Although HIGH STAKES & DANGEROUS MEN still wasn't a full-fledged UFO reunion, it did bring bassist Pete Way back into the
fold. After several lack luster albums with Tommy McClendon on guitar, Phil Mogg changes the game once again with the
very capable (and much more tasteful) Lawrence Archer. Archer plays with a nice blend of firepower and soul that isn't
unlike their current guitarist, Vinnie Moore. The players here (now including drummer Clive Edwards) blend much more
organically then they had on MISDEMEANOR.
I felt a bit indifferent about this album when I first listened to it many years ago, but have come to recognize that it
was a step in the right direction for UFO. The songwriting isn't quite strong enough to really make this album stand out
too much in their catalog, but there are some fine moments with "Borderline" and "Running Up The Highway", which does
sound a bit like the old Easybeats song "Good Times". While not an exceptional album, HIGH STAKES & DANGEROUS MEN is
important in establishing the stylistic template that UFO would adopt for the next few decades.
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