SHADES OF DEEP PURPLE

Not listened to this before today. I'd missed it on the Deep Purple 'must listen to' list. Its there now and though deemed Proto-Prog its sits in that shadowy genre wheref Psychodelic and Progressive meet (think debut Jefferson Airplane and Arzachel). Though Deep Purple followed the hard rock, proto-Metal route, along with Uriah Heep, this LP is an excellent.

For the youngest reader, its amazing how much Kula Shaker didn't change Hush. Jon Lord keyboards and Ritchie Blackmore guitar are great. Obviously the signature vocals of Ian Gillan are two years hence and this is the first time i've listened to Rod Evan's voice (and realised that's what I was listening to). As for the covers of Help and Hey Joe; we'll there are just different but pleasing to the ear. I guess I have a soft spot for this type of sound and lots of albums between 1967 and 1970 (can we are argue that The Kinks are the Village Green Society is a prog album?).

The whole album has a more polished feel than more debut's, but has an atypical sound of the time and is familiar to the new listener. Give it a spin.