Deep Purple - Who Do We Think We Are

Digitally remastered reissue featuring 7 bonus tracks, 'Woman From Tokyo' ('99 remix & Alt. Bridge), 'Painted Horse' (Studio Outtake), 'Our Lady' ('99 remix), 'Rat Bat Blue' (Writing session & '99 remix) & 'First Day Jam' (Instrumental). 2002. Album Description

3 1/2 stars - not as good as the ones that went before

This album is a weird one - after the triple-punch of In Rock, Fireball, and Machine Head (all classic masterpieces of the first wave of heavy metal), this one is a little limp. Part of it seems to be that Jon Lord isn't using the heavy Hammond-through-a-Marshall sound he pioneered on the previous three, but the songs and band in general don't gell as much. The hit single "Woman From Tokyo" is likeable, but a bit poppy and cheesy for the band, and not nearly as classic as (say) "Strange Kind of Woman". There's some decent, hard-rocking songs on this album (the middle 4 songs), but none of them are really as memorable as the stuff on their 3 previous albums - which are filled beginning to end with classics. So, not a bad album, but it just doesn't compare with their best. May 10, 2008

deep stuff

An underrated gem. It's better than Machine Head because the best songs from that album were better on Made in Japan, which is now considered the ultimate live album.

With this album, we don't have any of that fuzzy/muddy sound quality that made Machine Head a hard listen. We instead have crystal clear sound with a good punch and great guitar playing.

The songwriting is slightly better as well. "Woman from Tokyo" has a mellow section in the middle that brings me to tears with its Moody Blues-like vocals, and "Rat Bat Blue" rocks the house down with a speedy, catchy guitar riff. "Our Lady" is a hauntingly beautiful ballad that finishes off the album (which was an odd move to end the album on that note). "Place in Line" is an alright attempt to recreate "Lazy" with the bluesy vocals and keyboard solo. The rest of the album is just good enough to listen to, but not get super excited over. April 30, 2008

An average DP album with two great songs

The second (Mark II) line-up of DP is a cornerstone of hard-rock. The album Who Do We Think We Are was issued after the great 3 albums: In Rock (1970), Fireball (1971) and Machine Head (1972). These were truly essential. Thus, one expected much in 1973. Sadly, it is to be heard that the band, suffering from personal misunderstandings, could not concentrate much on music and on the studio work and overall was quite short of new ideas. Considering the previous albums, WDYTWA has brought virtually nothing new. The innovative attitudes seen on the previous ones were completely forgotten. Of course, the band was formed by then by 5 excellent musicians so that the result - the WDYTWA album - is not bad. It contains 2 outstanding pieces, i.e. Woman from Tokyo and Rat Bat Blue. These 2 compositions raise my evaluation of the album to above average. Also track 2 used to be quite popular at that time (I guess lot of the fun was the biting slogan How did you lose your virginity, Mary Long). However, this album means a steep decline in the career of Mark II DP. The bonus tracks are not very interesting - the alternative versions of the 2 great songs are not any better that the original versions, and the on the original WDYTWA unissued songs are also at best only average. The only advantage of this remaster (compared to the original CD issue) is the booklet. It shows several rare pictures of the band from Italy (where they recorded WDYTWA), the text is a well-written perspective of DP in 1973, although it does not bring too much in-depths additional information for DP fans. January 1, 2008

This Rhino reissue is a must have for Deep Purple fans

THE BAND: Ian Gillan (vocals, harmonica), Ritchie Blackmore (guitars), Roger Glover (bass), Jon Lord (piano, organ, keyboards), Ian Paice (drums & percussion).

THE DISC: (1973) Originally 7 songs clocking in at approximately 34 minutes. This digitally remastered 2002 release contains 7 bonus tracks making the total listen just over 72 minutes. Included with the disc is a 24-page booklet containing song titles/credits/times (no song lyrics), numerous band photos, and 16 pages of band insight from the time of this recording (circa 1972-73) from writer Simon Robinson and bassist Roger Glover. All songs written by Deep Purple. Recorded by the Rolling Stones Mobile unit in Rome and Frankfurt, between July and October 1972. Originally on the EMI / Warner Bros Records label. This reissue is on Rhino / Warner Bros.

