Search - UFO :: Phenomenon

Phenomenon...indeed

John Patrick Meehan | Kansas City, Missouri United States | 09/18/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"1977. Rainbow Music Hall in Denver.
Maybe 2500 people at the show. I was in the Air Force stationed at Lowery and I dragged a friend of mine to the show.
I had read about the album in Rolling Stone (back when it was actually relevant kids) and they raved about it, so I bought that vinyl.
The band came out at about 9:30pm and played for two hours.
Then came FOUR encores ending with the classic "Rock Bottom"
I can still close my eyes and hear the thundering ending of that song.
My friend talked about it for a week.
They tore it up.
It was the loudest concert I've ever been to, and I've seen them all.
A thousand concerts, and I have yet to see it's equal.
UFO.
What a great name for a band."

The Phenomenon begins!

Morton | Colorado | 05/21/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Phenomenon known as UFO begins here. Though UFO released albums before this, it wasnt until the joining of Michael Schenker, the departure of Mick Bolton and the release of Phenonmenon that UFO found their legendary hard rock sound and style. When Michael Schenker joined the band he was only to be a guest for a few gigs, because he was a member of The Scorpions at the time, well that ended, he left The Scorpions and joined UFO full time. With a large hole in The Scorpions they called on Uli Jon Roth to replace. When Phenomenon was released it was the bands strongest album so far.



The album opens up with the hard rocker 'Oh, My' with killer vocals and an out of this world guitar riff and solo that showed that UFO had finaly chosen the right guitar player for the job. Next is the Rocker/balladier 'Crystal Light' filled with beautiful lyrics and arpegiated guitar that must be heard to hear how well it flows. Truly one of the bands best slower songs. UFO's biggest hit 'Doctor, Doctor' is next with a blisterng solo and fiery leads by Schenker and a catchy chorus to boot it's no wonder this was the bands biggest hit single. 'Space Child' is another ballad/rock song with a really cool melody and beautiful lyrics. Phil Moggs vocals are just flat out amazing on Space Child, maybe this song is why they got called space rock, what is that anyway? My favorite song on the album 'Rock Bottom' is next. It has one of my favorite Michael Schenker guitar solos and a really cool and catchy chorus. This is what hard rock should be, hard, heavy and fun! 'To Young To Know' has some good guitar and is very bluesy, probley the most bluesy song the band has ever recorded. it's one of the better songs the band has ever done as well. 'Time On My Hands' is a slower song that once again features really good vocals by Phil Mogg. Also the acoustic guitar adds a reall nice touch to the song as well as the album of mostly hard rocking electric guitar. Ok, so I take back what I said about To Young To Know being the most bluesy song UFO made, 'Built For Comfor' wins the title hands down, the guitar and vocal delivery easly sound like You shook Me by Led Zeppelin.... But Better. Other then having a cool title 'Lickstick Traces' is a really good song featuring some of Michael Schenkers best guitar playing, ever! Michael Schenker is known for being one of the worlds most melodic guitar players, and it shows on 'Queen Of The Deep' the albums closer is one of the strongest tracks UFO ever recorded. Perfect for closing the album. Its really dark and huanting, a really cool song for ending Phenomenon. Now that I think about it they could have called Queen of the Deep Phenomenon. That would have been perfect!



After this UFO would release four more albums with Michael Schenker on guitar before he would leave to rejoin The Scorpions and then form his own band Michael Schenker Group (MSG). Those next for albums are along with this the best albums UFO ever released, later in the bands carear Schenker would return to do a few more albums, as he did with The Scorpions, the albums these bands did with Schenker wee the best albums they would ever create. Do your self a favor and pick up this classic UFO record as any fan of hard rock should enjoy, and if you are a guitar player and you dont know Michael Schenker, then you dont know guitar!"

UFO hit the Big Time.

Mons | Norrpan | 11/12/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Seventeen and nature's queen/You know what I mean?". It's not hard to see where Spinal Tap got some of their inspiration from. Especially since this song is actually called Rock Bottom. Although in my opinion, UFO were better than the genre so cruelly parodied by Tap. UFO had a lot of things going for them- a cool name, great-looking album sleeves, one of the finest heavy rock guitarists ever, plenty of street cred and an unbroken suite of 5 classic albums in the 70s. Phenomenon is the first. Doctor Doctor was - and remains - a resounding heavy metal hit, guaranteed to get heads banging and air guitars playing at any party. Other powerhouse numbers include live favourite Oh My, while Crystal Light and Space Child and Too Young To Know showed that UFO were a deft hand at slower numbers and ballads. This, remember, was the band's first record with wunderkind Michael Schenker, fresh out of the Scorpions and heading for the stars. Whichever way you look at it, Phenomenon was a gigantic leap forward for the group in every respect. UFO went from being a tired space-rock combo into a lean, mean metal machine virtually overnight. Spearheaded by Schenker's fiery guitar and Phil Mogg's nimble hard rock phrasing and assured songwriting, UFO were on a roll. The runaway best cut is Rock Bottom which, as well as boasting one of the best rock choruses this side of Tuesday, comes complete with a one of the defining rock guitar solos in rock.
After this album, UFO's career rocketed skyward, culminating in the pair of masterpieces of Lights Out and Obsessions. After that, of course, it was all downhill; the 80s happened and the sound of motions being gone through echoed loudly through the kingdom. But in 1974, they were hot to trot. You can hear it here. UFO beginners should try Lights Out and then this one. You know it makes sense."