they believe in. It sounds very fresh. There are so many surprising and unexpected moments on it. Fantastic production, Mr. Ezrin. Ian Gillan’s voice sounds as good as on the last tour. I’m looking forward to the forthcoming live-dates. I’m very excited. Thank you guys!!!
Wow – didn’t quite see this coming from the singles they released.
There are some great songs but Vincent Price is absolutely fantastic. That really should have been the single.
This is the best album they have done for a very long time.It deserves commercial success so the fact it has made some impact is great.
April 27th, 2013 at 17:52Great Guitar and Organ battles as you expect, yet underpinned by superb drumming by Ian P and the rock steady support of Roger on Bass. Ian G uses his voice in a range of ways. Yet there are two things to do to make this one of the best Purple albums… A Simple Song is worthy, but not a classic opener – it has tones of Child in Time with quiet and loud bits. Change your play order to start with something like Apres Vous or the superb Vincent Price (< though Ian G seems to be more back to his short loan spell with Sabbath!) Don and Steve lead the groups more senior members as if they have inherited the full spirit of Purple with all the live shows. Not too sure about the Uncommon Man, with Ian G singing "Its good to be King", well if ever Richie B hears this he will be getting Candice to sing the Rainbow song Kill the King! Then it was always a love hate relationship between those two. The second thing to do in common with other classic Purple albums, take all the time in the World and listen to it many times, the tracks grow on you and as you do… tweak the volume 1 setting every time. There will be Hell to Pay if it breaks the speakers! Yet sadly it will be like getting Blood from a Stone to get the tracks air play on UK radio. Finally before this review gets to Out of Hand the group should dedicate the whole set of tracks to the late Jon Lord who is now above and beyond,
April 27th, 2013 at 19:20though his music soul lives on.
@Tracy, but Alice Cooper needs to do that to keep his draw up, Purple could lose numbers and still not need to. This applies between them from both record and ticket sales. They’re twice as big, at least.
April 27th, 2013 at 21:12Sorry LRT, not quite sure I get your drift. Please elaborate…..
April 27th, 2013 at 22:08Sounds fantastic, unfortunately we in Australia will be waiting another two weeks for the album to appear and that is on import!
April 27th, 2013 at 22:31Not good enough for us die hard fans downunder!
@12
April 28th, 2013 at 00:18your point ? you re not making much sense with your sentence and Tracy does dude !
Hey everybody,all of you guys that already have listened to the album give a review song by song.
Cheers
I belive “Body Line” should have been the obvious single. Such a great song and catchy too, minus one of the solos. Maybe Don’s as much as I love it.. A better version of Rosas Cantina!
April 28th, 2013 at 06:03And again, what a WINNER this album is!
So close to 70′ s sound but still sounds fresh & new.
April 28th, 2013 at 07:14Great key hamond/ectr. piano/ synt. solos .
Waiting for a concert in Israel as a part of wprd tour!!
Deep purple has proved that it’s alive. A different sound but very fantastic. Full of progressive elements and Mr. Glover has done a great job. Thanks a lot we all need to listen to good music these days.
April 28th, 2013 at 07:45I cannot stop listening. A Simple Song is insanely addictive.
April 28th, 2013 at 07:55The album was rewarded with 3 stars out of five here in Sweden in one of the two biggest papers….Thats cool,Purple always gets shitty revjues here in Sweden……….The last one got 1 crossed over star……Imagine that…. 😉 Stupid ”musicjournalists”……
April 28th, 2013 at 08:26Favorite; 1.”Out of Hand”, 2. “A Simple Song”…
Not bad album. Don really sounds like Jon on this (great job), and a lot less of Steve if I may notice… Like he’s pulling out…
April 28th, 2013 at 08:27Basic impression is DA reigning the album. He’s everywhere. Not that SM isn’t there… Btw, they both rather often perform interplay duel which sound (banal to say) fantastic.
April 28th, 2013 at 17:53@16 You’re absolutely right — Body line minus intro has obvious commercial potential for global airplay. Did anyone notice any resemblance with No One Came?
@7 Let’s just hope. Amazon.com Best Sellers Rank: Current #114 in Music and the album goes up pretty fast (from 852 for the last 3 days!!!). The album does very good according to Amazon.co.uk.
