Product Description After a 19-year hiatus, raucous rockers Ugly Kid Joe return with Uglier Than They Used Ta Be. The album, which was recorded at JT Studios and Balance Studios in Louisiana under the helm of producer and UKJ guitarist Dave Fortman (Slipknot, Godsmack, Evanescence. Uglier Than They Used Ta Be boasts a collection of well-crafted rock tunes, from the riff driven "Let The Record Play" to the hard-hitting "She's Already Gone" and "Hell Ain't Hard To Find." The album offers up a collection of some of the best songs ever written by the band. "It's a full circle of sorts," says Crane. "There was a lot of love and talent in one room and that is exactly what this album sounds like." In addition to the nine newly written original songs, the album features a couple of cover songs including Rare Earth's version of "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" with Australian chart-topping vocalist Dallas Frasca lending her unmistakable vocals behind Crane, and the Motörhead classic "Ace of Spades" with a very special guest appearance from guitarist Phil Campbell who lends his signature sound to the timeless track. Campbell also appears on the tracks "My Old Man" and "Under The Bottom. Review Amongst extreme metalheads, SoCal's Ugly Kid Joe was the band easiest to hate, thanks to their insipid single "Everything About You" from 1991's As Ugly As They Wanna Be. Despite being dropped into the middle of the death-metal craze, singer Whitfield Crane and company had several hits, buoyed by MTV videos and inclusion on the smashing Wayne's World soundtrack, before fizzling out around 1997. The band reunited in 2010, released an EP of new material in 2012, then joined the crowd funded ranks to record Uglier Than They Used Ta Be. Album opener "Hell Ain't Hard to Find" may be their strongest composition yet, thanks to the iron-clad interplay between long-time guitarists Klaus Eichstadt and Dave Fortman. The record goes through several phases of rock intensity: the gutsy "Let the Record Play" and darker "Bad Seed" spotlight the band's metal leanings, while "Mirror the Man" and "Nothing Ever Changes" would fit well on an unplugged album. "My Old Man" has a Quiet Riot heft, and "Under the Bottom" is the album's heaviest cut, its doom chords interspersed with acoustic guitars. UKJ also adore cover songs, so their able renditions of "Ace of Spades" (with Motörhead's Phil Campbell) and "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" come as no surprise. Even their snot-nosed mascot of yore returns to grace the cover art again. Once a scourge but now a saviour of heavy rock, Ugly Kid Joe prove that their catchy hooks and solid vocals are cool to like again on Uglier Than They Used Ta Be. --Exclaim CanadaSo this, 'Uglier Than They Used Ta Be' (out now on Metalville/UKJ Records), is the first full length record from UGLY KID JOE in almost 20 years?!? It s a crime it s taken this long! Fully funded by fans via the pledgemusic.com website the now seven-piece band (a.k.a. Seven Headed Monster ) have delivered an excellent slab of vinyl. There s really not a bad song to add to the volume of work of this band (four full length albums and two EP s).'Hell Ain t Hard to Find' has a FOO FIGHTERS feel and although a decent song, I question why it led off this effort. Let the Record Play has a grungy guitar hook at its core and if you close your eyes and listen to the words and delivery, you might hear the influence of OZZY on this song. In fact, when I close my eyes and listen and I can hear OZZY actually singing this song. No drugs were involved in the review of this album. Bad Seed has a definite METALLICA-inspired riff that pervades the track, courtesy of guitarists Klaus Eichstadt, Sonny Mayo, and Dave Fortman. No one ever believed in me/ I never believed in myself ; lyrics about overcoming mental barriers resonate well with me and by the time the blistering guitar solos kick this song into thrash gear, I am already singing along. But I can t deliver with the power that Whitfield Crane unleashes on this track. This is a powerful song and the tone has been set for this record.'Mirror the Man' and 'She's Already Gone' are good songs but not standouts while 'Nothing Ever Changes' is an acoustic ditty with some of my favorite lyrical content on the entire record. The next three songs are some of the best on the disc: 'My Old Man' , 'Under the Bottom' and the first cover song on the release, 'Ace of Spades' by none other than MOTÖRHEAD. The coolest thing about these is that Phil Campbell contributes guitar work to them all and -no disrespect to Eichstadt, Mayo, and Fortman- these three songs sport the best fretwork found anywhere on this record. 