Slaves and Masters (Bonus Track Version)

This is excellent. I believe it’s criminally underrated. Joe Lynn Turner fits in nicely here.

Who though Joe Lynn Turner in Deep Purple was a good idea? Answer is nobody. Like having Brian Johnson as lead singer in Bon Jovi.

Slaves and Masters isn't Deep Purple's worst album but it's also not one of their best. Joe Lynn Turner was well suited for Rainbow but not so much for Deep Purple. Song wise, this isn't a bad record, just a very commercial sounding one, not too far removed from the last Rainbow. It's a terrific sounding album and a much more unified album than it's troubled predecessor. Favorite songs include King Of Dreams, the shuffle Fire in the Basement and Breakfast in Bed. Blackmore loves this album. Isn't that nice?

This lineup was not a good idea. The only good song on this album is King Of Dreams.

Just kidding...kinda..."Slaves and Masters" features 4/5ths of the best version of Deep Purple paired with the outstanding vocals of former Rainbow singer Joe Lynn Turner...the tunes are melodic and catchy and while the playing is a bit more sleek than a typical Purple record, it sounds more inspired than the Purple releases that came immediately before or after this quirky little gem. Blackmore's playing, always a highlight of any work that he is involved in, is especially fiery here and his tone is absolutely killer on this recording. While the lyrics are of a workman-like consistency, it is Turner's stellar vocals that make this a credible listen...and yes, it does indeed sound like a great Rainbow LP.

Don't let my review title fool you. This is a great Deep Purple album that features three Rainbow members. Ritchie Blackmore, Roger Glover and Joe Lynn Turner join forces with Jon Lord and Ian Paice to make a great and commercially oriented classic. All the classic Purple elements with a touch of Rainbow. Joe Lynn Turner sings very, very good on this offering. The suggested cuts are King Of Dreams, The Cut Runs Deep, Fire In The Basement, Breakfast In Bed, Love Conquers All, and Too Much Is Not Enough. An album that features at least six songs as singles must be good, but don't take my word for it. Buy it...Joe Lynn Turner refers to this album as the last great Deep Purple record. Care to find out?