Ufo 50

Easily an upgrade over "The Visitor" (2009), UFO have returned to their hard rock roots on "Seven Deadly", yet still retaining that bluesy edge they seem to have incorporated over the last few years. Vinnie Moore is sizzling throughout, Phil Mogg sounds better than ever, Andy Parker is still pounding his kit, and Paul Raymond adds his keyboard colors and occasional rhythm guitar. What more could any UFO fan want?

Four CD live archive box set from the British Hard rockers. Let It Roll features rare and previously unreleased concert performances by the classic line up of Schenker, Mogg, Way, Raymond and Andy Parker. 55 digitally remastered tracks.

Only the most dedicated UFO fan could possibly keep track of all the live releases that have surfaced over the years. Many of these live recordings were not necessarily approved by the band, and as a result, some have been good, and some have been downright stinky. Finally, the UFO lads have taken steps to regain control of their concert recordings, by issuing a mammoth six-disc box set, 2009's Official Bootleg Box Set. UFO have always been one of those groups best experienced on the concert stage, as evidenced by 1979's Strangers in the Night, which is widely regarded as one of hard rock/heavy metal's all-time great live sets…

Walk on Water finds the classic mid-'70s UFO lineup – featuring Michael Schenker – reuniting for another go-round. Much has changed in rock & roll since Schenker last played in UFO, but in UFO's world, things remain the same. The group continues to pound out heavy rockers without changing its formula much at all. To the disinterested observer or critic, this means Walk on Water is boring, but UFO diehards may be pleasantly surprised by the record, since it finds the band playing with energy and conviction, even if the music is predictable.

English rock band UFO‘s 1979 live album Strangers in the Night is being reissued as an 8CD deluxe edition in November.

This five-disc set collects all of the post-Michael Schenker albums that the British hard rock outfit released for the Chrysalis label in the 1980s, including No Place to Run (1980), The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent (1981), Mechanix (1982), Making Contact (1983), and Misdemeanor (1986). Like its 1973-1979 sibling, each disc on The Chrysalis Years (1980-1986) is stocked with live recordings, rare tracks, alternate takes, single edits, and extensive liner notes, making it a must-have for longtime fans.

Recorded on a shoestring budget, UFO has several challenging sonic moments. The uneven mixes and amateur performances that some listeners might find quaint or innocent could be distracting to others. In their pre-Michael Schenker days, the British band made a much more experimental noise that reflected psychedelic as well as R&B influences pitched with a dark resonance. This swirling mish-mosh barely suggests the early British metal of the group's commercial pinnacle that was still years off when they released their eponymous debut. Blue Cheer, early Black Sabbath, and maybe a little bit of the Who (mostly derived via bassist Pete Way's meandering, over-saturated basslines) all come to mind on standouts like "Boogie," "C'mon Everybody," and "Follow You Home."

There have been countless UFO live recordings issued over the years, with the best undoubtedly being 1979's classic Strangers in the Night. But certainly one of the more intriguing live UFO releases came in 2008 with the arrival of the four-disc set Live Throughout the Years. And what makes this set stand out from the oodles of other live UFO items is that it includes standout live performances from three different decades – 1976 (London), 1982 (London), and 1998 (Vienna)…