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Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Ugly Kid Joe-Stairway To Hell

UKJ Records
2012

Metal Mark and I have differing opinions when it comes to Ugly Kid Joe. While he tends to write them off completely I prefer to look at them as pop metal's dirty white trash neighbor. In an era when big hair and make-up were the norm for men (really?) along came this punk/funk hard rock band that listen Black Sabbath as an influence. Sure, the joke was old as soon as it started and there wasn't much to back up the band's humor. At best they were decent with some songs better than others. On "Stairway To Hell" (clever title boys...) it seems to be more of the same. Or is it? First things first though. The EP will come out on July 9 as a physical release, but digital copies are found on Amazon and Itunes. As well it is being streamed (link below) at Sleaze Roxx which is what I am listening to right now. Now, this is the band’s first release since they called it a day back in 1997. Of the six tracks present there was only one "Love Ain’t True" (which features guest appearances by Angelo Moore and Dirty Walt of Fishbone) that I had heard before and it left me feeling so-so. Well, that track did which you can read below as. Anyway, the other five numbers fans will probably love. It sounds like the old band only with a slightly modern edge. Of the cuts it was "No One Survives" that stood out to me and that was only because it reminded me of Whitfield Crane's short-lived band Medicine. Otherwise the cuts are not bad, but they don't really stick out to much either. Maybe with a few more listens I might be able to hear something to get excited about. Maybe...

























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2 comments:

  1. Metal Mark3:36 PM

    When I was coming up with a name for this blog I actually considered "The good, the bad and Ugly Joe". Not because I like them, but because it fit with the TGTBATU movie reference and that's one of my favorite films. However I definitely thought Ugly Kid Joe were a mediocre band that were as much about gimmicks as the bands they made fun of. I would take PBF's "Leather Boyz with electric toyz" over any of Ugly Kid Joe's albums. Still I would be willing give the new album a chance and be objective about it.

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  2. Anonymous6:18 PM

    I always dug Ugly Kid Joe. It's that Funk element that made them appeal to my ears. Plus, their album artwork is cool. Um, yup.

    PBF... I never owned one album of theirs! Just that one song you mentioned and it's on a compilation CD. Whoa.

    I'll have to listen to this new Ugly Kid Joe now... thanks Andy for making me aware of it.

    Stone \m/\m/

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