Deep Purple's '=1' - Album Review

When a veteran band, particularly one which started in the 1960s, releases a new album the thought often crosses my mind whether or not it could end up being their last. Whilst I did not make this point at the time, I had since sometimes wondered if 2020's Whoosh! (which I reviewed here) was going to see Deep Purple gracefully bow out. The album ended with an updated version of And the Address, the opening track on 1968's Shades of Deep Purple, meaning that, in the studio at least, Deep Purple had come full circle. Given the strength of the album, too, and the two which preceded it, it would have been fitting to close out on a de facto trilogy which produced some of the band's best work for a very long time. I, of course, wanted more - but one needs to be realistic, as it only takes someone's health to take a turn or for someone to retire for everything to come to a screeching halt. Deep Purple did release a covers album, Turning to Crime, in 2021, but I do not think that anyone, including the band, see that as an 'official' album and the true follow up to Whoosh!. I have not heard it although I am aware of its general reputation - but given that it was a lockdown project for the band it is hard to get too upset about its existence. 2022 saw a major change in the band, though, with guitarist Steve Morse stepping away after 28 years to care for his wife - who has since sadly died from cancer. Given all of the line-up changes which have taken place during Deep Purple's history - it really seemed as if the last iteration of the band (Mark VIII) would be the final one. Mark VIII had been together since 2002, when keyboardist Don Airey replaced Jon Lord, and was the band's longest ever iteration - staying together for 20 years. Comparatively, not many bands are even active for 20 years, so this was an achievement in itself - but I did wonder if Morse leaving would be the catalyst for the end of Deep Purple. This was not to be the case, though, and in came Simon McBride (Sweet Savage; Snakecharmer) - a Northern Irish blues-based player who was known to both frontman Ian Gillan and Airey due to McBride having played with their respective solo bands live over the years. Despite his stints in a couple of bands, McBride is likely more known as a solo artist - and he has produced a number of bluesy solo albums over the years. He is someone I had been aware of for a while, so I had no doubts that he would fit nicely in Deep Purple - but his inclusion seems to have gone much smoother than expected. The reviews of his live performances have been universally great and he seems to have excited some who had become a bit jaded with Deep Purple. The next test would be in the studio, though, and, four years on from Whoosh!, Mark IX of the band has got underway proper with the release of =1 - the band's twenty-second album of original material. Strange title and bland artwork aside, =1 continues on the excellent work of the band's last three albums. Producer Bob Ezrin returns, who seems to be a key part of this modern Deep Purple sound, whilst McBride instantly makes his presence known with some excellent riffs and solos. Airey has essentially been the driving force in the band recently, and that largely remains the case on =1, but this latest album does feel a bit riffier than the recent previous efforts - with McBride and Airey striking up a good relationship which allows the band's three classic-era members to shine.

There are plenty of strains carried over from the previous albums, though, and this very much remains a modern Deep Purple album in terms of quirk, the overall shuffling groove present, and Gillan's odd-ball lyrics and vocal ticks. There is certainly plenty to enjoy here for fans of Whoosh! and similar; and the album kicks off with Show Me - which is a pretty good representation of what else is to come here. The song opens with some choppy guitar rhythms, interspersed with short, spidery leads, before Gillan starts to sing and the band settle into a strong grooving verse - with Airey's Hammond organ the driving force and the ever-reliable drumming of Ian Paice keeping time. The rhythm section of Paice and bassist Roger Glover often shine on this album, as they have done regularly of late, given how groove-focused it is. The bass really rumbles along nicely here, despite the Hammond stabs driving the verses, before big guitar chords and some simple harmony vocals bulk out the slightly heavier chorus. The first of many instrumental sections on this album is also found here, with Airey utilising a synth for some buzzing and fast-paced leads - which McBride trades off with for a while, before the pair team up for some lightning-fast runs. The song is a great way to kick off the album and showcase the band's modern core sound again - and it leads nicely into A Bit on the Side. A Bit on the Side feels a bit more expansive early on, with some cinematic guitar chords kicking things off, but generally this is another pretty shuffling rocker. It is much more guitar-led than the previous track, though, with Airey's keyboards taking on a lesser role. McBride and Glover chug along nicely during the verses, giving Gillan's voice a potent bed to rest on, whilst the chorus here is similar to the previous one - with subtle vocal harmonies and ringing guitar chords. Despite pulling back somewhat, Airey still gets to show off later in the track with another synth solo - which leads into a bit of a battle between his organ and Paice's drums. There are lots of twist and turns on this album, and this little drum break is a welcome one, but McBride's later guitar solo is much more expected - and he really stretches out here showing off a mix of speeds and styles. Upping the heaviness again, Sharp Shooter feels a bit of an old-school classic rocker - with a lumbering guitar riff driving everything, which is augmented nicely by the organ. This mix of an overdriven guitar and a Hammond organ has been a staple of British classic rock since the 1960s and the combination never fails to excite. McBride's riffing here varies from weighty to snappy, which gives the song a dynamic feel, whilst Gillan puts a bit more into his delivery due to the heavier vibe - and he sounds potent as a result. The chorus is hooky thanks to his potency and the aforementioned riff backing the vocals - whilst a later keyboard solo is busy and full of old-school progressive rock excitement. Those who may be unsure about checking out something new from Deep Purple should give Sharp Shooter a go as it certainly ticks a lot of those old-school boxes.

