• SMOTHER.NET, JUNE 2006 by J-Sin
  Nice packaging guys. The CD comes in a case made of two wood pieces with etched in artwork held together with a couple pieces of twine. The songs are poppy punk rock with bouncy rhythms and fun guitars. It reminds me a bit of Elvis Costello with its rhythmic vocal delivery and songwriting. Nice.

• ACCIDENTAL TEXAN, MAY 2006 by Jacob Rothberger
  If I ever write a book about songwriting you can be damn sure that there will be a chapter or two in there about developing a relationship between the sonic elements and the lyric. Take note: "Stupid CD" presents a man in crisis as he grapples with feelings of abandonment and isolation. And the music reflects this perfectly as it slowly builds from just a single guitar and vocal into a swirling, feverish tangle. I particularly like it when the vocal gets dropped down in the mix when things start to get really crazy - even in his own head he can barely hear himself think. This is strong songwriting and excellant excecution.

• BABYSUE, MARCH 2006 by LMNOP
  Rather than be beaten down by the exhaustion caused by his former band, Virginia's Matt Thomas chose instead to hole himself up in an old house, record an album, and start his own independent record label. The result is Uglyography's Love Boat. Housed in what just might be the first handmade wooden CD case (featuring hand burned lettering), Love Boat is an impressive and entertaining collection of intelligent underground pop tunes. Thomas makes music the good old-fashioned way. Instead of relying on technology to cover his bases, Matt writes and plays music using mostly traditional instruments...and it's all topped off by some mighty fine sounding real drums. Songs are the ultimate treat here however. Smart, inventive pop tracks include "Keychain and Beads," "Clouds or Nothing," "Going Away Party," and "Catchin Up." Good stuff. (Rating: 5)

BAD REVIEWS:

• PUNK PLANET, OCTOBER 2006 by MS
  I'd be remiss if I didn't mention something about the elaborate wooden packaging this album came in but its sub par content only shot down the high hopes that its pleasing aesthetics produced. Typical lo-fi nasal/warble indie rock with a singer whose off-key voice pushes Uglyography toward downright annoyance. There's always time to switch over to graphic art!