{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{more citations needed|date=January 2010}} {{Distinguish|Ugly Is Beautiful}} {{Infobox album | name = Ugly Beautiful | type = studio | artist = Babybird | cover = Ugly Beautiful album cover.jpg | alt = | released = 21 October 1996 | recorded = | studio = | genre = *Britpop *indie pop | length = 70:29 | label = Echo | producer = *Stephen Jones *Steve Power *Darren Allison *Ian Caple | prev_title = Dying Happy | prev_year = 1996 | next_title = There's Something Going On | next_year = 1998 | misc = {{Singles | name = Ugly Beautiful | type = studio | single1 = Goodnight | single1date = 29 July 1996 | single2 = You're Gorgeous | single2date = 30 September 1996 | single3 = Candy Girl | single3date = 20 January 1997 | single4 = Cornershop | single4date = 5 May 1997 }} }}

'''''Ugly Beautiful''''' is a 1996 album by Babybird, the band's sixth, though their first for Echo Records. Released on 21 October, the album includes the singles "Goodnight", "Candy Girl", "You're Gorgeous" and "Cornershop". "You're Gorgeous" was a surprise top-three UK<ref name=OCC>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/173/babybird/| title=Babybird {{!}} full Official Chart History | publisher=Official Charts Company| access-date=4 February 2023}}</ref> and international hit for the group. The album was written entirely by band-leader Stephen Jones. Many of the songs were written and recorded by Jones alone between 1988 and 1994. Several of the songs had been released in these demo incarnations on Jones' solo lo-fi work as Baby Bird that he did prior to forming the band with John Pedder, Robert Gregory, Luke Scott and Huw Chadbourn. The majority of the album was produced by Jones with Steve Power. Darren Allison and Ian Caple each produced a song.

==Release and reception== {{Album ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/ugly-beautiful-mw0000028349 |title=Ugly Beautiful – Babybird |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=11 April 2020}}</ref> | rev2 = ''Christgau's Consumer Guide'' | rev2score = {{rating-Christgau|hm2}}<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=214 |access-date=11 April 2020 |chapter=Baby Bird: Ugly Beautiful |title=Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s |title-link=Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |publisher=Macmillan Publishing |year=2000 |isbn=9780312245603 |page=15}}</ref> | rev3 = ''Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' | rev3score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_NNmFiUnSmUC&pg=PA2325 |access-date=27 December 2017 |chapter=babybird |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |title-link=Encyclopedia of Popular Music |last=Larkin |first=Colin |author-link=Colin Larkin |publisher=Omnibus Press |edition=5th concise |year=2011 |isbn=9780857125958 |pages=2324–2325}}</ref> | rev4 = ''Entertainment Weekly'' | rev4score = B+<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/1997/10/17/album-review-ugly-beautiful/ |title=Album Review: 'Ugly Beautiful' |last=Mirkin |first=Steven |date=17 October 1997 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=27 December 2017 |archive-date=11 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011072845/http://ew.com/article/1997/10/17/album-review-ugly-beautiful/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> | rev5 = ''The Guardian'' | rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite news |title=This baby's got songs |last=Bennun |first=David |date=18 October 1996 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> | rev6 = ''Music Week'' | rev6score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1996/Music-Week-1996-10-12.pdf|first=|last=|title=Reviews: Albums|magazine=Music Week|date=12 October 1996|page=26|accessdate=6 September 2021}}</ref> | rev7 = ''Pitchfork'' | rev7score = 6.7/10<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/15261-ugly-beautiful |title=Babybird: Ugly Beautiful |last=Wisdom |first=James P. |work=Pitchfork |access-date=12 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070602172342/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/15261-ugly-beautiful |archive-date=2 June 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev8 = ''Rolling Stone'' | rev8score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=43910&cf=2395 |title=Baby Bird: Ugly Beautiful |last=Wiederhorn |first=Jon |date=30 October 1996 |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=11 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030321050556/http://rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=43910&cf=2395 |archive-date=21 March 2003 |url-status=dead}}</ref> }} ''Ugly Beautiful'' received generally positive reviews. ''The Independent'' wrote, "It's not just that the songs sound less like dashed-off demos – there is also an increased depth of musical character to them, which renders them more like collective notions rather than the mad imaginings of a marginalised loner".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/babybird-ugly-beautiful-echo-ech-cd11-review-1358900.html |title=Babybird Ugly Beautiful Echo ECH CD11: Review |work=The Independent |date=18 October 1996 |access-date=11 April 2020}}</ref>

