Search - Ultraspank :: Ultraspank

Incredibily talented, this band needs to be promoted more.

05/30/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Each individual in this band is exceptional in their own right. I recently became aware of them and have difficulty finding any information, I wish they were "out there" more."

Really Dated, But Really Good.

Andrew Estes | Maine | 06/09/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'll admit, probably half of the reason I still enjoy this album today is out of pure nostalgia. Afterall, not only has the band broken up, but they totally outdid themselves with the follow-up album, "Progress" and the music on here sounds a bit dated. But, Ultraspank and their music bring me back to old times. One of those "high school" bands that I miraculously discovered through a CD club (you know, the "12 For A Penny" deal) and subsequently became a huge fan of.



I'll also admit that today the album just doesn't rock like it used to. Like an old car, it sounds a bit rugged, a little worn by time. If you want to get really technical, Ultraspank were a tad bit ahead of their time. The sound that they put forth on this, their self-titled 1998 debut, sounds an awful lot like what the nu-metal bands circa 2000-2002 were doing. From the sharp guitar tones, to the muddy bass and spacey drumwork, Ultraspank must've had an influence on a few bands -- bands who have since faded into oblivion such as Primer 55 and Motograter -- who also possessed these traits. So, perhaps this did sound better in the late 90's, as opposed to now, where this style has truly been outdated. As you can guess from the boring songtitles, this is a pretty straight-forward affair. The best songs are in the beginning, with "5," "Butter" and "Slip" being the ones I always come back to. In my opinion, this album kinda peters out towards the end. I mean, it's just not very exciting anymore, and to be honest, "Progress" is a much better investment.



So, despite my criticisms, I remain firm that this is still a good listen. I still look back on Ultraspank fondly, depite the break-up, which in turn spawned the talented supergroup of sorts, Lo-Pro. If you were ever sucked into the nu-metal trend like I was (still am) Ultraspank's debut will probably be like frosting on the cake. Just don't eat too much of it, or you'll get sick.

"