40 years ago today: Deep Purple’s Mark II returned with “Perfect Strangers” - Where does this one rank for you?

[dmbrocker]

Pretty damn good album, if you ask me. The title track, “Knocking at Your Back Door”, and “Nobody’s Home” are all solid rockers. Thoughts on this one?

[HueyRamone]

Came back strong with some real classics. Then never did that again on any subsequent record. At least it's better than most bands, who dont even have any "modern" classics when they reunite.

[Love_Industry]

One of their best albums. And maybe the best reunion album in hard rock, can't think of any better now. Sabbath? VH? Nope.... and Don't even mention Kiss.

Wonder if Heep's Abominog counts as reunion as Heep was down to Mick Box and a record deal before that one?

[daveg]

One of their best albums. And maybe the best reunion album in hard rock, can't think of any better now. Sabbath? VH? Nope.... and Don't even mention Kiss.

Wonder if Heep's Abominog counts as reunion as Heep was down to Mick Box and a record deal before that one?

Pretty much this. There is some filler on it, but the best songs are right up there with anything they ever did.
The production was awesome as well.

[keyofgee]

its a great album and they managed to get a hit on the radio about the back door boogie...lol

[Black Stuff]

Great album, but they shot their wad with it. Anything after is pretty boring as its so predictable

[Bono Nettencourt]

its a great album and they managed to get a hit on the radio about the back door boogie...lol

There's a song on the follow-up about a stripper who could shoot ping-pong balls outta her twat.

[FreddyFender]

Bunch of plodding bloat. Legendary band playing us to sleep.

Buy the deluxe Made in Japan instead.

[Bono Nettencourt]

Both MKII reunion tours were great. Your loss.

[Love_Industry]

Great album, but they shot their wad with it. Anything after is pretty boring as its so predictable

The follow-up House of Blue Light is the last DP album that can hang with the classics. All it's missing is that one must-play hit single, that's why it's not as fondly remembered as Perfect Strangers.

Oh and they were great live as long as Ritchie was with them, the show I saw with JLT was top notch. Not bad with Satriani either but with Steve Morse they got boring both live and on album.

[Bono Nettencourt]

Agree. HoBL is still good, like you said it's just lacking a killer track like Knockin'. Also agree that Deep Morse = It's like VaiSnake - I liked the separate elements, they just didn't meld together.

[BernieTaupson]

Last album they did that was worth a shit.

“Feel Like Screaming” was a good song from the Morse years.

[VicStelly]

Top shelf

[dmbrocker]

Agree. HoBL is still good, like you said it's just lacking a killer track like Knockin'. Also agree that Deep Morse = It's like VaiSnake - I liked the separate elements, they just didn't meld together.

I wouldn’t say HoBL is lacking killer tracks, but that’s mainly because I think “Call of the Wild” and “Bad Attitude” are just so perfect.

[Bono Nettencourt]

Agree. HoBL is still good, like you said it's just lacking a killer track like Knockin'. Also agree that Deep Morse = It's like VaiSnake - I liked the separate elements, they just didn't meld together.

I wouldn’t say HoBL is lacking killer tracks, but that’s mainly because I think “Call of the Wild” and “Bad Attitude” are just so perfect.

Meh. PS/HoBL were a lot like Yes' 90125/Big Gen, right down to trying to rewrite the lead single from the prior record.

[Jason Jennifer Leigh]

1984 is the best year of music EVER and forever.

“Perfect Strangers” single didn’t really fit in with my times but it got a lot of radio play here.

[CrankerBait]

Good album. Their best studio album since Burn and their best Mk II studio album since Machine Head. "Perfect Strangers", "Knocking at Your Back Door" and "Nobody's Home" are probably the best cuts. Also like the instrumental that closes out the album.

[Wednesday 13 Fan]

It doesn't get much better than Perfect Strangers. It's right up there with Machine Head.

[veritas]

I love the title song and Knockin on your back door... and then, well what else is really decent on there?

What struck me most when it came out (and still does) is how uninspired and unmemorable Ritchie's solo playing was. He had so many memorable, melodic and interesting leads in the Deep Purple and Rainbow years, and I can't recall one lead from the album.

[pieceofme]

I love the title song and Knockin on your back door... and then, well what else is really decent on there?

What struck me most when it came out (and still does) is how uninspired and unmemorable Ritchie's solo playing was. He had so many memorable, melodic and interesting leads in the Deep Purple and Rainbow years, and I can't recall one lead from the album.

This. Pales in comparison to their classic era.

[veritas]

I love the title song and Knockin on your back door... and then, well what else is really decent on there?

What struck me most when it came out (and still does) is how uninspired and unmemorable Ritchie's solo playing was. He had so many memorable, melodic and interesting leads in the Deep Purple and Rainbow years, and I can't recall one lead from the album.

This. Pales in comparison to their classic era.

yeah, Blackmore notoriously had a hard time in the studio getting some of the fire he got live in solos (probably because he wasn't blazing drunk in the studio).
But man it really feels like he is just noodling here and has zero inspiration.

And when I saw them live, he gave off the same bored vibe: stood in a spot, none of the wild Blackmore performance.

[Bono Nettencourt]

Huh. I remember him going nuts and smashing his Strat.

[FreddyFender]

The title track to "Battle Rages On" is pretty goddamn good.... what a riff. But most of 80's Deep Purple? Nah.

I think Blackmore just wanted to be in Rainbow, but with the financial rewards of Deep Purple. He was phoning this shit in.

[inextrem]

Excellent record, up there with "In Rock", "Machine Head" and "Burn".

[SchenkerFan]

Pretty damn good album, if you ask me. The title track, “Knocking at Your Back Door”, and “Nobody’s Home” are all solid rockers. Thoughts on this one?

Top 5 DP album after the 1-2-3 punch In Rock - FIreball - Machine Head and Burn.

[mullet_head]

Good album. Their best studio album since Burn and their best Mk II studio album since Machine Head. "Perfect Strangers", "Knocking at Your Back Door" and "Nobody's Home" are probably the best cuts. Also like the instrumental that closes out the album.

I always liked Wasted Sunsets too.

[Bono Nettencourt]

Good album. Their best studio album since Burn and their best Mk II studio album since Machine Head. "Perfect Strangers", "Knocking at Your Back Door" and "Nobody's Home" are probably the best cuts. Also like the instrumental that closes out the album.

I always liked Wasted Sunsets too.

Lol my buddy and I both agreed that was the skip track.

[dmbrocker]

Good album. Their best studio album since Burn and their best Mk II studio album since Machine Head. "Perfect Strangers", "Knocking at Your Back Door" and "Nobody's Home" are probably the best cuts. Also like the instrumental that closes out the album.

I always liked Wasted Sunsets too.

Lol my buddy and I both agreed that was the skip track.

Disagree. That's a fairly solid ballad.

[mullet_head]

Lol my buddy and I both agreed that was the skip track.

I never cared much for your buddy. He's known to be a proper cunt.

You're cool though, you just got caught up with the wrong crowd.

[soulonfire]

It contains one of the greatest terrible lines in all of music.

"So we put her on the hit list
Of a common cunning linguist
A master of many tongues."

Instant classic.