House of Blue Light [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

Deep Purple | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 22, 1999)
• Original Release Date: 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Umvd Special Markets
• ASIN: B00000JBFX
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,835 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #97 in Music > Hard Rock & Metal > British Metal

Editorial Reviews

Japanese only SHM-CD (Super High Material CD - playable on all CD players) paper sleeve pressing. Universal. 2009. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Blue Light": a Blue Print For What Should Have Been a Hit, May 18, 2004

By 

Bud (Seminole, Texas, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: House of Blue Light (Audio CD)

If you're looking to absorb some more of Deep Purple's rib-crunching, dramatic hard rock, but want something that hasn't been as endlessly re-released on compilations or on classic rock radio lately, "The House Of Blue Light" is an ideal find.
Released in 1987, Deep Purple's second "reunion album" was overlooked upon release, but is actually one of their most precisely formulaic albums since "In Rock." While it's not as daring as their 70s releases, "Blue Light" is a highly enjoyable blueprint for the plan of finding a hit. Each track sounds like an attempt to score a hit single, which means the band rarely crosses any musical boundaries, but that's part of the album's hard-edged charm. Despite a strict, limited approach, Deep Purple's musicianship still carries the power of a fiery chariot battalion, and they gut it out on each song with admirability. What's most important is that the group takes the seemingly cliched ideas of 'Mad Dog,' 'Bad Attitude,' or 'Black and White' and presents them as stunning, addictive hard rock tracks. If one were to hand these musical ideas to most other bands, the results would not be as satisfying. Ian Gillan's lyrics do the impossible task of sounding fresh, despite the limited formula, and Richie Blackmore and Jon Lord are typically dazzling, anchored by the rhythm section of producer Roger Glover and Ian Paice. Virtually all of the music here is catchy and exciting, most notably on the addictive 'Call of the Wild,' 'The Unwritten Law,' 'The Spanish Archer,' and 'Dead Or Alive,' a song that expresses the dangers of drug addiction, with a very frank, that's-the-way-it-is perspective, preached with force by musicians who have been there and back. 'Hard Lovin' Woman,' 'Bad Attitude,' and 'Dead Or Alive' would be featured on the in-concert "Nobody's Perfect," the latter receiving a blazing treatment including a slightly bluesy intro.
Due to the unfortunate fact that it was dismissed upon its release, "The House of Blue Light" is quickly becoming more and more rare to find in music stores, like its two predecessors "Slaves and Masters" and "The Battle Rages On." This makes it all the more pertinent that these albums not be lost among Purple fans. They are worthy additions to an already-bracing cannon of work.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Underrated album, September 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: House of Blue Light (Audio CD)

In my opinion, HOBL is the most underrated album of the band. True, only 3 years after their legendary reunion, Deep Purple was going through another crisis, which probably had its influence on the way fans received this recording... "Ahhh, this is one of their worst albums because I heard that the band was going through tough times". Also, the sound here is different than what we always expected from them.

Bad Attitude and Unwritten Law - as heavy as DP does it. Sound here reminds of the "In Rock" days and at the same time shows an innovative side of the band. Excellent vocals by Gillan.

Call of the wild is a never-seen-before piece of Purple. SOmewhat mellow and unusual.

Mad Dog - simply an excellent work! Very heavy and fast Black and white - blending vocal chorus works out well. The song sounds like a slow heavy train that just got back onto its tracks Hard Lovin Woman - rock'n'rollish tune, one of the concert favorites in 80's Spanish Archer - another classic. Remarkable play by Ritchie and great lyrics Strangeways - quite an odd song. Again purplishly heavy rhythm. Mitzi Dupree - pinch me... Is this DP? Call it blues rock, call it white blues, but again the band shows something unique. Finally, what a great closing with Dead or Alive. Highlight of the song is the keyboard solo by Jon Lord and another great vocal parts make this song.

Overall, this album shows the DP in quite an unusual light. Blue light.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A stroke of luck..., February 20, 2006

By 

Purplemaniac (Rochester, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: House of Blue Light (Audio CD)

I bought this album on vinyl when it first came out in the 1980s and have always liked it. It is the most underrated Deep Purple album in my opinion. Don't believe all the negative reviews here. This album is fresh and exciting because it is so experimental and largely unlike anything Deep Purple did before or since. Yet it is not so unlike their previous stuff that their trademark sound is lost; it is rather a modernized version of their still identifiable sound. Do all these naysayers really want Deep Purple to keep making the same album over and over again? That would be stagnation, and groups that stagnate don't stick around for long. Now to the "stroke of luck" part: I picked up a used copy of this CD, the NONREMASTERED version and what a surprise! There are longer versions of three songs here than on the vinyl, and I understand the remastered CD version is the same as the vinyl (shorter) version. The song 'Black and White', which on the vinyl version quickly fades out at the end, instead goes on for almost a full minute longer here and becomes an extended jam session with Gillan going nuts on harmonica and Blackmore going nuts on guitar! And with 'Spanish Archer', probably the best song on the album, on the vinyl version the song fades out at the end. Not here. Here we are treated to about 40 additional seconds of Blackmore's wonderful intense soloing at the end of the song, then the song ends cold. And 'Strangeways' goes on for an incredible minute and a half longer than on the vinyl version. It includes a longer solo in the middle from Blackmore and extended noodling at the end of the song which are totally cut out of the vinyl version. Bottom line? I don't know if the most recent remastered version of this CD includes the extended versions of these songs or not. At the ridiculously low price the remastered version is selling for, it is still worth getting because it is a very good album. But if you can find a nonremastered version, buy it at any price as it will be well worth the additional cost. I sincerely hope the geniuses at the record company re-release this with the FULL versions of these songs included, simply because the longer versions are superior to their edited, chopped up conterparts. Maybe there is an anniversary edition in store with full versions, outtakes, bonus tracks, etc.? I am not attempting to start a rumor here and I have no facts to back this statement up, I am just hoping that this fine album can be released in full form so that it can get the justice and recognition that it deserves...