The album was released on CD, cassette and double-LP. US editions differ from international versions with "King Bing" substituted for "CFC". The album charted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart,<ref name=OCC/> number fifteen on the New Zealand Album Chart,<ref name=nzcharts>{{cite web|url=https://charts.nz/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Babybird| title=charts.nz&nbsp;— Discography Babybird| website=charts.nz| access-date=2014-07-16}}</ref> and was certified Gold by the BPI. The artwork was designed by Stephen Jones and DED Associates with photography by Al Levy.

==Track listing== All tracks written and composed by Stephen Jones. # "Goodnight" – 2:53 # "Candy Girl" – 3:56 # "Jesus Is My Girlfriend" – 5:24 # "I Didn't Want to Wake You Up" – 5:15 # "Dead Bird Sings" – 5:11 # "Atomic Soda" – 5:08 # "You're Gorgeous" – 3:42 # "Bad Shave 2" – 3:27 # "Cornershop" – 3:48 # "King Bing" – 9:53 # "You & Me" – 4:10 # "45 & Fat" – 4:11 # "Too Handsome to Be Homeless" – 4:44 # "July" – 3:46 # "Baby Bird" – 5:01

===US release=== The US release substitutes "King Bing" for "CFC".

# "Goodnight" – 2:53 # "Candy Girl" – 3:57 # "Jesus Is My Girlfriend" – 5:24 # "I Didn't Want to Wake You Up" – 5:15 # "Dead Bird Sings" – 4:24 # "Atomic Soda" – 5:08 # "You're Gorgeous" – 3:42 # "Bad Shave" – 4:39 # "Cornershop" – 3:48 # "You & Me" – 4:09 # "45 & Fat" – 4:13 # "Too Handsome to Be Homeless" – 4:44 # "CFC" – 3:42 # "July" – 3:47 # "Baby Bird" – 5:00

==Personnel== The following credits are adapted from the CD liner notes.

*''Ugly Beautiful'' was made by John Pedder, Robert Gregory, Stephen Jones, Luke Scott and Huw Chadbourn. *Stephen Jones – all instruments (tracks 3, 6, 9, 11) *Matt Hay – viola (track 5) *Stephen Jones and Steve Power – co-producer (all tracks except 3, 6, 8, 9, 11) *Stephen Jones – producer (tracks 3, 6 10) *Stephen Jones and Darren Allison – producer (track 8) *Ian Caple – producer (track 9) *Darren Allison – mixing (track 13) *Matt Hay – mixing (tracks 3 and 6) *Stephen Jones and DED Associates – artwork *Al Levy – photography *John Pedder and DED Associates – egg (graphics) *Douglas Cape – band photography

==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Chart performance for ''Ugly Beautiful'' ! scope="col"| Chart (1996–1997) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{album chart|New Zealand|15|artist=Babybird|album=Ugly Beautiful|rowheader=true|access-date=4 February 2023}} |- {{album chart|UK2|9|date=19961027|rowheader=true|access-date=4 February 2023}} |}

==Certifications== {{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for ''Ugly Beautiful''}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|award=Gold|type=album|artist=Babybird|title=Ugly Beautiful|relyear=1996|certyear=1997|id=7849-9-2|access-date=4 February 2023}} {{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.discogs.com/Babybird-Ugly-Beautiful/release/3133025 Ugly Beautiful (US) at Discogs.com]

{{Babybird}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Babybird albums Category:1996 albums Category:The Echo Label albums