This is not a
Deep Purple album: it's a compilation of the singles released in the mid-to-late-'60s by
Episode Six (
Ian Gillan and
Roger Glover's pre-
Purple band). Six previously unreleased songs, and solo singles by two members, are also included. For
Purple fans, it's interesting for
Glover's early compositions (including a hot-rod parody song called "Mighty Morris Ten") and to hear
Gillan, in a style very different from his well-known one, sing
the Beatles' "Here There and Everywhere." "Mr. Universe," a late single, is the only track that really sounds close to
Purple, with its air of menace, distorted guitar fills, and screams of "Ow!" from
Gillan (and a title that
Gillan later used for a solo album). For '60s fans, there's some above average period material here, from a beaty version of
Willie Dixon's "My Babe" to the later psychedelic-influenced "I Can See Through You."
Sheila Carter's orchestrated solo single ("I Will Warm Your Heart"/"Incense") is surprisingly good, but some of the poppier material is less interesting. A wide variety of covers are included, from
the Tokens ("I Hear Trumpets Blow") to
the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band ("I Won't Hurt You") to
Mozart ("Mozart vs. the Rest," which copies
Love Sculpture's "Sabre Dance" idea of supercharging a classical theme). ~ Stephen Raiteri, All Music Guide
