UFO "No Heavy Petting" 1976****/"Lights Out" 1977****(comp.1994)

A few hours ago, I saw UFO in my neighboring city, Zoetermeer. I'm talking of course about the hard rock band, not an actual Unidentified Flying Object. I have seen one of those but I don't talk about it lest The Men In Black show up in my doorstep. I'm joking, of course! Really, just forget I ever wrote that, and focus on the UFO concert. The current line-up includes classic members Phil Mogg (vocals), Andy Parker (drums), Paul Raymond (guitar, keyboards), as well as new guys Rob De Luca (bass, since 2008) and Vinnie Moore (lead guitar, 2003). Vinnie is a perfect fit for the band, an acclaimed virtuoso and one of the few people who can live up to the inevitable comparisons with original guitarist Michael Schenker - in speed and technique, if not flamboyance. Mogg's voice isn't what it used to be, but whose is? The band performed well and the audience had lots of fun, especially with all the 70's classics, while new songs didn't sound out of place. Regarding the record review itself, this is one CD I'm not sure I'm keeping. The two albums compiled here are great but the songs are all included on The Chrysalis Years box set which I've just bought. No reason to own it on CD twice. If it was vinyl, now... "No Heavy Petting" was the band's third LP with Michael Schenker on guitar. The band was firing on all cylinders, with "Force It" breaking into the Top100 and the German wunderkind (still only 21) closing in on Ritchie Blackmore in the race for Metal's best lead guitarist. They had the momentum, and this should have been the album to push them over the top. They kept producer Leo Lyons (from Ten Years After) and added new member Danny Peyronel (ex-Heavy Metal Kids) on keyboards to achieve a fuller sound. The result was commercially unsuccessful with the album peaking 100 places lower than their previous one, at No 169. Listening to it now, it's hard to understand why. Opener "Natural Thing" certainly pulls out all the stops: powerful riff, catchy chorus, and some bustling Jerry Lee-like piano by Peyronel. "I'm a Loser" has a morose title and country-ish acoustic intro, but soon picks up, culminating in a fiery electric guitar solo. "Can You Roll Her" is one of their more metallic songs. Reminiscent of Deep Purple, because of its speed but also because of the way the guitar and keyboards complement each other. It's followed by the emotive ballad "Belladonna" displaying UFO's ability for writing great ballads - probably the only hard rockers that can out-ballad them are Schenker's alma mater aka The Scorpions. "Reasons Love" is another fast metal song with a riff similar to Purple's "Stormbringer". Schenker's playing here is phenomenal. "Highway Lady" is a Peyronel composition and he steals the show with some nice boogie woogie piano. "On with the Action" is a slow-burning mid tempo rocker, while the bluesy "A Fool in Love" (a Frankie Miller cover) sounds more like Rod Stewart than UFO. Closer "Martian Landscape" starts off with some proggy keyboards before evolving into a typical power ballad. I think this album is better than it's usually given credit for.

***** for Natural Thing, Can You Roll Her

**** for I'm a Loser, Belladonna, Reasons Love, On with the Action

*** for Highway Lady, A Fool in Love, Martian Landscape

The commercial failure of "No Heavy Petting" meant some changes were in order. First up, they brought in producer Ron Nevison who tried to enrich their sound with more complex orchestrations including strings and horns. Then, Danny Peyronel was replaced by Paul Raymond who doubled on keyboards and rhythm guitar, complementing Schenker without vying for equal footing. The album opens with powerful rocker "Too Hot to Handle" combining the electric blues of Free with a glam/pop chorus. "Just Another Suicide" is a glam rocker embellished with strings and keyboards. "Try Me" is UFO's softest ballad. The piano and strings dominate, and for once Schenker's guitar is emotional rather than bombastic. As if to show us he hasn't mellowed out he returns with some stupefyingly fast solos on the galloping "Lights Out", one of the band's best (and heaviest) songs. A couple of typical hard rockers ("Electric Phase" and Thin Lizzy-soundalike "Gettin' Ready") surround a surprisingly faithful cover of Love's "Alone Again Or". Not an obvious choice, certainly. Either the idea was to showcase Alan McMillan's orchestral arrangements or to shut Schenker up for once. He does emulate the sound of the original's mariachi trumpets with his electric guitar, but otherwise takes a back seat here. Any way, kudos to the band for not fucking the song up and for reminding people of the genius of Love. One has to remember that, although today "Forever Changes" is a universally acknowledged classic, back in '77 it was all but forgotten. The closing "Love to Love" blends together emotive vocals, stirring pianos, soaring strings and heavy guitars to create the ultimate power ballad. That said, I have to admit I personally find it rather too long (at 7'40'') and overloaded. It certainly has its fans: Iron Maiden's leader Steve Harris has cited it as his all-time favourite song. The album in general turned out to be UFO's biggest success ever, peaking at No.23 (U.S.) and even now featuring in many Best-Albums-Ever lists. Unfortunately, Schenker's alcoholism and erratic behaviour would hinder them from reaching the potential showed here. Finally, after one album in similar vein (1978's "Obsession"), they would part ways. A pity, really: neither band nor guitarist would ever better the albums they made together as a team.

***** for Too Hot to Handle, Try Me, Lights Out

**** for Just Another Suicide, Alone Again Or, Love to Love

*** for Gettin' Ready, Electric Phase

Disclaimer: I just want to make clear that I have never seen an actual UFO. I wrote it as a joke. UFO's do not exist, neither do The Men In Black. Aliens have never come in contact with us, and the U.S. Government is not experimenting on people. Additionally, Osama Bin Laden did plan the 9/11 attacks and really is dead.