Ritchie saved his best Deep Purple performances for last
K. Lewis | OZ | 02/18/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The last gigs with Ritchie Blackmore before he left to form Rainbow. This is the most high energy playing in Ritchies career, possibly because he was not happy with the lineup at the time and had one foot out the door. He leaves us an incredible album to be forever remembered in time.
1. Burn - Paicey is even faster and better than the studio version
2. Mistreated (Interpolating Rock Me Baby)- Coverdales signature number
3. Lady Double Dealer - Get outta my way!
4. You Fool No One - Drum/Key solo good song and some difficult drum time signatures
5. Stormbringer - prelude to Rainbow, Ritchies next project.
"
Roll me like a roulette wheel...
Mark H. | Hanson, MA USA | 05/24/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"`Made in Europe' is generally considered the ugly stepsister of the twin live albums that Purple released in their heyday of the early to mid `70's. It is notable for a couple of reasons; Ritchie Blackmore's last recordings with the band before he left to form Rainbow and the last official release (not counting compilations) until the Mach II reunion in 1984. In April 1976, the band was as presently constituted was dead (unfortunately in Tommy Bolin's case, not metaphorically) so `Europe' was seen as a last gasp final product though it featured Blackmore not Bolin. On its own merits, it is a fine live record, no not the absolute monster that `Made in Japan' was but that was unrealistic to expect since that album was released at the band's peak, both commercially and artistically. As if consciously trying not compete with the earlier lp, `Europe' only features Mach III songs, but they are the essentials led by classic metal barnstormer "Burn" (with Coverdale's almost whispered `rock and roll' intro). "Stormbringer", "Lady Double Dealer", "Mistreated" and "You Fool No One" (featuring outstanding solos from both Ritchie and Ian Paice) round out the set with "Mistreated" also including BB King's "Rock Me Baby" before the climatic finish. Not a lot of Glenn Hughes singing except for his duet with David on "Fool No One" but that may have been by design. Not an essential album of `70's heavy rock but definitely worth your while if you are a fan of the Coverdale/Hughes era Deep Purple."