Abandon

Abandon is a record on which Deep Purple powerfully sounds its long-cultivated hard-rock idiom through heavy organ, bluesy guitar and supple rhythm. As the second album with the new lineup welcoming Steve Morse, it pushes the fresh sense gained on the previous Purpendicular further. Each member’s outstanding skill stands out, but at the center is the unified groove the whole band creates. Hard, sturdy riffs and improvisational, free space coexist naturally throughout, giving the songs a raw heat. Rather than relying on flashy speed or large-scale tricks, the very deftness of mature players responding to one another in the same room is the highlight. A cool, powerful ensemble based on blues rock runs throughout. The dialogue between Morse’s fluid guitar and Jon Lord’s weighty organ, before Don Airey’s arrival, is full of an appeal particular to this period. Letting you carefully savor the strength and depth of the playing itself in the manner of mature Deep Purple, it is an engaging hard-rock record where a veteran’s ease and sure playing coexist.