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A remarkable torrent of energy
It’s time for another batch of Splash! reviews from around them old interwebs.
Over its 51 minutes, ‘Splat’ traverses various diverse universes, from Rock to Blues, Pop to Celtic, Classical to AOR, and yes, there is even a little Prog sprinkled in here and there. Despite the conciseness of the songs, there are some really elaborate moments on the album, and this is one of the techniques that makes Deep Purple Mark IX unique. The band has a talent for leading the listener into expanded musical territories that are often a little unexpected, in spite of the self-imposed constraints of brevity.
Rocknytt (in automated translation from Swedish):
Splat! is a playful title and it is a playful album. This is a bunch of veterans who like each other, playing together and probably the corners of their mouths have been up the whole time both in the studio and when the songs were being put together. No sour faces but just the joy that you still can and want to. That the audience has since rediscovered the band and that they are being received as the pioneers they are only makes it even more remarkable. But I wouldn’t call it a rebirth, but more revitalized.
This album makes me happy. There are probably a lot of us who just want music played by musicians and songwriters who know how to pull a bluesy grindstone, what a live set should look like, and this fall they’re coming back here – for the 60th time. This must also be some kind of record.
This shouldn’t really be happening. Rock tends to be a young man’s game, but Deep Purple are – somehow – igniting competition with group’s almost a quarter of their age. With each member ranging between 78 to 80 years old, ‘SPLAT!’ – their preposterously titled 24th studio album – is a turbo-charged return, a heavy rock onslaught that touches on different facets of their lengthy career, while still breaking new ground.
Thanks to Lars for the heads-up on Rocknytt review.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
The Prog Report and the Rocknytt reviews are both very apt.
Splat! is a happy and ebullient album, that makes for a great deal of its charm. We can always disagree about the music, but the album has positive vibes.
Message for Max: Quite unlike TBRO! 😝
July 15th, 2026 at 13:37It is a positive album, indeed. It’s quite ironic that this album and the Royal Albert Hall shows in November may be the big bang on the way out that Steve M advocated for in his day but didn’t stay in the band to participate in it.
It is all the more ironic given the fact that DP has in its catalogue a song considered the saddest song of them all in rock’n’roll:
https://www.aol.com/articles/1974-deep-purple-song-named-040000028.html
and the most depressive lyricist ever:
https://www.mylondon.news/news/local-news/most-miserable-songwriter-goes-chiswick-born-8029907
And yet they are close to completing their career on an upbeat note.
July 15th, 2026 at 14:55Spring albums: Fireball, MH, WDWTWA, TtC
Summer albums: In Rock, Burn, Purpendicular, Abandon, Bananas, =1
Autumn albums: SoDP, TBoT, DP, Stormbringer, CttB, PS, TBRo, RotD
Winter albums: THoBL, S&M, NW?!, Infinite, Whoosh!
Not sure yet where to put Splat!
July 15th, 2026 at 16:36#3 Tillythemax:
wow beautiful cataloging, I had never seen it before!
I add night albums:
July 15th, 2026 at 21:03PS, S&M, Abandon
Three days later,I just noticed that the header says Splash !! Ha !
I still haven’t got my pre-ordered CD,but from my laptop listening,I find that Splat is a more enjoyable album than = 1. How is it settling in other THS folks ?
July 17th, 2026 at 14:02