Monkey Puzzle

UFO | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 26, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Steamhammer / SPV
• ASIN: B000HD0YD8
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #48,895 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

True rock legends distinguish themselves not only by contributing several classics to musical history, they also keep their artistic output at a permanently high level and – despite all routine – always have a fresh wind blowing through their band structure. UFO fulfils all these criteria: next to classics such as Phenomenon, Force It and No Heavy Pettin, which saw the band clock up one success after the other during the Seventies, the beginning of the new millennium finds Phil Mogg, Pete Way and Paul Raymond as inspired and creative as ever. Thanks to American guitarist, Vinnie Moore, who joined the fold three years ago and proved his class and significance for the group on You Are Here, his debut recording with UFO, and the live cut, Showtime, the band has grown even stronger. Their latest release, The Monkey Puzzle, marks the return of drummer Andy Parker, who had been part of the original line-up that recorded the legendary debut at the end of the Sixties and has already played live on stage again with his old pals.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Got the Monkey Off My Back, February 14, 2007

By 

Wild Colonial Boy (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Monkey Puzzle (Audio CD)

I can't understand why anyone would consider this album a regression from "You Are Here". I think this is a fabulous album much better than "You Are Here" and their best since "Walk on Water". The material is very strong and fresh with a definite bluesy feel. Just check out "Hard Being Me", "Down by the River", "World Cruise" and "Some Other Guy" (personally I would have preferred a harmonica solo rather than Vinnie's first guitar solo on the latter). All the tracks are really good and earthy, from the heavy guitar sound of "Heavenly Body" to the more conventional UFO ballad style numbers like "Who's Fooling Who" and "Drink too Much". In fact I like all the songs with perhaps the weakest "Kingston Town" still palatable.
I saw them live in Nov '06 and although the gig was great I was disappointed they only played "Drink too Much" from this album. I would much prefer them to play this new material and dispense with some of the older tunes unless Vinnie starts playing the solo's a little more accurately.
I have to admit that I am really comfortable with this line up and the rock `n' roll craftsmanship produced on this album. I am playing this all the time in the car so "out with the old and in with the new" so to speak. As a kid I was one of the die hards where anything produced without Michael Schenker on lead just wasn't UFO. Whilst that was still my favourite era I don't under estimate the brilliance of Phil Mogg and Pete Way anymore which is still alive and kicking. Now much wiser and wrinklier than these two I have finally got the monkey off my back!

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Monkey Puzzle, September 26, 2006

By 

Audiostar (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Monkey Puzzle (Audio CD)

The Monkey Puzzle is the kind of album that UFO fans all over the world had hoped for, dynamic, melodic, rocking unstoppably from the very first note and with a lot of details that make listening to UFO's latest recording a genuine pleasure.

Vinnie Moore got out his slide guitar `Hard Being Me' and sparkles with virtuoso guitar solos, some of them garnished with two-part sections. Then there are intricate e-piano and organ sounds `Rolling Man' and passionate harmonica passages `Some Other Guy', as well as Phil Mogg's unmistakable vocals and an energy that is typical of UFO. "You can feel on The Monkey Puzzle that this band rocks as a unified whole and that we get on without words when it comes to our music," Phil Mogg explains. "Without running down previous UFO line-ups it's been a long time since we had a team as strong as this one.

Vinnie contributes his youthful energy and amazing guitar technique, and in Andy's return we've seen the reappearance of a musician who has always been very important to the band's original sound."

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Good Production and Great Rock Album, June 30, 2007

By 

Binoj Joseph Matthew "joseph" (Selma, California; St Martin, Netherlands Antilles) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Monkey Puzzle (Audio CD)

I'll leave the song-by-song reviews to others and I'll just state that UFO have come out with a well produced album that sounds great. The drums, guitars and vocals all come through nicely and will be a joy to hear on any system. This is their second album w/o Schenker ( 'Walk on Water' was rather pedestrian and that was with him gracing the 6-strings) and I for one don't really care that he's no longer affiliated with the band. Vinnie Moore does a superb job...period. As technically gifted as he is, Mr. Moore with his current and past work w/ UFO has NOTHING left to prove.
Well done UFO..you folks know exactly what is needed in this otherwise musically drab environment. Keep up the exemplary work.
Other 70's and 80's rockers need to take a listen and realize that it's not just the songs that matter but also the overall sound quality (including the mix). Some of us have an ear and really care for that "well produced sound" and a badly recorded album like Rush - Vapor Trails for instance, makes an otherwise enjoyable album...a coaster.
Cheers to you all and happy listening.