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=1 How does it add up for you?
As Deep Purple’s =1 albums hits the racks – and the charts – all over the world, we’re curious how you feel about it.
We already reviewed the album – now it’s your turn. Write your own review of =1.
Send your reviews of =1 to albumreview@thehighwaystar.com for a chance of publication right here on The Highway Star.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Deep Purple is the best whiskey (Ian Gillan knows what kind of whiskey it is), and the latest album is a guarantee of this. Awesome, perfect… simply speechless. In Polish they say: Gentlemen, hats off… Respect!!!
July 20th, 2024 at 07:00EXCELLENT!! The more I listen the better it sounds, there are hardly any weak spots. At times it sounds like Whoosh other times it sounds like Perpendicular! Simon is the perfect fit, there are more than a few times he sounds like Steve Morse and his own riffing style is so clean he’s so good! This LP for Gillan (the old canyon yodeler) is the best of the Ezrin era to my ears! Don’s keys really ramped up quite a bit on many tunes and RG and Paicey hold all this together perfectly! The singles are VG but the best surprises for me are Show Me, A Bit On the Side and especially Now Your Talkin’ with a bit of Groundhogs Split pt2 intro. This will be on all weekend, hopefully the neighbors dig it too can’t wait for the 6 hr drive to see them in August 🤟🤟
July 20th, 2024 at 15:00Theres a english saying “less is more” and its true..so I just say Great great album..the guys can still deliver!!
July 20th, 2024 at 16:39I’ll Catch You.. the fragile voice and then the guitar. Short but very sweet. Wow!
July 21st, 2024 at 18:52Ok, got my boxed set just now, first listen, typing as I write, I’ll keep things short.
– SHOW ME: It’s been ages that a DP album has started with that much self-confidence and gung-ho’ish guitar, wow! Simon and Don are the most spirited two-headed ‘Gorgan’ since 70ies Mk II Blackmore/Lord.
– A BIT ON THE SIDE: More pulsating rhythm and bass guitar, background riff reminds me a bit of Zero The Hero, a groovy number.
– SHARP SHOOTER: An In Rock’ish riff, dig the chick backing vocals. I love Don’s synth solos, he’s more expressive on the synth than on the Hammond.
– PORTABLE DOOR: Since I first heard it, that number has really grown on me though (or because?) it is for the standards of Purple and this album rather simplistic/straightforward.
– OLD-FANGLED THING: That’s almost Power Pop! 😊 Could be off Naked Thunder, I like it whenever Gillan goes poppy. Ah, the middle eight, that riff is Bolin’esque. Nice scream at the end.
– IF I WERE YOU: Simon channelling his inner Gary Moore with that melody at the beginning and the solo in the middle. Steve (or Blackmore or Tommy) would have never played a chugging rhythm guitar like that to what is essentially a ballad. Catchy verse with a not so commercial chorus part – that’s typically Gillan to defy expectations. Oh my, a lovely coda which should go on forever …
– PICTURES OF YOU: The most sophisticated song of the three singles pre-released. Immediately liked it and still do. The verse groove is almost soulish.
– I’M SAYING NOTHING: So am I! Not a song that grips me at this point. Don’s & Simon’s call & response is to die for though.
– LAZY SOD: That riff won’t win any IQ contests, but it feels so good! No other hard rock singer makes me listen to his lyrics as much. Love the cheesy ascending keyboards during the bridge. Don has no shame – luckily! His playing has a lot of humor, even more so than Jon’s.
– NOW YOU’RE TALKIN’: That sounds Morse Era’ish, nicely forceful tempo without rushing. Sounds like Don had a lot of input into this song. The classical middle solo is a bit “DP by numbers”, but once again it makes you feel good! 🤗 Guitar riff to the end nods to classic Surf Guitar style. Why a fade-out, did Bob have to rush to the loo? 😥
– NO MONEY TO BURN: Again Morse Era’ish. Bit of Zeppelin’esque heavy’nism going on here. Don’s ‘spooky’ keyboard solo is nice and far-out.
– I’ll CATCH YOU: Ah, Gary Moore again. 😉 Don’s keyboard work is ace in its late night lounge jazz style. It’s a bit in the ‘Wasted Sunsets” vein, a song I always liked. Ok, that solo is very Gary Moorish – NOW DON’T GET IDEAS, Simon, and scar your face too!
– BLEEDING OBVIOUS: Starts like a Judas Priest intro meeting John Miles “Music”! 😄 Again that dense Black Sabbath riffing. The number is obviously trying to be artful (and succeeding in it), yet still carries more heft and clout than if Steve hd written it. The bridge part is très beautiful, Roger all melodic too.
And that was it. Very pleasant and inspired album. More immediate than Purpendiclar which took a few listens to reveal its beauty. It’s not In Rock, Machine Head, Burn or CTTB though – how could it be, no one expected Elvis or Chuck Berry to release in the mid-70s anything approaching their once groundbreaking work of the 50s. A ‘just’ very good album will do fine for me, thank you. The album is their liveliest since Bananas and nothing about the production rubbed me the wrong way, it’s a warm, organic sound befitting their age and status as elder statemen of rock (with one young gun). Yes, it feels like Ian’s voice is now twice as loud as it used to be, but give the guy a break, it’s divine justice, he spent his first tenure with DP in the 70ies by being undermixed, let him be the other guy a little for once …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nagjPyNMu9Q
Ok, let’s listen to it again …
July 22nd, 2024 at 19:43Huh, now where did that come from all of the sudden, my posting @5? I thought that was lost? Thanks for finding, I was already doubting my own sanity, not that there was ever really all that much of it in the first place.
Since my initial listening, I’ve heard it countless times. I still like it (except for I’m Saying Nothing which still sounds nondescript to me) AND REALLY DIG EZRIN’S ORGANIC AND WARM PRODUCTION – Deep Purple doesn’t have to sound like TOOL you know, all brutal, clinical and clear … Ezrin has produced them like a nicely matured old red wine and I find that very apt.
It’s not an album that will change the world, nor does Purple history need to be rewritten. It’s just a very good album by some (largely) very old people and isn’t that something to celebrate in itself?
July 25th, 2024 at 17:41@6: I held it back because the article above suggests that you should mail in your review. But then I got tired of seeing the post in the moderation queue. 🙂
July 25th, 2024 at 22:48I didn’t think my first listen impressions really warranted an own thread!
I’m kinda shy.
July 26th, 2024 at 00:06