I guess we can forgive everyone that, after such an exhausting batch of unmemorable releases, considered UFO to be dead meat by the turn of the 90s. But vocalist Phil Mogg is a stubborn individual, you know, and it seems that he never wanted to lay UFO down to rest after all. After the almost non-existant response to 1988's "Ain't Misbehavin'" mini-LP, the flying saucer stayed into the hangar for a while, but in early 1991 things were already in motion once again, with the invaluable presence of Mr. Pete Way on bass guitar. I personally think this mini-reunion was decisive to put UFO's career back on track, as it recovered much of the musical identity that seemed to be lost during the second half of the 80s. After a long period of fooling around with countless hopefuls, Mogg and Way recruited drummer Clive Edwards (who were doing the rounds with Uli Jon Roth in recent years) and axeman Lawrence Archer (ex-Stampede / Grand Slam / Wild Horses, and most recently playing with Rhode Island Red) to write and record what would become "High Stakes & Dangerous Men", featuring the much-needed help of keyboardist Don Airey and released by the humble Razor label (a subsidiary of Castle Communications) sometime in 1992.
Though far from a remarkable moment in the band's career, this unpretentious record turned out to be quite a surprise actually, as it is a mostly very good album, easily the best thing they did since "Mechanix" in terms of songwriting and enthusiasm. It's a relief to find out that UFO no longer tries to join the trend of the moment (thankfully, I would add, as it would be tragic to hear them trying to be a grunge band) and, seemingly giving up all hopes of having any impact at the charts, this once high-flying entity concentrated their efforts into delivering what they always did best: hard/heavy music with catchy melodies and a somewhat confessional vibe. After such a series of album misfires, and with tales of recent unprofessional behavior abound, it was a balm to find these still much-loved heroes in a confident and relaxed mood, leaving all the bullshit behind them in order to give us some pretty respectable rock and roll.
Lawrence Archer fits quite well into the UFO setup, and his guitar histrionics are totally adequate, leaving not much room for facile that's-OK-but-Schenker-was-better commentary on this particular occasion. Listening to it in retrospect, there's a lot to connect Archer's tasteful delivery to what Vinnie Moore would do in later years, a functional fusion of dexterity and bluesy intonations that really clicks with Mogg's soulful, maturing voice. The band as a whole sounds more tight than on previous records, and though both Way and Edwards tend to keep things simple most of the time they sure create a strong backbone for Archer and Mogg (the two clear protagonists of the record) to exert their creative muscles.
Some songs are undoubtedly better than others ("Let the Good Times Roll" and "Burning Fire", for instance, are just as unmemorable as their names suggest, and "Primed for Time" is just plain bad), and perhaps a more concise 10-track package would have been a better move after all, but "High Stakes & Dangerous Men" have lots of replay value for any long-serving fans of the group's sound and vision. My personal highlights would be "Borderline" (that shows itself to be quite a non-obvious and well-crafted opening song when you pay some extra attention to it), the poignant "Don't Want to Lose You", "Running Up the Highway" (with nice, groovy riffing and a easy-to-sing-along chorus) and "One of Those Nights", a song that clearly highlights Phil Mogg's voice and sense of interpretation in the best possible manner. OK, tracks like "Back Door Man" and "She's the One" are little more than a rehashing of old ideas, but at least they're presented in a more sincere and assertive manner, being quite serviceable as a result. Surely not a record that you're likely to hear on a weekly basis, granted, but I guess it won't become an outcast from your CD player if you're already a fan, and it's well worth adding to your UFO collection if you can locate it for a fair price.
It didn't cause any major surprises when it comes to album sales, and most people in the music business probably just ignored it altogether, but "High Stakes & Dangerous Men" showed to anyone paying attention that UFO still had something to say, being not only an enjoyable souvenir for loyal fans, but also a significant step towards recovering some of the credibility around UFO's name. After many years in the wilderness, it was surely good news, and an album that would (at last) be a clear signal for better things to come.
Phil Mogg (V), Lawrence Archer (G), Pete Way (B), Clive Edwards (D). Guest musicians: Don Airey (K), Terry Reid, Stevie Lange (backing vocals). All songs by Mogg/Way/Archer, except 4 by Mogg/Way/Archer/Edwards.
01. Borderline 5:17
02. Primed for Time 3:22
03. She's the One 3:44
04. Ain't Life Sweet 3:42
05. Don't Want to Lose You 5:37
06. Burning Fire 4:02
07. Running Up the Highway 4:39
08. Back Door Man 5:06
09. One of Those Nights 4:11
10. Revolution 4:06
11. Love Deadly Love 4:53
12. Let the Good Times Roll 4:12
Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me (drequon@gmail.com) and let me know!
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