Way before Whitesnake rocked our world with hit songs like Slide It In, Is This Love and Here I Go Again, lead singer David Coverdale started his musical journey fronting Deep Purple. Coverdale would only record three studio albums with Deep Purple; (Burn, Stormbringer & Come Taste the Band), but those three albums left an undeniable impact among rock fans from all around the world. Now, some forty years later, Coverdale and Whitesnake, bring back that feeling with Whitesnake: The Purple Album. The album is made up of 13 or 15 songs depending on which version you get your hands on.

The Purple Album, arose from the ashes after a failed attempt at a Deep Purple reunion in 2012 by former keyboardist, John Lord, before he unfortunately died of pancreatic cancer. Coverdale tried to honor Jon Lord’s request by reaching out to founding member / guitarist of Deep Purple, Ritchie Blackmore. Unfortunately, the two could not agree on either a Purple reunion or a Blackmore/ Coverdale project.

Because of all this work of trying to get some sort of reunion off the ground, Coverdale kept listening to the music he created with his Purple bandmates. He seemed to rediscover his love for it and although he was disappointed that all avenues failed in getting this project off the ground, it was his wife Cindy’s suggestion that he release the music under the Whitesnake banner that really allowed him to honor his former bandmates. The rest they say, is history. The Purple Album is Coverdales’ “thank you” to Deep Purple.

Usually I don’t like anybody tampering with the classics, but being a long time Whitesnake/Deep Purple fan, I couldn’t pass this up. All I can say, is that The Purple Album is played with a lot of enthusiasm, passion and respect for the material it covers. Coverdale and CO manage to walk a fine line between their Purple beginnings by “Snaking” up the sound for the modern listener; all the while not competing with the original recordings.

With all that’s said and done; once you do hear these new interpretations, you can’t help but compare them to the originals. The intensions behind The Purple Album seem sincere, but still, every once in a while, I keep thinking; why mess with the originals.

All in all, The Purple Album, is a fine addition to your Whitesnake or Deep Purple collection.

The tracklisting for The Purple Album is: 1) Burn 2) You Fool No One (interpolating Itchy Fingers) 3) Love Child 4) Sail Away 5) The Gypsy 6) Lady Double Dealer 7) Mistreated 8) Holy Man 9) Might Just Take Your Life 10) You Keep On Moving 11) Soldier Of Fortune12) Lay Down Stay Down 13) Stormbringer

Deluxe Edition Bonus Tracks 14) Lady Luck 15) Comin’ Home