aaamusic | On 24, Sep 2010

UFO are, in their own way, one of the most influential bands you’ll have never heard of. Although they’ve been around longer than a fair few of us (your fair reviewer included) have been kicking about on this world, and their brand of fantastical and sexy hard rock was the bridge between the proto-metal of Deep Purple or Led Zeppelin and the scale-menacing 80s sound of the NWOBHM explosion, they are often considered a byline in the pages of music. And this is, as this new compilation proves, a great injustice.

Getting off to a sweat ‘n’ blood rock-out riff, ‘The Wild One’ kicks things off with a massively enjoyable guitar intro, before the deep and self-assured vocals bring in the heart of the song, a tale of heartbreak and the lost boys of rock. Catchy, sultry, and endowed with both metallic guitar chops and 60s rock sensibilities, this is a criminally underappreciated track as it blends jangling bluesy Zeppelin moments with glints of heavy metal. Then we launch into the full-on stomping drums of ‘Hard Being Me’, a real headbanger of a rocker that channels old-style pub rock in the three-chord hip-shaking and sense of fun and wry humour, all capped off with workmanlike yet accomplished musicianship. I challenge you not to find yourself humming the chorus for weeks after hearing it. A similar tone of catchy, dirty, enjoyable heavy metal can be found in ‘This Kids’ as it swings between metal and rock with aplomb, particularly in the masterful solos.

We are then treated to a rumbling live rendition of ‘Lights Out’. Of course, this loses some of the polish that the studio material possesses, but what it finds is a gritty reverb on the bass and a cavernous drum sound that encompasses the room it finds itself played in. The riffs are simple yet effective, and the vocals powerful and pitched perfectly between heavy metal and gritty rock and the whole thing is ripped into with real enthusiasm. Hints of the Small Faces and Status Quo bleed into Deep Purple and dreams of sci-fi adventures as a sprawling metallic solo flourishes into mesmeric wonders over chugging rhythm guitars and crashing cymbals. Similarly, ‘Let It Roll’ is notably more raw than a lot of the studio recordings, but by no means ropy. The sound is much more keyboard-driven, but the band’s good-times feel and musical ability shine bright as ever. Twin guitars and drumkit runs spread majestically over the spaced-out keyboard sounds and the whole affair feels natural and uncontrived.

‘Saving Me’ is decidedly more acoustic at first, bordering on the country blues flavours of rock n roll’s roots. Then the whole thing explodes into the form of a hot-blooded heavy metal track of the pre-thrash old school as it dips into heavy distortion and drama while retaining the bluesy riffs and tunefully whisky-soaked vocals. Penultimate track ‘Baby Blue’ follows a similar route, although it is slower and quieter, suiting itself well to the role of winding down the end of the compilation.

‘Daylight Goes To Town’ holds a distinct party vibe in its unavoidably dance-inducing snare and cymbal stomp and seductive guitar work, like a less intimidating cousin of the early Alice Cooper material crossed with the gems of Guns N Roses’ first album. Mogg’s vocals guide the proceedings with a rocker’s smirk branded into the very essence of his being, as he narrates the tale of a wandering drifter with a sense of freedom and enjoyment that is a rare and cherished thing in the po-faced world of metal. ‘Helldriver’ also brings out an Aerosmith vibe, albeit in a much more palatable form as UFO have a much better handle on their own sound and lyrical variation, making even the usual tropes of sleazy classic rock feel fresh and fun when it comes sparking out the speakers.

The “space rock” leanings of UFO really shine through on the grinding sound of ‘Heavenly Body’. The guitars are wrapped in thick layers of savage distortion, and the cymbals clang steadily out over a bass-driven groove. The vocals are snarled in Mogg’s distinct style, and the whole track is a delight in its slow uncoiling of a proto-metal rock out track. The bridge features guitarwork complete with synchopation and slides to put a smile on many a rocker’s face before the solo comes accompanied by crashing drums.  Similarly, the flanging and echoes on the majestic and sprawling ‘Black And Blue’, with its cavernous drum stomp and snarling guitars carries hints of the band’s more fantastic edges that fringe their classic rock grounding.

What really makes UFO shine out on most tracks is definitely their ability to perfectly balance metal riffing with simple rock chords. ‘Too Hot To Handle’ is a sleek and clashing monster of a track that skims both genres effortlessly.

UFO are also able to bleed a little sentiment into their songs without turning it into annoying power ballads, case in point being the excellent ‘Mr Freeze’, a heartfelt bluesy song with a wonderfully melodic intro that spreads their sound into The Cult circa ‘Sonic Temple’ in its atmospheric hard rock, although UFO are able to squeeze in an insane metal guitar solo without making it sound silly. And of course, album closer ‘Doctor Doctor’ caps things of perfectly, a galloping rocker of a live recording that brings together all the promise of earlier offerings into six minutes of a great band unleashing yet another resounding sonic success.

UFO are a band with no pretension: their cult status has meant they have had to work hard throughout the long haul, and as a result they are here to play and to play well. Although many best-of compilations can feel disjointed and removed from context, this proves to be a delight to listen to even from an outsider’s perspective.

Author: Katie H-Halinski