DEEP PURPLE IN ROCK

I think the only reason I bought this album in the first place was because of the band's 45's of "Kentucky Woman" and "Hush." I owned both of the singles at the time. When I opened the album and started listening to "Speed King," I wasn't prepared for what I was listening to. It definitely was not top 40 music. It was more adult and harder than anything they previously did. I remember looking over the lyrics and thinking, this is some wild stuff here. I think I was impressed with the lyrics to the song "The Rat" the most. I had never heard any band get into spiritual stuff before.(I am referring to Child in Time) I was intrigued. I had some trouble getting used to this kind of music, simply because I was never exposed to it a whole lot. I think Led Zep's "Whole Lotta Love" was the closest I came to Deep Purple. Speed King just flies in speed and agility on the part of every band member. I especially loved the instrumental section. It is like being on a jet up in the cloudy blue diving headlong into certain death and then the group brings you back to the super sonic ear crushing heart of the song. "Blood Sucker" is a great rocker. The only thing bad about it is that it is somewhat repetitious. This is still a good song that you will want to hear over and over again. Next is my favorite, "Child in Time." It is simply a gift from above. Ian Gillan really impressed me to no end here. I never heard any guy hit those kinds of notes before him. I even named one of my son's after him. Blackmore just goes crazy on the guitar.He pushed himself over the edge on this and he messed up very slightly a few times, but he couldn't have gotten the beauty out of it if he went by a planned solo. I think the only thing I would have done differently is to connect the last part with the end of the solo. I don't know if they separated the end from it on purpose or by accident. Jon Lord is also mastering the sonic realm on this and many of the other tunes as well! "The Flight of the Rat" is another speedster and is wonderful to get into. Like I said earlier the lyrics are great! "Into the fire" slows it down and Blackmore gets some very expressive guitar work to come out of his fingers on this one. I like the tune of "Living Wreck", but I didn't care for the lyrics too much. I guess at the time, I wasn't aware of the groupie crap that was going on in the rock world. "Hard Lovin' Man" seemed similar to "Flight of the Rat" to me. It also speeds along and at the end we get treated to the smell of burning feet as Mr. Blackmore plays footsie with his axe to get some very wonderful sounds to come out of it. I didn't find that out until years later when I read one of their many interviews. Then I finally got a chance to see Ritchie do his thing with the foot at Cal Jam II. I am giving this album four stars.