Motel California [CUTOUT]

Ugly Kid Joe

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 22, 2000)
• Format: Cutout
• ASIN: B00004SB3P
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #420,303 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

• Note: Cutouts are bargain-priced CDs that may have a "cut" or hole punched through the packaging. The CDs are new and unplayed, and they are covered by our standard returns policy for other CDs.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Worth a listen, November 2, 2005

By	Daniel Maltzman (Arlington, MA, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

While Ugly Kid Joe enjoyed success in the early 90s with there "As Ugly as they Wanna Be," (1991) EP and their "America's Least Wanted" (1992) album, the group was more-or-less a lash in the pan. They were more-or-less one of the very last bands of the pop-metal genre to enjoy any success, with their heyday coinciding with the grunge/alt. movement.

1995's "Menace to Sobriety" failed to chart and the band was dropped from the Mercury roster. The band signed with Castle and in 1996 gave it one more try with "Motel California."

Had "Motel California" been released just three years later, it could have been a hit. It is an exciting and entertaining hybrid of rock and rap, or what would later be termed "nu-metal." "Motel California" sounds akin to Kid Rock's breakthrough smash "Devil Without a Cause,"(1998). Only "Motel California" is more lighthearted in nature and is more rock than rap.

This album just came out at the wrong time. Released three years earlier or three years later, with some promotion, it could have been a hit.

While, "Motel California" isn't a lost classic, it's definitely an enjoyable album that deserved more recognition than it got.

5.0 out of 5 stars good sound for this band, June 29, 2002

By A Customer

what a amazing cd!! the songs really do rock. ugly kid joe followed the alternative bandwagon with this cd. crane doesn't scream much in this cd which is good. songs like little red man, strange, shine, and father really stand out on this cd. maybe they thought if they added a grungy flavor to there sound they might get noticed by people. there 15 minutes of fame was pretty much over. they should reform sometime to make a new album. motel california is such a good chunk of heavy rock that it's so enjoyable to listen to. this cd sounds nothing like there older stuff. any fan of alternative rock, or rock music needs to check out this cd. no one should ignore this cd at all. a really good ugly kid joe cd.

5.0 out of 5 stars ukj's finest hour - a must own, March 19, 2002

By	Paul Browne (England.....the hills.) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a real stepping stone for the ugly kid californians, unfortunately it was to be the last, the promo was little, but the sales were pretty good (except america). According to the amazon sites it's now shifted 300 000 in america and 55 000 in the UK, clearly UKJ hit the world when they ventured out of santa barbara.

From start to finish, the whole 12 songs are diverse.Unlike the previosu 3, Motel takes a good few listens to breathe and encompass.....Something ukj have always done throughout their 4 releases they pack a cocktail of unusual and highly infectious rock sounds...Motel is hard to sum up as a whole, there's trippy songs like sandwich and bicycle wheels, agressive punchy titles like it's a lie and then laidback cool, dark californian rock numbers like undertow and would you like to be there...whatever you do, whatever you buy, you need this album.