Customer Reviews

America's Least Wanted

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This album was a non-serious breath of fresh air that came out right as grunge was taking over the rock universe in the early '90s. How can you not get a kick out of a track like the rocking leadoff track "Neighbor" with lines like "My kid's a punk, and I'm a drunk"? Nothing to be taken seriously here, as in their big hit "Everything About You"--as in "I hate everything about you." Funny stuff for sure. For a more serious track, the remake of "Cats In The Cradle" is a nice ballad (although I'm sure purists who love the original hate it). Besides these three radio hits, tracks like "Goddamn Devil" and "I'll Keep Tryin'" really rock, and "Mr. Recordman" is a nice, somewhat mellow track to end the album. Overall, the album is pretty heavy with not many ballads. If these guys had come on the scene a few years earlier, they definitely would have had a longer, more successful career. They just arrived on the scene with this style of music at the wrong time.

This CD was not overlooked in its time and yes, millions of people did in fact buy it. It is incredibly funny and the band is moderately musically talented. The lyrics are inane but the riffs and solos are top-notch.
As far as posterity goes, people will probably not buy a million more copies of this CD in the future. However, they will remember a few songs on it with a nod and maybe a chuckle. That's more than we can say for anything many other junk metal groups from the late 80's and early 90's have produced or ever will produce.

This album is highly entertaining. Good lyrics, good rhymes, funny, catchy tunes, it's got everything. Everytime I listen to it, the world feels like a better place. A real mood uplifter.

If the opening song here "Neighbor" doesn't make you laugh, there's something wrong with you :). Ugly Kid Joe was a couple of skater surfer dudes whose songs were fashionably piled up with angst and cynical humor, grunge generation style. If you like good rock tunes, you gotta hear this album, at least 4 of the songs majorly kick ass.

David Rehak
author of "A Young Girl's Crimes"

Ugly Kid Joe's America's Least Wanted is one of the first CDs i bought and i bought it after only hearing their cover of Harry Chapin's "Cats In The Cradle" on the radio and seeing it on MTV. This album really grew on me after a few listens and out of the many albums i owned back in the early 90s, i still own this one and really enjoy it. There's something really fun about the album and it's nice to see that this band which shouldn't take itself too seriously doesn't.
The album has a lot of concept songs about things such as "Goddamn Devil," "Neighbor," and "Madman ('92 Re-Mix)." I pretty much like all of the songs equally as they all have their own charm. The music really rocks and vocals are great. The choruses are worthy of singing along loudly. Not really many deep statements here, but the album is funny, obnoxious, cheesy, loud, and still manages to be creative. So get this album, crank it up loud, drink some beer, and bang your head.

This is 'Pop-metal', if you will forgive the slightly oxymoronic genre handle, of the highest order.
As insightful other reviewers have already pointed out, if this album had been released four or five years earlier than it was it could have propelled Ugly Kid Joe into the stratosphere, instead of being buried when the glut of grunge albums appearing in 1992 made them and this style of music very unfashionable very quickly.
This fact is a shame, because this is a very strong record from some talented players. Granted, it is hardly profound, it will not offer you spiritual enlightenment or political lyrics. What it does offer is a real sense of humour and fun, perfect fodder for the adolescent or the inner child inside us all.
It should be noted that Whitfield Crane's vocals are very strong, Klaus' guitar playing very accomplished, yet it is the strength of the songs that shine here.
'Neighbor' concerns a neighbour from hell, while 'Goddamn Devil' suggests we make a pact with the devil 'Grow our hair' and 'spread his word' in a metal band. Satirical maybe, hilarious almost, meant for fun certainly.
In other tracks, like 'Busy Bee' or a surprisingly well executed cover of Harry Chapin's 'Cats in the Cradle' the band show a more sensitive side, and prove themselves good musicians. Elsewhere, 'Panhandlin' Prince', 'So Damn Cool' and 'Dont Go' are catchy 80's songs with irresistible vocal melodies and moronic vocals, aided ably by twiddly guitars and crunch heavy riffs.

In short this album will not change your life, but the songs included will burrow into your brain and take up residence, as well as introducing a spring into your step and carefree listening.
Buy this album if you enjoy this style of music, or if you merely want to escape from reality into a world where little is serious and dancing idiotically mandatory.

Ugly Kid Joe may have been one album hit wonders but the fact still remains this is a sensational album. Everything About You was a huge hit and a much needed song in the face of all the soppy love songs around. Neighbor although incorrectly spelt is a great song, in fact all the songs on this album are great there are no fillers. Of course the other big song from this album was Cats In the Cradle a much better version than Cat Stevens' one. Mr. Recordman although not released to my knowledge, was played a bit and became a bit of a cult hit anyway. I also particularly like Madman.

Don't punish this album by not buying it because Ugly Kid Joe promised so much and created their terrible second album about Milkman's sons and other stuff. It's not the album's fault who it's parents are. This is a sensational no filler album and one you should add to your collection. Lyrics are also included.

This is a must have for any UKJ fan. Has all the great ones but misses a couple i would have liked to have seen on there. Still rocks. AND LOUDLY!

There were some bands who were innovative, There were some bands who were ahead of their time, and there were some bands whose legacy will last forever. Ugly Kid Joe doesn't fit any of those descriptions! This album is simply a batch of fun for metalheads who may sometimes tire of the metallica's and slayer's of the world. Released at the height of the grunge explosion, This album has become somewhat of a guilty pleasure due to the bad things that most metal fans say about Ugly Kid Joe nowadays. ''Everything About You'' doesn't sound bad at all for a song that ranked on VH1's worst metal songs ever. ''G--damn Devil'' is a cool, upbeat rocker that should get any party started. Of all the cool songs on this album, ''Madman'' is the highlight of the album. With silly lyrics and mostly upbeat tempos, This album should cheer any metal fan up if they're having a bad day. If released today, This album would be instantly forgotten. But, I reccomend this album if you want cool music with a sharp sense of humor.

UKJ come into town on their one trick pony. The whole schtick of appealing to normal middle class kids desperate to think the world is against them.... Well the packaging sets that trick up nicely along with the title choice. Not to mention the song Neighbour as lead song.

But darn it all this pretty much works. Sure it's based on nothin' but air, a few squared off riffs and Whitfield Cranes engaging vocals but most of the time when you reach for the skip button something stops your hand. Tracks such as Come Tomorrow and Panhandlin' Prince work their witless charm though when the delve too deeply into whimsical territory things fall over (see Busy Bee).

Madman and Everything About You are regurgitated from the debut EP and everyone at the time became familiar with the bands take on Cats in the Cradle. This tune split many at the time - dunno 'bout you but I always felt the original spoke louder to parents, while UKJ's version with it's more youthful attack spoke more clearly to those not yet dads.

In summation a totally non essential release but definitely a good party album full of irreverent lyrics and simple cartoon style songs - some of which have some surprising heft such as Goddam Devil. Not to mention the closer, the track Mr Recordman which has a spark of maturity about it.