DEEP PURPLE/WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE? TPSA 7508 (-73) UK

After the massive success with Machine Head followed by excessive touring the band had little energy left and according to a later interview with Ian Gillian all members suffered from illness and fatigue. Nevertheless they were pushed by the label to get in to the studio without well needed rest or much preparations. As the story goes the state they were in caused turmoil within the band, members refused to communicate and many of the parts were recorded individually. With that in mind it's a quite good result though lacking some of the magic that grew from the cooperative making "In Rock", "Fireball" and "Machine Head". More uneven, but all over excellently performed with at least a couple of classic cuts. In my world "Woman From Tokyo" and "Rat Rat Blue" are killers, way up with their earlier stuff. The rest a mix of r&b, gospel and pop sound a little uninspired and even if some of the long solos shows on considerable skill you get the impression of fillers rather than heartfelt compositions. Not my favorite from the MK II setting, but not all bad and to my taste better than any later Deep Purple studio album. Issued and reissued on all possible medias all over the world through the years. Premiere UK had label as shown here with "THE GRAMOPHONE CO LTD" top left, laminated fold/out cover and lyric insert. (DHÄ*) (HÄVL*)