I was quite alarmed when Phil Mogg suffered from a heartattack and naturally the ongoing UFO farewell tour was cancelled indefinitely. Thankfully Phil recuperated well but I came to terms with him retiring, as long as he regained and kept his health all would be good. So imagine the great surprise when news filtered through that Phil had put together a new band AND their debut album was already recorded, at that. My surprise was even bigger since the band actually took shape during the pandemic and still managed to keep everything under wraps. Mogg's main partner-in-crime on this venture is none other then former UFO, Gary Moore and Wild Horses man, Neil Carter. Multi-instrumentalist and one of the world's most gifted yet severely underrated musicians, Neil not only play keyboards, guitar and do backing vocals. He has co-written several songs and also does a lot of lead guitar work and pulls of some wonderful solos. Personally I couldn't be happier because the time for Neil to shine is long overdue.
'Moggs Motel' is so well-rounded and complete it's pure joy to listen to over and over again. Still, some compositions grabs me more than others, that's how it is. 'Apple Pie' is very representative of this album being a mid-tempo crushing rocker. Hooks, vocal harmonies and brilliant guitar work run side by side making this a great song. 'Sunny Side Of Heaven' is not only full tilt from the start, it's also a song where Neil's guitar playing is out of this world. In fact, the whole band is in top form unleashing heavy rock the way it should be.
Razor sharp riffs and a supertight rhythm section leads 'Princess Bride' into a massive chorus with hooks that grabs you by the balls and that's all you need. Brilliant song! 'Other People's Lives' is slower, plays on emotions and goes strong on melody. Definitely hits the right spots. 'Weather' digs deep and goes hard at it. Mid-tempo yet crushing with a wonderful penchant for melody. Moggs Motel leaves no stone unturned on 'Wrong Turn'. It's a stomping rocker with lyrics that burrows into the mind.
Anyone expecting Moggs Motel to be the latest incarnation of UFO are in for a huge surprise. Of course, Phil's voice is synonymous with the English giants and carries over but apart from that the band go their own excellent way. Speaking of Phil's voice, he sounds better than ever and very motivated which is evident in the songs, both lyrically and vocally. Working side by side with Neil Carter seems to have been a big motivator as well as surrounding himself with a great band. Apart from Neil, guitarist Tommy Gentry, bassist Tony Newton and drummer Joe Lazarus lifts these songs as well making the entire band complement each other so perfectly and effortlessly. The songs flow freely which is a big part why this debut is so great. Don't miss out on this diamond!
- Swedebeast