Original article: ultimateclassicrock.com/deep-purple-albums-ranked-worst-to-best/
22. BANANAS (2003)
What they say:
"Everything about Deep Purple’s 17th studio album was just wrong. With the recent retirement of founding organist Jon Lord still a raw wound (and despite the venerable Don Airey stepping in as his replacement), the band seemed to be sleepwalking through the motions, almost parodying a parody of themselves. The careless choice of title and album cover art only seemed to reinforce this perception."
What I say:
I genuinely have no idea how they came to the conclusion that Bananas is the worst Deep Purple album. To each their own and all that... but really?! I'll admit that this one is my least favourite Steve Morse-era record (and I do agree that the album cover sucks); I don't appreciate the ballad 'Haunted' with it's Ian Gillan/Beth Hart duet, and the lengthy blues jam 'Walk On' reminds me too much of Eric Clapton - not necessarily a bad thing, it just doesn't work for me. But with great songs like 'House of Pain', 'Sun Goes Down', 'Silver Tongue' and the title track, I still like this album a fair amount. A solid effort. Far from their worst indeed!
21. THE BATTLE RAGES ON... (1993)
What they say:
"The result of a somewhat mandated reconciliation with Ian Gillan after the poorly received “Deep Rainbow” experiment of 'Slaves and Masters,' 'The Battle Rages On...' holds the distinction of being Deep Purple’s unhappiest album. Yes, sporadic flashes of inspiration emerged in the unironic title cut and the sweeping “Anya,” but by all accounts, in most every other respect this was a miserable experience for both the band and their fans."
What I say:
Definitely one of the band's weaker Mk. II efforts, sure, and I agree that the title track is a classic, as is 'Anya' (although I don't think I actually gave 'Anya' much credit in my review...). But calling the rest of this record "a miserable experience for both the band and their fans" is a huge overstatement. Yeah, 'Time to Kill' is uninspired, but you've also got 'Lick It Up', 'Ramshackle Man' and 'A Twist in the Tail' - all fun songs. A decent album, if slightly underwhelming given the lineup.
20. SLAVES AND MASTERS (1990)
What they say:
"You can’t really blame singer Joe Lynn Turner for rising to the bait cast by his former Rainbow boss Ritchie Blackmore and agreeing to join Deep Purple for 1990’s 'Slaves and Masters.' But the almost-universal groans that met this alliance were enough to drown out the solid, if unspectacular and suspiciously AOR-driven songs conjured up for this much-maligned LP. How could it possibly last?"
What I say:
The 'actual' worst Purple album, in my opinion of course. However, I do mostly agree with UCR's comments. The music isn't terrible, but it does draw too many 80's Rainbow comparisons due to Joe Lynn Turner's presence, and I really don't enjoy 'Love Conquers All'. However, the majority of the music on here is okay for the most part. 'King of Dreams' is particularly brilliant, and Joe sings really well - but by the time this thing arrived, I think most fans were done with the band given it's poor sales. And did anyone really want another new vocalist in the band at this point? So yeah - it's my least favourite, but the fanboy in me can still get some enjoyment out of it.
19. DEEP PURPLE (1969)
What they say:
"Deep Purple’s first lineup (a.k.a. Mk. I) was seriously running out of steam on this eponymous third album. You can hear them grasping for direction amid the Summer of Love’s denouement, the as-yet unspecified concept of art rock, and the still-unclear rise of heavy metal. Hence the Donovan cover, “Lalena,” and only mildly compelling originals like “Why Didn’t Rosemary” and “This Bird Has Flown.”"
What I say:
Oh fuck off. This is by and large the best of the three Mk. I albums. It's a brilliant, brilliant record. From the psychedelic ditty 'Chasing Shadows', the baroque-esque pop of 'Blind' and the hard rocker 'The Painter,' to the classically-arranged progressive rock of 'April', this album is Jon Lord's most creative studio output before Ritchie Blackmore took the band in a much heavier direction with the Mk. II lineup in 1970.
18. CONCERTO FOR GROUP AND ORCHESTRA (1969)
What they say:
"This musical summit between rock band and symphony orchestra is clearly the wild card in Deep Purple’s career discography, but that does nothing to diminish its fascinating accomplishments. The experiment, led by the classically trained Jon Lord, wasn’t entirely successful or it wouldn’t have been a one-off. But it was certainly important enough to generate welcome press for the transitioning Deep Purple ahead of their heavy-rock rebirth."
