Album Review: Ugly Kid Joe - Rad Wings of Destiny
Reviewed by Carl Black
When Ugly Kid Joe sold their souls to the devil in the pursuit of rock 'n' roll they drove a harder bargain than Robert Johnson at the Crossroads. Not only did they trade their souls for over thirty years of globetrotting and metal extravagance. They also haggled to keep their playing abilities, they bartered to keep their looks - we get older, gain weight and lose hair, yet they look like they’ve just walked off “that” song’s beach video set from 1992!
Recently confirmed for Bloodstock next year, the Derbyshire festival described them as SoCal-Alt rockers. Well it doesn’t matter where they come from, all the Alt has gone, this album is all about the rock. Straight up rock!
Just play opener'That Ain’t Livin' or 'Failure' that are straight out of the Bon Scott, AC/DC play book. They explore their inner Woodstock with 'Not Like Any Other'. We also get some ballads. They are a rock band and they are very good at it. 'Kill the Pain' is a builder, that crescendos into a massive wall of emotional noise, 'Long Road' by contrast, is a chirpy, happy, up tempo ballad and 'Everything Changes' is an introspective, piece of rock pop that Blind Melon used to craft.
Ugly Kid Joe can be the butt of a few jokes and it’s easy to see why. One hit wonders, quirky songs, cover versions and not taking themselves too seriously. On this album we get quirky with 'Drinkin and Drivin', a play on country and western and 'Up to the City', which is a slow quirky tune. Their cover version effort is a rocked up slant on the Kinks classic 'Lola'. And there's a nice touch with a tribute to all the rock legends played and sung with their tongue firmly in their cheeks with a mid-album highlight, 'Dead Friends Play'.
A good fun time album, well worth a listen, and if you need to deal with the devil, get these SoCal rockers in your corner.
