Who Do We Think We Are (Expanded) [Original recording remastered, Extra tracks, Original recording reissued]

 

 

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There seems to be a major resurgence of interest in 1970s music as today's 15-25 year olds rediscover music from that decade. I grew up in the 70s and my friends' teenaged sons and their friends are now frequently asking me about 70s bands and looking for lesser known bands and albums from that era.

Deep Purple is one band I've told them all about.

Having said that, Deep Purple is hardly a "lesser known" band but, in my defence, I've discovered that many of the young guys asking me about 70s music are not very familiar with Deep Purple. So to help rectify that situation.......

My favorite Deep Purple album is Machine Head. I've reviewed it on Amazon with a 5 star rating and I recommend buying the 25 anniversary edition with the Roger Glover remixes and the extra tracks. Machine Head is one of the essential albums for any collection of 70s music. You need to have Machine Head in your music collection before you can claim to have a respectable collection of 1970s music.

The band's 1973 release, Who Do We Think We, is also worth having in your Deep Purple collection. This version with the remixes is the version to buy.

This album is not up to the standard of Machine Head but it's a very good album nonetheless. I've given Machine Head a 5 star rating so, by comparison, I'll give Who Do We Think We Are 4 stars.

The strongest tracks on Who Do We Think We Are (IMHO) are Rat Bat Blue, Woman From Tokyo and Super Trouper. They've also been posted on You Tube if you want to check them out before you buy this album. Amazon also has these tracks available for download on its US site.

Deep Purple was a band that went through a number of personnel changes over the years. You'll see references in the reviews to Mk 1, Mk 2 etc., referring to the different personnel lineups in the band at various times. This is the Mk 2 lineup of the band, the one that released Machine Head, and IMHO the most influential lineup in the band's history.

I saw Deep Purple in concert a few months ago in Victoria, B.C. Great show! Three guys from the Mk 2 line up (Roger Glover, Ian Gillan and Ian Paice) are still in the band; they're in their mid to late 60s but they still put on a really good show. If you get a chance to see them live, GO! One track from this CD, Woman From Tokyo, was included in their current live set.

Bottom line: Who Do We Think We Are is a very good album that's worth including in your Deep Purple collection. If you're discovering/re-discovering or exploring 1970s music, this album is worth checking out.

I must say that I'm not at all a devoted Deep Purple fan, but I respect this band for the impact they made in the history of rock music. So, my opinion is totally unbiased, and probably won't please the fans.

Of many DP's line-up changes, this one (Gillan-Blackmore-Lord-Glover-Paice), known as Mark II, is the strongest. Together they released 4 studio albums in the 70s, that became instant hard-rock classics. This album is the 4th by Mk II, and I'm sorry to say, it is the weakest of them. I don't know what happened. Either they really ran out of ideas, like the other reviewer suggested, or personal problems and the inevitability of their break up casted a shadow on the songwriting, or whatever else, but half of the songs here fail to ignite a spark in me. They sound too generic rockers to my ear. I'm talking about "Woman from Tokyo" (surprise!), "Super Trooper", and "Smooth Dancer". On the other hand, there are some really hitting bluesy rockers, like faster-paced "Rat Bat Blue", or "Place in the Line", that shifts from balladry to rock towards its later half.

The remastered CD contains bonus tracks, that are fans-oriented. You have remixes of 3 tracks from the original album, that sound a little more sharp, but nothing special, and 2 minute-and-a-half outtakes from studio writing tapes. There's also a new track "Painted Horse", which doesn't stray very far from the mood of the album. The only thing making sense to me among the bonus-tracks is an excellent 14+ minute studio jam, where the professionalism of the band-members shines.

My attitude towards this CD is strange. Half the times I listen to it, I have pleasure, the other half, it bores me to death. Its definite saving grace is phenomenal virtuoso keyboardist Jon Lord, whose performance is excellent to say the least. I'd give a try to ths record just to hear him play! Though this album is better than many hard-rock albums of the 70s, it's definitely inferior to any other Mk II recordings, and, perhaps, to "Stormbringer", too.

