Beautiful Creatures (album)

Beautiful Creatures is the debut studio album by American hard rock band Beautiful Creatures. It was produced by Sean Beavan at Bay 7 Studios in Valley Village, Los Angeles, California,[3] and was released on August 16, 2001, through Warner Bros. Records.[4] The album peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers,[5] while the single "Wasted" peaked at number 37 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks.[6]

Beautiful Creatures
Studio album by Beautiful Creatures
Released	August 16, 2001
Recorded	2000-2001
Studio	Bay 7 Studios, Valley Village, Los Angeles, California
Genre	Heavy metal[1] hard rock[2]
Length	44:29
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Sean Beavan
Beautiful Creatures chronology
Beautiful Creatures (2001) Deuce (2005)
Singles from Stone Sour
"Wasted" Released: 2001

Following the release of the album, Beautiful Creatures went on to promote the album, performing at Ozzfest 2001, from June 8—August 12, 2001,[7][8][9] the Rolling Rock Tour as well performing in Japan. The album received mixed reviews.

Background

Former BulletBoys guitarist DJ Ashba and Bang Tango vocalist Joe LeSte first formed Beautiful Creatures, initially as Hellstar, in 1999.[7][8] After adding bassist Kenny Kweens, guitarist Anthony Focx and drummer Glen Sobel, the band opened for Kiss during their reunion tour and, after one show, changed their name to Beautiful Creatures.[7][8] After signing with Warner Bros. Records, the band began recording their album with producer Sean Beavan at Bay 7 Studios, Valley Village, Los Angeles, California.[3][7][1]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Canoe.ca	favorable[10]
Exclaim!	favorable[11]
PopMatters	mixed[2]

Beautiful Creatures received generally mixed reviews upon release. Reviewing the album for Allmusic, Tom Semioli complimented on their "overwhelming appeal [that] lies in their command of traditional pop/rock songcraft bolstered by expert musicianship" and that "the songs found on this self-titled first offering would be praiseworthy in any genre."[1] Mike Bell of Canoe.ca stated the band were similar to Guns N' Roses and that they were "borrowing unapologetically and gluttonously from the Big Book of Rock Cliches." However, he also felt that "there's still something to them that you can't help but enjoy."[10] Exclaim! reviewer Craig Daniels stated that "the opening song, "1 A.M.," could easily be mistaken for vintage G'n'R, and actually stands alone as a pretty solid little rocker" and that LeSte "alternates from an AC/DC growl to an Axl howl."[11] Andrew Ellis, reviewing for PopMatters described the album as "a rough and ready collection of uninspiring rockers, old school guitar licks and gravelly vocals" that "attempts to merge the aggression, street sass and sound of the incomparable Appetite for Destruction with the modern leanings of the contemporary rock scene." Though he states that "there’s plenty of effort and determination shown by the band on solid rockers like "1 AM" and "Kick Out"" there was a "distinct lack of originality throughout the album."[2]

Accolades

Publication	Country	Accolade	Year	Rank
Metal Hammer	United Kingdom	Top Albums of 2001[12]	2001	11

Track listing

All tracks are written by DJ Ashba and Joe LeSte, except where noted.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"1 A.M."	Ashba, LeSte, Jeff Blue	3:25
2.	"Wasted"	Ashba, LeSte, Blue	3:28
3.	"Step Back"	Ashba, LeSte, Blue	3:20
4.	"Ride"		3:10
5.	"Wish"	Ashba, LeSte, Blue	4:23
6.	"Kick Out"		3:35
7.	"Blacklist"	Ashba, LeSte, Kenny Kweens	3:40
8.	"Kickin' For Days"		4:48
9.	"Time and Time Again"	Ashba, LeSte, Blue	4:12
10.	"Goin' Off"	Ashba, LeSte, Blue	3:43
11.	"New Orleans"		4:01
12.	"I Got It All"	Ashba, LeSte, Kweens	2:44
Total length:			44:29

Charts

Chart (2009)	Peak Position
U.S. Billboard Top Heatseekers	29[5]

Personnel

All information is excerpted from the album's stated information and Allmusic.[3][13]

Beautiful Creatures

• Joe LeSte – lead vocals, backing vocals
• DJ Ashba – lead guitar, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
• Anthony Focx – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• Kenny Kweens – bass, backing vocals
• Glen Sobel – drums, backing vocals

Production

• Sean Beavan – producer, engineer, mixer
• Ed Roth – producer, keyboard
• Matt Ellingsen – engineer
• Eric Miller – engineer
• Jim Monti – assistant engineer
• Daniel M. Serta – assistant engineer
• Ted Jensen – mastering
• Jeff Blue – A&R
• Natalie Preston – A&R coordination
• Frank Maddocks – art direction, design
• James Minchin III – photography
• Melanie Nissen – photography

References

1. Semioli, Tom. "Beautiful Creatures Review". Allmusic. All Media Guide (Rovi). Retrieved 2011-12-17.
2. Ellis, Andrew (April 24, 2002). "Beautiful Creatures: self-titled". PopMatters. Retrieved 2011-12-17.
3. Beautiful Creatures (cover). Beautiful Creatures. Warner Bros. Records. 2001.CS1 maint: others (link)
4. "Pop Albums". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. August 16, 2001. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
5. "Beautiful Creatures Charts and Awards: Billboard albums". Allmusic. All Media Guide (Rovi). Retrieved 2011-12-17.
6. "Beautiful Creatures Charts and Awards: Billboard singles". Allmusic. All Media Guide (Rovi). Retrieved 2011-12-19.
7. Loftus, Johnny. "Beautiful Creatures Biography". Allmusic. All Media Guide (Rovi). Retrieved 2011-12-19.
8. Rademacher, Brian (October 2007). "Interview with D.J. Ashba". Rock Eyez.
9. Rademacher, Brian (March 12, 2001). "Archive News". Blabbermouth.net (Roadrunner Records. Archived from the original on 2005-11-28. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
10. Bell, Mike. "Album Review: Beautiful Creatures". Canadian Online Explorer. Sun Media. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
11. Daniels, Craig. "Beautiful Creatures – Beautiful Creatures". Exclaim!. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
12. Hammer, Dan (December 21, 2001). "Metal Hammer's Top Albums Of 2001". Metal Hammer. Future plc. Archived from the original on 2013-04-03. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
13. "Beautiful Creatures Album Credits". Allmusic. All Media Guide (Rovi). Retrieved 2011-12-19.