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Review Summary: An entertaining hard rock album but a real step down from the band's previous offerings. UFO got back into shape with their subsequent releases but this marks one of the lower points in the band's career. While not quite ever breaking into the mainstream conciousness melodic hard rockers UFO had built up quite a following throughout the 70's and their superb double live set 'Strangers in the Night' had proved to be the band's best selling release. However, after the departure of talismanic guitarist Michael Schenker things looked rather bleak for the London based band. Schenker had represented far more than a resident guitar hero to UFO as he had also formed a writing partnership with vocalist Phil Mogg which had produced arguably most of the band's best work. To say his boots were hard to fill would be an understatement. UFO turned to Paul 'Tonka' Chapman for a replacement. Chapman was a gifted guitarist who had performed with the band before and fit in with the rest of the lads so he did seem a logical choice. However, 'No Place To Run' aptly demonstrates that Chapman would need more time to settle in.
This is a real step down in quality from the classic albums UFO released towards the end of the Schenker era in the form of 'Lights Out' and 'Obsession'. Chapman seems to have got stuck into his songwriting duties straight away and is credited to some degree on six of the compositions. The instrumental 'Alpha Centauri' is credited solely to Chapman and almost leaps out at you with the statement 'I am not Michael Schenker I do things differently' with its synth dominated overtones. There isn't anything particularly bad about the music on here. There are some entertaining straightforward hard rock numbers, an enjoyable blues cover in the form of 'Mystery Train' on which Chapman demonstrates his undeniable talent and glimpses of the old brilliance in constructing melodic mid-tempo hard rock in the guise of the title track. However, there is none of the real magic that infused the best UFO had to offer in their 70's heyday. Quite a lot of the material is quite forgettable and the band seemed to have gone backwards in terms of creativity compared to the previous studio offering 'Obsession'. UFO thankfully upped their game considerably on the subsequent 'The Wild, The Willing and the Innocent' but at the time of release this album marked a sharp decline in quality and strongly hinted that the glory days were indeed over.
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Album Rating: 3.0
Mystery Train - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR4wMZ2uvfE
No Place To Run - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OQNccn25OQ
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Another band I haven't heard you make me feel stupid.
Pos'd.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
Cheers atari, dont worry not many people remember them even tho they were one of the best hard rock acts in the 70's. If you do check them out dont bother with this just get the live album 'Strangers in the Night'.
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Ok lol, still gotta listen to that pink floyd album again today and see if it sinks in.
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Dude you've been on a roll with reviews recently. Pos, may check this one out
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
thx brostep, if you are new to UFO I'd say dont bother with this get 'Strangers in the Night' first.
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Haven't heard this one but I love UFO. Good review as always, pos'd.
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Yeah this is pretty weak
Digging: Sacrifice - Soldiers Of Misfortune | | | Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off
This album is much better than this review gives it credit for being. I'll have to pen my own to do it some justice. It's one of the better albums with Paul Chapman and there are plenty of great songs including "Letting Go", "Mystery Train", "No Place To Run", "Money Money". Great soulful singing from Phil Mogg and lots of great grooves. A criminally unappreciated record. Chapman wasn't Schenker, but he stood his own ground proudly. (Vinnie Moore is sure doing a helluva job these days too.)
| | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
Great album by UFO with some of their best songs "Lettin Go"(killer guitar riff), "Mystery Train" (great cover), "No Place to Run", "Anyday". Paul Chapman does a great job with guitars, Pete Way deliver some grooves, but Phil Mogg shines with thoughtful lyricism and passionate singing. One of the UFO `s best albums ever.
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