Time it doesn’t matter
But time is all we have …
These are the first lines of the album in Simple Song. Again a long intro with stormy riff followed. You get the slightest impression that Simple Song came out of Black and White. Gillan is superb, magnific and … powerful which is a revelation.
A short sound explosion and you dive into oriental ocean called Weirdistan. Tense and relentless and a bit sinister riff led by Don all the way. Steve appears out of the blue.
It is beautiful! Gillan’s last words in the song sound like the verdict to the track.
New intro lasting about a minute wrapped by Don’s magic fingers and you get into Out Of Hand. A spooky one again I dare say. Am I sure I’m listening to Deep Purple? Or is it Black Sabbath? Born again II?
Hell To Pay – sorry fellas! The weakest one in my objectively subjective opinion.
Body Line – Wow, what a treat! Funky, catchy, easy… I’m sure Ian Gillan sang it with a mischievous smile on his face. My Oh My!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Above and Beyond — the most heartfelt truck! Here comes the light shining all over! Fantasy world filled with positive vibes! Gillan’s vocals are out of the Millennium! I mean if not 70s, mid 80s definitely!
Blood From The Stone – I heard Aeiry play some Manzarek and Morse play some G. Benson. The only pure blues on the album with some Zero the Hero in the riff.
Uncommon Man – all those snippets we listened to over and over on the YouTube come from this truck. The earliest one is a bridge and the second one is an intro! We should have guessed about the bond as the drum pattern is the common. We have already disputed much on the issue – what the song is similar to. Some said ELP, I would think Asia. The track in my opinion is very Americanised. What I mean by that? I mean it could perfectly fit for any patriotically pathetic Hollywood production. For Rambo or Rocky or anything like that. No offence for US residents!
Après Vous resembles slightly Body Line and hence No One Came. Gillan is a bit under or behind the mix. Mid tempo tank with Aiery Morse out of this world interplay!
All The Time In The World – once again sorry! No question ask!
Here comes the Bomb – Vincent Price! An intro sounds as if a bit of Ozzy is thrown in for sure which is no surprise at all! Ozzy’s pianist is to blame! A sinister riff with no lesser evil solo make you think Vincent Price and Boris Karloff are behind you trying to steal your copy of Now What?! Cool — feels so good to be afraid Deep Purple are back again!
It’ll Be Me – a truck for fun! Back in the day they would play Lucille now they can play It’ll be me!
OK. I must be off — police is knocking my back door. Probably too much Deep Purple for my neighbours. They are not ready yet for it! Who’s gonna pay the bail for me?
After a few listenings I’d like to join in:
To put it straight: In my mind “Now What?!” is the strongest effort of Deep Purple after Ritchie left (maybe even since “Perfect Strangers”). It is very coherent and for the first time after “Perfect Strangers” we got an album where every song fits. Soundwise it is Deep Purple’s best studio recording ever. The songwriting is a good mixture of bits you might know from the live shows – a best of live-licks if you will – on the one hand and on the other it’s what I deeply hoped for: a back to roots thing with a heavy classical touch. I think it’s the best the current line-up could have come up with and this is a lot. Every musician in the band has strong moments on this album. Bob Ezrin did a good job with the guys!
I also watched the footage of the bonus DVD and I enjoyed the part where the band talks about the reason for making this album. The chorus was that they didn’t need a new album in the first place but they felt that they had to freshen up the live shows with new material. Wasn’t it the heavy pressure from the outside?! I remember that some time ago they admitted that everything became directionless and repetitve to a certain extent. Gillan talked about the great alterations of the live shows, the improvisations. To some degree he might be right according to the different durations of live concerts but let’s not exaggerate about that.
All in all it blew my socks off!! 😉
April 28th, 2013 at 18:58Fantastic album. *Finally* they got a good sound mix, in my opinion it’s the bad mixing that makes Rapture of the Deep a less good album.
April 28th, 2013 at 21:36All songs are fresh and the riffs and melodies are like no other songs.
