Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Stronger album than the last one, 17 Nov 2006
I was a bit disappointed with the last Purple album, Bananas, and was therefore pleased to find out that 'Rapture' was definately a step up from this, with a bunch of rock solid compositions that might not be Purple classics but are really memorable nonetheless. The two tracks I dislike the most are the 'poppy' ones - 'Girls Like That' and 'Don't let Go', but the rest of the album is an enjoyable mix of the progressive, heavy, and funky, plus one ballad 'Clearly Quite Absurd,' which, although not being a huge fan of ballads, is, I feel, miles better than the one on 'Bananas.' The epic title track with its Eastern - sounding riff is particularly effective and Don Airey's stamp on the album is much more considerable this time, with synthesizer on the funky 'Back to Back,' apocalyptic keyboards on the heavy 'Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye,' and boogie-woogie piano on 'Junkyard Blues.' The overall feel of the recording is of a band that really know what they're doing with a variety of musical styles, and sound confident and laid back but without being uninteresting or indifferent. Environmental themes are dealt with as on 'Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye' and 'Junkyard Blues' and Gillan gets philosophical on the final, progressive sounding track 'Before Time Began.' One problem with this CD is the sound quality, which could have been much better. On some tracks Ian Gillan sounds a bit muffled and this mix is a bit muddy. I don't know if this is also true on the Tour Edition CD or the vinyl version but I'm sure a better job could have been done here. That aside, this is the only Deep Purple studio album I own from the Steve Morse era, but one which I think is worthy of inclusion with rest of my collection from the Ritchie Blackmore days. As always with Purple, live versions of songs are better than studio versions as they thrive on live appearances, so a well filmed DVD of a recent concert performance would be most welcome.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A breath of fresh air, 25 Jul 2006
I was a bit reluctant to buy this CD. Although a DP fan since the mid seventies I did not expect too much from the band these days.
This CD is the best one I bought in the last year. It is real dynamite from beginning to end and I have been listening to it constantly over the last three weeks. The tracks are cohesive and involving. A lot of first class rock music lies in here. The rhythm section is unbeatable, Ian Gillan is still a great if not the greatest rock voice. No new band can beat these tracks.
Buy it and listen to it over and over again, you will love it!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gillan still has it, 13 Jun 2006
Ian Gillan is one of the world's most talented singers, and he remaisn so to this day. The opening Money Talks features incredible vocal talent, remember there are no background singers in Deep Purple when you listen to this. Don't Let Go and Girls Like That are weaker moments, but they are still very catchy and feel-good songs. The title track and Before Time Began are spiritual epics in a style not previouslt attempted by this band. Wrong Man is full-blown heavy rock as Purple do best, while Junkyard Blues is an experimental song with a prolonged lazy bluesy guitar and honky tonk piano solo. The best album released in 2005, rock fans as a whole will be thrilled.
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