MACHINE HEAD

In my opinion, this album became the apogee of the band's work. In Rock, with its undeniable musical innovation, is too saturated with heavy guitar sound, in Fireball the band often boldly goes beyond the style. It seems that the band continued to search for its own style. And in Machine Head everything seems perfectly balanced: powerful drive, smashing guitar, sometimes giving way to keyboards, crystal clear vocals, and throughout the entire album - solid powerful fiery hard rock, striking into the very heart and taking out the soul. As if after creative searches, all five members of the band clearly understand what and how they want to play, and managed to convey this in their music, despite all the adventures that preceded the recording of the album (of course, everyone knows this story from the song Smoke on the Water). I do not see any weak or passable songs in it. Every song knows its place, the album rushes forward like a train on rails, starting with the expressive Highway Star (DP knew how to choose the right first song!) and ending with the equally fiery Space Truckin'.

I feel like I wrote a subjective review. I admit it. Machine Head is very special to me. The events in which we first discover music often influence its perception. At least that's how it is with me. Of all the Deep Purple albums, Machine Head was the first one I heard, this significant event happened around 1993. A little earlier, I took a small paperback book from a girl I knew, which contained information about all the Deep Purple albums, the history of the band, song lists, interview fragments. At that time, I heard only Child in Time and maybe Smoke on the Water. I don't remember why I first recorded Machine Head on an audio cassette, but it was destined to become my favorite. Even the recognized classics In Rock and Fireball are in its shadow for me, although I enjoy listening to them too. Machine Head was the breakthrough in Deep Purple's work for me, and for me he is number one forever. Five stars for sure.