Most songs are mid(slow) paced but that’s ok. There’s another bonus track floating around (not on the album) called The First Sign Of Madness, which sounds a bit like Freedom/Cascades. So stupid that this song is not included because it’s just as good as the bonus song It’ll Be Me. Why not two bonus tracks?!
All songs are fantastic! This album is like an unexpected fantastic present we’re given.
To finish my play-by-play….
“Body Line” is where we left off. The solo trade-off in this section is awesome. Really dig the Morse and Airey trade-offs here. It hearkens back to Lord and Blackmores more funky / bluesy trade-offs, whereas “Hell To Pay” displayed the more ‘ethnic’ trade-offs. Some of the strongest vocals are definitely in this track. This one will get stuck in your head for the rest of the days…well, until you listen to the rest of the album.
“Above and Beyond” starts out with a rather dull, monotonous riff, but its brilliant because when the organs and synths start playing over said riff a few bars in, it becomes a triumphant crescendo of a riff. The track builds up quite a lot in the intro, and then relaxes into a lighter, satisfying groove that reminds me of songs like “The Aviator” off Purpendicular. I particularly dig Aireys work in the verses, and how they become more prominent in the second verse. This carries over into the hook very nicely, the song building up back into the main crescendo riff from the intro. Ian Gillan stretches his range, going an octave higher in the third verse. Roger Glover has a number of good grooves holding transitions together – but then he’s doing that throughout the album. The main riff from the intro becomes even more intensified with choirs towards the end of the track.
“Blood From A Stone” is a nice, laid back number. This is getting high / getting laid music. Ian Gillan is singing in a really low, bluesy timber. Don has decided to use a less abrasive keyboard tone on this one. EP keys, I believe? Love how he mirrors the vocal hooks. Airey really shines, playing leads throughout each verse that are in great taste. The heavier parts remind me more of the Bananas and Rapture of the Deep albums. Then we get a beautiful Airey solo; nice and laid back. Reminds me of “Junkyard Blues,” in fact. A nice change of pace, really. Morse plays a laid back solo as well.
“Uncommon Man” is frigging amazing. The intro is atmospheric and theatrical. It’s moments like this that, to me, make Deep Purple are MARKedly superior band to most of their peers. The intro goes from sorrowful, to remorseful, to stoic and reflective. Steve Morses solos are conjuring a more optimistic variant of “Contact Lost.” At the same time, I get the feeling he is also paying a bit of a tribute to Ritchie with some of his technique. This into really reminds me of the desert music from Super Mario 64, believe it or not. This intro builds gracefully as Paice and Glover join in, with Airey providing lush keyboards, the atmosphere exploding into a monstrous riff that almost sounds like ELP meets Smoke on the Water. The verses are interesting, in that the band goes off-key at the end of every other bar. The hook features some great organ playing. Then the song delves into another great instrumental section. Airey playing some atmospheric organ that matches the cadence of Morses amazing intro solo. Then he starts jamming some great piano chromatics, and Steve Morse starts playing his most laid back solo ever. The album really shines when it goes into these atmospheric moments; you can tell they are jamming this live.
“Apres Vous” starts off with some great Morse / Airey melodies that sound like some of their solos in “Abandon”. The riffage in the track kind of reminds me of “Abandon” and the heavier moments of “Purpendicular.” Gillan is really belting it out on this song, love when he uses his upper register in the second verse. When the song breaks down into its funky break, Roger Glover is playing some great basslines, the drums are keeping a funky groove, and Morse starts killing it with acoustic licks. Meanwhile, Airey is playing all kinds of trippy synth stuff that almost remind me of the blues version of Jon Lords solo in “Strangeways.” (And I’m talking about the nearly 8 minute version of Strangeways, not that horrible cut down version.) The song really rises a notch when Airey brings the strings back out. Then the solos come in, and Morse and Airey are trading off licks much quicker, going back and forth every two bars, until they are playing in harmony, and then back to the awesome intro riff.
