Deep Purple - Machine Head Review

Deep Purple Machine Head

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Tracklist:
1. Highway Star
2. Maybe I'm A Leo
3. Pictures of Home
4. Never Before
5. Smoke On The Water
6. Lazy
7. Space Truckin'

Ranking: #6 for 1972

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Charles Montgomery Burns USER (75 Reviews)

2009-08-17 | 17 comments | 387 views

Summary: Sure, it has Smoke on the Water, but Deep Purple's sixth carries much, much more than just that.

4 of 4 thought this review was well written

Deep Purple: A Retrospective

Episode VI: Machine Head

Less than a year after their fifth album Fireball, Deep Purple released Machine Head. Eventually, the album would become the pinnacle of their success, topping the charts in a great many different countries. Not only is it cited as a classic in the band’s own catalogue, but also in the hard rock genre, and as a very influential album in developing heavy metal in the 70’s. Unofficially, it is also part of the British Holy Trinity of Hard Rock, together with Led Zeppelin’s fourth untitled album and Black Sabbath's Paranoid.

Deep Purple Mk. II was:
- Ian Gillan ~ Vocals, Harmonica
- Richard Hugh Blackmore ~ Lead Guitar
- Roger David Glover ~ Bass Guitar
- Jon Douglas Lord ~ Hammond Organ, Piano, Keyboards
- Ian Anderson Pace ~ Drums

There is one track in particular that propelled Machine Head into such fame, and that is of course Smoke on the Water. If the band had not chosen to record their sixth album in the particular Rolling Stones Mobile Studio in Montreux, Switzerland, their greatest anthem would never even have existed. For those unfamiliar with the story, Deep Purple were residing in their hotel as a nearby casino caught fire. During a gig by Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention, someone in the audience shot a flare gun at the roof, causing the building to catch fire. Though the building and musical equipment of The Mothers were completely destroyed by the fire, all of the audience managed to escape, some with the help of Claude Nobs (referred to in the lyrics as Funky Claude). The smoke from the fire spread out onto Lake Geneva nearby, and it was that event that featured Roger Glover to come up with the title Smoke on the Water a while later. The song retells the story of the event very neatly, and particularly the verses are very strong:

Quote:

We all came out to Montreux
On the Lake Geneva shoreline
To make records with a mobile
We didn’t have much time
Frank Zappa and The Mothers
Were at the best place around
But some stupid with a flare gun
Burned the place to the ground
Smoke on the water, fire in the sky

They burned down the gambling house
It died with an awful sound
Funky Claude was running in and out
Pulling kids out the ground
When it all was over
We had to find another place
But Swiss time was running out
It seemed that we would lose the race
Smoke on the water, fire in the sky

The solo is the song’s highlight, another trademark bluesy effort that is one of Blackmore’s finest efforts in his entire career (particularly the ending, where he creates an air raid siren-like effect). Unfortunately Smoke was so immensely overplayed (largely thanks to the wonderful opening riff that every soul on the earth knows, even if they’ve never even heard the name Deep Purple) that people today have gotten tired of it. This seems to be a reason for a great many people to label it as overrated, something that is completely unjustified considering the song’s rich history and powerful musical experience. The song itself was also the very reason so many people went out to buy Machine Head. Often, the larger part of these people even seems to forget about the rest of the album, which is filled with some of Deep Purple’s very best material ever.

Take the opening track Highway Star, for example. The song is one massive explosion of Deep Purple energy, featuring intense jamming duels between the band, especially between Blackmore and Lord. The lyrical subject of car driving, a popular theme back in the days, may seem shallow but suits the song more than anything else, making it a wonderful track and an even better opener. The largely instrumental Lazy is one damn fantastic jam with a laid-back, bluesy feel (what’s more, it features a short but great harmonica solo), and an underrated gem in the band’s extensive catalogue. Together with Smoke, the two aforementioned tracks are the real classics on Machine Head, forming the core of the album.

The remainder isn’t exactly a letdown either. Maybe I’m a Leo and Never Before both have that charismatic Deep Purple groove to them, and Pictures of Home has standout performances from both Gillan and Pace. While closer Space Truckin’ is actually the least interesting offering on the album, it is one fine choice for a rather relaxed outro, and it’s potential for long improvisational jamming sessions would only become apparent on Made in Japan.

This means that Machine Head is an excellent hard rock experience all the way through, with a few very unique standout moments. Rivalling In Rock and Burn for best Deep Purple studio album, it is a must buy for any fan of 70’s rock music, or hard rock in general. If you don’t know where to start with this band, start right here. Highly recommended.

Recommended tracks:

Highway Star
Lazy
Smoke on the Water

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