MACHINE HEAD

Deep Purple finally in the archives, and so is Machine Head, albeit a bit later... this is more hard-rocking than the previous ones, and has the "blueprint" of heavy metal, i.e. Smoke on the Water, but let's not get overwhelmed by that....

The album features three of the greatest Heavy Prog songs you might hear: Highyway Star, Pictures of Home and Space Truckin'. And even one jazzy track, probably the highest achievement of Deep Purple progwise: Lazy. What a blast! I simply love all versions of that song I've ever heard, and studio version is the tidiest of those. Keyboard- guitar interplay is simply amazing. I don't know why proghead guys tend to underrate, at least overlook this track while considering Deep Purple (mainly as prog or not).

I suggest those who despise DP to listen to just this track one more time, with attention!

The rest of the tracks are at least decent rock songs, though most people (and admittedly I) will declare their boredom of Smoke on the Water! I wouldn't recommend the bluesy B'side When a Blind Man Cries, though, but since it wasn't in the original album, and included as the last track on re-releases, it doesn't diminish the value of the album as a masterpiece. Good decision to leave out in the first place, hah?!?!? (actually I have to admit I like Blind Man even better than their next hit Soldier of Fortune -which is even more popular than DP itself in Turkey, in non-prog and non-rock cicrles-, I even believe this was the prototype of SoF...)

Lastly, I will declare once again that I ceased to be a Purple fan long ago (though this album is one of the few original CD's I have, along with two other DP CD's. The rest of my prog collection is mainly on mp3 dicsc!), and I really don't know why on earth I chose this one to review first from DP, I think it's because it's historic importance, being one of the first Heavy Prog albums - though most people still won't admit the existence of the sub-genre!- after the first signs which were revealed in Fireball and In Rock...

A must have, even if you're not into the music represented by Deep Purple!