“All the Time in the World” in the context of this album is PERFECT. ATTITW grew on me incredibly fast though, but I had no idea it’d be so much better with the album. It is arguably the best placed song on the album; after the onslaught of the first 9 tracks, it just flows so magnificently into ATTITW. The intro is a welcomed addition, but the biggest improvement is the slide guitar in the second verse. When I first heard that addition to the album version I nearly teared up – it was friggin PERFECT. I really love Morses laid back funky riffage that backs the song. There’s another instrumental section that bridges the chorus into the solo. The solo really reminds me of “Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming,” by the way, I can’t be the only one who hears that! Once again, in the context of the album…….Morses solo is even better. It’s almost like an emotional peak, it really should’ve gone a bit longer. I almost feel like Purple made these changes on purpose: they wanted to give people the two samples, Hell to Pay and ATTITW, but these album cuts are literally 10,000x better, both because of the context with the rest of the album, but mostly because of the additional minutes of music and additional instruments, such as the slide guitar.
“Vincent Price” is totally Deep Purples “Mr Crowley.” Especially considering Airey played church organ intros for both tracks! This is a lot more humorous of a track. Really love the organ and choir, dig the hook a lot, and Morse has one of his best solos on the album. His creepy melodies are another highlight. Anyone else catch the “Man on the Silver Mountain” homage that plays behind the solo? I thought that was a brilliant touch! And Gillan ends things with a nice falsetto, I think his only scream on the entire album.
The bonus track, the cover “It Will Be Me” has classy playing all around. Ian Gillan has a great timber on this one. The piano and organ stand out most of all, though.
I’d definitely say this albums MVP is Don Airey, no doubt to commemorate Jon Lord.
Hopefully this album is just the first of many collaborations with Bob Ezrin, because they seem to have a great chemistry together. Everything sounds crisp, and I love how he pushed them to capture the feeling of a live show in the studio. Only issue I can really think of, is I would like more prominent Steve Morse! Some of the shorter songs could’ve used a bit more instrumental sections. But this is now one of my favorite albums, I’ve already spun it about 10 times.
April 29th, 2013 at 00:05Although these kinds of numbers can be subjective, the point is that the band has made a ripple in the water. Whether or not it rises to a tsunami remains to be seen.
On the other hand, we are seeing numerous interviews and appearances, a special Classic Rock edition, and an episode of “Behind the Music” which coïncided with the album’s release. At last, someone is taking the group seriously after two previous attempts when the band appeared to have little to no support from the label. A product will not move off the shelf if no-one knows about it. Promotion is vital. (The same could be said for touring in the American market.)
Despite the fact that the stats quoted above really do not mean a great deal per se, it is fun to see DP all over the place–just like it was in the 1970’s. How many bands from back then–including the legendary “heavies”– are still making a splash today?
April 29th, 2013 at 00:42el mejor disco q e escuchado este 2013 !!!!!!!!!! deep purple ruls
April 29th, 2013 at 02:33Maybe after the recepton it had, even from the UK press in general, apart from the all but irrelevant Independent whose line was in relation to Airey, ‘his organ is on fire’
maybe DP might actually do a UK tour IP’S quote that they don’t get asked to play here much is a bit tired,a UK tour that includes the Roundhouse,a year after a date at the 02.
Need to make your minds up if you want people to come out to see you you need to
April 29th, 2013 at 06:46play venues around the country,try cities such as Bristol for example,stop moaning
about being called classic rock etc,its what you are and just get on with it.
@28: But the problem is just as IP says, promoters need to invite the band. It’s not like the band are calling venues asking to play. That’s not how it works.
April 29th, 2013 at 07:26Yeah … so long we have to wait for T H I S !? Now what !?
“Now what” rocks very hot !!
It´s an incredible album – I have hear it only 3 times and I love it.
LLDnP
LLRnR
kraatzy
PS.
April 29th, 2013 at 12:06Thank you very much (Deep Purple) for your music you gave us.
It´s a main part of my life !!
GREAT ALBUM!
April 29th, 2013 at 14:04Kind of a LOVE AND HATE relationship yet at this time… Morse still not convincing on his creativity. Gillan is King. Airey definitely establishing his place in the Band. Glover and Paice Impecable. I’m comparing it to Bananas as of now… but don’t see it better than The battle rages on.
Vincent Price, Uncomon man and Werdistan very impressive and contemporary.
