Customer Reviews

Lights Out

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Perfect 70's hard rock album. I always thought UFO was one of the most underrated bands of that era. I know Schenker gets most of the glory (deservedly so, he is an evocative/flashy/brilliant guitarist)but to me the real hero of this band has always been Phil Mogg. His singing and songwriting really jells on this cd.

I was lucky enough to catch them with this lineup on tour in the US that year and they were very high energy and blew the headliner off the stage. They get lumped in as a metal band...but I never thought
of them in that genre....there was just too much intelligence and taste coming out of this band on stage and in the studio. And this album was where it all came together.

Most UFO albums have at least one stellar track on it (sometimes many more) but from start to finish you couldn't ask for a better hard rock record. Too hot to handle, this album is it.

Long Live Phil Mogg!!

According to the liner notes, UFO was in its death throes as a band when they recorded "Lights Out" in 1977, and that all the angst the band felt contributed to the unusual power of this CD. I'm not sure I buy that reasoning, but there is no question this band had power, and that this CD was their masterpiece. With German guitar master Michael Schenker at full stride and under the guidance of legendary producer Ron Nevison, this is a must-buy for any fan of '70s British heavy metal. It starts off with "Too Hot to Handle", a minor radio hit and a pure exercise in guitar power and ends with the beautiful "Love to Love" (Misty Green and Blue), another minor radio hit ("minor" hits were all this band could muster up, but that's not necessarily a bad thing) and featuring a string section in addition to the guitars. Other good tracks are the title track, "Getting Ready" and the ballad "Try Me" (yes, every album had to have a ballad in those days). Personal differences and, supposedly, extreme hedonism, tore this band apart after "Lights Out" but Schenker has reappeared with his own band (saw them in concert last year, and they looked good) and the music plays on. If you like Deep Purple, you should like UFO.

This is all record is UFO at their peak. UFO was a band that sadly got swept aside in the '80's, when peers like Scorpions and Judas Priest were getting their kudos for influencing the the NWOBHM. Look around though, and you can hear UFO in both Maiden and Leppard. Meanwhile, Phil Mogg had only one rival as a lyricist working in the hard work milieu - Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy, (whose shortfall on the ladder of success is a injustice even greater than that of UFO.) Mogg had a much more mature approach to his writing - examine his take of the burgeoning punk scene and its excesses in the East End of London on "Lights Out", or the mental approach of "Gettin' Ready". These were no dragons and kings flights of fancy, a la Ronnie James Dio. There was gritty realistic look at everyday life in Mogg's lyrics. Meanwhile, Michael Schenker was simply the best guiatrist on the hard rock scene pre-VH. Lights Out is a great starter album for anyone looking to dip their toes in the UFO pool.

UFO continues to be one of the best bands of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal from the late 70's early 80's. Everything they have ever put out deserves a listen. But Lights Out is the album that started it all. Song for song one of their strongest albums. This has a song for everybody, from the rip roaring guitars of Too Hot to Handle to the tear jerker ballad Try Me to the power ballad Love to Love. And the title track Lights Out is their signature song. Every collection should include this album.

Without a doubt, Lights Out is one of the best rock albums to emerge from the fabulous '70s. Every song here is a "10+". No other band managed the beautiful use of background strings on rock songs like these legends did back in 1977. The formula was repeated in 1978 with Obsession, and then again in 1981 with the highly underrated The Wild, The Willing and The Innocent.

The fabulous UFO chemistry was at its best when they recorded this one. No need for commercial airwave success to recognize how awesome this band sounded. Arguably, this is one of the top 3 hard rock albums stemming out from real rock's most prolific era.

The cherry on the cake: The remastered sound of this edition is excellent (Note: other low quality remastered versions such as the double CDs issued by BMG are to be avoided).
This is an absolute MUST HAVE.

This is the architypal UFO album where the best line up ever found their true sound. I hate the term "heavy Metal" and don't consider UFO to be anything other than a quality rock band. This album has everything, powerful guitars and rasping solo's like the classic "Lights Out",a beautiful ballad in "Try Me" , melody, orchestral arrangements and the classic "Love to Love". UFO discovered here that they could use keyboards and keep it heavy. All eight songs are great with plenty of variety to make it a real good listen even thirty years on.

