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MOGGS MOTEL
Moggs Motel
Cleopatra Records

We all know the "fine wine" cliche, but rarely has it been more exemplified in the realm of classic British power rock than in Moggs Motel, the superb solo effort by PHIL MOGG, the renowned frontman of UFO.

MOGG, who was told to wind down UFO activities and tours after a 2022 heart attack, has said that he began working on this lyrically introspective creative endeavor during the Covid lockdown period when he, like many of us, was "bored". Well, in this case, that boredom begat a hard-to-define throwback and throw-forward tableau of 13 songs that do heavily evoke the UFO sound without becoming an obvious extension of it.

Indeed, MOGG's voice, often using his lower register, is deep, strong, and intense, while overarching 13 tunes that are decidedly NOT your grandpa's music. In fact, the driven, hypnotic, and melodic songs are often reminiscent of the explosiveness and dynamics of UFO in its heyday, but, at the same time, hard to pigeonhole in today's mutli-faceted heavy rock landscape. There is a touch of blues, a heavy dose of traditional scorching guitar leads, and a barrage of a turbo rhythm section pulsating throughout. The production, courtesy of producer/songwriter/bassist TONY NEWTON, is lush and spacey, enabling a full appreciation of what is going on instrumentally and vocally, and that is where the album's jaw-dropping depth comes into play.

At this point it is worthy of mention that the UFO heritage notwithstanding, the album and its players have a lineage associated with many of the NWBHM royalty, particularly associations with the IRON MAIDEN and JUDAS PRIEST camps. Moggs Motel was recorded at STEVE HARRIS' studio in Essex, England, and TONY NEWTON himself, in addition to producing and playing bass on the album, and having led his own bands such as DIRTY DEEDS and VOODOO SIX, and producing and playing bass for KK's PRIEST, also has a decades-long association with IRON MAIDEN as a sound engineer and producer, while drummer JOE LAZARUS, nephew of STEVE HARRIS, has been one of the most sought after drummers on the UK music scene. Throw in the fact the stellar guitarist TOMMY GENTRY, who is also a member of THE RAVEN AGE (the ace prog-metal band founded by STEVE HARRIS' eldest son, guitarist GEORGE HARRIS) and that NEIL CARTER, a former UFO member, also appears on guitar/keyboard/vocals -and that only describes the tip of the iceberg of the album's illustrious Anglo hard rock pedigree.

Of course, that pedigree, artistry, and power is bound to dominate throughout the 13 cuts on the US release. The seemingly autobiographical and, at times, dream-like lyrics are backed by layered and lush backing vocals, including the gritty soaring voice of Zoe Devlin Love, which adds an unexpected and intriguing twist to the several numbers in which she appears. But again, don't think for a moment that these are granny tunes and harmonies. Moggs Motel, with its bluesy burn and turbo-charged dynamics, along with some instantly contagious hooks and choruses, will kick the damn door down of whatever lodge you inhabit, and you'll keep inviting it back time and time again.

4.5 Out Of 5.0 Stars