What I say:
I don't really know why they included this one, but whatever. It's a great, original concept - orchestral rock, but some segments of it's movements can be patchy at times. It doesn't help that aside from Lord, the rest of the band weren't really into it (Ian Gillan wrote his lyrics at the last minute), but on the whole this experiment worked. I just never really classified it as a true Deep Purple album, since it was more of a one-off project. Plus, it's a live album.
17. RAPTURE OF THE DEEP (2005)
What they say:
'"Rapture of the Deep' lacked bowl-you-over songwriting depth, but after the perplexing, embarrassing 'Bananas,' it proved that Deep Purple was still a band that took themselves seriously. “Money Talks” carried itself with all due gravitas, while the bittersweet “Clearly Quite Absurd” was anything but, and “Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye” raged against the dying of the light."
What I say:
Yeah... I mean I think this is very good - nearly a great record. But UCR are forgetting the brilliance of the title track, which showcases Don Airey's brilliance as the man behind the organ. Also, 'Wrong Man', 'Junkyard Blues' and the bonus limited edition song 'MTV' are added highlights next to their recommendations of 'Money Talks', 'Clearly Quite Absurd' and 'Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye'.
16. INFINITE (2017)
What they say:
"'Infinite' illustrated that the comeback success of 2013's 'Now What?!' was no fluke, reassembling the same team (right down to producer Bob Ezrin, who'd basically become a member of the band) to achieve similar, if slightly less consistent successes. "Time for Bedlam," in particular, recalled their glory years."
What I say:
Dunno what they mean when they claim that 'Time for Bedlam' recalls their glory years. By 'glory years' I assume they mean the Mk. II era in the early 70's. As for 'Time for Bedlam', well, the Bob Ezrin-produced Purple albums (Now What?! (2013), Infinite (2017) and Whoosh! (2020)) all feature a very distinctive and frankly superb sound that actually separates them from the majority of the rest of their records, meaning 'Time for Bedlam' sounds like current-day Deep Purple. And that's no bad thing because this era is spectacular, and Infinite is a superb record. Far better than the number sixteen slot they've given it. I do agree that this one is slightly less consistent than Now What?! however.
15. SHADES OF DEEP PURPLE (1968)
What they say:
"Its hard to see the overnight success of Deep Purple’s first LP, 'Shades of...' as anything but a fluke, just like its undeniably catchy but hardly life-changing smash hit cover of Joe South’s 'Hush.' However, the formidable instrumental prowess and budding songwriting of Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord, et al was already evident in standout moments like the grooving “And Her Name Was” and the aggressive instrumental “Mandrake Root.”"
"Though it lacked the consistent rewards of 1995’s bounce-back 'Purpendicular,' 1998’s 'Abandon' helped prove that Deep Purple’s second, post-Blackmore incarnation was here to stay. And proof was such standout tunes as the spelling-challenged “Any Fule Kno Dat,” moody “Seventh Heaven,” melancholy “Fingers to the Bone,” and very fiery “Evil Louie,” where the band’s pleasure in each other’s company was made evident by their tight performance."
What I say:
'Mandrake Root' is not an instrumental - in fact, the only instrumental on here is 'And the Address'. 'And Her Name Was' isn't even a real song title! Sadly I can't name and shame the dumbass author because UCR don't seem to reveal their writers. I do agree that 'Hush', 'Mandrake Root' as well as 'AND THE ADDRESS' are all great songs, as is 'Prelude: Happiness, I'm So Glad'. Putting this debut at number fifteen seems fair too.
14. ABANDON (1998)
What they say:
What I say:
Yeah, Purpendicular was stronger overall - I can't disagree with that. In fact, they got this one right overall in it's description. I like it a lot though; it's probably the heaviest thing recorded by any Deep Purple lineup, and I'd also like to add that the bluesy 'Don't Make Me Happy', the insanely catchy groove-rocker 'Almost Human' and the re-recorded 'Bloodsucker' (dubbed 'Bludsucker' in this instance) are all awesome too. Roger Glover nailed the production this time as well - Abandon is the chunkiest, beefiest Purple album in my opinion. Whatever that means.
13. NOW WHAT?! (2013)
What they say:
"Deep Purple had no way of knowing how their fans would receive the group’s first studio release in eight years, and first since Jon Lord’s sad death from cancer. But that close brush with mortality and the extended time off apparently lit a creative fire: Their 20th LP featured an eclectic song set that rarely amazed, but even more rarely disappointed."
What I say:
I fucking love this record. Not only is it my favourite of the Steve Morse guitar albums, it's also one of my favourite Deep Purple records in general. UCR are right in saying that the songs don't disappoint, but they're also wrong in saying that they rarely amaze. The Jon Lord-dedicated ballads 'Above and Beyond' and 'Uncommon Man', combined with other tracks such as the energetic 'Hell to Pay', the unconventional heavy rock of 'Weirdistan', the metallic hammer horror-inspired 'Vincent Price' and the jazz fusion of 'Blood from a Stone' certainly continue to amaze me.
