Review | Don Airey – Pushed To The Edge

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For more than two decades now Don Airey has been serving Deep Purple as keyboardist, replacing the one and only Jon Lord after his retirement (and as we know he passed away in 2012). He was the right man for Deep Purple, adding his enormous experience to the Purple-mix. Outside Deep Purple Don made guest appearances on several other records and in 2018 came up with another solo-album entitled ‘One Of A Kind’ where he worked together with Nazareth singer Carl Sentance, bassist Laurence Cottle, drummer Jon Finnigan and guitarist Simon McBride. A few years later McBride entered the ranks of Deep Purple when Steve Morris ended his spell with that group. It has been a few years for Don to be able to make another album under his own name, but that was mainly due to commitments towards Deep Purple.

A COUPLE OF CHANGES

The line-up supporting Don on ‘Pushed To The Edge’ (look at that great album cover) has undergone a couple of changes. On bass we find Dave Marks while there has been a second lead-singer included in the person of the talented Mitchel Emms, an English singer, composer, and producer.  As for the rest nothing has changed as Finnigan, Sentance and McBride are again fully involved.

NEO CLASSICAL TOUCH

‘One Of A Kind’ was an excellent album, filled with energetic classic rock where the playful interludes between Airey and McBride took centre stage with Sentance showing all kind of variation in his singing. With Emms another colourful vocalist has been added. The energy that was key to ‘One Of A Kind’ has certainly been re-captured on ‘Pushed To The Edge’. But this record has a serious neo-classical touch with several progressive elements showing up as well. And again the playful interludes between Airey’s Hammond and McBride’s robust guitar acrobatics are a very important part of this record, that also has a bit more variation on offer plus two instrumental tracks in the form of ,,Girl From Highland Park’’ (gorgeous acoustic guitar work from McBride can be enjoyed here) and album-closer ,,Finnigan’s Awake’’ where at the end Don Airey introduces the musicians on this album.

DON AIREY – THE CONCLUSION

Okay, as Airey and McBride play together in Deep Purple as well, certain elements on this album might sound a little familiar here and there. But mind you when you hear a track like ,,Godz Of War’’ things get very different as this song is a perfect combination between neo-classical and progressive rock with luscious and adventurous moments. And those adventurous moments are really all over the album. At the age of 76 Don Airey is as energetic as ever as he has come up with excellent songs and an immaculate sound and production.

Fans of Deep Purple will lap this up, but there is so much more to discover on ‘Pushed To Edge’. It is a bit of a journey where, each and every time you discover something new, something fresh and something surprising. Furthermore, also hats off to the vocal performances of Carl Sentance and Mitchel Emms who are both very impressive. High musicianship galore but never at the expense of the song itself! Don Airey and Co have nailed it!

Release date: 28 March 2025