Master of Styles

1998 studio album by The Urge
Master of Styles
Studio album by
The Urge
ReleasedApril 21, 1998
Recorded1998 at Sierra Sonic Studios
Genre
  • Alternative rock
  • ska
  • reggae
  • alternative metal
Length42:40
LabelImmortal Records
ProducerGGGarth[1]
The Urge chronology
Receiving the Gift of Flavor
(1995)
Master of Styles
(1998)
Too Much Stereo
(2000)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide[1]

Master of Styles is a studio album by alternative rock band The Urge, released in 1998.[3][4] The album produced three singles (“Jump Right In”, “Straight to Hell”, and “Closer”) and sold 250,000 copies. “Jump Right In” featured guest vocals by Nick Hexum of 311 and hit the #10 position on the Modern Rock list.[1][5]

Critical reception

The Washington Post wrote that "Urge seems to have a chameleonic talent for adapting to punk, ska, reggae, hip-hop and reggae trends without ever distinguishing itself."[6] MTV wrote that "any group that can throw funk, ska, pop and metal into the old mixmaster (accent on old) without any discernible recipe for making it all work to their commercial benefit is nothing if not adaptable."[7] CMJ New Music Monthly opined that the band "combines sounds from funk to punk to reggae, and it's successful thanks in large part to the one constant: the mellifluous, adaptable voice of Steve Ewing."[8]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Steve Ewing, Karl Grable, Jerry Jost, Todd Painter, and John Pessoni, except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."If I Were You" 3:52
2."Straight to Hell" 3:15
3."Jump Right In" (ft. Nick Hexum)The Urge, N. Hexum3:43
4."S.L.O.B."S. Ewing, K. Grable, J. Pessoni2:48
5."Played Out" 3:39
6."Closer"K. Grable, J. Jost, T. Painter, J. Pessoni3:49
7."Gene Machine" (Bad Brains Cover)P. Hudson, D. Jenifer3:03
8."My Apology"S. Ewing, K. Grable, J. Jost, M. Kwiatkowski, T. Painter, J. Pessoni3:24
9."Divide and Conquer"The Urge4:43
10."Identity Crisis" 2:42
11."Going Down" 3:24
12."Prayer for Rain"S. Ewing, K. Grable, J. Jost, M. Kwiatkowski, T. Painter, J. Pessoni4:15
Total length:42:40

Personnel

The Urge
  • Steve Ewing - vocals
  • Karl Grable - bass, concept
  • Jerry Jost - guitars
  • John Pessoni - drums, background vocals
  • Bill Reiter - saxophone
  • Matt Kwiatkowski - trombone
  • Todd Painter - trombone, keyboard
Additional musicians


Additional personnel
  • Mike Dillon - percussion
  • Doug Erb - art direction
  • GGGarth - engineer, producer
  • Mr. Colson - engineer
  • Tom Gordon - assistant engineer
  • Steve Hupaylo - unknown contributor
  • Michael Lavine - photography
  • Bob Ludwig - mastering
  • Luke Partridge - design
  • Joe Gastwirt- Mastering on Jump right in.
  • Randy Staub - mixing
  • Joe Varkey - assistant engineer
  • Gary Winger - mixing assistant

Charts

Chart (1998) Peak
position
US Billboard Heatseekers 1[9]
US Billboard Billboard 200 111[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 1182.
  2. ^ "Master of Styles - The Urge | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  3. ^ "The Urge | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  4. ^ Cooper, Melinda. "Over 25 Years In, the Urge Continues to Sell Out St. Louis Venues". Riverfront Times.
  5. ^ "The Urge". Billboard.
  6. ^ Joyce, Mike (May 22, 1998). "THE URGE" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  7. ^ "Urge Underkill". MTV News. Archived from the original on August 10, 2020.
  8. ^ "Reviews". CMJ New Music Monthly. CMJ Network, Inc. June 1, 1998 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ "The Urge". Billboard.
  10. ^ "The Urge". Billboard.
  • v
  • t
  • e
  • Steve Ewing
  • Karl Grable
  • Jerry Jost
  • Matt Kwiatkowski
  • John Pessoni
  • Bill Reiter
  • Jeff Herschel
  • Pat Malecek
  • Todd Painter
  • Jordan Chalden
Studio albums
EPs
  • Live and Unreleased
Live albums
  • Fat Babies in the Mix
Singles
  • "Brainless"
  • "All Washed Up"
  • "It's Gettin' Hectic"
  • "Straight To Hell"
  • "Jump Right In"
  • "Closer"
  • "Too Much Stereo"
  • "Four Letters and Two Words"
  • "Say Yeah"
  • "Out On The Fringe"
Contributions
  • Life Is Peachy Tour Sampler
  • Burning London: The Clash Tribute
Compilations
  • Rare and Out of Print
Authority control databases Edit this at Wikidata
  • MusicBrainz release group