Deep Purple – Abandon – 1998
Abandon finds our heroes settling in to their roles as niche filling, core fans satisfying, able codgers. In 1998 did you even know that Deep Purple was still playing, let alone were releasing new music?
Me neither. But I thought they stopped playing in the early 70s.
Abandon rocks a LOT harder than Purpendicular. There’s still the occasional prog-rock flourishes, of course, now sounding like a a cross between Rainbow and Jethro Tull, of all things. Well, not on the entire thing, but it’s there on “Fingers to the Bone”. These guys can play.
Case in point the hard edged, rifftastic, “Seventh Heaven”
Abandon is actually the best the band has put out in a while. You don’t need it. No one does. But, if you find yourself itching for some Jon Lord or some…whatever it is Purple is classified as now, you won’t be disappointed.
Grade: B
ASIde: Any Fule Know That, ’69, Bludsucker
BlindSide: Seventh Heaven, What’s Her Name
DownSide:
