The departure of vocalist Ian Gillan and Bassist Roger Glover seemed to
rejuvenate Deep Purple, and 1973's Burn was a huge improvement over their previous effort, the lackluster Who Do We
Think We Are. In an interesting twist, new recruits David Coverdale and ex-Trapeze Bassist Glenn Hughes share lead
vocals on virtually every track ? an enviable tag team, as both possessed exceptional pipes. The title track starts
things off at full speed thanks to the phenomenal drumming of Ian Paice, and the intro to "Might Just Take Your Life"
is one of organist Jon Lord's finest moments. Full of starts and stops, "Lay Down, Stay Down" features a fantastic
solo from guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, who, as usual, serves as the band's primal force. "What's Going On Here" is
about as good a single as Purple ever wrote; "You Fool No One" is compelling in its intensity; and the funky "Sail Away"
is a sign of the band's future direction. |