Rapture of the Deep

Rapture of the Deep is a record on which Steve Morse’s fluid guitar, Don Airey’s rich keyboards and Ian Gillan’s mature singing intertwine extremely naturally. As the second album with the new lineup after Don Airey’s arrival, it further deepens the response gained on the previous Bananas. Bluesy riffs and expansive keyboards give the songs a grown-up ease and sure weight. From the groove of the opener “Money Talks” and the aggression of “Wrong Man” to the drama of the title track “Rapture of the Deep,” with its Eastern air, and the grandeur of “Before Time Began,” every song is richly flavored, while a cut like “Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye” conveys the band’s maturity. Songs that let you listen carefully, without chasing flash, line up. Rather than relying on flashy speed or large-scale tricks, a sound that values above all the raw unity of a band playing in the same room stays long in the ear. The deep, calm deftness of playing particular to veterans fills the whole. Fully conveying the underlying strength of present-day Deep Purple and its mature appeal, it is a richly flavored, fulfilling record.