by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Motel California is Ugly Kid Joe return to their roots, bashing out grungy metal in their garage and recording it for posterity. Of course, there's a couple problems in this concept. Ugly Kid Joe never wanted to play in the garage, they always lusted after the arenas -- they were just forced into the garage after being dropped by their major label. Surprisingly, Motel California works a lot better than it should, sounding fiercer and more committed. The group still has problems with writing hooks, but they sound better than ever. Ironically, fewer people than ever will hear them now.