Ugly Kid Joe – As Ugly As They Wanna Be
Release Date: October 15, 1991
There are a whole slew of hard rock/metal albums that are turning 25 this year. It would be impossible to cover all of them but what I am doing is picking some choice album from back then that I loved as a kid and doing a song by song breakdown of the album to see how they hold up after 25 years.
This time around we have Ugly Kid Joe’s As Ugly As They Wanna Be. When Ugly Kid Joe first hit the scene, I was in high school and I just thought these guys were the fucking shit. This debut EP of theirs was on constant repeat for the better part of a year and 25 years later, how does it hold up? Well, read on and we’ll find.
Madman (5/5)
This song is so fucking hilarious but it kicks so much ass at the same time. In a lot of ways, if this had been the first song I heard by them, I probably would’ve been blown away more than I was than when I heard “Everything About You.” Lyrically the song is fucking over the top but musically, this song just kicks all kinds of fucking ass. It’s funky, it’s heavy, it’s got groove, and it was just the right “something” different in a time where metal music was starting to get so repetitive and somewhat boring.
Whiplash Liquor (5/5)
So here’s the deal. Ugly Kid Joe was totally the skater kids who listened to shit like Black Sabbath but at the same time dug on Suicidal Tendencies. This is the kind of shit that I totally would’ve heard a band playing at a house party when someone’s parents were out of town for the weekend. Again, it’s just good, senseless fun that doesn’t take a brain surgeon to get. When you really break it down and listen to what these guys are doing musically, it’s so above many of what their peers were pulling off only they did with humor and fun. In a lot of ways, these guys were Scatterbrain with way better songs.
Too Bad (5/5)
Pretty much the only “serious” song on this EP. What I love so about this song so much is that Ugly Kid Joe proved that they could actually step out of their cartoonish appearance and write a song that was substantial and lyrically deep. Musically it was also a bit more straight forward and didn’t have that funk thing going on that they did so well. Again, I found this song to be really awesome because it showed that Ugly Kid Joe was definitely not a one trick pony. If anything they were a 2 or even 3 trick pony. This song just flat out rules.
Everything About You (5/5)
You know what? I love this song just as much as I did back when I first heard it. This song was definitely the gateway to this band that would lead me to being a fan of everything they put out over the course of their career. Once again, Ugly Kid Joe showed just what a fucking brilliant band they were by writing a song that pretty much poked fun at the ever popular power ballads that littered the airwaves and MTV at the time. When all the other hard rock/metal bands were expressing their devotion and love to that “special” someone, Ugly Kid Joe came a long and pretty much shit in the punch bowl with this awesome song. 25 years later it still makes me smile.
Sweet Leaf/Funky Fresh Country Club (5/5)
How many bands can boast a songwriting credit that reads “Iommi/Butler/Ward/Osbourne/Ugly Kid Joe”? Again, a nod to these guys for their brilliance in sequencing their tracks so that this could happen. The song kicks off with a face melting cover of “Sweet Leaf” before slamming right into “Funky Fresh Country Club” which is by far the showstopper of this EP. This song became a huge crowd favorite and a staple of their live shows. Lyrically, it’s an epic tale of a country club party gone horribly wrong (or right, however you choose to look at it). Once again, Ugly Kid Joe proves that even with a sense of humor, their undeniable musical chops can’t be denied and let’s face it. Whitfield Crane is hands down one of the most underappreciated and over looked vocalists in metal music.
Heavy Metal (5/5)
Clocking in at 0:26 seconds, how can you not fucking love this ode to heavy metal that features a closing scream that would make Rob Halford and Bruce Dickinson glow with pride. Seriously, probably the shortest song in heavy metal but it’s fucking hilariously awesome and a perfect way to close this epic EP.
FINAL SCORE: 25/25
CLOSING NOTES:
Ugly Kid Joe’s As Ugly as They Wanna Be holds up very well 25 years later. It’s fun, it’s carefree, and it’s just flat out fucking awesome. It reminds me of just how much metal music at the time really needed some comic relief and Ugly Kid Joe offered it up all with substance and undeniable talent. This was the album that made me a fan and has me still proudly proclaiming myself a fan 25 years later. This is an album that everyone should own and enjoy the living fuck out of because even in these dark, serious times, a little Ugly Kid Joe is the finger that needs pulling.
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