Ugly Kid Joe – “Uglier Than They Used Ta Be” [Album Review]

Ugly Kid Joe were so much fun back in the day. Surfer dudes who didn’t really care for much more than partying with massive smiles on their faces. A number of reasonably successful hits during the early part of their career saw the bands goofing about all over the place, but that was it really. Frontman Whit Crane ended up fronting hardcore veterans Life Of Agony for a while but, eventually, those loveable beach bums ended up back together and the band hit the road supporting Skid Row.

Well, those shows proved one thing, it may have been nearly two decades since Ugly Kid Joe made their mark on the rock scene, and while they may be Uglier Than They Used To Be, Ugly Kid Joe are still the band you can’t help but take to your heart. In 2015, Uglier Than They Used To Be shows a more grown up side to their personality with the grunge alt-rock of “She’s Already Gone” and “Let The Record Play” both demonstrating a shift in direction for the band who clearly aren’t nineteen year old beach bums anymore. “Nothing Ever Changes” is an emotional track with Crane pouring his heart into his lyrics as Ugly Kid Joe show that maybe life over the years hasn’t been a bed of roses for the band.

While it all sounds like Ugly Kid Joe have lost that fun factor which made us fall in love with them in the first place, nothing could be further from the truth. Okay, so Uglier Than They Used To Be might be darker, but they wrap up the album with a couple of covers including a riotous version of “Ace Of Spades,” leaving you in no doubt that, while they might be older, wiser and uglier, those nineteen year old beach bums aren’t ready to be put out to pasture just yet.

Track Listing:

01. Hell Ain’t Hard to Find
02. Let the Record Play
03. Bad Seed
04. Mirror The Man
05. She’s Already Gone
06. Nothing Ever Changes
07. My Old Man
08. Under the Bottom
09. Ace of Spades feat. Phil Campbell of Motörhead
10. Enemy
11. Papa Was A Rolling Stone feat. Dallas Frasca

Run Time: 49:58
Release Date: September 18, 2015

Check out the video for ‘Hell Ain’t Hard To Find’ here