Portable Door is similar and it is another track which really harks back to the band's classic 1970s heyday - with the sheen of 1984's Perfect Strangers. The song opens with a hooky guitar lead, which is not something commonly done on the album. McBride's guitar playing here certainly channels the spirit of Ritchie Blackmore at times, in a way that it generally does not elsewhere. This song feels like a deliberate tribute to the band's past, though, so the opening lead is fitting - as is his later solo which feels more neo-classical than anything else here. Airey also lays down a roaring organ solo in the song, too, moving away from the synth leads which have dominated his solos up to this point. Everything feels retro, but in the best possible way - with the verses once again driven by some pulsing organ and the choruses drenched in lashings of the stuff. Screaming guitar accents and tough underlying riffing give the song weight - and it is another track for the sceptics to sample. Old-Fangled Thing picks up the pace. It has an urgency to it which differs from many of the more mid-paced tracks found here - with a bit of a blues-based rock and roll feel which taps into McBride's background and also some of those rock and roll covers the band used to play live. McBride throws in plenty of snappy, bluesy licks here - whilst Glover's walking bassline is right out of the 1960s. Rumbling organ keeps the song grounded in the Deep Purple cannon, though, with a venomous, rhythmic vocal-led section later on particularly benefitting from the Hammond as the song takes a heavier turn into a guitar solo. If I Were You slows the pace down following the snappier previous track - opening with some lyrical guitar leads against a string backing. It is the album's first ballad, not something which Deep Purple write regularly, but the slower piece is a welcome addition to the album - and it retains much of the core sound, though, with plenty of organ during the verses and a chorus which is a bit weightier thanks to McBride's guitar. Gillan also turns in a more varied vocal performance, too. I like how he has adapted his style to suit his aging voice, but he is rather one-note these days. He makes it work, but the more varied approach taken here is also welcome - and he injects plenty of emotion into the song even if his voice does creak under the pressure. McBride also enhances the mood further with an excellent solo, which certainly builds on his history as a bluesman. It is full of bluesy phrases and emotion - giving the song a real focal point at the same time. Pictures of You returns to some more akin to the album's core sound and the mid-paced rocker feels pretty bright thanks to McBride's power chord riffing and the halo given to it by the organ. Following a couple of different-sounding songs, though, this more traditional-sounding piece hits the spot - with one of the album's hookiest choruses showcasing Gillan's knack for a decent melody and the overall dominance of Airey on the band's sound. The organ is ever-present, despite the guitar riffing, and the Hammond is possibly the element which defines Deep Purple's sound more than anything else.

