Ugly/Heartless

AMG Review of Ugly/Heartless

Greg Prato
All Music Guide

Although you'd never know it by the mainstream ock artists of the early 21st century, good old-fashioned /p>

oise was bubbling over in the underground, as evidenced by such bands as Lightning Bolt and the Dillinger Escape Plan. Another outfit that joined the pack around this time was Houston's the Jonbenet. With two indie EPs to their credit (combined together as The Plot Thickens in 2005), the gentlemen offered their debut major-label full-length a year later, Ugly/Heartless. Although only a quartet, the Jonbenet have a knack for sounding like a herd of stomping gorillas armed with ock instruments, especially on such standouts as the album-opening "Devils" and "We Eat Our Young." Elsewhere, the group plays possum from time to time, as on "Love Is a Dog from Hell," which begins with some glassy-sounding guitar, and the meandering "Zeppelin" -- both of which eventually collapse into /p>

oise assaults. Good music to listen to at your next demolition derby driving lesson.