12. THE HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHT (1987)
What they say:
"Probably Deep Purple’s most polarizing album (so it stands to reason that we find it here, halfway up and down the list), 'The House of Blue Light' tried to mask the rot already setting into the reformed classic fivesome as best it could. The result was two vinyl sides with quite different creative agendas: the first aimed at fitting in with '80s mainstream rock expectations (“Bad Attitude,” “Call of the Wild”); the second given to greater freedom (“The Spanish Archer,” “Mitzi Dupree”). But neither was entirely satisfying."
What I say:
Nope, sorry - I can't agree with them on this one. The House of Blue Light is definitely one of the weakest Deep Purple albums, especially after the outstanding comeback record that was Perfect Strangers in 1984. And how exactly is it "probably their most polarising album"? I don't think I've ever seen it anywhere near the top of anyone's list. Don't get me wrong, this album isn't 'bad' as such, just a rather significant let down after it's predecessor. The songs can be solid ('Bad Attitude', 'The Spanish Archer' and 'Black & White' come to mind), but the production is far too glossy for it's own good and takes away from the raw power of the band. Meh.
11. THE BOOK OF TALIESYN (1968)
What they say:
"Arguably the Mk. I formation’s finest hour, 'The Book of Taliesyn' saw the young group bending (“Listen, Learn, Read On,” “Shield”) but not exactly breaking (“Kentucky Woman,” the fearsome “Wring that Neck”) under the strain of psychedelia’s cultural onslaught. These days, Rod Evans’ histrionic voice simply doesn’t sound big enough for Deep Purple, but it would be shortsighted to ignore the considerable success enjoyed by the original quintet."
What I say:
*Sigh*. I find The Book of Taliesyn to be the worst of the original lineup's output by quite a large margin. It's not really a terrible record or anything like that, it's just an obvious step backwards after the promising debut, Shades of Deep Purple. The songs somehow manage to be less refined and memorable than what the debut had to offer, nor do they match the same creative brilliance that the 1969 self-titled record offered. I don't even agree with what they had to say about Rod Evans. I actually think he was the right man for the job during this period, despite the mediocrity of this album. 'Wring That Neck' is great though, I'll give 'em that. And I enjoy what they did with the Beatles cover, 'We Can Work It Out' too.
10. WHOOSH! (2020)
What they say:
"They came in with a gutsy motto: "Deep Purple is putting the 'Deep' back in 'Purple,'" and delivered. Rather than endlessly noodling, 'Whoosh!' got right to the pile-driving point. Only a pair of these throwback rockers go past five minutes, and most are less than four. That tight focus helped Deep Purple completely reclaim their towering legacy on this late-career gem. They then closed the circle by returning for a rumbling ride through "And the Address," from 1968's 'Shades of Deep Purple.'"
What I say:
To be fair, they're pretty much spot-on with this one. Whoosh! is great stuff - short(ish), but well-crafted songs add up to create a very consistent latter-period Purple record. 'Nothing At All' is phenomenal. 'Throw My Bones' is a fantastically catchy single. 'No Need to Shout' is a classy hard rocker. 'The Power of the Moon' is a moody, dark piece. And yes, the throwback to 'And the Address' is also great fun.
9. STORMBRINGER (1974)
What they say:
"Even with Blackmore already half-checked out, conspiring to launch his new musical venture Rainbow, the sheer talent of all those involved in 'Stormbringer' guaranteed an often spellbinding, if not always entirely consistent, listening experience. The bombastic title track, the funky “You Can’t Do It Right” and the uncharacteristic ballad, “Soldier of Fortune” were all top-notch in their own peculiar ways, but the rest of the songs suffered."
What I say:
Definitely a step down from 1973's Burn, but still a classic from the Mk. III version of the band nonetheless. This album is lacking in the hard rock department, with only the title track and 'Lady Double Dealer' really managing to rock me. The rest of the songs are really soulful, funk-tinged R&B numbers - but thankfully all very good ones. So I definitely disagree with the part where they claim "the rest of the songs suffered". Every track on here has something going for it. I especially enjoy 'Love Don't Mean a Thing', 'Hold On', 'Soldier of Fortune' and 'You Can't Do It Right' as well as the aforementioned title track and 'Lady Double Dealer'.
8. WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE (1973)
What they say:
"'Who Do We Think We Are' is, far and away, the weakest album cut by the vaunted Mk. II lineup, which, by 1973, was fraying under the pain of incessant touring and the fractured relationship between Gillan and Blackmore. Nevertheless, they still conjured up some magic with the perennial fan favorite “Woman From Tokyo,” the hypnotizing “Super Trouper,” and kinetic blues shuffle “Rat Bat Blue,” before taking a nap across much of the remaining tracks."
What I say:
While I agree that this was the worst album the Mk. II lineup put out during their original tenure, I still don't think there's any duff tracks to be found here. The one's they did mention are accurate descriptions, but 'Mary Long' is a catchy rocker, 'Smooth Dancer' is a kickass, energetic deep cut, 'Place in Line' is an enjoyable blues romp and 'Our Lady' is an almost gospel-tinged number that somehow works. Ranking this at number eight seems too generous, but I still enjoy every track on here.
7. PURPENDICULAR (1996)
What they say:
"After the unhappy debacle that was 'The Battle Rages On...,' most everyone left Deep Purple for dead, assuming it would take a minor miracle to resurrect the long-in-the-tooth ensemble again, not least without the once-again departed Blackmore. But a small miracle is what they got in the well-traveled Steve Morse, who helped the group deliver an undervalued gem in 'Purpendicular,' especially on stellar offerings like “Loosen My Strings” and “Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming.”"
What I say:
A fantastic first-outing for Steve Morse, one of the most underrated guitar players in rock. He revitalised the band on this record, which, although not my favourite of the Morse outings (Now What?! takes that place), I wouldn't argue with anyone if they said this was their favourite of the modern Purple records. 'Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming' is a masterpiece, one of their best ballads of all time. 'Vavoom: Ted the Mechanic' is stupidly good fun. 'The Aviator' is a stunning, acoustic-driven piece... absolutely no weak moments on Purpendicular then. So yeah, they're right about this one too.
6. PERFECT STRANGERS (1984)
What they say:
"Deep Purple’s long-anticipated comeback, following a nine-year hiatus, 'Perfect Strangers' was well worth the wait, simultaneously drawing upon the group’s signature sound while modernizing it for the '80s. And while those then-new production techniques have dated the album somewhat, nothing can dull the lasting power of the suitably emotional title track, the devious “Knocking at Your Back Door,” and lesser favorites like “Mean Streak” and “A Gypsy’s Kiss.”"
What I say:
Yep, they hit the nail on the head here. Perfect Strangers is one of the greatest comeback albums in rock history, and I totally agree that they modernised their signature sound with this record. But I'd also add that they were finetuning their craft - the songwriting is more predictable than those classics from the early 70's, but also more refined. And yes, the only real downside is the now-dated 80's production.
5. COME TASTE THE BAND (1975)
What they say:
Blackmore’s absence (he had recently departed to form Rainbow) caused many people, including Jon Lord, to dismiss 'Come Taste the Band' as something other than a "true" Deep Purple album. But that was before Steve Morse racked up more years of service with the band than Ritchie ever did. Still, the short-lived, Tommy Bolin-enhanced Mk. IV lineup snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with this imperfect, but oftentimes brilliant LP, including the exquisite “Owed to a ‘G’ / This Time Around.”
What I say:
Come Taste the Band is a legitimately great record alright, but putting it at number five seems like overkill to me. Top ten is fair for sure, but definitely not top five. I kinda respect their placement of it though, because this is an album that certainly deserves more attention. Tommy Bolin did somehow make the music work after Blackmore's departure. It still has a fair chunk of the funk/R&B influence that Stormbringer brought to the table, but Bolin's playing injects this formula with more welcoming energy. I agree that the Glenn Hughes-fronted 'This Time Around' is exquisite, and other standouts include the rock n' roller 'Comin' Home', the funk rockers 'Gettin' Tighter' and 'Dealer', the infectious 'I Need Love' and the heavy, driving 'Love Child'.
4. FIREBALL (1971)
What they say:
"'Fireball' is, in many respects, the most underrated and eclectic creation of the glorious Mk.II lineup. The opening title track was a bona fide scorcher, “Strange Kind of Woman” was a perfect single, the country-inflected “Anyone's Daughter” a career rarity -- and a hoot -- and “No One Came” an incredible ensemble piece, reflecting Deep Purple’s singular power in a live setting, but captured in the studio."
What I say:
The bridge between Deep Purple In Rock and Machine Head, Fireball is the weakest of the three - but only because those other two really are that good. The songs on Fireball are still absolutely awesome. The band experiment more here, what with the psychedelia moments on songs like 'Fools', 'No No No' and 'The Mule' (a throwback to the Mk. I days?), and the aforementioned 'Anyone's Daughter' which of course dabbles with country. It's what sets this record apart from both In Rock and Machine Head, and makes it a fantastic album in it's own right. Of course, you've still got the signature heaviness of the Mk. II lineup with the title track, 'Demon's Eye' and 'No One Came'. It all adds up to create something truly brilliant.
