You get them every so often – an album released by a classic band whose career spans 50 years where you listen to it front to back and think ‘that wouldn’t look out of place with their best work… Did those dinosaurs really make an album that good!?’ It’s a pleasant surprise! Just look at Styx’s ‘The Mission’ in 2017 or The Monkees’ ‘Good Times’ in 2016 both those albums showcased that they recaptured the mojo that we didn’t even think still existed. Deep Purple’s ‘Whoosh’ has emulated that and given us the most entertaining album of the year. If they can do it, why can’t other classic bands? Did no one wake them up and inform the members that hibernating season is over? Wake up and give us another gem in your catalogue not something that’s so unbearably average you pity it!
I know I keep saying it but Deep Purple’s ‘Whoosh’ is exceptional. Everything from the songwriting to the production is slick (well played Bob Ezrin) and it explodes boisterousness; it genuinely sounds like the band were enjoying making the record. Whilst at the same time they don’t go on a cringe induced late career crisis and desperately try to sound youthful again. That’s what makes it fun. They’re not trying to reinvent themselves, they’re just doing what they’ve always done but have made it sound refreshing. Most of all…. IT’S STILL DEEP PURPLE! There’s screeching keyboards interacting with the ferocious guitar, the funky bass, blaring drums and Ian Gillan’s iconic voice leading the troupe. How can you get more Deep Purple than that?
Yet, most classic bands can’t seem to grasp that. I don’t know whether it’s because they’ve released every possible sound or they lack motivation so just write a song with “baybay!!” at the end of every verse and then throw the album at the fans just to appease them. Either way, the quality has been dropping rapidly for the majority of classic rock bands over recent years. Kiss’ ‘Monster’ had about as much roar or bite as a hamster, remind me to visit the ‘dimension’ from Aerosmith’s ‘Music From Another Dimension’ if I ever have insomnia and it pains me to say it but Alice Cooper’s ‘Paranormal’ with Bob Ezrin on production was too normal and anything but bizarre (sorry Alice!)
The point I’m trying to make is most classic bands new material either sounds like they forgot their meds so they’re barely awake in the studio or they’ve just awoken from the stone age and begin using every computerized effect in existence. There’s no balance. It’s either one or the other. In the latter example, I’m not saying you cannot evolve if you’re a classic band (actually that’s encouraged) just try to be more subtle about it rather than dropping a nuclear bomb of auto-tune on your fans.
The songwriting from these bands too. Geez. This is a direct quote from the chorus of a track on Kiss’ last album from the song ‘Wall Of Sound:’
“And it all comes down
To the wall of sound
Yeah, and it all comes down”
We all know Kiss are infamous for dumb fun lyrics but that just looks so unmotivated it’s depressing. A five year old could’ve constructed that. This is coming from the same band that wrote ‘100,000 Years’!? What a joke. What makes Deep Purple’s songwriting so interesting is it’s ridiculous but they’re self aware and make it work to their favor. In fact they go out their way to make it superlative and you smile along with them. It’s done naturally not forced and it’s refreshing.
This leads onto my final point; have some fun for fucks sake. Most of the albums these older bands release sounds like it’s a chore to them. You’d think someone had a gun to their head. There’s no enthusiasm. Steven Tyler on Aerosmith’s last album just sounded like he was daydreaming about doing cocaine in the 70’s and monotonously singing off a piece of paper. No layers of production on that album could sugarcoat that. Ian Gillan on the other hand sounds like he’s putting in maximum effort with his vocals. He’s actually emphasizing words and giving fans the best vocal performance from him in some time. The energy also translates with the rest of the band too and there’s a brilliant chemistry.
Anyways, to sum this up. Classic bands need to step up. If Deep Purple can do it in their 70’s with enough albums to fill a shed, there’s no excuse for other artists. Give the fans what they want: A passionate album with the classic elements fueled with excitement. Is it really that hard?
Earie Entertainment 