«Whoosh!»: concentrated Deep Purple

Le Regard Libre N° 67 - Max Moeschler

Fifty-two years into their prolific career, and in the context of such an eventful year, it's hard to take up the challenge of a twenty-first studio album. But the legendary rockers of Deep Purple have done it with their latest album opus, entitled Whoosh!.

The first thing to notice, even before you start listening to the British combo's latest work: Whoosh! is a rather long album with thirteen tracks, but made up of relatively short titles. Most of them barely exceed four minutes. Not that fans of the first hour, there's an immediate desire to move away from the band's historical roots, which were all about long tracks. If this trend had already begun with previous albums, there's no doubt that the band has no intention of turning back. 

We enter the heart of the matter with the surprising Throw My Bones, whose riff funky and the catchy chorus are instant hits. Ian Gillan's vocals are immediately apparent, as is the powerful, polished production by Bob Ezrin, a renowned producer and arranger who has worked with Kiss, Aerosmith, Pink Floyd and Alice Cooper, among others. The album continues with Drop The Weapon, which quickly returns to more traditional sounds. bluesy before taking the listener on a more pop-influenced journey with We're All The Same In The Dark and its unifying choirs.

The excellent and atmospheric Nothing At All takes us into the realms of progressive rock with its sumptuous instrumental flights, featuring organ and guitar. The very neoclassical Step By Step brings us back to a more «blackmorian» style, and the album unfolds an impressive variety of influences, such as the excellent What The What with its rockabilly edge (a style that suits Ian Gillan's voice perfectly!). And let's not forget the last track, the intriguing instrumental Man Alive, A narrative that was already present on the last album, Infinite.

Although relatively long, there's nothing dull about the album, and it's easy to listen to in one go, as the band juggles musical styles with ease, all the while retaining their characteristic style. This is due in no small part to the genius of guitarist Steve Morse, who for many years now has been putting his distinctive style at the service of a band with a rich guitar history. Deep Purple has thus succeeded in pulling out all the stops with this latest release, in which the band has managed to blend its various influences while still sounding... Deep Purple! For although the songs are shorter, the same varied patterns and woeful solos are present, only more concentrated.

Read also: Deep Purple, the Montreux legend

Without reaching the creative heights of yesteryear or reinventing the wheel, the hard-rock dinosaurs deliver with Whoosh! an inspired album that still exudes passion and the pleasure of playing. And in the end, isn't that the most important thing?

Write to the author: max.moeschler@leregardlibre.com

Deep Purple
Wooosh!
earMUSIC
2020
13 titles

COmmander