Blackmore´s Rainbow review

This was the first Rainbow album to be made. Ritchie Blackmore left Deep Purple, to start his own band. He wanted Ronnie in it, and Ronnie said: Ok, if the other guys can join (ELF). They formed Rainbow.
This became a good album, and it is very similar to the third ELF album.
I really like this classic album, it was the start of something fantastic.

Man on the Silver Mountain

The first song on the track, also is one of the best ones. The guitar riff is simple, but great. Ronnie is also VERY powerful on this one. His voice really suits the song. This is one of those songs which were made to play live. It is really awsome, and it always lifts me up to the silver mountain....Once I put it on, I just can´t stop it from rolling on....

Self Portrait

This song is ok I think, but it ain't really magic enough to me. It can easily be listened to, but not to often. It has the sound of ELF, and Ritchie´s performance could be much better. I actually dislike the drumming on this one. They are weak and have no real feeling to it. The song puts me down really, but then again, sometimes I like it, but that is not very often...

Black Sheep of the Family

This is a real rock ´n´ roller. It is great. I really like it all, the riff, Ronnies voice, and this is Rainbow at it´s best. The lyrics is very funny and clever. "I've got a pocket full of dust And eating is a must If you wanna make a good impression ", it is really funny. It may not be a hit, or a well known song among fans, but I have always enjoyed it, always will. It´s really different, no matter what you compare it to...

Catch the Rainbow

The second best song of the album. One of the few ballads by Ronnie. And it is fantastic. Once again Rainbow at it´s best. Ritchie´s solo is wonderful, and this song always makes me in a kinda sad but good mood. Ronnie is as always great, and there ain't hard to put a mark on his performance, or the song.

Snake Charmer

This one also has the special ELF sound. This is better then Snake Charmer though. Gary is also much better on this one, he is actually great. This is really nice, I like the chorus: "Close your door, he´s on the loose...etc", Ronnie has such a soft and warm voice on this song.

The Temple of the King

This song is also great. The story about the Temple of the king is just magic. It´s hard to explain the feeling when you listen to this song, but I guess you know what I mean. This song I remember I listened to several years before I even knew about Ronnie, and it was on the radio. I never got the name of the artist so I forgot about it, but when I bought the album and heard it again, it was like a dream come true. This song also proves how strong Ronnie´s voice really is...When it comes to the lyrics, I find it very interesting. Maybe a subject to a book or a movie in the future ? I might write a book about it, would you guys read it then ???

If You Don´t Like Rock ´n´ Roll

A strange song I think. It ain´t like the other songs on the album. When I first heard this song I didn´t like it at all. But I´ve changed. It is really funny. Mickey Lee Soule is the wizard on this song. He is really great. His solo is outstanding.. This song also has the true sound of ELF. I have only one thing to say about the song, it AIN´T to late to like rock ´n´ roll...
It never is...

16th Century Greensleves

Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce, the fucking best Rainbow song ever !!! You might think that I am wrong now, and might think, "but what about Stragazer ?". Well I haven´t forgot about it, it´s just that this song is even better...
The lyrics are great, they are just...fantastic....And Ronnie performs it with such spirit. And Ritchie is great to, the riff and the solo are both perfect. The song just has such POWER ! Craig plays the bass better than on any other song on the album, and Gary should not be forgotten...When all the members of Rainbow play at their best, then you get songs like this...! Also this song means so much too me, I heard it at a bar, during my first trip to Greece, that was such great fun, I totally freaked out. (And boy, was I drunk). So now, every time I hear it, it reminds me of the great little town "Tolo" in Greece...

Still I´m Sad

Now it is time for me to introduce something else. The worlds best instrumental song EVER ! Or atleast Ritchie´s best.
He is outstanding on this song, he plays like he got his talent from some place beyond our world. It is even better if you add Ronnie to it, as on Rainbow On Stage, it is even better then...In it´s original form, without Ronnie, it is ONLY, a great song, but yet, the best one when it comes to instrumental songs...

Review written by Pierre Gren