Artist: Deep Purple Album: Shades of Deep Purple

Year: 1968
Duration: 1:04:12

Shades of Deep Purple - A Critical Review of Deep Purple's First Album

Deep Purple is a legendary British rock band that has been active since 1968. They are one of the pioneers of the hard rock and heavy metal genres and have been influential on many other rock bands that have come up after them. Their first album, Shades of Deep Purple, was released in 1968, and it is an essential part of their discography. The album was well received at the time of its release, but it is often overshadowed by the band's later and more popular work. In this blog post, we will take a critical look at Shades of Deep Purple and explore its historical significance, music genre, the best songs of the album, the most innovative parts, and a critic to the album.

The music genre of Shades of Deep Purple is hard rock, with influences of classical and psychedelic rock. The opening track of the album, And the Address, sets the tone for the rest of the album. The song features Jon Lord's distorted Hammond organ sound and Ritchie Blackmore's guitar riff, which is reminiscent of the style of Jimi Hendrix. The album also has some psychedelic elements, especially in songs like Mandarin and One More Rainy Day.

One of the best songs on the album is Hush, which became a hit single for the band. The song features a catchy riff and Ian Gillan's strong vocals. The song's interesting guitar solo by Ritchie Blackmore, followed by another by Jon Lord on the organ, is one of the most memorable parts of the album. Another standout track is Mandarin, which features a more experimental sound compared to the other tracks on the album. The song begins with Jon Lord's eerie organ riff, followed by Ian Paice's drum solo. The song then evolves into a psychedelic jam, showcasing the band's improvisational skills.

The most innovative parts of the album are the instrumental sections, where the band members are free to showcase their talents. The track Wring That Neck is a prime example of this. The song features several instrumental solos by each band member and shows the band's musical versatility. Also, Jon Lord's use of the Hammond organ, a relatively new instrument at the time, helped to define the band's sound and has since become a signature of their music.

Despite the album's many strengths, there are some criticisms to be made. Firstly, the album lacks cohesion as the songs seem to be put together haphazardly. There is no overarching theme or concept behind the album, and it feels like a collection of random songs. Secondly, some of the lyrics are cheesy and sound dated. The song Love Help Me, for example, has lyrics that sound like they were written for a different era.

In conclusion, Shades of Deep Purple is an important album in the history of rock music, marking the beginning of Deep Purple's illustrious career. The album showcased the band's instrumental skills and helped to shape the hard rock and heavy metal genres that followed. The best songs on the album, such as Hush and Mandarin, still hold up today, while some other tracks sound a bit dated. However, despite its flaws, Shades of Deep Purple is still a classic album and a must-listen for rock music fans.