Ultra - Where are they now?

Song of the day:
Ultra
"Blind To The Groove"

In the year 1998, I started listening to English music after Deric introduced me to them.

So I also began listening to English radio stations and gained knowledge about the English music scene.

Bands from UK and US were very very popular during that time.

Rock and pop music pretty much made up a big percentage of the English music scene during that time too, with rap and hip-hop playing a supporting role only.

I was more into pop music at the moment as I was still very new to English music.

It was very understandable for me, especially in the "Boyband" era when'N Sync, Backstreet Boys, Five were super duper popular within the years 1995 to 1999.

However, I was pretty impressed with a new idea (which wasn't really that new to be honest) of a genre known as pop rock.

It all started to strike me when a new pop rock band known as Ultra started breaking into the UK pop music scene.

They first released their debut single known as "Say You Do".

To me, it was a refreshing song by a refreshing combination of "boyband" and rock music, and thus attracting my attention.

The beats, the rhythm, the lyrics. Just nice for me.

In 1998, Ultra actually consist of 

1. James Hearn (lead vocalist)
2. Michael Harwood (guitar)
3. Jon O'Mahony (drums)
4. Nick Keynes (bass)

Soon after, they released their debut album, also known as "Ultra".

Ultra's self-titled album

I bought a cassette tape version of this album in 1998 and I was attracted to it.

The songs were pretty nice, giving you the pop rock kinda feeling.

I would say The Click Five and Jonas Brothers would be the closest to describe Ultra, but of course since they are British, the accent is a little different.

Yet, the album consists of different musical styles, i.e. slow rock ballads, midtempo tracks, and a little bit of the choir type.

Later on, they released "Say It Once" as their second single, which was then followed by "The Right Time" and lastly their best single to date, "Rescue Me".

"Rescue Me" was the only Ultra single which managed to peak in the Top 10 of the UK Charts.

A ballad with a little more pop rock (due to the beats) feel than pop music feel to it in my opinion.

Since that single, Ultra did not produce their second album and seemed to vanish from the music scene for quite a while.

As you know I don't live in UK, I usually have no update on the band.

However, based on what is written on Ultra's Wikipedia page, the band split for quite a few years but reunited with addition of new members.

Now, Ultra survive and they've recently released their new album known as "The Sun Shines Brighter".

Well, it's pretty hard for a band to stay on for decades unless you've very good success in the music scene.

Take Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bon Jovi for example.

They've been doing those stuff for like decades and their fame don't seem to fade away.

But time does different things to different people.

Ultra might not be able to withstand the "commercial" pressure every band and music artists have to faced, but their music lives on in my life.

Till now, my favourite Ultra song would always be "Blind To The Groove".

It's a pretty interesting song which involves good back-up vocalists and a very exciting blend of pop rock music and a little gospel music in it.

I don't know how to categorise the song but to me, it will always remain as one of the songs in my "most favourite songs" album (if I ever compile one).

Try out Ultra. Maybe you'll like it. (:

Well, that's part of my musical memories that I would probably never forget.