SPLAT! marks the 24th studio release from Deep Purple since the band formed in 1968. This is the second release featuring their newest member Simon McBride, the 8th lineup that Deep Purple has taken to the studio.
Simon’s influence and energy were immediately present on their 2024 release = 1. Simon, who wasn’t even born when Deep Purples began their 8 year hiatus in 1976, brings a level of technicality and musicianship to the band well beyond his years and is easily the equal of his veteran bandmates. This addition to the band must have been galvanizing for the group as we see them release back-to-back albums a mere two years apart, something they haven’t done since 1996’s Purpendicular followed by 1998’s Abandon.
The concept of SPLAT! saw its genesis during the days when the band were working on the album Whoosh! and was even a Gillan pick for the name of the 2020 release. The concept is simple: humankind on a collision course with death (either collective or singular) like a bug encountering a windshield on the highway.
The album does not suffer from lack of marketing. It is presented as a limited box set featuring a CD, LPs, singles, and a booklet. There are also numerous variations including purple colored vinyl, translucent yellow vinyl, cassette, reel-to-reel, and for those of you with a bit of extra disposable income, a €19,995.00 SPLAT! branded reel-to-reel machine from high end audio company Revox.
For those of you that want to promote the new album when not listening there are t-shirts, jackets, enamel pins, enamel pins, vinyl slip mats, patches, and more available on their Splat! Store. While = 1 featured very sparing design in black and white SPLAT! shows off a rich color palette and lends itself a little better to merchandise and apparel.
The album itself was preceded by three singles showing off the look and feel of the album. The singles were then packaged together as an EP beginning with the most recent release “Guilt Trippin'” as the lead song and featuring two recent live version of the songs “Portable Door” and “Anya.”
1.) Arrogant Boy
The opening track for the album is also the lead single titled “Arrogant Boy.” The single wastes no time opening with a galloping riff by Simon and band. Lyrically the song is about “Billy” who is described in less-than-flattering terms by Gillan. While short for a Deep Purple song, something Bob Ezrin has pointed them toward, it wastes no time featuring solos, a musical flourish section reminiscent of Yes, and a half-tempo bridge with excellent vocals from Gillan.
2.) Diablo
Diablo is maybe the least assuming of the three released singles. It features a simple riff which reminds this listener of “I’m The Slime” by Frank Zappa. The most notable thing about this song is that it features playing by Keith Urban who contributes a solo along with Simon and Don. It may mark the first time a guest guitarist has laid down a solo on a Deep Purple tune. There have been a few guest musicians over the years, mostly more recently, but this may be the first solo. Overall if you aren’t aware of it you may miss it and it seems like an interesting use of Urban as a featured artist.
3.) The Rider
The song opens with a reverberated vintage synth sound reminiscent (to my ears) of a Buchla. After this it goes into chugging hard rock with plenty of creative fills from Ian Paice. The title of the song evoked a lone rider on a horse or perhaps a motorcycle which, to be honest, was not all that appealing to me. Once the vocals started it became evident that it was about the rather fussy conditions of a live performer. The song launches into one of Simon’s most melodic solos in the middle and hits a reprise of the synth intro before concluding.
4.) The Lunatic
This track starts off with the whole band playing a laid back groove. After a verse it quickly breaks into a 7/8 time change before returning to a melodic chorus with brilliant harmonized vocals by Gillan. A new riff is introduced as the song’s organ solo starts. Don lays out one of his most commanding and roaring solos of the album before playing a complicated unison run along with Simon and back to the chorus. As for who the lunatic is, the lyrics keep you guessing.
5.) The Only Horse in Town
Don plucks out a beautiful distorted organ passage before swelling drums, bass, and guitar join in. After the opening bit is played a few times through it morphs into an all too familiar modern Deep Purple progression to introduce the vocals. I have to say that the subject matter suggested by a song called “The Only Horse in Town” did not leave me anticipating this track. That being said the opening line to the second verse made me laugh out loud and I was converted by Gillan’s wacky lyrical sensibilities.
6.) Sacred Land
The opening of the song invokes the sound of a hurdy gurdy but is most likely a synth of some sort. The sound drones on through most of the song. The verse has a Celtic feel to it and mentions the Glen of Creag and Tuirc, a grassy knoll on a crag that is likely familiar to the many Scots listening but that this American had to look up. In this song we’re treated to the first synth solo that is reminiscent of what was peppered throughout = 1 followed by a Simon solo and a fill by Paice that is brilliant in its simplicity.
7.) The Beating of Wings
Unexpectedly this song reminds me of one of the many brilliant slow blues tunes by the great Robert Cray. What captivates me about Cray is his ability to fit many great blues tropes inside of songwriting that is atypical in that genre. Don plays some dirty electric piano to accompany the slow, guitar blues riff played by Simon. The chorus takes the song into a new melodic territory before going back into the verse with some great piano fills by Don and Hendrix-esque ad libs by Simon.
