Deep Purple-The Book of Taliesyn (1968)

With their second album, Deep Purple solidified their proto-progressive psychedelic style, with experimental touches. Recorded by the so-called Mark I lineup (Evans, Blackmore, Lord, Paice, and Simper), this release once again features several covers, including Neil Diamond's "Kentucky Woman" and The Beatles' "Exposition/We Can Work It Out", Among the original tracks, the instrumental "Wring That Neck" is undoubtedly the album's highlight, showcasing the talent of both Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore on their respective instruments. The psychedelic "Listen, Learn, Road On" and the elaborate "Shield" also feature excellent guitar work. The album closes with the delightful mid-tempo "Anthem", where Evans showcases his best vocal performance with Deep Purple, and with the progressive version of Ike and Tina Turner's "River Deep, Mountain High", which provides the ideal setting for the pyrotechnic excellence of Jon Lord's keyboards.