Customer Reviews

Obsession

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I previously reviewed this CD after purchasing the remastered version made in 1999. I felt that version was a vast improvement over the initial CD release, although it still sounded flat. I just purchased the 2008 remastered and extended version by EMI. Although I now own three different issues of this album, I am satisfied with my purchase. The 2008 remaster is vastly better than the 1999 issue. It has a much fuller sound. As for the songs, I continue to believe that they are as good as any ever recorded by UFO. This and the other Schenker era CDs are a must have for any fan of classic rock.

The greatest release ever by UFO! That, of course, is my opinion, but let me get a little more into why. This release featured the same line-up as LIGHTS OUT, the next greatest album by UFO, Schenker, Mogg, Way, Parker, and Paul Raymond. This had to be the best line-up the band ever sported. It's not just the band that makes this a superior release, but the music and the lyrics.

What clinched UFO as a great band to me was watching them open for Rush two nights in a row at the Municipal Auditorium in San Antonio. Talk about two nights in heaven. My vocabulary isn't good enough to describe Schenker's artistry on guitar and the precision of the rest of the band. Both of these shows are 2 of the best concerts I ever attended!

The album they were promoting was OBSESSION. They were convincing enough to go buy it and FORCE IT, the only two with Schenker I didn't have at the time. The number of good songs here is, let me see, how many on the disc, 11, yes, 11 great songs! My favorites are "Pack it Up & Go", "Cherry", "Only You Can Rock Me", "One More for the Rodeo", "You Don't Fool Me", and "Born to Lose". Not unlike the Scorpions UFO have the ability to rock, to play ballads, and to churn out great instrumentals like "Arbory Hill".

This CD is something that you will regret not having bought sooner. It is that good! Quit wasting time and order it now! Help complete that serious Rock collection of yours with a gem of a release. Get obsessed, buy OBSESSION!

If I could give this album more than 5 stars I would. I bought this record about 20 years ago and I have always enjoyed listening to it. Phil Mogg and Michael Schenker proved they were a formidable team here. The use of orchestration works well and compliments Schenkers masterful guitar work. Every song grabbed me in some way and I wish UFO could somehow repeat the MAGIC they created with "Obsession".

What can I say that hasn't been said about this phenomenal album? Schenker's playing at his peak here - hand's down the best UFO album. All songs on here are killer - my favorites are Pack It Up and Go, One More for the Rodeo, Ain't No Baby, Hot & Ready, Cherry, and You Don't Fool Me. Michael's guitar style in UFO was much more bluesier than his solo material. This was his last album with UFO before he went solo and he just cuts loose with his playing. They don't make music like this any more - one of the great rock albums!!!

I have purchased the entire UFO catalog four times now: lp, cd, cd remaster, and this remaster. Other than the very first purchase, this time has been the most satisfying. I have gotten quite burnt out on the remaster-repurchase money pit, but that money has never been better spent than on this reissue series. Put aside the fact that this is some of the best rock ever recorded, these remasters sound PHENOMENAL. The frequency response is to the limit, with crystal clear cymbals and bass that shakes your body; the clarity is perfect; and the imaging is absolutely amazing. These albums have been reborn. Schenker's guitar, which has always had an atmospheric quality to it, now burrows into your brain. You will hear elements you never noticed before, and you will hear the familiar with a refreshing clarity and intensity. If you like UFO (and if you don't, what's wrong with you?) buy these remasters! Oh, man, they sound SO good!

sadly, like the great Thin Lizzy, UFO was and remains underrated. Oh yeah, both bands have their share of hardcore fans but both bands should have been bigger. This is easily one of UFO's best studio albums. Good songwriting and good musicianship are hard to beat. Too bad there aren't more bands like this around today. I've had it UP TO HERE with the likes of the Foo Fighters and bands like that. Sorry Dave, what you do doesn't work for me.
the rest of you...get this CD!

11 tracks - just under 36 minutes - little or no fat. UFO here on a roll in their late 70's heyday of drinking, drugging and on the evidence on this disc, at least periodically writing brilliant hard rock songs interspersed with brilliantly maudlin ballads. Once again songwriting skills are to the fore and the core songwriters of Way/Mogg/Schenker have here (and elsewhere) shown themselves masters of the three minute pop rock song.

As per Lights Out this album was produced by Ron Nevison and the simplicity of the production job allows the songs to breat whereas from around 2000 onwards recordings with such a sense of space in them would start to become the rarity rather than the norm. Schenkers guitar is allowed to either chug away on the riff in numbers like Only You Can Rock Me or seemingly dance around the song such as on You Don't Fool Me.

The use of some strings here and there doesn't detract from the warmth of this rock 'n' roll band of chemical commandoes and with the aforementioned Only You Can Rock Me coupled with Lookin' Out For No.1 the band have produced two of the best songs of their canon - numbers that just have t obe included on every 70's rock fans ipod.

Admittedly I have to state that not all the tunes hit the spot for me personally thus my rating this as four stars and if I had to choose I'd probably prefer Lights Out to this album on a points decision. But if you are a fan of 70's classic rock or want to explore the history of hard rock in general then this album is a pretty good buy.

after ignoring this album for years,opting in our band to play chosen tunes from lights out,no heavy petting,and phenomenon, i was looking for some different sounding ufo,and schenker guitar work.i picked up obsession ,dusted it off and played it through a couple times,then presented it to the band.we immediately started working on cherry,and looking out for number one.i had forgotten the amazing work this band created,coming off of a killer live album,and lights out.
this is by far one of the finest pieces of work for ufo,and deserves oodles of kudos.......buy it now!!!!!!

This is the last studio album with Michael Schenker on guitar (although he rejoined in the mid 1990's for the releases of the excellent "Walk on water", "Covenant" and "Sharks"). "Obsession" is a very strong effort and I believe it's one of the finer from UFO, with such strong tunes like the appealing mid tempo rocker "Only you can rock me", the musically diverse and interesting "Looking out for no.1", and "Hot `n' ready" with its groovy guitar riff. Even the instrumental tracks ("Arbory hill" and "Looking out for no.1 reprise") seem motivated and not just there for the lead guitarist to show off by playing as many notes as possible in the shortest possible time, which seem to be the main purpose with many instrumental heavy metal tunes. There are in fact not a single low mark on this release. If you like good vintage hard rock from 1970's, "Obsession" is absolutely for you!

This is my favorite UFO release from start to finish, although I'm only familar with other "classics" Phenomenon, Force It, and No Heavy Pettin' through the live versions on Strangers In the Night. The reason I like this better than Lights Out (most peoples' favorite) lies in that this one rocks more consisently and has one or two better (in my opinion) songs. Personal favorites would include "Pack It Up (And Go)", "Ain't No Baby," "Cherry" which would incidently be nearly replicated a year or so later in "Money Money," and "Born to Lose." There are a couple of short instrumentals which break up the album nicely, so there are really nine actual songs (with lyrics). The recording on Obsession has an odd, live feel to it whereas Lights Out was more precise. Anyway, every time I listen to Obsession, I know I'm listening to a true classic featuring one of hard rock's (I wouldn't term UFO heavy metal) premier lead guitarists. Do yourself a favor and pick it up!