Album Club, July 2016: UFO -'A Conspiracy of Stars'

The Album Club choice for July comes courtesy of Nigel (nigsy116) with UFO's 'A Conspiracy of Stars'. As usual, please listen to the album in its entirety before you vote.




UFO - A Conspiracy Of Stars.

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...psglwgb4ve.jpg



I was going to do the cool thing and dig out Purple Rain and review it; but I'm over it now. RIP Prince and back to my original choice – UFO Conspiracy Of Stars.

https://play.spotify.com/album/6C3lBYYZ4Aw4kMopm3RkAJ



UFO return with their 21st studio album and one of their most (commercially) successful albums and supporting tour in a long time. Released on the back of what some regard as a comeback album (The Seven Deadly) and produced by Chris Tsangarides (Rock mega producer) we have a collection of meaty; return to the 1970's sound that launched UFO in those long ago days that the Schenker fanboys still hunger for.

From the Opening chords of 'The Killing Kind' that hook you in, the drums build and then Phil Moggs voice still as fresh now as it was back at the height of the bands early success. Still an under-rated song writer but now with Vinnie Moore and Rob De Luca helping out with the arrangements you get a much fresher sound.

The rock continues into 'Run Boy Run'; just a great riff leading to a great rock song (superb live!). Ballad of the Left Hand Gun changes gear with a nod to the '7 deadly'; but again picks up the pace and is my 'go to song' on the LP. Sugar Cane is another pleaser with a good riff and superb production. Devils in the Detail follows in the same back to the roots heavy riff of those Schenker days.

Precious Cargo sees a change of pace and is reminiscent of more recent offerings from the band; great underlying keyboard work though. The Real Deal takes us back to those smokey bars and easy chords; I think it has a lean to Sheryl Crowe, not sure if that's a good thing, but I like it!

One And Only comes up next, probably low point of the album; still a good song but just misses the grade for me. Messiah Of Love next and we are back into the groove with a great song and lyrics another great one on the live set. Rolling Rolling finishes the LP off with another great rock song – heavy riffs, great bass and supporting drums with the Mogster stamping his authority over the top.

All in all, for me, a great album from a band that could sit on it's laurels and just hash out remixes or live sets and pleaser’s from the last 45 years rather than try and keep it fresh and relevant.

Still on tour in Europe at the moment...catch them if you can.

I like Precious Cargo, Rollin Rollin but I am sorry that's it. I hate seeing bands that were once something trundling out insipid, by the numbers music. Compare this album to Lights Out or Obsession, even No place to Run and the difference is clear, those albums have spark, life, inventiveness compared to a corpse - sorry :(

I honestly thought people had stopped making albums like this in the mid 80s. Apart from the production, nothing much seems to have moved on and reminds me of my brief phase of liking Bon Jovi and Def Leppard. When I got as far as 'Devil's in the detail' which starts off sounding like Run to you by Bryan Adams I concluded this wasn't for me. Given a more interesting mix and production things could have been a bit different, but there's no dynamic here. Drums are all right at the back and lack any depth. Clearly recorded close mic'ed in a dead room and the levels are all the same right the way through the album. Rock music needs dynamic range to make it interesting, but production has been polished so much, the shine has worn off.

Reminds me I heard UFO at Hammersmith Odeon years ago, they were so loud I could have heard them without going there. Unbearably loud.

I gave it a listen, but it's really not my kind of thing. However to my ears at least it sounded like pretty generic heavy rock. Polished but not much in the way of interesting things going on. A 5/10 from me.

Cheers

Loz

A pretty 'run of the mill' album - varying from heavy metal of the '70s to AOR of the '80s. It's the sort of thing I used to listen to but not any more. Sorry, only 4/10 from me.