Audio CD review:
UFO - Mechanix

UFO - Mechanix

Band: UFO Title: Mechanix Rating: Release Date: 26 January, 2000 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: The Writer 2: Somethin' Else 3: Back Into My Life 4: You'll Get Love 5: Doing It All For You 6: We Belong To The Night 7: Let It Rain 8: Terri 9: Feel It 10: Dreaming 11: Heel Of A Stranger

Customer Reviews Mechanix... "and beyond the infinite" Greetings. . I agree. . . this recording was very good. . . and YES, I own HEADSTONE on vinyl (IMPORT, if you can believe it), and CD, and the live version of DOING IT ALL FOR YOU was brilliant, if not stellar. . . LET IT RAIN was also a standout track. . . from the BOLTON days (COME AWAY, MELINDA still elicits emotions) to MICHAEL S. to CHAPMAN to ATOMIC TOMMY to VINNIE M. (and no less than Jason Bonham on drums!!!!!), UFO never fails to impress me. . . I hope that the faithful who are still interested in good hard rock will explore UFO's catalogue. . . STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT, LIGHTS OUT, FORCE IT, WILD WILLING AND THE INNOCENT, WALK ON WATER, COVENANT, FLYING, UFO 1. . . to use a current cliche (reluctantly). . . "IT'S ALL GOOD" (no, EXPONENTIALLY STELLAR. . . no, GALACTIC. . . well, maybe you could work a PARALLEL UNIVERSE or two in, as well!!!!!!!!!!). . . don't take my word for it. . . listen to the CDs. . . Be well. . . be alert. . . be vigilant. . . behave. . . Balthazar "AIR COOL" Platini III . Commercial Decline Whilst "No Place to Run" kept the rock juggernaut going, TWTWATI slowed it down a little then breakdown came with "Mechanix". The steady decline of UFO over the Chapman era starts to become evident here with this fairly lightweight offering. This one kicks off in terrific form with "The Writer" and fills the listener with optimism. The lack of Schenker's guitars always seemed to me to put more emphasis and pressure on the song writing and lyrical skills of Mogg. Typically he rises to the top with this great track despite the synthesizers and sax. The unusual cover of the classic "Somethin' Else" and "We belong to the Night" also give us something to rock along to in keeping with UFO tradition. Whilst neat and professional the rest of album is much more commercial than any of the previous albums. It's generally OK but not as good or as listenable to as all the American competition in a similar vein. "Back Into My Life" and "Let it Rain" are nice catchy tunes but there isn't much to get excited about outside of the above. "Terri" and "Heel of a Stranger" are pretty awful. Generally there is too much Neil Carter and his sax and not enough umf!! It was about this time when I decided to give UFO a wide birth. Mechanix is OK but unlike anything previous and this direction was not for me. Perhaps aimed more at the main stream American market, Mechanix is a reasonable album and worth getting for the first two tracks. . NO SCHENKER, NO PROBLEM! Not So! You still have Mogg, Way, Parker and the great chemistry developed over many years of rocking together. My "old buddies" might say that when Michael Schenker left UFO that was the end. Granted, Paul Chapman has a different style than the great Schenker (few could match the precise shredding power of the wonderkid). Mechanix is still a good Rock-N-Roll CD. I might go as far to say the sweetest ballad (slower tune) ever recorded by UFO was "Back Into My Life" #3 on the CD. If you'r looking for old school UFO you won't find it here. What you will find is a familiar sound and all the ingredients that made UFO great. Check it out, that axeman Chapman ain't no slouch! ALWAYS NEVER THE SAME! . . You can see a complete list of all UFO discography, or go back to the UFO tabs