RITCHIE BLACKMORE'S RAINBOW

An enjoyable mix of classic hard rock and melodic creativity highlight this debut by Rainbow, feauting the iconic guitar of Blackmore and the even more iconic vocals of RJ Dio. RB's Rainbow is an excellent snap-shot of rock music at the time, graced with enough songwriting nuance and creativity to make it stand out.

The album opens with the legendary "Man on the Silver Mountain", chugging out a memorable riff with a vintage '70's feel. This song sets the stage for the powerful rockin' that follows, and the mystic lyrics by Dio are irresistable. The group shows range with the melodic "Catch the Rainbow" and "Temple of the King", two elegantly written songs with beautifully understated performances, classy mellotron work, and fine vocals. Toss in the exceptionally fun rocker "Snake Charmer" (with wah-wah pedal!) and the mighty "Greensleeves", and you've got a memorable hard rock experience.

Though RB's Rainbow is a far cry from anything progressive, the few artistic touches stand out enjoyably amid the thunderous bass and guitar work, and listeners craving a good dose of lamentably underplayed hard rock need look no further.

Songwriting: 4 Instrumental Performances: 3 Lyrics/Vocals: 4 Style/Emotion/Replay: 4