Personnel
Rod Evans - lead vocals
Ritchie Blackmore - guitar
Nick Simper - bass, backing vocals
Jon Lord - Hammond organ, keyboards, backing vocals, string arrangements on "Anthem"
Ian Paice - drums
The title of the album was based off some works by a famous 6th century English poet named Taliesin. With the success that Shades of Deep Purple had in the United States there was a great deal of pressure put on the band to quickly release a follow up album.
The Book of Taliesyn doesn't stray to far from the bands first album which had a pop rock/psychedelic sound and once again it has lots of cover songs. But this one has a lot more edge, it sounds like the band was trying to break free of their pop rock roots. The album opens with a strange but addictive opener, "Listen Learn Read On", the vocals remind me of an early Pink Floyd song, and it has a dark cryptic vibe to it especially the lyrics but the tight drumming of Ian Paice holds it together.
Deep Purple had a knack for pumping out some great covers and once again they make Neil Diamond's Kentucky Woman their own, this is definitely the "Hush" of the album with the smokey choruses and harmonies. The Book of Taliesyn might be my favorite album from the Mk I lineup, it still has the classic sound that dominated Shades of Deep Purple but the band was beginning to head in a more hard rock direction especially the instrumental track "Wring that Neck" where guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, drummer Ian Paice, and Jon Lord go all out on their instruments, feels like a dress rehersal for the Mk II lineup that would form in the early 70's.
Favorite Songs: Listen Learn Read On, Wring that Neck, Kentucky Woman, River Deep Mountain High
The Verdict: 3.5
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