Search - Deep Purple :: Machine Head (Dlx)

HOLY PURPLE

Danno | 10/18/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Here's a band that care so much for their fans. The remastered album sounds REALLY good, and the remixes are the best gift for Purple fans, featuring alternate solos and the complete recordings, without the fade out effect at the end of the song. Keeping the spirit of the 70's, with the sound cleaned up with cutting edge technology, the way that every 60's and 70's albums should be re-released. Besides the sound quality, the musical quality is over the top, the quality necessary to become a real classic and influent record. The interaction between Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore, the solid rhythm section of Glover and Paice, and the power lungs of Gillan are all combined in an all time favorite. If you want to start with Deep Purple, be sure to start with this one, not the regular CD release, but this 2 CD package, either the UK or the US version."

One Great Albums redone in an even greater way!

Richard D. Cappetto | Moodus, CT United States | 03/04/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Deep Purple Machine Head is an absolutely fabulous album containing the smash hit Deep Purple songs, Smoke On The Water, Highway Star, Lazy, and Space Trukin.' This is a must have album for any hard rock fan and now its even better as a remastered CD. Disk One is the whole album remastered with 24 bit technology Smoke On The Water, Highway Star, Lazy, and Space Trukin, Maybe I'm A Leo, Never Before and Pictures of Home along (songs out of order in my review) Three bonus tracks; When A Blind Man Cry's (a B side), Maybe I'm A Leo and Lazy both Quadraphonic mixes. Disk 2 is all the original songs Smoke On The Water, Highway Star, Lazy, and Space Trukin, Maybe I'm A Leo, Never Before and Pictures of Home from machine head and the B side When A Blind Mans Cry's all remixed with different emphasis, for instance there are different Guitar and keyboard parts on many of the songs; Disk 2 is very very cool. The booklet is informative as well. Cool Pictures and a nice slip case for the Jewell case."

One of the best just got a little better!

C. Clark | United States | 06/30/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I can say very little about this album which has not already been said. Deep Purple's Machine Head is one of the finest albums ever produced in the hard rock/classic rock/heavy metal genres. It cemented Deep Purple's popularity around the world (their first major US success in addition to an expected hit in Europe and Japan) and remains the disc to which all their other titles are compared and judged. All their absolute biggest hits--"Smoke on the Water," "Space Truckin'," "Lazy," and the indestructable "Highway Star," are found herein, plus some of the finest solos ever produced by Ritchie Blackmore.Chances are, Gentle Reader, you know this already. So why purchase this new edition? Because it sounds ten times better than the original CD. Although the album was recorded in December 1971 (in the lobby of an abandoned hotel), it could have been recorded on DAT two weeks ago, so well do all the instruments stand out and meld together. From the opening chords of "Highway Star," it is clear that this is a far superior Machine Head, capable of allowing even the most jaded listener an opportunity to hear everything again "for the first time." What little studio banter remains is included, plus alternate guitar solos for "Smoke on the Water" (actually a tad more laconic than the one we all know and love) and "Maybe I'm A Leo" (more aggressive). "When A Blindman Cries," one of Purple's most exquisite ballads by any lineup, also appears at the end for posterity, having been relegated to b-side status back in 1972.Some purists will not like some of the remixing done on this edition. I direct these nay-sayers to the second disc, which is simply the album REMASTERED, not remixed. This CD is superior enough to the Warner Bros late '80s reissue to warrant the extra money spent. There are also a few quadrophonic mixes tacked to the end of Disc 2 as a gratis (take it or leave it).If all this is not enough, the sleeve notes are some of Simon Robinson's finest, even if he writes purple (forgive the pun) prose at times. Clearly in love with his subject matter (as am I!), one never ceases to learn something new from his liner notes. Bassist Roger Glover is also kind enough to write down everything he can possibly remember about the events surrounding the making of the album.Machine Head is a classic for the ages, and this expanded edition will achieve the status of holy bible for all fans of Deep Purple."