@ 22 ,@ 25 great reviews guys,I hope everybody does the same here,instead of focusing on “the business” side,which is not your concern anyway.Let’s talk about the music and the songs and production! It looks like the album is a home run and I hope they continue their collaboration with Bob Ezrin in the future.
April 29th, 2013 at 15:12Being from the U.S., I am reduced to the pathetic existence having to experience the new album vicariously through devouring reviews and reading Highway Star posts. Now What?! is released here on May 14. Geez. In the meantime I have the excellent One Eye to Morocco on pretty much continuous play. The reviews on the new album are glowing almost across the board. I think I read one that was negative. Obviously an idiot. Congratulations to Deep Purple and Bob Ezrin on a huge success. Deep ?urp!e, I thank YOUUUUUUUUU!
April 29th, 2013 at 20:12http://www.allmusic.com/album/now-what%21-mw0002505037
April 29th, 2013 at 20:27I feel better now, Hell To Pay “radio edit” version is so crap compared to the album version.
April 29th, 2013 at 21:23There are really excellent tracks here, thanks guys and thanks B. Ezrin, these songs have got the sound they deserve
The immediate feeling you are left with after the one listen I have given it so far,it that Bob Erzin has succeeded in giving a modern feel to a classic rock album,a feat not unworthy of praise,which also leaves you with the question why did they not use a producer of renown before instead of a hotch potch mix of the bizarre and predictable.
For artists of this generation to work of originality at this stage of these careers is not easy,the instruction from erzin was succinct and right, you won’t get airplay,you wont be fashionable you wont sell hundreds of thousands,just go and make a Deep Purple album,and that is what they have done.
What it isnt is anything close to Perfect Strangers or MIJ,it is of itself with a nod here and there to past projects including the odd sample from Bananas and Rapture Of the Deep,indeed listed carefully and you will hear the opening strains of “You Keep on Moving”which was startling in itself onBlood from a stone, we get a little to close for comfort to light my fire by the Doors further on,there is a touch here and there to ELP and Focus.
So far reviews have heaped praise onto Gillan and Airey in particular ,my personal view is that
Roger Glover needs some recognition here his thundering bass rythmn is all over the sound of this album and its all the better for the depth it provides.
Steve Morse still doesn’t appeal to all ,he has still not come close to his debut which included the modern Purple classic Sometimes i feel like screaming.
Far from being a criticism it blends into a cd which is almost but not quite an equal to Purpendicular
still the most under rated of all Purple albums.
What we should do is quietly rejoice that as most of us push on to 50 or 60 we still have intact one of the great bands of our youth still with us ,still performing still recording and still delivering a great deal of listening pleasure .
Now onto that tour my suggestion here is a residency at Hammersmith with each night being given to the complete album from Purpendicular ,Abandon,Bananas,Rapture and last hight Now What.
April 29th, 2013 at 21:49I think they would be pleasantly surprised at the sold out signs,because quite honestly going to listen to what we all know they will play is far from inspiring.
@ 36:
I don’t feel quite the same way about Steve. Actually I think he played some catchy and beautiful phrases on “Now what?!”. There are very good riffs as well.
In my mind it’s like this: Both Steve and Don outflank their predecessors in terms of technical abilities and it’s cool to find out what they are able to do when let loose. There are awesome moments during solos on the new album but as well there are things which come to much from the head. In my opinion both give too much about technique. At some point their ideas get lost when they play so many notes. It’s one of the paradox things I love about music that less can be more stirring and effective. Technique is just a tool.
Mark II in the 70ies weren’t just that good because of what they were capable of doing on their instruments, it was their immense finesse and taste where to put the notes. That’s what inspired so many other musicians and fans. My theory is that these abilities come and go like everything else in life.
April 30th, 2013 at 00:06@37 outflank their predecessors ? Abilities come and go ? what do you mean ?
April 30th, 2013 at 14:56@ 38:
Playing an instrument myself I’m able to understand what the guys play and it’s obvious to me that Don and Steve have technical abilities which allow them to play more difficult stuff. But Jon and Ritchie were better at improvising (in my opinion).
