RED SEA

This band released a damned good debut album a year prior Red Sea which is unfortunately also their last one.

The opening song and title track is fully Mark I oriented as if nostalgia was still very much present for Nick (he was sacked from Purple in 69). The overall sound of this album, is heavier than ever. In a way, a song as Back In Time can compete with Purple Mark II slow and heavy number like Bloodsucker or Into The Fire from the magnificent In Rock album.

It also has the defect of the time: an average guitar solo in the middle which might be a live asset but that is quite useless here. Self-indulgence is the word. Song writing is also less impressive on Red Sea. A song as Confident But Wrong only emerges thanks to the excellent guitar break for instance.

The bluesy Feeling Better and the below average lyrics is by no mean an improvement IMO. I have to say that this album is quite a deception so far. The heavy psychedelic Sybilla and its echoed vocals sounds pretty outdated and again, the bluesy mood is not much appreciated by yours truly.

Self indulgence also characterizes the long instrumental Mouthpiece. It is a showcase for each band member to prove his abilities; but again you could do so during concerts but not especially on a studio album. Even in the early seventies. All this drumming solo was not all that necessary in my opinion.

The closing number (I), even if on the mellow side, is my favourite of the original album. It is another trip into the Mark I repertoire. The organ work is excellent and at least each musician is performing for the whole unity of the band and not for himself. Vocals are rather powerful as well.

And that's it for this album.A major disappointment as far as I'm concerned.

The CD comes with an awful lot of bonus tracks (like their first album). There is a second live version of their very good Ritual from their debut; but another live version was already available as a bonus on their first CD re-release. So, I don' believe that it was necessary to have a second one. Anyway, this good song is welcome here.

All the other songs (five in total) are demos of unreleased tracks. None of them are highlights but they aren't bad either. The good rocking Bad Time has lost the heavy feeling that is mostly present on Red Sea.

She Was My Friend is a good rock ballad, again on a much smoother tone than usual but he funky/heavy Gypsy Dancer won't remain in the music history, I'm afraid. Surprisingly enough, an excellent is featured as a bonus track: House Of The Dolls. It is the only song that could compete with their excellent debut album. It is a fine and highly energetic piece of hard-rock music which could have easily fit onto a Mark II album: the best stuff available on this CD which closes on a more conventional and good heavy-rock song (Standing Right Behind You).

Two stars.