Avtor: Peter Podbrežnik
Izvajalec: Deep Purple
Založba: EMI Records
Izid: 1974
Trajanje: 41:37
Ocena: 5/5
With their eighth studio album »Burn«, the legendary English heavy rock titans Deep Purple rose like a mythical phoenix from the ashes of the Mark II lineup’s funeral pyre and came back in a rebuilt form with one of the finest achievements of their long and colorful career. »Burn« marked the birth of the so-called Mark III version of the band, featuring David Coverdale (ex-The Government), then a practically unknown singer, and singer/bassist Glenn Hughes, who had earned a decent crust of bread with funk rock pioneers Trapeze. Hughes, originally earmarked as bassist and lead singer since Deep Purple had planned to carry on as a foursome after the departure of Ian Gillan and Roger Glover, had been on their radar even before he became an official member. Coverdale, meanwhile, joined the band after guitar virtuoso Ritchie Blackmore, a man smeared with every kind of grease, decided he wanted an additional singer with a strong blues streak.
Coverdale, who in his first Deep Purple days had a dreadful image (he was not only chubby, pimply and half blind, but also utterly clueless about fashion), brought to »Burn« a distinctly masculine, eroticism-laced approach to singing. Hughes, hooked on funk (and later on cocaine) and occasionally dubbed the white Stevie Wonder, was a true all-round vocal gem whose voice already transcended any genre boundary. Their two distinct, clearly different vocal styles blended superbly across the verses on »Burn« and fit perfectly with the band’s changed style, which suddenly began soaking up far more blues, boogie, soul and funk. Hughes was an especially passionate champion of a funkier sound, while Blackmore was far more drawn to bluesy subtlety and melancholy, and funky sophistication got on his nerves more and more. Before long the first conflicts over the band’s future sonic direction began to flare up between the two, but on »Burn« that direction was still very well balanced and never tipped into any stylistic extreme.
At the same time, with structurally far more complex and inventive, in places almost progressive compositional ideas compared with the relatively pale predecessor »Who Do We Think We Are« (1973), »Burn« once again hit the hard-hitting sonic standards of the classics »In Rock« (1970) and »Machine Head« (1972). With its untamed, raw nature and the eroticism-spiced energy radiating from both lead vocalists, and above all thanks to a fiery atmosphere that never lets up across the entire album, it was soon after release written in golden letters into the hearts of the band’s followers and heavy rock fans. The moody but brilliant Blackmore blossomed once again on »Burn« with his virtuoso guitar masterpieces. Keyboard wizard Jon Lord, who never let up either when it came to dreaming up melodramatic organ meanders, and who was backed by the always damn-effective drum wonder-worker Ian Paice, helped create some of the most vivid classics of the band’s entire career.
Coverdale, who soon after the first live shows got rid of his acne and excess flab, fixed his eyesight with eye drops and learned which clothes made him look like a scarecrow, demonstrates his distinctive vocal authority more than successfully on the opening title track »Burn«, a hard rocking wrecking ball that is still one of the best-loved Mark III evergreens today. Blackmore’s fiery guitar riff, backed by Paice’s rolling drums, flattens everything in its path while weaving an atmosphere that is fully fired up and set at a breakneck tempo. It is carried on the wings of dual vocal harmonies between a vengeful-sounding Hughes and a thoroughly enraged Coverdale, with the latter singing the key verses. The mighty multi-voice chorus is the epic peak, while Hughes brings a touch of refinement with his soul inside this incarnation of technically flawless heavy rock cataclysm, which sucks the listener into the heart of the album in an instant. Ritchie’s melodious guitar solo is a veritable balm amid the raging drum barrages and Hughes’s energetic bass lines, while Lord’s rustling organ passages provide the richest, most potent rhythmic undulation imaginable.
The next classic, »Might Just Take Your Life«, set in a mid-tempo for a change, is another superb incarnation of Mark III’s songwriting mastery and exceptional sensitivity in blending hard rock, blues, soul and funk. Coverdale’s vocal, accompanied by mighty organ passages and a potent guitar riff, instantly conjures an eroticism-soaked mood, while Hughes joins him on the epic chorus over funk-flavored rhythmic nuances. The ambient magic between the two vocal champions is simply incredible, and it’s worth pointing out that Hughes, who this time brings a nice dose of soul with his vocals, was not only a phenomenal singer but also a technically accomplished bassist with a remarkable ear for melody. Jon Lord delights in the closing stretch with a piercing organ solo, while the final vocal harmonies carry this brilliant standard, which also came out as a single, fully into soul waters.
The heavy rock masterpiece »Lay Down, Stay Down« is seasoned with a furious guitar riff, a quickened tempo and a thoroughly enraged vocal interplay between Coverdale and Hughes, which makes for an exceptionally dynamic overall atmosphere. The lyrics are laced with erotic fantasy, which already suited Coverdale down to the ground back then and would later mark his entire career, while the eternal debauched hedonist Hughes was born for this kind of lyrical outpouring anyway. Ritchie’s complex guitar solo in the middle section is a real treat, while the potent rhythmic nuances keep a strong bluesy pulse going throughout.
The romantic evergreen »Sail Away« is likewise one of the finest achievements of the Mark III incarnation of Deep Purple, with both lead singers, in an emotional and fully immersed vocal performance, literally competing over which of them can conjure a more intense atmosphere. The nostalgic aura is fueled by a funk-tinged guitar riff and boogie-flavored rhythmic quirks, which provide excellent support for Coverdale’s inconsolable dreaming and Hughes’s furious pleading, culminating in an unforgettable chorus. Blackmore’s weeping guitar passages hit the peak of ambient magic with the closing solo.