Deep Purple were at the peak of their songwriting abilities between 1969 and 1974. It’s a flowering period where everything fell into place. In other words: Right place, right time, right people – all of them being very hungry. The band back then wrote the lion’s share of what is still their live show. It’s that kind of inspiration that fires one’s imagination. In addition musicians often create outstanding stuff during periods of fast progression. A band doesn’t keep that kind of abilities forever. But these abilities can flare up again in certain situations (e.g. the reunion period or when Steve joined).
Any questions?
April 30th, 2013 at 22:36My heroic record store got it in somehow. Picked it up today. My oh my oh my… Everything about the album is breathtakingly good. The wife and I were just dancing to Bodyline. A good sign. Remarkable group effort. The sound is easily the best since Made in Japan.
April 30th, 2013 at 22:36@33 Randy, it looks like May 14 is the date of the Limited edition release in the US while the Standard edition was released today and could be received in the mail today or tomorrow. I am also in the US and pre-ordered Limited Edition a few weeks ago. Since the official release date here is April 30 (today), I was excited to get the album in the mail in the next couple of days. Unfortunately today I found out that the Limited edition will only be released two weeks later! I can’t understand why they couldn’t be released the same day and am very frustrated… Right now I am debating if I should purchase the album on iTunes for now, because I can’t wait for two more weeks or even more before I can listen to the album. The reviews and other posts I read in the past several days make me even more excited about the new album as well as the songs preview on iTunes I listened to today.
I also hope local promoters will invite the band to tour the US this year.
May 1st, 2013 at 02:10@39 got it !
May 1st, 2013 at 18:21Yeah you right about Ritchie and Jon at improvising.
@ 41 Yulia, buy both. I did, to have one in the car and one for other use. 🙂
May 2nd, 2013 at 14:22Being a Purple-addict since my 14th, I just wasn’t able to hook up with the ‘Morse-era-Purple’. Purpendicular is ok, Abandon a dull shame, Bananas so-so and Rapture a real, depressing nothing at all. But I love So What!? With Hell to Pay being the stand-out track. Highway Star-revisited, and in a very pleasing, convincing way. The song is really great. This is where the old and new Purple blend and shine. But there’s lots more to enjoy on the album. The opening track, A Simple Song, is a marvelous exhibition of Don Airey’s skills, He’s fantastic…,Lord, he is! And so is the rest of the band. Bodyline grooves in a great way, too. Blood from a stone is just… closing all other Doors???
All in all: I love this album. It’s great.
I stowed away RotD after one rotation. Horrible, flat, uninspired, just a plain-nothing-at-all. But this album got me back on the track and persuaded me to attend their concert in Zwolle, Netherlands, in October. First time ever I will see them live.
Can’t wait to see and hear Hell to Pay thundering along with Highway Star, Black Night etc. ….!
As for me, this is the first Mark-Morse-Airey-effort that really convinces. Bob Ezrin owes lots of the credits. Bit of a shame it took the band almost two decades to find a Birch-like producer to really let them shine.
One more effort, Ezrin-led, before retirement???:-)
Cheers, Paul
May 2nd, 2013 at 19:50CHART SUCCESS. I will state that 4th place on the Norwegian Top 40 Album Chart List (week 18) is a success. Im happy that people in Norway do actually buy Now What?!.
May 4th, 2013 at 11:27Here is the proof http://lista.vg.no/liste/topp-40-album/2
Edel earmusic have announced May 24th for Australian release date for Now What?!
Even Apple i-tunes have the same date. No doubt, this might explain some of blank looks I’ve been given at the major retailers (Sanity @ JB Hi Fi) here in Sydney when asking about new Deep Purple.
But the good news is Red Eye records have a couple of imported CD’s of Now What?!
This time tomorrow the Kenwood amp will be turned to 11 and the chandeliers’ will
shake. That’s the best way to listen to the mighty Deep Purple.
Cheers
May 5th, 2013 at 04:02John.
Great to see Purple back in the uk top 20 albums,worth the wait…great album…
May 5th, 2013 at 21:59Deep Purple’s Now What! came out #1 in the UK Rock Albums Charts and #19 on the albums chart yeturday. This is the best Purple has seen since TBRO.
http://www.officialcharts.com/albums-chart/
May 6th, 2013 at 12:29