PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
One thing keeps me interested in UFO, and that is Phil Mogg, the singer of UFO (and joint founding member along with Pete Way) since the band formed in 1969, I was 4 then.
Phil’s vocals are still solid; if slightly lacking in power since the hay day of UFO mania, mainly the awesome live album ‘Strangers In The Night’, though he more than makes up for it by his imitable stage presence.
A lot of members have passed through the UFO ranks since 69, with Michael Schenker being the most famous, however this latest version of UFO has been around for nearly 10 years now, and the albums they are releasing just get better and better, ‘The Visitor’ (2009) was good, ‘Seven Deadly’ (2012) was great, so ‘A Conspiracy Of Stars’ has a lot to live up to.
‘The Killing Kind’ has a great opening riff, the song is quite basic but chugs along nicely, with an easy relaxed singing style from Mogg, a great solo from Vinnie Moore helps lift the song above the average, a great start to the new album.
‘Run Boy Run’ has more of a modern sound, with a more hard edged guitar sound, but still UFO, this is a great track.
‘Ballad Of The Left Hand Gun’ has a bluesy acoustic intro, a gentle drum beat from returning drummer Andy Parker, and then Phils voice really lifts this track, the guy just oozes class even after all the years.
‘Sugar cane’ is the first track to feature keyboards, and a soft opening with them, allows another bluesy track to flourish, a great chorus leads into another Vinnie Moore solo.
‘Devils In The Detail’ has a great rhythm guitar run ending the track, with Vinnie overlaying a fast and fluid solo.
What is evident so far on this opus is the high standard of song writing, they know what works, and they should do, after nearly 45 years in the business.
The remaining tracks are all just as good, there are no lows on this album, and that makes it very hard to pick a favourite, ‘Precious Cargo’ is pretty much up there, sounding like a cross between zztop and Great White, as is ‘Rolling Rolling’.
‘King of the hill’ is a bonus track, which is as far from a throw away add-on, left over-found on the cutting room floor track as you can get, it is in fact a great track, sounding like UFO did back in the 70’s, great guitar work underpinned by Paul Raymond Keyboard work.
Line Up:-
Phil Mogg – Vocals
Paul Raymond – Guitar/Keyboards
Vinnie Moore – Guitar
Andy Parker – Drums
Rob De Luca – Bass
April and May sees the band embark on another UK and Irish Tour. Dates are:-
Thu 16th April Norwich – Waterfront
Fri 17th April Cambridge – Junction
Sat 18th April Wolverhampton – Wulfrun Hall
Sun 19th April Manchester – Ritz
Tue 21st April Dublin – The Academy
Wed 22nd April Belfast – The Limelight
Fri 24th April Glasgow – O2 ABC
Sat 25th April Newcastle – O2 Academy
Sun 26th April Leeds – O2 Academy
Tue 28th April Nottingham – Rock City
Thu 30th April Bristol – O2 Academy
Fri 1st May Falmouth – Pavilion
Sat 2nd May Exeter – Phoenix
Sun 3rd May Salisbury – City Hall
Tue 5th May Brighton – Concorde 2
Wed 6th May Oxford – O2 Academy
Thu 7th May London – HMV Forum
- £10.99
