UFO
The Salentino Cuts

If you spot an unidentified flying object passing outside your window it is just me throwing away a copy of The Salentino Cuts. The Salentino Cuts is the latest effort by the band that calls themselves UFO, a band with a history stretching band almost fifty years and who released their debut album back in 1970. They have 22 albums to date and some live albums as well as some compilations, they have never released a cover album though – before this one. They have put together an album of a dozen tracks from artists that inspire them, artists like ZZ Top, Tom Petty, The Doors and Steppenwolf are interpreted by UFO on this album and though I usually like covers as they present an interesting insight into bands it is difficult to find much positives about this album.

Classic rock/hardrock, nothing particularly special stylewise and the same can be said about the production that is rather average for an album of this genre. There is a decent variation as the album’s songs are written by several different artists, but the band still keeps the album coherent which is always strong although it may have helped that the songs themselves fit together rather well. So that is a good thing, and that they don’t make more than twelve covers for this album, more would have been a really tough ask to go through – it is tough enough with the twelve tracks we have to deal with now.

I have to wonder why they made this album as it feels tired and uninspired; perhaps it is just another attempt at milking more money from their fans. One positive thing you can claim is that they do something they haven’t done before, as this is their first cover album. And it does contain songs that are quite good in their original guise but as UFO songs they are quite dull and lifeless all of them, none of them stand out as particularly special and in the end I think that this is a rather pointless and forgettable album.

The Salentino Cuts is an album I could do without and it is quite a relief to put it away now because I remain unimpressed every time I hear it. I would say that this band of old geezers are way past their prime and this is just another example of a band that tries to capitalise on their name without really delivering the goods. Quite boring and pointless cover album.

HHHHHHH