Customer Reviews

House of Blue Light

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

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.

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.

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...

One of Purple's best but least-known and underrated albums, House of Blue Light has strengths that made Deep Purple so great are evident on this album. This album is humorous with clever lyrics, top quality musicianship and killer solos from both Blackmore and Lord. The songs are well-crafted and tightly-woven together.
The songs are great, with Bad Attitude and The Unwritten Law starting things off in fine fashion! Mitzi Dupree is entertaining in an Anyone's Daughter kind of way.
The Spanish Archer and Mad Dog are great straight-ahead rockers.
Strange-ways is unlike anything Purple has done before - it's refreshing; different.
Dead or alive and Hard Loving Woman are timeless tracks and my favorite is probably Call of the wild.

This album is stronger than Perfect Strangers, with a greater variety of songs and a lot more experimentation. An overlooked and unappreciated album. This was my favorite reunion era album until Bananas in 2003. A must get.

Some Deep Purple fans claim that, by 1987, the band had lost it, and that buying their comeback albums would merely clutter up your living space, thus keeping you from looking good for your significant other and/or your favorite celebrity. Nothing could be further from the truth. While the albums FIREBALL, MACHINE HEAD, MADE IN JAPAN, WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE!, and BURN, or, at the very least, DEEPEST PURPLE, remain definitive, the classic lineup reunited in 1984 and made two classic metal albums that rank with their very best, as well as above and beyond any of the "hair metal" that was popular at the time. This is the second one. While MACHINE HEAD is justly recognized as an all-time classic, HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHT is a masterpiece as well. The opener, "Bad Attitude", could be a song where the singer is venting anger over someone mocking him for not fitting a certain "little mold" that they want him to fit, while "Call Of The Wild" is about an unattainable woman. There are a couple of not-so-great songs, but just because this album was recorded past the band's youthful period doesn't make it any less great.

This is one of those cd's where the songs that are pegged to be hits are just as good if not better then the "hits." "mad dog," "black or white," and "dead or alive" are just a few of the cuts. I think of the reasons the album did not do so well id that they did not perform all the "hits." For example when I saw them on this tour they did "bad attitude" but not "call of the wild." If your a Deep Purple fan, this is a very good cd to have.

The album was recorded in the times of (another) turmoil within the band. Blackmore and Gillan started barking at each other once again, not even 3 years after their grandiose reunion.

House of Blue Light is no "Perfect Strangers"... Meaning, the sound probably doesn't sound so fresh, at time a bit more dragged down and bluesy. But even that could not spoil the album, every single track is great. I truly found no weak points. A very misunderstood album that I think deserves much more praise than the feedbacks below

This album rocks! I cannot understand why it has been overlooked by so many fans. Virtually every song is a hit. Gillan has his finest hour on this album. This album ranks within the top five Purple albums ever. The one bad thing that can be said about it is that Jon Lord focuses a bit too much on the synth instead of the Hammond. But it's definitley worth five stars!

When HOBL was released in the '80's there were two versions. The CD featured a full length "Strangeways" and the vinyl LP a cut down "Strangeways".

On this remaster, the record company got it WRONG. Yes, they bring you the cut down LP version.

This album is way better than Perfect Strangers, which was a rather flat attempt to be another Machinehead. Instead HOBL adds new dimensions to the Purple sound. It is a hard rock album AND a sophisticated peice of music.

I encourage you to go find a copy of the original CD and leave this remaster turkey alone.

I think a very underrated cd. In my opinion I think its one of
Deep Purple best albums. From the song Bad Attitude to Dead or Alive its an excellent album but remember its my opinion. Good luck trying to find this cd new or for that matter used in stores, I could find anywhere else execpt for Amazon. Keep on rocking Deep Purple and everybody else keep on rocking to.