Shades Of – DEEP PURPLE***

And The Address/Hush/One More Rainy Day/Prelude:Happiness/I’m So Glad/Mandrake Root/Help/Love Help Me/Hey Joe

Debut album from legendary British heavy rock band Deep Purple. Shades Of includes the US No. 4 hit single Hush. It would be another two years before the band found there true metier. (US:24)

"It's not a bad record, but there isn't anything all that noteworthy about Shades Of Deep Purple. Even the highlights are fairly sterile and dull. Deep Purple mainstays Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord and Ian Paice are all here."

"Shades Of isn't In Rock. That is not a swipe in the least, only a warning to those who are looking for the more metal and improvisational side of the band. What the initial album consists of is terrific material and well-blended rock with Ritchie Blackmore already way ahead of the curve and only to get better."

"Here on their debut, DP are very much a psychedelic prog band, with more Hammond organ than blistering guitar. It's still hard enough, with the occasional great solo, and has some of Ian Paice's best drumming, particularly on the groovy Mandrake Root. Other rockers like Prelude: Happiness, Hush and Help show off some of the band's talents, which would be further cultivated with future releases. So while this may not be a hard rock masterpiece, it's an enjoyable slice of heavy prog that deserves to be heard."

"With Shades Of Deep Purple, the band hadn't yet discovered their classic sound that they would produce in the 1970s but they certainly show signs of it, with great promise. The album, by its general nature is pretty psychedelic, with plenty of extravagant keyboard dubs - but its very listenable. The band achieved very limited success in the UK with this work, but had a hit with Hush from the album and certainly had a good reception in the US."

"A bit more bluesy than later works but a decent debut. Hush is a very good song, and Mandrake Root is deliciously psychedelic."

"This isn't very good and it's not the Deep Purple that came out with In Rock. Maybe three somewhat decent songs and the rest are a boring overload."