Deep Purple fans, rejoice: the band has a new album up for release today (July 19th), the scantily titled “=1”. A special edition will also be available, containing the “Access All Areas” documentary. Filmed in 2023, it starts addressing Steve Morse’s departure due to personal circumstances, life on the road, and the joy and boost brought by Steve’s replacement Simon McBride, and serves also as a tribute to their road crew, which works hard for a show as complex as Purple’s to occur without major hiccups every night.
I’ll be honest: when the cover and name of this album were revealed, that did not excite the long-time Purple fan that I am in the slightest. Granted, they’ve had mixed results in the visuals department: “Whoosh!”, “Abandon” and “Infinite” had great covers, while “Now What !?”, “Bananas” and “Purpendicular” were attempts at being artsy that didn’t quite work. The concept of “=1”, from the cover to the name, seems to cater to the thumbnail generation – fans that ignore CDs and albums and go straight to streaming platforms. A sign of the times I guess, but in an age where bands are fighting for attention, that doesn’t scream “listen to me” like it maybe should.
Before we get into the sonic aspects of “=1”, here’s an update of what happened with Deep Purple since the release of their last studio album of original material, 2020’s “Whoosh!”: during the pandemic the band recorded a collection of cover songs from their own homes, creating an eclectic and celebratory history of their roots in music, in the shape of “Turning To Crime”. As mentioned before, 2022 brought the sad news of Steve Morse’s departure due to personal circumstances, but Deep Purple sought out the masterful skills of guitarist Simon McBride and carried on without missing a beat. And here we are in 2024 with the impending release of “=1”, an album that represents yet another reset for a band that is no stranger to lineup changes.
Bob Ezrin continues to take the production helm, and much like he did since the beginning of his involvement with the band in 2013’s “Now What?!”, the jolt of energy he managed to add to the group is palpable. That can be felt right off the bat, with the first song “Show Me” kicking in and immediately covering new ground. Gillan’s voice on the verses takes almost a rap form, before veering into a more traditional territory on the chorus. For the solo section, the keyboard and guitar unison gives comfort that Simon is the right man to take Morse’s job.

The tight riffs and solos of “A Bit On the Side” and “Sharp Shooter” showcase the chemistry between Roger Glover, Ian Paice, Simon McBride, and Don Airey, as the instrumentalists in the band sound incredibly connected and interlocked. The change from Morse’s Ernie Ball Music Man to Simon’s PRS seems to have stimulated the veterans in the group to change things up a bit.
Next on the album is the first single, “Portable Door”, which is a cross between their classic “Pictures of Home” and “Time for Bedlam”, from “Infinite”. Short, sweet, and straight to the point, this is Purple honoring their roots while looking ahead. “Old Fangled Thing” is the typical storytelling type of song, in which Gillan revels and shines.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t say there are some rough spots on this album. “If I Were You”, the first of two ballads in this release, might be honest and well-played but doesn’t add much to their pantheon of songs. Similarly, “I’m Saying Nothin’” stays true to its name and seems to simply fill up space.
On a more positive note, “Pictures of You” speeds things up, with a rocking vibe, a pop feel, and echoes of the ambiance of “Whoosh” towards the end. “Lazy Sod”, the third single, is a modern-day “Strange Kind of Woman”, mixed with a distant cousin of the main riff of Fastway’s “Say What You Will”. “Now You’re Talkin’” is another uplifting song with echoes of prog and an incredible solo section where Simon showcases all his influences: it starts with a Chuck Berry twang, moves on to Eddie Van Halen-like licks and ends on a Satriani vibe. “No Money to Burn” is more cadenced, with funky riffs sprinkled throughout and that gorgeous Hammond organ sound brought by Don Airey alternating with spacious sounds like the one we heard on “Vincent Price” from “Now What !?”.
The album ends on two of its high points, with the soulful “I’ll Catch You” and the ultimate curveball – “Bleeding Obvious”, where Purple takes the heavy route, even sounding like Iron Maiden in a few spots. It’s hard to say how much Simon influenced the result of “=1” without knowing how the writing sessions went. But one thing is for sure: he did the perfect landing in the band with this album. His style has elements of Richie Blackmore, Tommy Bolin, and Steve Morse, and his music vocabulary is certainly vast.
Deep Purple remains one of the hardest-working bands in the business and will continue to employ this remarkable work ethic until they finally decide to hang in the towel. If this is the lineup they chose to end their lustrous career with, their legacy is in very good hands.
Released By: earMusic
Release Date: July 19th, 2024
Genre: Hard Rock
Musicians:
- Ian Gillan / Vocals
- Roger Glover / Bass
- Simon McBride / Guitars
- Ian Paice / Drums
- Don Airey / Keyboards
“=1” Track List:
1. Show Me
2. A Bit On The Side
3. Sharp Shooter
4. Portable Door
5. Old-Fangled Thing
6. If I Were You
7. Pictures Of You
8. I’m Saying Nothin’
9. Lazy Sod
10. Now You’re Talkin’
11. No Money To Burn
12. I’ll Catch You
13. Bleeding Obvious
Order “=1” HERE
Deep Purple’s well of songs seems to have no end, even after 23 studio albums and almost six decades in the business. Unfazed by lineup changes or any other hardships, they continue to release solid and unbelievably expansive material. Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of its name: “=1” is a high point in the later stage of Purple’s career
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Songwriting
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Musicianship
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Originality
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Production