The term “one-hit wonder” is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single. “Kung Fu Fighting” by Carl Douglas, “Sugar, Sugar” by The Archies, “It’s Raining Men” by The Weather Girls, “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles, “Tainted Love” by Soft Cell,”Turning Japanese” by The Vapors, “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield, ” In the Summertime” by Mungo Jerry, “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes, “Breakfast At Tiffanys” by Deep Blue Something and “Who Let the Dogs Out?” by Baha Men are just one of the few songs and artists “honored with this distinction”. On the other hand, some lists also included songs and artist such as “Epic” by Faith No More, “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” by Iron Butterfly, “All Right Now” by Free, “Cars” by Gary Numan or “”Take On Me” by A-Ha, so, it’s not a that dishonorable classification after all. I wonder who would heard about Urge Overkill if Quentin Tarantino wouldn’t release “Pulp Fiction” and on its soundtrack they wouldn’t included the cover version of the Neil Diamond song, “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon” performed by them? Still, it’s maybe a little bit unfair, after all “Sister Havana”, from “Saturation”, the fourth album by the American band and their debut for a major label (Geffen Records), charted highly on both the modern rock and mainstream rock charts, peaking at #6 and #10.
Also, they opening for Nirvana on the American Nevermind tour and Pearl Jam on the Vs. Tour.
After one more release, “Exit the Dragon” from 1995 the band split-up and well, “Rock & Roll Submarine’ is their come-back effort after a gap of sixteen years. It take some guts or… insanity.
Urge Overkill delivered a rock album in the best tradition and vain of the 70s, 80s. Some of their new songs reminds me actually of Status Quo, eventually of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Canned Heat, ZZ Top or The Allman Brothers Band. The title track have a few good turns, “Effigy” sounds like Survivor’s “Eye Of the Tiger”, Southern Rock and Country Rock themes are coming and going. Still, there are some good moments such as “Quiet Person” or “Touch To A Cut” and there are some better riffs as well. It’s not that bad, just kind of pointless.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAHA4Jh5jkw&w=500&h=305]
