| Deep Purple Who Do We Think We Are! |
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 | Tracklist:
1. Woman from Tokyo
2. Mary Long
3. Super Trooper
4. Smooth Dancer
5. Rat Bat Blue
6. Place in Line
7. Our Lady
| Ranking: #29 for 1973 | |
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| Summary: A poor record by an amazing band. |
2 of 2 thought this review was well written
Deep Purple: A Retrospective
Episode VIII: Who Do We Think We Are!
Mark II Deep Purple had always been ridden with internal issues between its band members, and a climax was inevitable. Made in Japan may have benefited from the ongoing rivalry, causing unmatched and intense duels pushing out everyone’s best, but when the band returned to the studio to record their next studio album, things were different. The band were tired from touring, but yet their management wanted to keep capitalizing on their success, pushing them to complete their next album. A worn-out Gillan was feuding with Blackmore, and relations within the band got even worse. The two got so annoyed with each other they did not even wish to be in the same space, and so it came to be that vocals and guitar were recorded without any involvement or interest from the guitarist and vocalist, respectively. Eventually, Gillan would step out of the band due to continuous frustration, followed by Glover, who had heard Blackmore had intentions of firing him. The famous Mark II line-up had come to an unfortunate ending.
Deep Purple Mk. II was:
- Ian Gillan ~ Vocals, Harmonica
- Richard Hugh Blackmore ~ Lead Guitar, Bass Guitar
- Roger David Glover ~ Bass Guitar
- Jon Douglas Lord ~ Keyboards
- Ian Anderson Pace ~ Drums
What they left us with is Deep Purple’s seventh studio album, Who Do We Think We Are!, and it is a product completely unrepresentative of what this band was capable of. The tensions within the band heavily affected the quality of the album, as where with previous albums every song was enjoyable to a certain extent, there are only two memorable outputs featured here. Opener Woman From Tokyo is a catchy song with a signature Blackmore guitar riff (just about the only one on the entire album), and a standout performance from Gillan, describing the band’s first visit to Japan a year before. Also Rat Bat Blue hits the right mark, with its funky rhythm section and once again great vocal performance.
But as said, that’s where it stops. The rest of material found on WDWTWA! sounds like Deep Purple, but without the spark that made their earlier Mk. II work so fantastic. The main problem here is that the rest of the material is too generic for the band's standard, with for Marly Long, Super Trouper and Smooth Dancer being just a handful of songs that contain uninspired soloing, unoriginal song structures, and sub-par lyrics. Place in Line is the slower bluesy track, a recurring feature on Deep Purple albums (a la Fools, Lazy and Mistreated), but is more sleep-inducing than it is captivating. Closer Our Lady even tries to encompass gospel elements, but falls flatt on the face because the band doesn't even sound like themselves anymore.
This makes a poor record by a worn-out band, and as such it is only recommended for the avid Purple fans or Mk. II obsessives. Luckily, Deep Purple would revitalize itself a year later and release the fantastic Burn.
Recommended tracks:
Woman From Tokyo
Rat Bat Blue
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| Recent reviews by this author | | | |
Album Rating: 2
Another shorty for a letdown album.
Digging: Dave Matthews Band - Crash | | |
It's a nice review, but imo you really should have talked more about why this album was such a let-down and what are the cons of it (musically). If I were you I would add a small, concise extra paragraph or just add some sentences into the ending one.
Digging: Dark Age - Acedia
| | | Album Rating: 2
I considered that, but there just isn't so very much to say about this. I never intended this to be one of my better reviews anyways. My next one will be more extensive once again.
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well it's your call eventually, i am just suggesting :-)
| | | Album Rating: 2
It's just that there is very little to say about the other tracks, more my point. Would have done that otherwise.
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Woman from Tokya is an awesome song
Digging: Opeth - Ghost Reveries
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well i am still sure that there are some things you could bring out, like why the tracks are boring and unremarkable or what makes them dull
| | | Album Rating: 2
Alright, you've convinced me, I'll add some to this later today, but first I'm going to work soon.
And yes shindip, it is an awesome song indeed.
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alright, i'll take another look at this in the evening then.
| | | Album Rating: 2
metalstyles should be happy now.
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metalstyles is happy, pos
| | | Album Rating: 2
I've got my Perfect Strangers review already written up, so tomorrow you can actually judge one of my reviews having also heard the album.
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something that won't happen any day that's for sure haha. The last thing you reviewed that I actually had heard in full length was your Angel of Retribution review
| | | Album Rating: 2
I am almost sure you've heard what I'm going to do after I finish Mark II (which is 3 more albums including Perfect Strangers). It's going to be a senmi-conceptual review streak of 4 albums that belong together in some way, although I'm not telling anything else about it. Just want to try something new and see if it works out/is respected by the sputnik community.
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are they still in the classic rock/metal genre?
| | | Album Rating: 2
Rock/metal, yes, but I can't really call them classic anymore in the way you mean it.
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alright, will be looking forward with anxiety!
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