As a purple fan I am surprised that this album never got the recognition it deserved. 30 years down the line one can see the true value of this album. It dosn't sound dated at all.
Though more mellow compared to the likes of 'In Rock' and 'Machine Head' it still kicks ass.

Ian gillan is amazing on this one, he is solely responsible for the different flavor of this album as he tries to sing more conventionaly. He avoids screaming giving feeling giving and a simple flavor to the songs.

He does a great job on 'Smooth Dancer' sadly too much of electronic effects keep the song from becoming a great masterpiece.

'Rat bat blue' is also a great rock number as is the now famous but overplayed 'Woman from Tokyo'.

Gillans magical vocals give a soul to 'Place in line'. 'Our lady'is probably the only Mark -II song with no solos either from Ritchie or Jon. The song s good nice and mellow.

On the extra tracks 'painted horse' is an amazing song. Vocals by Gillan are different and very soulful. This song could not make it on the original LP as Ritchie thought Gillan had messed up on the vocals (how? one wonders). The other extra songs are not exceptional rather different versions of the same songs.

I love this album because of its different feel as well as the undercurrent of pain in Gillan's vocals and lyrics, maybe his feelings at the time considering the imminant break-up of Deep Purple.

This is the last real masterpiece by the Mark - II line up. All their later material though good would never reach the levels of the first Mark -II output.

Buy this and 'Fireball' to get a different flavour of Mark -II Deep Purple which is as good as the more popular albums mentioned above.

As Ritchie has once said, "Deep Puple is much more than just 'smoke on the water'".

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5.0 out of 5 stars Bonus Tracks Worth the Price of the CD Alone!
Two things really stood out about this underrated album on first listen. First, the remastering job is PHENOMONAL. It's one of the best remastering jobs I've ever heard on disc. Read more

Published on Jun 4 2004 by bogubundus2

4.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 stars - Gillan's swansong with Deep Purple
Who Do We Think We Are (1973.) Deep Purple's seventh album, and their last one with vocalist Ian Gillan and bassist Roger Glover (until the reunion. Read more

Published on Feb 29 2004 by Taylor X

5.0 out of 5 stars WHO DO I THINK I AM?
I am an out-and-out DEEP PURPLE fanatic. I am familiar with every studio recording, band member, and a load of live shows. Read more

Published on Jan 6 2004 by Michael J. Passariello

5.0 out of 5 stars Tension-Racked Album Spells the End for this Era
"Who Do We Think We Are" clearly spells tension. Actually, this 1973 release is one of the better examples of a "break-up album. Read more

Published on Dec 1 2003 by Bud

5.0 out of 5 stars 28 years to get here! The Standard remains.
The "standard" of which I speak is longevity. This album does not sound at all dated. That is a true sign of a great band and producer. Read more

Published on Oct 22 2003 by Hilow

5.0 out of 5 stars Who Do We Think We Are is a fantastic album
Deep Purple's 1973 "Who Do We Think We Are" is a fantastic album that's been shuffled into the background behind "Machine Head" and "In Rock". Read more

Published on Oct 8 2003 by John

5.0 out of 5 stars Ahead of their time!
A summers day and it's culmination with a beautiful woman. This one brings back the REAL Rock era 1966-1974. Passionate and lost in the music. Read more

Published on July 8 2003 by John Berrey

5.0 out of 5 stars What a band!
You know why I love this album so much? Just put it into your stereo, make volume up, switch to #5 RAT BAT BLUE and listen what Jon is doing on keyboards. Read more

Published on Feb 10 2003

2.0 out of 5 stars Mostly for Deep Purple fans
"Who do we think we are" is in fact a rather uninspired album. Maybe the guys blow it all on the previous and excellent "Machine head" and simply ran out of ideas. Read more

Published on Feb 5 2003 by L. B. Ivarsson

5.0 out of 5 stars Tension can be a good thing !
Deep Purple's 1973 "Who Do We Think We Are" is a fantastic album that's been shuffled into the background behind some of those other Purple classics "Machine Head" and "Made In... Read more

Published on Jan 21 2003 by John

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