This was a bit of an odd for me as it was the first time I have heard Purple in their new form. I.e. without Ritchie Blackmore. Which is a bit shameful really as he left around ten years ago! Oh well, nothing like keeping your finger on the pulse. But I think that says it all – that Purple really were all about Blackmore. Why even after listening to this you can sense him lurking in the shadows. But clearly Ritchie’s never coming back so is their any relevance to Purple continuing? 

Well, after spending a week in the company of this album I think there most defiantly is. And far from sitting on their Swiss bank accounts the band are still keen to record and tour whilst other ‘classic rockers’ do nowt. Something that’s massively in their favour me thinks. What’s clear here is that with the mega talented Morse on guitar the band don’t even miss the man in black – even if the fans do. The band seem to be having fun and it comes over well to the listener on ‘Rapture of the Deep’. 

Starting with ‘Money Talks’ the heavy Hammond organ sound that is traditional to Purple is still found in full working order. Don Airey has replaced Lord apparently and does a superb job throughout. Airey seems to have been in just about every rock band in humanity. I seriously can’t believe he’s here again – but yes folks, it’s him! The musician’s equivalent to the football journeyman. 

‘Wrong Man’ continues the good vibe with a cracking Morse riff and Gillan hardly seeming to have changed as a vocalist in 35 years. Ok there’s no ‘Child in Time’ moments here anymore but Gillan seems to have survived the onset of middle age with his tonsils firmly in tact. ‘Girls Like That’ is a catchy ditty and ‘Rapture of the Deep’ another quality tune. ‘Clearly Quite Absurd’…isn’t. 

However it couldn’t last forever and the album does eventually take a dip. Though it’s never serious enough to press the eject button. It all depends how much you like jazz rock. Yer see, Morse, for all his brilliance does occasionally lapse into ‘rockschool’ mode for the second half and seems like he is demonstrating some new fangled FX pedal at some hideous guitar clinic.  

Gillan also goes all hippie on us and you could be forgiven for thinking he’s auditioning for Godspell the musical. Some of it is just plain old nonsense after the cracking start. But the band sound like they are having a ball, with Gillan even sending out an unintentional laugh on ‘ Back to Back’. Er, funky… 

So the bottom line is would I recommend ‘Rapture of the Deep’ to old fans of the band? Yes. Definitely. Deep Purple still sound relevant enough in today’s musical climate to appeal to all classic rockers looking for something NEW to listen to. And surely that’s the point of one of rock’s most famous names continuing. It’s funky, but it’s still Purple.

Let us know your views on 'Rapture of The Deep'

Track List

Money Talks
Girls Like That
Wrong Man
Rapture Of The Deep
Clearly Quite Absurd
Don't Let Go
Back To Back
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
MTV
unkyard Blues
Before Time Began

Line Up

Ian Gillan - Vocals
Steve Morse - guitars
Roger Glover - bass
Ian Paice - drums
Don Airey - keyboards