Ugly Things - Brinsley Schwarz

Pretty self-explanatory
Post Reply
Arnie
Posts: 82
Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2020 10:06 pm

Ugly Things - Brinsley Schwarz

Post by Arnie »

Had never heard this before, until it popped up on my FB feed somehow. Not sure how I missed it, but a pleasant surprise. B side to the Other Side of Summer?? Would like to know more about it - who were the musicians? Marc Ribot on guitar? Has an early 90's kitsch to it, but I dig it on some strange level. It swings. Much, much better than the Other Side of Summer, IMO.

And not to mention I love the graphic of Elvis high kicking on the sea wall. :lol:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-glD_VDjBE
Ulster Boy
Posts: 317
Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:27 pm

Re: Ugly Things - Brinsley Schwarz

Post by Ulster Boy »

EC, Nick Lowe and Pete Thomas
sweetest punch
Posts: 5963
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2004 5:49 am
Location: Belgium

Re: Ugly Things - Brinsley Schwarz

Post by sweetest punch »

Since you put me down, it seems i've been very gloomy. You may laugh but pretty girls look right through me.
Arnie
Posts: 82
Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2020 10:06 pm

Re: Ugly Things - Brinsley Schwarz

Post by Arnie »

Thanks for the info.
Arnie
Posts: 82
Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2020 10:06 pm

Re: Ugly Things - Brinsley Schwarz

Post by Arnie »

This track has been bouncing around in my head for 2 years now. A delightful discovery then, but alas, no digital download, at least that I could find. Bought 3 track special CD on Amazon for $8 a couple days ago, package arrived, and have been playing loudly on home stereo. I like it better than anything, by far, on the Mighty Like a Rose album. How did this not make the cut? Because not his own song? MLAR would have been greatly improved with this. So Like Candy is the only redeemer of the whole album. Ugly Things coulda replaced some ugly things on the rest of it. Oh well.
Hawksmoor
Posts: 625
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2003 2:51 pm

Re: Ugly Things - Brinsley Schwarz

Post by Hawksmoor »

Arnie wrote:I like it better than anything, by far, on the Mighty Like a Rose album. How did this not make the cut? Because not his own song? MLAR would have been greatly improved with this. So Like Candy is the only redeemer of the whole album. Ugly Things coulda replaced some ugly things on the rest of it. Oh well.
'The Ugly Things' was recorded late 1988, so if it had been up for inclusion on an LP, it would have been Spike rather than MLAR. I'd guess it was never considered for an LP, though. The session seems to have been Elvis, Pete and Nick Lowe knocking out a few covers ('The Ugly Things', The Room Nobody Lives In', 'Point of No Return', 'You're No Good'), probably always intended for use as B-sides.
Arnie wrote:A delightful discovery then, but alas, no digital download, at least that I could find.
No digital release as far as I know - it's one of the many tracks that were scooped up on the bonus discs of the Rhino reissues in the early 2000s but which never made it to digital release. It's up on YouTube, but nothing on Spotify or iTunes/Apple Play.
Newspaper Pane
Posts: 200
Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2021 10:27 am

Re: Ugly Things - Brinsley Schwarz

Post by Newspaper Pane »

Arnie wrote:This track has been bouncing around in my head for 2 years now. A delightful discovery then, but alas, no digital download, at least that I could find. Bought 3 track special CD on Amazon for $8 a couple days ago, package arrived, and have been playing loudly on home stereo. I like it better than anything, by far, on the Mighty Like a Rose album. How did this not make the cut? Because not his own song? MLAR would have been greatly improved with this. So Like Candy is the only redeemer of the whole album. Ugly Things coulda replaced some ugly things on the rest of it. Oh well.
Couldn't disagree more about Mighty Like a Rose, but to each his own.
sulky lad
Posts: 2425
Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2005 5:21 pm
Location: Out of the kitchen,she's gone with the wind

Re: Ugly Things - Brinsley Schwarz

Post by sulky lad »

Newspaper Pane wrote:
Arnie wrote:This track has been bouncing around in my head for 2 years now. A delightful discovery then, but alas, no digital download, at least that I could find. Bought 3 track special CD on Amazon for $8 a couple days ago, package arrived, and have been playing loudly on home stereo. I like it better than anything, by far, on the Mighty Like a Rose album. How did this not make the cut? Because not his own song? MLAR would have been greatly improved with this. So Like Candy is the only redeemer of the whole album. Ugly Things coulda replaced some ugly things on the rest of it. Oh well.
Me too, I thought MLAR was a vast improvement on Spike and that Elvis’ voice was exquisite throughout the album. Ugly Things is OK but a bit if a throwaway cover as far as I’m concerned!
Good job we’re not all the same as my dear old great aunt would say
Arnie
Posts: 82
Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2020 10:06 pm

Re: Ugly Things - Brinsley Schwarz

Post by Arnie »

Okay, I gave MLAR a fresh listen. Had set it aside for too long, and its not at all as bad as I remembered it. After the Fall, Georgie, Other Side of Summer, but goddam, So Like Candy . . . this song might be in his top ten, hearing it again. So much power, anger, tenderness. Tell me I'm wrong.
Post Reply