Description

Official 1988 English tape. Grey/White cassette with black text Depending who you ask, Whitesnake singer David Coverdale is either almost single handedly responsible for keeping bluesy hard rock alive in the British charts during the late ‘70s/early ‘80s, or is merely a Robert Plant clone who hit it big in the U.S. later in the ‘80s as an ‘MTV band' – by merging familiar Led Zeppelin sounds with pop metal/power ballads, and sexed-up videos. After Deep Purple crumbled in the mid-'70s, vocalist David Coverdale began a solo career with 1977's ‘White Snake’. Before too long, Coverdale would adopt that album title as the name of his new band. Coverdale gathered future Whitesnake guitarist Micky Moody, keyboardist Tim Hinckley, bassist De Lisle Harper, and noted session drummer Simon Phillips. Background singers Liza Strike, Helen Chappelle, and Barry St. John are prominently featured, too. Uncredited horn players also contribute to the album. Ex-Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover produced the album and also added some synthesizer parts. White Snake is a tentative, generally disappointing album because Coverdale is clearly flummoxed regarding the direction the music should take. There are some blues-rock numbers that benefit from Coverdale's rich, throaty vocals and Moody's reliable guitar parts. (They would settle on this style for Whitesnake.) However, much of the album shows Coverdale's love of R&B and soul. Remember that it was this route that Deep Purple took, particularly on 1974's Stormbringer, that drove guitarist Ritchie Blackmore to quit the band in disgust. ‘Lady’ manages to blend R&B and hard rock elements effectively thanks to Moody's slithering guitar and the punchy horns. The smoldering ‘Blindman’ is the best song because of its blues-rock purity; it actually sounds like a blend of Free, Bad Company, and, ultimately, future Whitesnake. ‘Goldies Place’ is a blue-eyed stab at R&B and funk. ‘Whitesnake’ is a guilty pleasure rocker; the sexual symbolism surpasses mere double entendre, but it's not quite hardcore porn. ‘Peace Lovin' Man’ goes so far as to approach gospel-influenced soul. ‘Hole in the Sky’ is a smooth, dreamy ballad. This cassette version also includes Coverdales second solo album ‘Northwind’ that were released in 1978. ‘Northwinds’ is a powerful dose of blues- and R&B-influenced hard rock. This album — the final new release on Purple Records — is also a huge leap forward in quality from the previous year's White Snake, a tentative and generally cautious record. As with White Snake, Northwinds was produced by Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover and is anchored by guitarist Micky Moody and keyboardist Tim Hinckley. Bassist Alan Spenner and drummer Tony Newman comprise the rhythm section. "Keeping on Giving Me Love" is loose and funky and a blowout jam wraps it up. The gorgeous ballad "Northwinds" builds to a gospel-like fervor; Coverdale's voice is warm and smooth and Hinckley's dominant keyboards are supported by Moody's tasteful rhythm guitar. "Give Me Kindness" is a slab of R&B-based hard rock with horns present to add spice. Initially, Coverdale's slow, soft vocals and Hinckley's effective keyboards provide the soul of the splendid "Time & Again," but Graham Preskett's electric violin and, ultimately, Coverdale's surging voice aid the overall swell of power at the finale. "Only My Soul" offers a rich musical stew of introductory organ and acoustic guitar, steady drums, biting little guitar fills, supple bass licks, Glover's synthesizer fill and more electric violin lines from Preskett, but Coverdale's ethereal singing holds it all together. The hard-charging rocker "Breakdown" is about the disintegration of Deep Purple. Spitfire's 2000 remastered CD reissue includes two solid bonus tracks: the spry groove rocker"Shame on the Devil" and the melodic pop/rock song "Sweet Mistreater." Track listing: White Snake – 1977 1. Lady 2. Blindman 3. Goldies Place 4. Whitesnake 5. Time On My Side 6. Peace Lovin' Man 7. Sunny Days 8. Hole In The Sky 9. Celebration Northwind – 1978 10. Keep On Giving Me Love 11. Northwinds 12. Give Me Kindness 13. Time And Again 14. Queen Of Hearts 15. Only My Soul 16. Say You Love Me 17. Breakdown