UFO: The Visitor
Release: 2009-06-01
Style: classic rock
Label: Steamhammer / www.spv.de / CNR
Website: www.ufo-music.info
Playing Time: 42:27
Cat. N°: SPV 80001342
Review by: Vera
Translated by: Vera
Rating: 8/10
UFO is a band that has been around for ages in ever changing line-ups and they always assure some proper classic rock. Some albums are very good, others a bit weaker, but the idiosyncratic voice of Phil Mogg and the excellent guitar skills of the guitarist on duty (once a flashlight relationship with the enfant terrible Michael Schenker and since 2003 working with eighties shredder Vinnie Moore in their ranks) they always offered some decent quality. On this twentieth record ‘The Visitor’ it didn’t turn out differently.
The album even starts very strong with the bluesy ‘Saving Me’. That’s a nice one. Heavy riffs relished with some blues overtones bring me in a kind of Led Zeppelin mood. ‘On The Waterfront’ appears to be an old-fashioned rocking track, regaled with Paul Raymond’s organ. Believe it or not, but riffing of ‘Helldriver’ reminds me of Bowie’s ‘The Jean Genie’. Later on this song goes in another direction, but anyway, with a rather great guitar solo. Vinnie Moore as guitarist of UFO is fine for me. He brings in some real emotional parts (no technical exposure), he remains focused on the songs and in a couple of songs he showcases any beautiful slide guitar skills. ‘Rock Ready’ is a proper example of that.
Furthermore we have the following ingredients: smooth rocking with honky-tonk piano (‘Villains & Thieves’), melancholic and therefore my personal favourites (‘Stop Breaking Down’ and ‘Can’t Buy A Thrill’) and the juicy ‘Living Proof’ though this one does not remain exciting all the way. UFO does not write rock history anymore, these times are gone, but they come up with a meritorious album – without bassist Pete Way who is recovering from a liver disease – of which they can distillate a couple of songs, completing their setlist of classics during the upcoming tour. That tour will mainly cover the UK and Germany, but they also have a spot on the Graspop fest late June. Be sure to be there early!
8/10
copyright 2009 - Metal-Nose
