This effort from David Coverdale's mob may seem like a certainty for the 'most unnecessary album of the year’ award, but his decision to rework some Deep Purple classics has actually resulted in an enjoyable hard rock record that, although not perfect, is nowhere near the travesty it could have been.
The seeds for this offering were sown when Deep Purple founder Jon Lord passed away in 2012, resulting in a reconciliation between Coverdale and Ritchie Blackmore and the prospect of the pair working together again.
That project didn't materialise, but Coverdale has still paid tribute to the band that made his name with the outfit that made him a superstar, mining material from his tenure fronting Purple’s Mark 3 and 4 line-ups, who treated us to 'Burn', 'Stormbringer' and 'Come Taste The Band' in the mid-’70s.
Let's be clear, these new versions aren't a patch on the originals. There's no shame in that. After all, they were written and performed by some of the greatest musicians of all time and, although rock-based, incorporated elements of jazz, soul, funk and prog with captivating virtuosity and a style built around Lord's organ duels with a single guitarist.
In contrast, Whitesnake possess a two guitar attack and a more straightforward heavy blues-rock dynamic. As such, the nuanced, spacious and subtle textures that weaved together in Deep Purple have been replaced by the muscular hard rock heft that powered the last two 'snake records.
'The Purple Album' also marks the debut of guitarist Joel Hoekstra and together with Reb Beach the pair provide scintillating fretwork that, while lacking Blackmore's dramatic neo-classical genius, delivers some wonderful moments.
Burn kicks things off in typically thrilling fashion and includes a new section that incorporates the kind of exotic scales Blackmore adores, while the task of covering Glenn Hughes' vocal parts – fans may be unhappy he doesn't appear, but this is a Whitesnake record not a Deep Purple reunion - is completed admirably.
Love Child, meanwhile, ditches the funk of the Tommy Bolin Mk 4 era to bust balls with its pounding sexuality, and You Fool No One and The Gypsy are equally impressive. The former is a stunning reworking that replaces jazzy percussive sparkle with all-action military grooves and an epic finale that recalls Still Of The Night. The latter is stirringly cinematic, with swirling atmospherics and a harder backbone to its colossal riff.
They don't always hit the mark, though, and sometimes the lack of subtlety tells. Lay Down Stay Down is a lumpen workout without Lord's boogie and Stormbringer is horribly over-produced and undone by some awful vocal effects. In recent years, Coverdale has delivered a mixed bag live, so revisiting material he sung at his peak is a risk. He does a decent job here – save a horrendous high note at the end of prowling powerhouse Mistreated - and shines on the slower numbers.
Sail Away loses Purple's electro-organ pulse to become a melancholy acoustic jewel, and a spine tingling Soldier Of Fortune is steeped in reflection. “I feel I'm growing older and all the songs I've sung echo in the distance,” highlights Coverdale's bittersweet realisation that his exceptional career is coming to a close and encapsulates the reason for this release.
The weight of history inevitably casts a long shadow here, but imagine Deep Purple had never existed and this is a brand new Whitesnake album, and you'll appreciate the record for what it is: a superb collection of inventively crafted rock songs being honoured by a cracking band playing with all their heart.
Whitesnake Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Sun December 06 2015 - DUBLIN 3Arena
Mon December 07 2015 - BELFAST Odyssey Arena
Wed December 09 2015 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Metro Radio Arena
Thu December 10 2015 - GLASGOW Capital FM Arena
Sat December 12 2015 - BIRMINGHAM Genting Arena
Sun December 13 2015 - NOTTINGHAM Capital FM Arena
Tue December 15 2015 - MANCHESTER Arena
Wed December 16 2015 - CARDIFF Motorpoint Arena
Fri December 18 2015 - LONDON SSE Arena Wembley
Sat December 19 2015 - SHEFFIELD Motorpoint Arena
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