3. BURN (1972)
What they say:
"Deep Purple’s Mk. III lineup saw the band swapping Gillan and Roger Glover for David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes. Their first record, 'Burn' is quite simply a colossal album that gets better with every year that passes. Except for its forgettable instrumental closer, “‘A’ 200,” every song is an absolute monster in its own way, with the kinetic title cut, the irresistible “Might Just Take Your Life” and the massive burn-the-house-down blues catharsis of “Mistreated” as the particular standouts."
What I say:
I don't think I could put this above Fireball, but I won't argue with UCR's choice here either. There's very little to complain about regarding Burn, the first Mk. III album with David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes - and certainly one of the finest Deep Purple records. The music is still Deep Purple alright, but there's more groove and class this time around. The title track is a real scorcher, 'Lay Down, Stay Down' is an immensely fun rocker, 'You Fool No One' is irresistibly infectious and 'Mistreated' is the blues epic that both Blackmore and Coverdale held onto with Rainbow and Whitesnake - and for good reason.
2. MACHINE HEAD (1972)
What they say:
"'Machine Head' is Deep Purple’s most essential and influential album, hands down, what with timeless classics like the unbeatable show opener “Highway Star,” maybe the band’s best ever pure single in “Never Before,” the irrepressible “Space Truckin’,” and the mother of all riffs in “Smoke on the Water.” But it falls just short of being their best because remaining cuts “Pictures of Home” and “Lazy” fall just shy of spectacular and “Maybe I’m a Leo” is a flat-out disappointment. But it's still a must-own."
What I say:
One of the most iconic heavy rock albums of all time. Every song is legendary, and they can go fuck themselves for calling 'Maybe I'm a Leo' a flat-out disappointment!! Machine Head wouldn't be complete without it. It's nice to see them praise the often-overlooked 'Never Before' though. The rest of the songs need no introduction, and the production is perfect. A 10/10 record for me, interchangeable with the number one choice...
1. DEEP PURPLE IN ROCK (1970)
What they say:
"Just like Mount Rushmore, only with five, instead of four, legendary faces, 'In Rock' is Deep Purple’s most important album. Their wholesale reinvention as hard rock doyens and heavy metal godfathers, it saved the group’s career from its late ‘60s doldrums with an amazing set of songs, including blistering standards like “Speed King,” “Bloodsucker,” “Into the Fire," the driving “Flight of the Rat,” and the epic peaks and valleys of “Child in Time.” Giving it the nod over any one of Deep Purple’s four or five greatest albums is obviously subject to debate, but we feel it edges them all!"
What I say:
Depending on what day you ask, some days I'll stick Deep Purple In Rock above Machine Head and vice versa. The point is, both are top-tier Purple. Most people will universally agree that Black Sabbath's debut was the first true heavy metal album of all time, but I'd argue that In Rock - released just a few months later - is actually more 'metallic' and modern than what Sabbath were doing in 1970. There's no real blues influences; the music is pure, unfiltered, raw, intense heavy rock. It's genuinely exciting, and if it wasn't, well, Blackmore wouldn't have allowed it. As good as the Mk. I lineup could be, Ritchie certainly knew what he was doing when he fired Rod Evans and Nick Simper, and brought in Ian Gillan and Roger Glover. There's nothing I can say that hasn't already been said.
Here's my own ranking, for a comparison (excluding Concerto for Group and Orchestra because it shouldn't have been listed in the first place, and also missing Turning to Crime to avoid confusion):
21. Slaves and Masters (1990)
20. The Book of Taliesyn (1968)
19. The House of Blue Light (1987)
18. The Battle Rages On... (1993)
17. Shades of Deep Purple (1968)
16. Bananas (2003)
15. Rapture of the Deep (2005)
14. Abandon (1998)
13. Stormbringer (1974)
12. Come Taste the Band (1975)
11. Who Do We Think We Are (1973)
10. Infinite (2017)
9. Whoosh! (2020)
8. Purpendicular (1995)
7. Deep Purple (1969)
6. Perfect Strangers (1984)
5. Now What?! (2013)
4. Burn (1973)
3. Fireball (1971)
2. Machine Head (1972)
1. Deep Purple In Rock (1970)
Hmm. That list has made me realise that I now need to go back and re-review Come Taste the Band, Stormbringer and possibly Abandon...
