Uglier Than They Used ta Be (2015)
Artist: Ugly Kid Joe
Type: Studio album (3rd LP)
Released: October 16, 2015
Label: Metalville Records
Genre: Hard rock • Heavy metal • Alternative metal
Length: 43:00
Producer: Dave Fortman
Uglier Than They Used ta Be is the third full-length studio album by Ugly Kid Joe and their first studio LP in nearly 20 years, following 1995’s Menace to Sobriety. It marked the band’s full-length comeback after their 2012 reunion EP Stairway to Hell.
๐ฆ Cover Art & Design
The album cover returns to the band’s classic cartoon mascot, reinforcing their long-running visual identity.
๐จ Design Highlights
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๐ Updated Mascot: The “Ugly Kid Joe” character appears once again, drawn with sharper lines and a modernized look.
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๐ญ Self-Referential Humor:** The title Uglier Than They Used ta Be playfully acknowledges the band’s aging and long hiatus.
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๐ธ Bold Comic Style:** Bright, exaggerated features and strong outlines echo their early-’90s artwork.
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๐ค Prominent Typography: The album title is large and punchy, fitting their established branding.
The cover visually reconnects the band with their classic image while signaling a matured but still playful comeback.
๐ต Tracklist
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Let the Record Play
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Bad Seed
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Mirror of the Man
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She's Already Gone
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Nothing Ever Changes
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My Old Man (2015 version)
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Under the Bottom
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Ace of Spades (Motรถrhead cover)
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Enemy
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Papa Was a Rolling Stone (The Temptations cover)
๐ฅ Band Lineup
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Whitfield Crane – Lead vocals
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Klaus Eichstadt – Guitar
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Dave Fortman – Guitar
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Cordell Crockett – Bass
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Shannon Larkin – Drums
Dave Fortman also handled production duties, bringing a polished yet heavy sound to the record.
๐ถ Notable Tracks
⭐ Let the Record Play
Lead single and fan favorite, capturing their classic groove-heavy hard rock style.
⭐ Bad Seed
A punchy, riff-driven track that highlights their heavier edge.
⭐ Ace of Spades
A high-energy tribute to Motรถrhead’s Lemmy Kilmister.
⭐ Papa Was a Rolling Stone
A surprising but effective hard rock interpretation of the soul classic.
๐ Commercial Performance
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Charted in several European territories, particularly Germany.
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Received strong support from longtime fans and European rock audiences.
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Marked the band’s most successful new material release since the 1990s.
๐ Reception
The album was praised for:
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Returning to the band’s classic hard rock roots
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Strong production quality
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Mature songwriting without losing their trademark attitude
Critics noted that the band balanced nostalgia with modern heaviness effectively.
๐ค Fun Facts & Trivia
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๐ธ The album title references their debut EP As Ugly As They Wanna Be.
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๐ฅ Shannon Larkin remained active with Godsmack while participating in the project.
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๐ต The band continued their tradition of including at least one notable cover song.
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๐ “My Old Man” is a reworked version of the track originally from Menace to Sobriety (1995).
๐คฏ Did You Know?
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This album ended a 20-year gap between full studio albums.
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The band funded earlier reunion efforts independently before securing label distribution.
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Despite lineup stability, the album reflects a more seasoned, less novelty-driven approach compared to their early ’90s work.