SLAVES AND MASTERS

First off let me start by saying that I'm a huge Deep Purple fan, and they were my first love in music, and are still very dear to my heart. That being said, Slaves and Masters is the worst album they have ever made in my opinion.

Joe Lynn Turner is a good singer, I'll admit that. He did a good job in the pop era Rainbow, but he was totally the wrong singer to fill Gillan's boots in Purple. He sounds very much like an outsider on this album, a hired hand. One can also really hear the indifference in Paice's, Glover's and Lord's playing on this album. It's really that bland. The only one who seems to get kicks out of this is Blackmore who has his fair share of fiery guitar solos. Blackmore sounds really good in parts.

Blackmore is the one who wrote most of the songs also, and that is the weak point of the album as much as it pains to say so. There are relatively few high points, but the songs I like are King of Dreams, Breakfast in Bed and Fortuneteller. The absolute low point of the album is Too Much Is Not Enough which must be the worst song in the Purple catalogue. I wonder what they thought when they let JLT to bring this song with him. Absolutely embarrasing.

2 stars.