8.) Guilt Trippin’
Beginning with a tinkling Airey piano intro, Guilt Trippin’ was the third single released and the name given to the EP which came out ahead of the album. The song features a very frenzied vocal performance with Gillan. The verse has a staccato and fairly monotone delivery accompanied by a more distant screaming unison lower down in the mix. The piano solo seems a bit out of place even after multiple listens. While it’s obviously expertly played I can’t help but imagine how an organ solo would have done in its place. Of the videos released this one sticks close to the theme of the album complete with a fly that (spoilers!) goes SPLAT! at the very end.
9.) Scriblin’ Gib’rish
A classic swelling organ yields to a chugging guitar while transforming into a discordant synth in the background. It’s easy to be distracted by all of it while Gillan performs the verse with interesting word choices ending in an “ahh-oooh” on each line. The chorus is very typical of this era of the band and leads into a trademark unison run by Don and Simon followed by a synth and guitar solo in the same order.
10.) Jessica’s Bra
When this song came up on the initial track listing I didn’t know what to expect. It’s a fairly inconceivable premise of a bar with a typo on the sign calling it a bra instead. Lyrically this is standard Gillan fare complete with double entendre and running through an odd cast of characters that populate the song’s story. Musically it begins again with a guitar line written in what I would consider the style of 8-bit inspired music which was, in turn, inspired by the hard rock that Deep Purple helped create. More on that later.
11.) Third Call
While giving no indication of where it’s heading the song starts with an ominous chord progression played on the organ. From there I can’t help but be reminded of a Robert Cray arrangement once again. Particularly the playing of Glover, Paice, and McBride together has that rollicking pop-blues feel that Cray has perfected in his career. The song seems to tell a story of a reluctant but irresistible romantic experience. Before the solo a tinkling marimba-like sound still makes me think my phone is ringing each time I hear it. The solo is accompanied by synth horns. While I’m normally opposed to such sounds these work perfectly until they are replaced with a great Hammond solo and finally a return to the organ intro to close out the song.
12.) My New Movie
The penultimate track on the album tells the tale of Gillan’s new movie. Is it telling a story of a literal filmmaker or is it a metaphor? It’s hard to tell. Musically it’s fairly standard with another of McBride’s endless great solos which fades to Don Airey’s snippet of Bach inspired playing reminiscent of “Nothing At All” from Whoosh! followed by another great
13.) Splat!
The title track comes last on this album and it’s quickly becoming one of my favorites. An excellent groove starts the song switching up to something even funkier in the chorus. The melody is reminiscent of Bleeding Obvious from the previous album. Before the key solo Don Airey treats us to what may be the funkiest bit of playing that Deep Purple has ever recorded, certainly since albums like Stormbringer or Come Taste The Band.
14.) Guinnesis
For many this will be the first song they heard from the new album, albeit during the live show before the album title was even announced. The instrumental evokes the sounds of 1980s video game music, and that’s not meant to be in any way derogatory. The video game music of the 1980s and 1990s was largely inspired by classic bands and their composers were fans of music from bands such as Deep Purple. Those sounds and compositions have now inspired the next generation to write music inspired by the music of their youth.
This song comes available only as a vinyl release as part of the limited edition box set. The only other way to hear it at this point would be to catch it at one of their live shows where it has recently been the lead feature in their encore.
After a few listens I wasn’t sure if I liked this album more than = 1 or about the same. Either way it’s very close. At most I think it’s an excellent continuation. If you liked = 1 then you’ll like SPLAT! It’ll probably take a little more time to make a definitive decision. That being said I don’t know that it matters. The band is on fire right now and releasing great material at an astonishing rate. They are inspired and having fun and it shows in everything they are doing.
You may have seen quotes from the band about this being “the heaviest album we’ve done in decades” or comparing it to Machine Head. I don’t think there’s much merit in either claim and likely just something that they have to say to appeal to more borderline fans. I’d say it’s no heavier than anything they’ve put out in a long time but that’s not a bad thing by any means. Comparisons to Machine Head are preposterous. I see little comparison and that’s a good thing. I’m sure there are those that would welcome this comparison but to me that would show a band that has not evolved in 54 years. The resulting album we are getting is anything but that.
This is a band that has a certain formula and a certain songwriting process that also tends to turn out different things with different lineups over the years. SPLAT! is the latest example of this process and the creative product of a group that continues to explore new themes while giving their fans the connection to the past that they crave.
If you’re a fan of the band and that formula you’ll need to check this album out. If you’re looking for Machine Head again then I have good news for you, it’s readily available for you in many formats.
