Ugly kid Joe - Rad wings of Destiny

October 21st 2022

Album Review

****1/2

This album is Rad!!!

I have to admit the Ugly kid Joe album 'America's least Wanted' was a tape I played a lot when I was younger, as a kid I thought they were just too cool. With their track 'Everything about You' even being featured in the hit movie 'Wayne's World', which was a big hit back then in 1992. When I was also listening to bands like Extreme and Green Jelly, and later The Wildhearts, Headswim and Terrorvision. They were just like their song 'So damn Cool', with their cartoon mascot and care free attitude. They where not afraid to talk about subjects other bands avoided, and they added elements of the skateboard lifestyle and the Garbage Pail Kids attitude and disqusting-ness.

I even loved when Ugly kid Joe singer Whitfield Crane, who has one of the best voices in Rock joined Life of Agony. I know a few people that will disagree with me on this, but I don't really care. And I also liked his band Medication which featured Logan Mader (Machine Head)... they should have been so much bigger than they were. Ugly kid Joe came back a few years ago, and have been one of the hardest working touring bands around. I keep seeing their name on so many touring bills, and festivals. So I have to admit!!! I started to get a little complacent when it comes to checking them out at a show near me. Thinking maybe I will catch them next time, which after hearing 'Rad wings of Destiny' was a massive mistake.

Because 'Rad wings of Destiny' is an album that really shows off a band at their best, every track on it could be a possible single. The singles the band seemed to have picked was 'Kill the Pain', 'Long Road' and 'Failure', these maybe wouldn't have been all the tracks I would have picked... but I can understand why they have. 'Failure' I really love it has that Grunge Stone temple Pilots, Alice in Chains, and Corrosion to Conformity vibe to it. While still keeping with the Funky Rock Blues vibe the band has always had. What I have always always loved about Ugly kid Joe is that you can hear all instruments clearly, every members sound always stands out. And I think this is why they have always stood out so much as band, and have had such a big impact on the Rock / Funk Rock scene both here in the UK and in the US. They might have once thought they are 'America's least Wanted', but I think in recent years they have become America's most wanted.

I say maybe I wouldn't have picked personally 'Long Road', 'Drinkin' and Drivin' and 'Everything's Changing', are both really commercial tracks that both meet the heights of their Cat Stevens cover of 'Cats in the Cradle' or maybe even Motley Crue's 'Home sweet Home'. These are road songs and with so many people hitting the road each year, going on trips and heading to work long distances away. I can really see how these songs would be appealing, I can imagine someone putting these tracks on in their truck and really enjoying them. I actually really love on the album 'That ain't Livin', this has a real Backyard Babies vibe to it... a band I absolutely love. It's hard hitting and in your face, and that is what I love from a Rock song. You can also hear a little bit of AC/DC in the mix, in parts mixed up with attitude. I can imagine myself in the future getting up and strutting around the room to this, it's one Hell of a track.

They mix up so many genres that circle around Rock and Metal on this record, like the almost Glam Rock The Sweet esq. 'Not like the Other'... which is a catchy number that I wouldn't at a first listen realise it was Ugly kid Joe. But after a few listens you would realise it is, it's nice they are mixing things up (But I guess they always have). One of the highlights for me on the album is 'Dead friends Play', I really love the Funky Blues vibe too this... it really reminds me of some of the early KISS material... and as a huge KISS fan I love that. And as it Lynard Skynard and the James Gang, you can also hear they have taken influences also from both of these acts on the track.

If you love old school Rock and Blues, and Funky Rock 'n' Roll you need to go and grab yourself a copy of 'Rad wings of Destiny' because it is a great album. And one we have waited far too long for, I know I will be playing this record for years to come. And I really hope we don't have to wait long for another Ugly kid Joe album, because I am sure it will be as good as this one. If you have not seen the band live, then I strongly advise you do. They always kick ass and put on a great show, and it will be great to hear some of the new songs I have not heard them do live before, This album is just simply Rad!!! so buy it.

Review by Dan Devour