'My Old Man' features a SLAYER-like guitar lick reminiscent of South of Heaven and then a frenetic solo breaks out and the song is over. Good enough. 'Under the Bottom' starts and stops and doesn't have a great flow to me but the exceptional guitar work by Campbell et al is undeniably heavy and dirty with a harmonic layering of guitars to close out the song as it finishes much stronger than it starts.I love a good cover song. There are two on this record. Campbell is featured on 'Ace of Spades'. The rhythm section of Cordell Crockett (bass) and drummers Zac Morris and Shannon Larkin deserve kudos here for their work as they stay true to this classic and deliver a version sure to make you smile. 'The Enemy' reminds me of an old ALICE COOPER song, but the lyrical hook of the enemy is us/the enemy will bring you down/ the enemy will make a sound that you ve never heard before speaks to me. This is a dark record and this song fits that bill as well as anything on there. Don t forget the amped up reprise here where the chorus is delivered one more time at about 150 mph!!Finally, we come to the second cover song on the record and this one features vocal help from Australia's own chart-topping vocalist DALLAS FRASCA. I LOVE this song. A Motown classic 'Papa Was a Rolling Stone' originally performed by THE TEMPTATIONS, is a groovy, funky number that UGLY KID JOE puts their mark on. A great closer to the record; a record that finishes stronger than it starts.STANDOUT TRACKS: Let the Record Play , Bad Seed , My Old Man , Ace of Spades , Papa Was a Rolling Stone RATING: 8/10 --Amps And Green ScreensIt s been 19 years and they are back as ugly as they can be. It felt like ages especially for a fan. Even for a seasoned music reviewer, it is an exciteful opportunity to listen to this album and try to find words to describe how wonderful it is.'Uglier Than They Used Ta Be' is their first album release in 19 years and the most impressive thing to hit a fan is hearing the maturity that they present. The fans are already a lot older than they were but the album represents the true Ugly Kid Joe of today .The anger and rage is still there but the taste of flavor is so obvious and it made this band look and sound more beautiful than ever.The opening track is 'Hell Ain't Hard To Find'. It shows the old school funky and also heavy riffs that the fans know of Ugly Kid Joe. It is seriously hard for a hardcore fan to keep the head at least nodding while listening to it. Whit Crane has that voice the fans all remember but it also tells everyone that he is trying to find something different.The second song 'Let The Record Play' represents a great story about a relationship. However it is the relationship of the emotions of an old record back in the day. It is about the possible bad ending that everyone once had, just like the hiatus of the band but it still has that upbeat melody. It is easy to be stuck in your head and it can probably be the favorite song of the album.'Bad Seed' has that rough bass line, 'Mirror Of The Man 'is a slower song with dark lyrics and has something to say about the dark world that we are struggling to live in today. 'She s Already Gone' is about a relationship but the tempo returns with the song again. 'Nothing Ever Changes' begins with Whit's vocals and a soft guitar ballad.'My Old Man' brings us a heavier guitar but also a surprise; Phil Campbell. The next song is called 'Under The Bottom' and again guest stars Phil Campbell. However the biggest surprise is yet to come with the first cover of the album: Motörhead's 'Ace Of Spades'. Seeing the name of Phil Campbell as a guest musician maybe gives the fans a little hint about Motörhead but it is still wonderful to hear that legendary song again. 'Enemy' is another slow and melodic song and once again a song about lonely people and their fight to survive. The final song is also another cover; 'Papa Was A Rollin Stone' with another special guest star Dallas Frasca from Australia.After 19 years of silence it is very well worth the wait and no matter if you are a fan of Ugly Kid Joe or not, you are in for a treat with all the dark lyrics and funky beats and well, the covers. --Sessionsx
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