I must admit I basically ignored Deep Purple after 'the man in black' departed the band back in 1993 and purposely avoided the Steve Morse era albums for many years and it was only a month ago that I decided to buy Rapture In The Deep & Now What! and after listening to them both I thought the songs sounded pretty strong BUT Deep Purple to me will always be the 1970s MkII, MkIII & MkIV versions of the 'proper' Deep Purple along with maybe the 1980s re-formed version of the band that I like.I don't like to rip on poor old Steve Morse, but to me they will never be Purple w/o Blackmore. I know the guy is a real powder keg, but I wish they had managed to work things out together. JMO.
Purpendicular and Abandon are the two best Morse era albums IMO. They've definitely established a sound with Morse.I must admit I basically ignored Deep Purple after 'the man in black' departed the band back in 1993 and purposely avoided the Steve Morse era albums for many years and it was only a month ago that I decided to buy Rapture In The Deep & Now What! and after listening to them both I thought the songs sounded pretty strong BUT Deep Purple to me will always be the 1970s MkII, MkIII & MkIV versions of the 'proper' Deep Purple along with maybe the 1980s re-formed version of the band that I like.
Personally speaking back in the late 1990s I would have liked to have seen the MkIII version of the band having re-formed with the Blackmore. Coverdale, Hughes, Lord & Paice line up and for a short time there was some indications that it mite have happened but obviously it didn't.
E-Z
I have the Purpendicular album but I've only ever listened to it about three times all the way through because if I listen to Deep Purple I usually listen to the MkIII Blackmore/Coverdale/Hughes/Lord/Paice version of the band and usually Burn, Stormbringer, Made In Europe & The Last Concerts In Europe cd although I do listen to the MkII Blackmore/Gillan/Glover/Lord/Paice version of the band and usually the re-mixed Machine Head, Made In Japan/Live In Japan x3 cds & Who Do We Think We Are. As for Abandon I remember seeing it in the cd rakes on several occasions a few years ago but I couldn't muster the interesting in forking out the money on buying it.Purpendicular and Abandon are the two best Morse era albums IMO. They've definitely established a sound with Morse.