Finally the time has come, or Covid 19 made it happen for DEEP PURPLE to release a covers album. The band from their early days never was afraid of covering songs from other artists . "Hush" their first hit was a cover version by Joe South, but Covid 19 and touring abstinence gave them the time to go through the catalogue of influences and pick some not so obvious choice to interpret them. Well musically nobody could have the slightest doubt that 2021 DEEP PURPLE wouldn't make it. Steve Morse and Don Airey are in great shape and help the utmost as most of the songs are from the 50s, 60s. For the same reason Ian Gillan doesn't have to stretch his voice. On the contrary he looks like he enjoys the band choices to cover, as rock n roll is all around, one of his favorite genres (Gillan and the Javelins). As for the rhythms section they are steadier than Gibraltar rock and have a groove that suits more to men with one third of their age, working like a Swiss clock with African heartbeat.
Now regarding the songs they pick to cover , Huey "Piano" Smith's "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu, Little Feat "Dixie Chicken," Louis Jordan's "Let the Good Times Roll," Bob Dylan "Watching the River Flow" ,Jimmy Driftwood's "The Battle of New Orleans" are among the not so expected ones to cover, although Ian Gillan loves 50s music, Dylan would be a hard guess. Love's "7 and 7 Is" , `` Yardbird's "Shapes of Things,"Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels' "Jenny Take a Ride!", and CREAM's "White Room" are more obvious choices. It is the closing "Caught in the Act," where parts of of five '60s favorites - JJeff Beck Group"Going Down," Booker T. & the MG's' "Green Onions," Allman Brothers "Hot 'Lanta," Led Zeppelins "Dazed and Confused" and Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin'" -in a big, smokey, organ driven, guitar loaded mostly instrumental present the powerhouse that DEEP PURPLE of today are and makes a tour de force among the survivors of their generation.
A covers album maybe, a one to be proud of definetely.
7,5
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