Phil Mogg. Without doubt, one of the UK’s greatest hard rock singer/lyricists. Hugely influential as the vocalist of UFO, especially to the generation of US musicians who would go to spearhead the eighties metal movement in their homeland, his voice touched millions with it’s tales of backstreet-dwelling ne’erdowells, always told with a twinkle in the eye and a knowing grin on the lips.

He’s no Spring Chicken of course – those glory days are now forty years gone and UFO have been laid to rest – but the fire still burns and our hero was moved to shake his tail feather one more time at least – with the result being the splendid album now presented for our consideration, Moggs Motel.

Put together by Mogg, faithful companion Neil Carter and current KK’s Priest bassman Tony Newton and recorded at Steve Harris’ studio in Essex, MM is a triumphant, at times emotional piece of self tribute. The voice isn’t quite as magisterial as it once was, but Mogg was always somebody for whom ‘talk singing’ held no fear as he wove his fabulous tales of self destruction – think On With the Action or the Godlike No Place To Run – and the bluesy rumble he adopts here does nothing but add a latent menace to his delivery that certainly matches the grubby tales he loves to relate.

Standout cut Princess Bride and it’s companion piece Other People’s Lives could certainly have graced an early eighties UFO album, but for the most part this isn’t about revisiting past glories as it is dotting a few I’s and crossing Mogg’s last remaining career tees, and the great man is assisted in this task by committed performances from all those around him, with Carter in particular proving his worth again as one of rock’s most versatile sidemen. Guitarist Tommy Gentry, of course, has big shoes to fill in his role as Mogg’s six string foil, but he carries out his duties with an unfussy flair that lets nobody down.

There’s an unmistakable sadness to closing track Storyville, a balladic ending that draws the blinds down on Moggs Motel in impressive fashion, driven by a nice performance from drummer Joe Lazarus and featuring a consummate, compelling vocal from our hero. If it is the last thing we hear from him, then it’s a truly fine sign off, but I’m going to hold on to a little flame of hope in my heart that Phil hasn’t quite drawn his last studio breath just yet…

Moggs Motel opens up it’s doors on September 6th.