Ian Gillan is one of Rock’s premier vocalists. In addition to being the classic voice of the legendary Deep Purple, he has also made waves with his own band, Gillan, and a respected stint as a member of Black Sabbath. He has released solo albums on and off for the last couple of decades but, since he still tours with Deep Purple, it has been awhile since fans were treated to a solo offering. One Eye to Morocco = problem solved.
The one thing you really need to know about One Eye to Morocco is that Gillan certainly had an eye to expand his repertoire. The album contains both hints of and full fledged jumps into various rhythmic world styles and is very Adult Contemporary leaning overall. That’s not to say he doesn’t “rock out” though because “Texas State of Mind, “No Lotion For That,” and “Change My Ways” are classic Blues-induced rock songs. Overall though this is a pretty quiet listen with the obvious highlight being the melodic title track, a song that is certain to remain with you long after it finishes. “Girl Goes to Show” is much the same in that respect.
If you are die-hard fan of Ian Gillan’s work then I doubt any of his musings on this album will come as much of a surprise. If you are slightly disconnected though and are expecting Deep Purple’s Machine Head or Black Sabbath’s Born Again then you’ll be in shock for a few days but I bet you’ll ultimately enjoy the album. This is a hard album not to like.
Reviewed by Mark Fisher
