Consuming the Tangible

Think on this for a moment as you listen to Splat!, the 24th album from everyone’s favorite classic “learn this riff FIRST” band, Deep Purple: Ian Gillan and Roger Glover are 80 years old. Ian Paice and Don Airey are right behind them at 78. You can argue that the addition of the spry 47-year-old Simon McBride on guitar gave the band a shot in the arm, but c’mon…who else is this old, going this strong? Along with everything else I’ve come to expect from late-era Purple, there’s a new focus on streamlined, heavy songs. Nothing over five minutes, no ballads…this is a band intent on reminding you how potent rock and roll can be when done with the energy and enthusiasm of young men, but the experience of generations behind them.

One thing’s for sure: you can try to decipher Gillan’s concept behind the album, which has something to do with exploring “the end of humanity not in any crude apocalyptic sense but as a metamorphosis beyond physical existence.” Uh, okay. Someone will then need to explain to me how “Jessica’s Bra” fits into the overall concept. Meaning nothing has really changed with Gillan’s lyrics; if anything, they’ve gotten more esoteric and focused on creating interesting visual and aural sounds rather than anything profound.

At least that’s my first impression – clever, ribald? Sure. But I suspect few are really coming to Deep Purple for the verbal acrobatics, fun as they may be. They’re coming for the righteous, stately rock. And the band delivers right out of the gate with “Arrogant Boy,” which is determined to fit half a dozen ideas in just over three minutes. Bob Ezrin is back in the producer’s chair, and the sound is classic Ezrin: woven seamlessly together. That may or may not be your thing: I think it sounds fantastic and unique for the band, even as I kind of lament the separation and individuality of Glover’s bass.

But if you’ve clicked and listened to the video above, it becomes instantly obvious who the musical MVPs are here: Don Airey and Simon McBride. The back and forth they put on is incredible, and continues throughout Splat!, with special focus on the killer attack that opens “The Lunatic.” We’ve already seen Ritchie Blackmore replaced in the band by Tommy Bolin, Steve Morse, and now McBride, but I think Jon Lord was the harder replacement. I can’t imagine anyone other than Airey in the role, and he brings some real aggression to the songs, left over from his great solo album from last year.

Airey’s presence is all over the place, from the exotic scales that outline the melody of “Sacred Land” to the delicate piano etude that opens “Guilt Trippin’,” which at 4:52 counts as the epic of the album. It’s also where you can really hear Glover and Paice come to the front of the song. That rhythm accentuation continues on “Scriblin’ Gib’rish,” a song title I’m glad to never need to write again, and helps keep a rather monotonous final few tracks from being forgettable.

Final thought as I return for another spin: I have no idea why this is called Splat! It’s practically asking to fall on its face. The fact that it doesn’t, and seriously rocks, is a relief. If this is how Deep Purple go out, they’re doing it on their terms. Fingers crossed I can see them on their next tour.