THE BOOK OF TALIESYN

"The Book of Taliesyn" (1968), a title whose origin comes from a medieval manuscript attributed to the Welsh poet Taliesyn (6th century), is the second chapter of Deep Purple's formative trilogy, and where, despite its still very rudimentary production, the great potential of the duo Ritchie Blackmore and Jon Lord, protagonists of this work, can be glimpsed, after the primitive and agitated pounding rock of "Listen, Learn, Read On", spirited and generous virtuoso displays as in the instrumental "Wring That Neck", a combination of jazz and blues marked by the incontinent interplay of guitars and keyboards, and replicated in the middle section in the country pop of the festive cover of Neil Diamond's "Kentucky Woman".

On the other hand, "The Book of Taliesyn" also has an important experimental component taken from the psychedelic sixties aesthetics, in tracks like "Exposition", the hyperventilating instrumental intro of the interesting adaptation of the Beatles' classic "We Can Work It Out", in the intriguing "Shield" with Ian Paice incorporating percussive world music sounds, and ventures even further combining it with baroque renaissance elements so admired by Lord who explores with mellotrons, church organs and a violin arrangement in the relaxed "Anthem", and where the robust voice of Rod Evans hits with an Elvis-style imposition, surely the best and most progressive track of the album.

And the cover composed by Phil Spector, Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich for Ike & Tina Turner, "River Deep, Mountain High", is the band's excuse to indulge in another experimental lysergic dalliance based on a tenebrous wind blowing and with some nods to The Doors, concluding an album that has few intersections with Deep Purple's seventies works, but is nonetheless extremely interesting.

3/3.5 stars

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