Description
A year after the innovative remake of You Keep Me Hanging On, Englands answer to Vanilla Fudge, was this early version of Deep Purple, which featured vocalist Rod Evans, and bassist Nick Simper, along with mainstays Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord, and Ian Paice. This, their second album, followed on the heels of Hush, a dynamic arrangement of a Joe South tune, far removed from the flavor of one of his own hits, Walk a Mile in My Shoes. Four months later, this albums cover of Neil Diamonds Top 25, 1967 gem Kentucky Woman, went Top 40 for Deep Purple. Also like Vanilla Fudge, the groups own originals were creative, thought-provoking, but not nearly as interesting as their take on cover tunes. Vanilla Fudge did Eleanor Rigby, and Deep Purple respond by going inside We Can Work It Out it falls out of nowhere after the progressive rock jam Exposition, Ritchie Blackmores leads zipping in between Rod Evans smooth and precise vocals. As Vanilla Fudge was progressively leaning more towards psychedelia, here Deep Purple are the opposite. The boys claim to be inspired by the Bard of King Arthurs court in Camelot, Taliesyn. John Vernon Lord, under the art direction of Les Weisbrich, paints a superb wonderland on the album jacket, equal to the madness of Hieronymous Boschs cover painting used for the third album. Originals The Shield and Anthem make early Syd Barrett Pink Floyd appear punk in comparison. Novel sounds are aided by Lords dominating keyboards, a signature of this group.
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