Firstly we have "King of Dreams". A very digital-sounding track, the instruments sound like the processing chip from a 16-bit game system like the Sega Genesis. Turner's vocals are decent enough, but the production is so weak and thin-sounding, I cannot recommend the song as is. "The Cut Runs Deep" is a step back in the right direction. Ritchie Blackmore delivers an almost classic riff, and the recently and sadly departed Jon Lord sounds great on the keys. Turner did a pretty good job on the vocals, but I keep imagining the songs as if sung by Ian Gillan. But alas, Blackmore's solo smokes, and the song is actually quite good in terms of production, despite a very digital and Def-Leppard-like metal drum sound.
"Fire in the Basement" is a boogie number that brings to mind the band's heyday. Turner sounds very good here, channeling Ian Gillan and at times more controlled and refined than the Purple main-man. Lord's organ playing is the stuff of legends, and it is no exception here. The classic trading off of organ and guitar solos happens here, and will instantly please fans of the band, proving that Lord was truly a master on the keys. A silly title and lyrics (likely a play on Smoke on the Water), but a great song. "Truth Hurts" reminds me of a Turner-era Rainbow song, very slow and somewhat mystical. But the song has pop ambitions, and is more of a ballad than anything. A decent song (especially Blackmore's solo), but very typical of late 80's rock ballads in terms of sound and feel. Not a bad song, but not up to caliber enough to carry the mighty Deep Purple name.
"Breakfast in Bed" opens with some cool sounding, but very dated digital synths. Like many late 1980's ballads, it takes a page from the Bon Jovi book of songwriting by adopting a western/cowboy influence and sound. It feels pretty unnatural for Purple, far too American for them(perhaps the Turner influence) and forced. I could do without this track, one of the weakest by the band. The highlight of the song for me is bassist Roger Glover's bass-lines, some great work by a very underrated bassist. "Love Conquers All" is another ballad. I love the string introduction and the delicate and soft riff by Blackmore over sombre organ from Lord. A pretty decent ballad, the song could certainly have been a big hit if it had gotten more radio play. Turner's voice really shines here, a very clear and smooth rock voice. I like the track, and Blackmore's solo is one of his most haunting and beautiful.
"Fortuneteller" is very AOR, despite retaining vestiges of the band's glory days. The song reminds me of Rainbow, but speed down to a much slower speed with a healthy amount of digital production that actually hampers the song. Also, the mighty vocals of Ronnie James Dio are immediately what I think of upon hearing this song, it would have sounded great with him on vocals. Not a bad song, but it could have been so much more with better production and a less pop-focused sound. "Too Much Is Not Enough" brings back the speed and metal. A chugging riff drives along the song, and Ian Paice delivers some solid drumming. However, a horrible digital brass sound nearly kills the song. It seriously sounds like a Mario game from the era. The keyboards on the album are very brittle and cheap sounding, a low-point for Slaves and Masters. Not a great tune, skip this turd. "Wicked Ways" closes off this album. A fast-paced number, the song gets an A for effort. Not bad at all, I like the steamroller classic Purple sound, very manic and fast.
"Slaves and Masters" has some enjoyable moments, but they are few compared to the average moments. Better than 1987's absolute disaster "The House of Blue Light", but a far cry from the band's 1970's glory days. If you are a Purple fan, this album will certainly be an interesting side-note in their long discography. For casual fans, I would not recommend this as an essential listen.
Rating-6/10
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