At just eight tracks UFO's Lights Out disc from 1977 is short by modern standards where bands feel compelled to pile up to 13 or 14 tracks onto a CD. But the point is your better off pumping out only 8 tunes if they are good ones rather than outstaying your welcome by releasing mediocrity. And many of the tunes here are anything but mediocre.

This Ron Nevison produced album stars off with the rollicking good time rockin' roller of Too Hot To Handle and this song is very much in the hip shakin' style of the bands more lively moments. Backed up by Just Another Suicide this is a great pairing of opening tunes. Continuing the rock band tradition of making the third track a ballad - and showing just how far ago this convention came into being - is the painfully mellow Try Me where Phil Moggs' voice bleeds all over the tune like a man several beers into a drinking session. And given this is UFO there is every chance that's how this was recorded.

Things perk up again with the apocalyptic prophecy of the title track, one of the greater hard rock statements of the 70's. Riding a spirited rhythm the song fairly clips along interspersed with a blazing Schenker solo that'll bring a tear to the eye of everyone who remembers when a rock song was supposed to have a least a modicum of an axe solo.

As the album rolls along the band continues to operate within the confines of the first four tracks, further exploring the possibilities of the rock song in the form of Getting Ready (a mid paced roller), almost twee rock 'n' roll in the form of Alone Again Or and the ballad Love to Love where once again the band shows themselves masters of the maudlin tear jerker.

A very solid four stars for this pleasant workout of rock 'n' roll which is a perfect foil to a quiet afternoon. Or when you have your mates around for a few beers. Either way, the listener wins.

UFO-Lights Out ****

The thing about Lights Out is it is among the greatest hard rock albums ever released but has never truly been given the credit it is rightfully owed. Lights Out is on the same playing fields as albums like Back in Black, Rocks, Appetite for Destruction, and Metallica. But the thing about those last two albums is that both Slash, Izzy, Kirk Hammet, and James Hetfield were all influenced by Michael Schenker and especially this album in particular. The guitar tone which Schenker uses here is identical to the tone Slash would use through most of his career and one that Hammet would copy time and time again.

As previously mentioned Schenker's guitar playing through out is more than stellar, it is among the best he would play in his entire career. the title track 'Lights Out' features one of, if not his all time greatest guitar solo. Mind Blowing. But it isn't just Schenker here. Phil Mogs lovely ballad 'Try Me' is the bands strongest attempt at one. 'Too Hot To Handle' opens the album and became one of the groups all time biggest hit singles. 'Love To Love' which closes the album is also especially nice with it's shrieking guitar intro.

Lights Out isn't the best UFO album, no for that check out Force It. But this is totally worth having if only for the killer title track.

I JUST BOUGHT THE RE-MASTERED VERSION OF THIS CD AND CAN'T BRAG ENOUGH!
I still have my vinyl copy from '77;yes, I'm a die hard fan. But I must say that this CD speaks for itself,once you give it a chance on the player. It is hard rock with melodic gifts and awesome guitar work on every song. This is THE album by UFO and only a fool that likes to rock,PLUS have a complete CD collection,would fail to own it. GREAT songs!
Everybody from the '70 had a copy,and for good reason...It's the real deal,and worth every penny in investment.
Be a ROCKER,and purchase this classic,NOW!!!!!!!!

I love this album. Perhaps it is the ultra smooth vocals of Phil Mogg, or the extraordinary guitar playing of Michael Schenker....or maybe the chemistry between the band members was just right. Whatever it was, it resulted in one of the finest collection of songs 1977 had to offer. You won't find heavy metal here, or even sophisticated soundscapes. What you will find is simple hard rock music with a laid back, almost country feel to it. At first listen, the songs may even seem bland, compared to the band's earlier releases, such as "Force It". But listen just a few more times to the vocals on "Gettin' Ready", or "Just Another Suicide" and then crank up "Lights OuT". Then try on "Electric Phase" with its Jimmy Page inspired guitar work, and cap it off with "Love to Love". You will be playing this one for years to come. The arrangements are just fantastic, the vocals superb, and the lead guitar work sublime. I couldn't recommend this one enough.