On the funk-tinged standard »You Fool No One«, a bouncy, wound-up groove is driven by mischievous guitar phrases and cowbells, while above mighty vocal harmonies a passionate trade-off for the lead vocal spot takes place once again. Blackmore runs wild again with a voluptuous guitar solo, while Paice keeps the potent nature of this fine track going with mighty drum fills. »What’s Going On Here«, which wades into somewhat bluesier waters, is marked by a spirited guitar phrase, ‘barroom’ piano and harmonious vocal trading between Coverdale and Hughes. While Hughes brings a refined cheekiness with his soul- and funk-based singing, Coverdale’s vocal approach is once again the picture of untamed passion. Lord’s polished piano solo adds a dose of glamor to the prevailing hard-hitting atmosphere, which fits nicely with the vocal outpourings of the two notorious hedonists, though it should be added that Coverdale was then still a real greenhorn and amateur compared with Hughes when it came to the (stereo)typical enjoyment of the fruits of rock’n’roll stardom (sex, drugs and rock’n’roll). But the student, especially when it came to the ‘sex’ part, soon outgrew the teacher.
The immortal blues rock epic »Mistreated« is the magnum opus of the whole album and of the Mark III version of Deep Purple too. Despite its seemingly simple opening blues structure, it soon turns out to be a far more complex creation with numerous progressive tendencies. Blackmore reportedly created this unforgettable evergreen back in the Mark II days but saved it for the time after the departure of his ‘best friend’ Ian Gillan. Here Coverdale takes over the lead vocal entirely, which is just as it should be, since this tale of a broken heart, which with its exceptional ambient magic still doesn’t stop thrilling people today, was simply made for his distinctly masculine, heart-rending voice.
David’s immensely demanding vocal performance, in which his unusually sincere emotional intensity impresses most, is carried on the melancholic wings of Blackmore’s inconsolable guitar phrase, while the Paice-Hughes rhythm duo forms calm yet complex rhythmic nuances. Ritchie then conjures up one of the best solos of his entire career, which gives a clear insight into how his guitar artistry grew more and more piercingly melancholic before his farewell to Deep Purple and the start of a new story called Rainbow. In the closing section Coverdale tears his wounded heart wide open, while ‘Heep-style’ multi-voice harmonies and yet another phenomenal guitar solo build an epic atmosphere for the grand finale, one that still sends shivers crawling over your body to this day.
The progressive rock instrumental »A’ 200« is by far the strangest experiment on the whole album, since it is completely different from all the compositions before it and is the first Deep Purple instrumental since the end of the Mark I era. Here comes Lord’s big ‘star’ moment, as the legendary keyboardist this time takes the central instrumental lead and, backed by mighty guitar passages and a combative drum march, experiments extensively with a Moog modular synthesizer. This time too there’s no shortage of another mouthwatering Ritchie guitar solo, but the main source of the track’s tremendously pompous and melodramatic mood is Lord’s brilliant performance on the Moog modular, which in an instant recalls the similar instrumental maneuvers of the legendary Emerson, Lake & Palmer.
The CD reissue of »Burn«, released for the album’s 30th anniversary, includes a few tasty bonus goodies. Besides alternate versions of the classics found on the regular part of the album, there’s also a ‘forgotten’ prog rock, instrumental-leaning masterpiece with the oddball title »Coronarias Redig«, which sounds as if Deep Purple had a child together with Uriah Heep (melodramatic, synthesizer-created multi-voice harmonies in the chorus) and ELP (brilliant textures on the Moog modular). Blackmore’s melodramatic guitar outpourings already lean seriously toward his later work with Rainbow, since he later reused the main motif on the unforgettable classic »Catch the Rainbow«. This instrumental treat is a nice example of how a classic Deep Purple instrumental jam grew into a proper, remarkably interesting composition with a beginning and an end and a melodramatic core, fully on par in quality with the ‘regular’ »Burn« material.
»Burn« was the magnum opus of the newborn Mark III lineup, which burned with incredible fire from its very first labor pains, determined to show the world a revitalized face of the legendary English heavy rock champions. For the reborn Deep Purple it was a huge artistic and commercial success that arrived just when it was needed most and gave them fresh momentum for crafting sonically complex, exciting and inventive studio achievements. The incredible vocal talent of the two new lead singers ensured an exceptionally successful sonic transition and the realization of Blackmore’s bluesy-coated sonic vision, which, against his plans, Hughes’s funk influences soon began to erode. With ever more funk seeping in, the moody man in black somehow gritted his teeth for his last studio dance with the Mark III lineup, which ended the moment the dose of a genre unwelcome to his ears became too much.
Line-up
David Coverdale – vocals
Ritchie Blackmore – guitar
Glenn Hughes – vocals, bass guitar
Jon Lord – keyboards
Ian Paice – drums
Production
Deep Purple
Track list
1. Burn (6:00)
2. Might Just Take Your Life (4:36)
3. Lay Down, Stay Down (4:15)
4. Sail Away (5:48)
5. You Fool No One (4:47)
6. What’s Goin’ On Here (4:55)
7. Mistreated (7:25)
8. “A” 200 (3:51)
