I remember getting the album after I had been disappointed with DP's swansong Come Taste the Band a few weeks before - I heard the Man on the Silver Mountain riff and there was that familiar DP riffage excitement sending shivers up my spine again.
But things change over time. Today, Come Taste the Band is one of my favourite DP albums (the Kevin Shirley remix is grand!) and the murky and indirect production of Rainbow's debut hasn't aged very well. That album is really in dire need of not only a remaster, but a complete remix. Among the worst Martin Birch production jobs ever; funny, as he was generally a good producer/engineer if no Bob Ezrin.
But there are some excellent songs on it, Man on the Silver Mountain (contains more chords in one song than most other hard rock albums in sum, yet sounds natural and organic), Temple of the King (lovely) and Catch the Rainbow (Hendrix' Little Wing has never been purloined with more respect). Or the 6/8 Self Portrait (rare for Ritchie to use a non-conventional meter like that) plus the Uriah Heep's Gypsy rip-off of 16th Century Greensleeves. Even the DP bone of contention Black Sheep of the Family is good. In the end, the only redundant track is the Yardbirds cover Still I'm Sad (I never liked the Yardbirds version either).
I continue to prefer the debut over the overrated Rising, which was more a statement in newfound sound than a collection of good songs, Tarrot Woman, Starstruck and Stargazer (though that kind of overstays its welcome, one good idea endlessly trodded out) being the exceptions.
And thanks for that single to the "worthy collector", Ken!!!