COMMENTS: For me, this album was bitter sweet. Deep Purple is/was one of my all-time favorite rock bands... ever. This would be the last time during those magical 1970's that the best line-up DP had would record together. Deep Purple was riding high from "Machine Head" and their best live recording "Made In Japan" (both released in 1972). They were easily the top selling rock act of 1973. Yet, the band was in complete turmoil. Among the factors - Blackmore and Gillan (in a power struggle) were not speaking to each other; pressure to record a worthy follow-up to "Machine Head" was proving to be a difficult task; on the road constantly - five U.S. tours in one year (as well as Europe and Japan); and Blackmore getting sick and the band having to make up cancelled tour dates. As the liner notes read - the album was "musically abrasive and lyrically bitter". Three months after the release of "Who Do We Think We Are", Gillan and Glover resigned... and the album never really saw the light of day on the road in concert. The album garnered one bonafied hit, "Woman From Tokyo". Here, you get the primary version as well as a '99 remix lasting almost 50 seconds longer than the original. On the remix version, Gillan's vocals are slightly different in spots, as is Blackmore's guitar solo. The other '99 remixes are cool as well, "Rat Bat Blue" and "Our Lady" - both deserving tracks. "Who Do We Think We Are" had several classic deep album cuts, including "Mary Long", the spacey "Super Trooper", the fast paced "Smooth Dancer", and the band's other favorite tune from the album "Rat Bat Blue". Only "Our Lady" seems oddly out of place here - a nice ballad concentrating more on the melody and lyrics (and no Blackmore or Lord solos). Gems from the vault - the song "Painted Horse" was a studio outtake - Gillan wanted it here on the album, but it was ultimately scrapped by Blackmore - simply a great tune... cool melody, smooth vocals, Gillan's harmonica fits nicely with Blackmore's rhythm guitar. And, "First Day Jam" is exactly what it says it is... eleven minutes of DP doing what they did best (the highlight being Jon Lord's keyboard playing). "Who Do We Think We Are" might not be a 5-star album based on the music alone (like "Machine Head" or "Burn" might be), but the remastered sound, the amazing bonus tracks, and the extensive liner notes all together make this Rhino reissue a must have Deep Purple disc (5 stars).
December 20, 2007

Turmoil & Talent

By the Time this recorded was being Recorded, This Great Band was coming apart at the seems. With Ritchie Blackmore & Ian Gillan not on speaking terms, Roger Glover, about to be shown the Door and Jon Lord & Ian Paice trapped right in the center of all of this, Tensions ran high as Deep Purple was imploding from it's very center.

It was the Biggest Year of the Bands History {1972} and Machine Head was their most popular Record. "Smoke On The Water" was riding high World-Wide as the Biggest Single of the Group. Now it was July, and Deep Purple were in the Recording Studio once more, this time in Rome to begin working on the follow-up to: "Machine Head". Tired from way too much Touring, Ritchie had begun voicing negative opinions about Ian Gillan's vocal Performance. After almost a month in Rome, only Two Tracks stood completed: "Painted Horse" and "Woman from Tokyo". It was the Begining of the End for this Version of The Purple Monster.

After the famous Shows in Tokyo and Osaka in August 72, Ian Gillan, stated in a letter to Deep Purple's Management of his intentions to quit the Band. After a Long Tour of The UK in September, the following month, the Band flew to Frankfurt to complete the Recording of the New Album. For a Group, under this much strain, the results should have been dire and depressing, instead for Some of us, this would be the Finest Studio release by Purple Mk.2.

"Woman From Tokyo", captures the Spirit of the August 1972 Japan Shows in Fine Fashion {And it all must have been a Vision, because it was recorded BEFORE those Shows!}."Mary Long", is Straight-Up Rock and transfered well to the Deep Purple Concert Stage. "Smooth Dancer", is famous because of Ian's Lyric references to Ritchie that just begin to describe the tensions between the two of them.

Side Two for me was the Prize as it contained my Two favorite Purple Tracks: "Rat Bat Blue" & "Place In Line". The First is one of DP's best firery Rockers and the fine Blues of: "Place In Line" is a keeper with Ian's Gruff Vocals....Both are Under-Regarded Classics.

For the Bonus Cut's, some Remixes are offered: "Rat Bat Blue","Woman from Tokyo","Our Lady". "Painted Horse" is now here where it belongs at last. "First Day Jam" features, Jon Lord, and this is just about as loose as these Guys have ever been on Record.

Now you can purchase this Gem, Re-Mastered and Expanded {72 Minutes}. The best one just got a Whole Lot Better...FOUR STARS !!!
December 16, 2007

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