Back in 1993, the four dudes who make up Columbus, Ohio’s own Ugly Stick
(Hey, that’s their name, I’m not judging) produced an fantastic album, Absinthe,
that’s still listed on many a critic’s top 100 of all time list. A happy mix of rock/alt-country with some Clash-type pop, Eddie Mann, David Holm, Jeff Clowdus and Al Huckabee made some great music…and as so often happens with great bands, then broke up not long after.
Fast forward fifteen years and suddenly the Stick is back with 14 — count ‘em — 14 kick-ass songs with their new album Still Glistening, and thank the music gods for that! Really, any fan of music could just sit here and play this awesome album all freakin’ day long.
Ugly Stick returns with their second full-length CD 15 years later, Still Glistening. And in true underground fashion, the band shows that 14 years hasn’t slowed or softened them as they tear through a number of garage, punk, country and psychedelic rock songs like they were in their ’20s.
— Michael Swanger CitiView Des Moines, IA
With country music slowly seeping into the distortion and angst of punk rock over the last few years it seems appropriate that a band that helped develop the cow punk sound should make their return after a nearly 14-year absence. While Ugly Stick have fairly obvious similarities to bands like Uncle Tupelo or the Old 97’s, there is undoubtedly a unique quality that sets these guys apart. Straddling the line between two genres is never an easy task but with Ugly Stick’s talent and experience the results have rarely been so rewarding.
—Ty Trumbull Exclaim Toronto, Ontario
Still Glistening[is] a choogling set of sub-three-minute, twangy punk and power-pop workouts that celebrate and/or satirize all manner of Midwestern dead-enders. Druggies, dealers and pick-up artists, all you 24-hour party people on a budget: Here's a rock & roll band to meet your sardonic, trashy needs.
—Roy Kasten Riverfront Times St. Louis, MO
Ugly Stick is back, and by all accounts, rocking better than before.
—Travis Hoewisher Delaware Gazette Delaware, OH
Here, the grit of American roots mingles
satisfyingly with Midwestern classic rock guitars,
eighties jangle-pop, and frantic rhythmic contortion.
Standouts include the pounding call-and-response
of “Left to Lay,” the opening love-among-the-ruins
tale “Little Lynn,” and “Woodbine,” a perfect take
on first invasion Brit-pop, shimmering with the ghost
of 1968 and wafting an evanescence of rockabilly.
—Skyscraper
Still Glistening is an album we can recommend highly if you want your spoiled MTV-kids to hear how the pure rock'n'roll of our youth sounded. How we sweated, young ones.
—Valsam Rootstime Halen, Belgium
This is a fine return for the Columbus, Ohio, cowpunk foursome. The 14 years in between their two full-length albums have not dulled the band's enthusiasm or ability. Songs like "Little Lynn," "Gone My Love," and "Left to Lay" show that maturity can bring even greater melodies and mayhem, as well as depth of understanding. At the same time, "Hang Dog Sickness" and "Jerry Can't Make Me" indicate that bar bands can just have fun—and that older doesn't always mean wiser. Ugly Stick is a fun roots rock band, and people who live near Columbus are lucky. For some, this record is as close as we can get—to the band, as well as to the origin of the Columbus sound.
—Heath Row Go Metric
"Seminal cowpunk outfit Ugly Stick pairs the hard, the hillbilly and the nicely melodic"
—Columbus Alive Columbus, OH
"The real talk of the town is the reunion of Ugly Stick, one of the bands that defined the early '90s scene and, in all honesty, what is considered the "Columbus sound". Take roots rock written by college kids too clever for their own good, run it through the Pixies a couple of times and you've got Ugly Stick.
The times have changed but good music is good music and Ugly Stick showed they've still got it, leaving another generation of the Columbus music scene wanting more."
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That performance you gave at The Northside Tavern sticks with me. I enjoyed the spirit of Ugly Stick.
Welcome to Billy's Bunker (Music Reviews)! It's been busy in the Bunker.
The latest review is Adrian Belew's "Side Two," which CD is good evidence that brother Adrian has become a full bodied 21st Century composer with a syntax of instrumental meaning from the chrysalis of Nuevo Metal born.
Adrian Belew "Side Two" ~ 21st Century composition from the chrysalis of Nuevo Metal born . . .
thanks ed....i love the cd(sorry turntable is on the fence)....i need your cell and home #,although many folks don't give me that shit..............polka
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