Ugly Beautiful [IMPORT]

Baby Bird

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 1, 2002)
• Original Release Date: October 1996
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Import [Generic]
• ASIN: B000024NPF
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #411,067 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Think of Morrissey fronting Prefab Sprout by way of the Go-Betweens, and you're in the game with New Zealander Stephen Jones. His six-year bedsit gestation period, neatly documented in recent months via three Handsome Boy reissues, suggested a pop maestro in the raw. Here he takes wing with a trio of supple, lyrically ripe U.K. hits ("You're Gorgeous," "Goodnight," "Candy Girl"), plus some sharp remakes of older material ("Dead Bird Sings," the uncanny Blue Nile imitation, "Bad Shave"). Tunefully addictive stuff from a pop original. --Jeff Bateman

Product Description
15 of the best tracks from Stephen Jones first four lo-fi albums, including the singles 'You're Gorgeous', 'Candy Girl' & 'Good Night'. 1996 release on Echo.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most dangerous man in pop?, August 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Ugly Beautiful (Audio CD)

Quirky but catchy tunes that lodge in the brain are used to dupe you into accepting the razor (disturbed) sharp lyrically payload. how many people have sung along to the bouncy chorus of You're Gorgeous (big hit in UK) without picking up on the songs teenage porn exploitation theme? Brilliant album just for its shear creativity and alternative to the Beatles derived Britpop that was all the rage whilst it was being created.

PS. According tho the sleeve notes an earlier album, Steve Jones was born in Telford England, and although he did live a while in New Zealand he is based in Sheffield England. Another misconception is that he spent ages locked in his bedroom recording his own songs, in reality Steve spent years touring as part of the Dogs in Honey 'multi media performance group', before forming Baby Bird.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can't get enough- I'm buying more Babybird, October 25, 2007

By	Coco D. "Coco" (NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ugly Beautiful (Audio CD)

I bought this cd at a yard sale for a couple of dollars (I love finding good music in surprising places), which at the time seemed a bit much for a yard sale, but I had a hunch, I guess. I loved this cd before the first song was over and haven't tired of it after playing it many times. I played it at a party and impressed my friends who were saying, "This music is great! Who is this?!" I guess they're even less hip than I am for not having heard of this musician before. This is high-quality and well-built music that is surprising in its lyrics, which is fine by me- keeps the riff-raff away.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous, June 11, 2004

By	mr spillsy (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ugly Beautiful (Audio CD)

I first heard You're Gorgeous on the radio in the office. As soon as I heard the first line of the first verse I grabbed my pen and waited for the DJ to tell me who it was. My immediate reaction was Echo and The Bunnymen meets U2 with a splash catchy infection to top it off. Once I had Baby Bird scrawled on my memo pad I rushed out to HMV and bought the album.

Every song was great. The highly addictive riff of Candy Girl underlined the U2 - Edge influence which was a positive thing. I fell in love with the oboe on Deadbird Sings, laughed my head off at Jesus Is My Girlfriend and drowned happily in 45 And Fat. Of course, You're Gorgeous stayed infectious and still is to this day despite all the TV advertising overkill - they are seriously using it for baby's nappies now!!! Oh ek!

Somethings Going On was in the same league without the splash of catchy. Back Together is truely amazing. I havent heard any of the low-fi stuff (except Shop Girl - hilarious) but am wondering whether its worth splashing out on the box set.

I'd love to see him play live and eagerly await some new material.

cheers