EMI has reissued UFO's first three Chrysalis albums. This is a great way to reacquaint with UFO or maybe discover this solid Rock band for the first time.
Phenomenon
This was the first album to introduce Michael Schenker. On their 3 previous albums UFO had been experimenting with a shape of psychedelic space alike rock. "Phenomenon still has elements of that but is forever immortalized by Doctor Doctor and Rock Bottom. Those two songs were the foundation for the later years and the first glimpse of what potential Mogg, Way and Schenker possessed together.
"Phenomenon" is mainly a milestone because of the two previous mentioned songs and because it was the first record with Schenker. So for historic reasons UFO's road to stardom was founded with "Phenomenon".
The album is interesting since it's the album where UFO transform from boy to man. This is their musical year zero. There are a few misses, but also a couple of charming 70´s space rockers like Too Young to No and the brilliant Time on my Hands.
Force it
"Force it" was UFO's second Chrysalis release. In general "Force it" is a huge improvement and builds on the strong notes from "Phenomenon" - add creativity, confidence and musicians progressing you have "Force it". High Flyer is the only song linking back to the spacey rock on "Phenomenon" and Too Much of Nothing is the perfect bridge between the two records.
Mogg/Schenker's songwriting partnership was more fruitful than ever. "Force it" also allowed Michael Schenker to step out more - just listen to the two classic openers Let It Roll and Shoot Shoot.
The band just oozed creativity and "Force it" produced other classics like Mother Mary, Out in the Street and This Kid's. This definitely was the record that put UFO on the Rock N' Roll map and this album had the strong songs used as skeleton for future live sets in many years ahead.
The bonus tracks are live recordings of the mentioned classics along with a previously unreleased bonus track A Million Miles, which is a strong composition, where singer Phil Mogg deserves a special mention.
No Heavy Petting
The album is marked by the addition of keyboard player Danny Peyronel. Peyronel also contributed to the songwriting and his finest contribution is the up-tempo Can you Roll Her with a manic piano pumping.
The album was released in 1976 and Mogg/Schenker still manages to write some great tunes, but overall this album is marked by signs of metal fatigue. The chord progression for Natural Thing is genius, since it's simple but very effective. The vocals are doubled for I'm a Loser, which gives it a powerful effect and Schenker burns through with his flying V.
Overall this record sounds like a step back to the days before "Force it" with Martian Landscape and Belladonna. Besides the aforementioned classics On with the Action is album highlight. Michael Schenker's playing is out of this world, he sounds like he is from another planet.
All 3 albums come with extensive booklets complete with liner notes and vintage pictures. The bonus tracks just makes the reissues even more value for money along with the delicious re-mastered sound.
Individual ratings:
Phenomenon - 6/10
Force it - 8/10
No Heavy Petting - 6,5/10 Written by
Michael Sunday, March 9, 2008
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