I'm Saying Nothin' segues from the previous song in a manner which is not too common for Deep Purple - with the track building on the previous one somewhat whilst taking the sound in a heavier direction. The overall pace is similar, with the song being a strutting mid-paced rocker, but the sound feels much denser overall - with the Hammond filling every gap, whilst the guitar and bass tones used are much gruffer. Glover in particular shines here. His bass is pretty high in the mix during this song and the heavier verses are given their potent edge thanks to his precise playing. The track is not as hooky as some of the others here from a vocal melody perspective, although Gillan still does his thing as only he can, but the track instead shines due to the riffier feel and the creeping Hammond which dominates. There is also another great instrumental section here which features guitar and keyboard solos being traded. McBride has some strange effects on his guitar during these solos, too, which gives them an extra edge - whilst the power of the organ needs no such thing as it rumbles through the speakers. Lazy Sod ups the pace again somewhat and the song is another which really harks back to the band's heyday. I could imagine it sitting nicely on the underappreciated and somewhat left-field Who Do We Think We Are from 1973 thanks to the bluesy riffing from McBride and the ever-present organ. It also helps that there is another hooky chorus here which really sticks in the brain. It was one of the songs to be released as a single before the album was released and I liked it from the off. It is full of all of the band's usual quirky vibes whilst injecting plenty of their old-school weight back into the sound. They sound fired up here despite the shuffling groove with Gillan in particular making the most of the rhythms to weave his lyrical melodies. There is plenty more soloing, too, with a screaming guitar solo followed by an expansive and busy keyboard solo again harking back to the 1970s. This is another song where occasional hints of Blackmore can be found in McBride's playing - which is fitting given the old-school vibe conjured up. Now You're Talkin' retains an upbeat feel, with the song upping the pace again somewhat - mixing that rock and roll feel hinted at earlier with a classic Deep Purple Hammond-led sound. Airey very channels the late Lord during the verses here, with his Hammond sound a dead-ringer for some of Lord's best work, whilst an excellent neo-classical guitar and keyboard melody utilised later in the song is very much a throwback to Blackmore and Lord. McBride and Airey have already become the perfect duo on this album, perhaps more so than with Morse previously, as this melodic break showcases - whilst Gillan seems to really come alive during this track thanks to its upbeat vibe. He even tries a bit of a scream at one point, with mixed results, but he is clearly feeling fired up - which is great to see.

No Money to Burn returns to a more mid-paced sound and after the busier couple of previous songs the more spacious arrangement here is welcome. Paice's drumming seems to drive this track, his potent and slightly jazzy playing keeping everything ticking, whilst a hypnotic guitar and keyboard riff provides the main backing for the verses. The verses feel a little stop-start, though, but this just allows the drumming to shine. Each rotation of the riff is punctuated by some of Paice's excellent drumming and this helps the overall arrangement to feel a bit different - and give Gillan a varied backdrop to sing against. The song lacks a big chorus, but it does not feel like a track that would benefit from one really - as this is one which is more about grooves and riffs. It feels heavy as a result, then, which is only expanded upon when Airey launches into his solo which feels much more gothic than usual - using some string-drenched effects to lay down some Keith Emerson-esque melodies. I'll Catch You slows things down again and acts as another ballad - with it opening in a similar manner to If I Were You earlier in the album. McBride uses some bluesy leads to open the song up with Paice laying down a simple beat behind him - but once Gillan starts to sing Airey takes over with some piano melodies. Piano is not commonly heard in Deep Purple, but it works nicely during the verses here - before the organ returns to back Gillan's emotional chorus delivery. Like the previous ballad, too, there is another strong vocal performance from Gillan here. He varies up his delivery again somewhat to create that emotional feel - and the plentiful keyboard textures from Airey also help with this. McBride delivers another strong guitar solo, too, but it is busier this time - moving away from the more emotional feel of the previous ballad to something faster paced. The album then comes to a close with Bleeding Obvious, which is a bit longer than is typical here. It is not exactly an epic, but it does feel a bit more stretched out than many of the songs here - which are generally pretty snappy and contained. The busy guitar and keyboard opening sets the tone, with McBride and Airey laying down some impressive runs and phrases, but generally the track is another pretty typical mid-paced rocker with a strong groove. It does not change the script that much, then, but it does feel that there is a bit more room for each idea to breathe - with extended soloing also included. Both McBride and Airey get extended solo spots, which is welcome, but the song does take a bit of a twist towards the end - with a piano and string led poppy section showcasing some whimsical Gillan vocals and counterpoint bass melodies. This vibe is short lived, though, with a potent riff soon kicking back in to allow the band to rock out on a groove again - which the band essentially ride out on as the album comes to a close. Given how much I have enjoyed the band's other recent releases, I expected to enjoy =1. I think that it is fair to say, though, that it exceeded expectations as each song here is memorable - especially after a few listens. It took a few spins for everything to sink in but with Deep Purple that is nothing new - and McBride has done wonders for his band. I liked Morse in Deep Purple, but McBride already feels at home - and I hope there is more to come from Mark IX.

The album was released on 19th July 2024 via earMusic. Below is the band's promotional video for Portable Door.