Burn

Description

After the peaks of 1972 with "Machine Head" and "Made In Japan", the release of "Who Do We Think We Are" was a disappointment. All the more so since the simmering battle of egos claimed two victims with the departures of the charismatic singer Ian Gillan and the talented bassist/arranger Roger Glover. The newcomers, David Coverdale on vocals and Glenn Hugues on bass, both from Trapeze, were chosen so as not to overshadow Ritchie Blackmore too much and, incidentally, Jon Lord. David Coverdale’s contribution to Burn is nevertheless far from lacking in interest; his voice, radically different from Ian Gillan’s, more bluesy and less close to Robert Plant’s register, gives a different color to the band’s new compositions and helps it regenerate. "Burn" is indeed a very good album, opening with six minutes of madness on the title track, which has the urgency and excess of the band’s best songs; the whole thing is heavier than usual, and it is certainly Deep Purple’s most Blackmore-esque album, where his former admiration for the Yardbirds and other Faces clearly shines through. "Mistreated" quickly becomes one of the band’s new showpieces: Blackmore’s plaintive guitar gives a striking echo to David Coverdale’s howls, and he is immediately embraced by fans for this performance worthy of "Child in Time". "Burn" keeps Deep Purple at the top, but Jon Lord’s fading into the background in favor of Ritchie Blackmore does not bode well for what follows, the balance between the two leaders being essential to the band’s own balance.