Bang for the Buck [Enhanced, Extra tracks]

Ugly Duckling | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 11, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced, Extra tracks
• Label: Fat Beats
• ASIN: B000EQ47XG
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #231,340 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Bang For The Buck

2. Yudee!

3. The Breakdown

4. Left Behind

5. Smack

6. Einstein’s On Stage

7. Let It Out

8. Lower The Boom

9. Andy vs. Dizzy

10. Slow The Flow

11. Shoot Your Shot

12. The End Of Time

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I think I gotta hit ya like SMACK!, June 15, 2006

By 

E. Ahn (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bang for the Buck (Audio CD)

Say you got three white guys from Long Beach in a hip hop group, one of whom is a DJ who wears a big dookie gold neck chain, and whose music sports a catalog of songs about not cursing on the mic, being nice and respectful to women, a fictional fast food restaurant that serves liquified meat, and dreams about cartoon characters. Chances are you'd probably think it was pretty lame. And that's ok, but since their debut EP, it doesn't seem like Ugly Duckling really cares. They're too busy making some of the most consistently great golden era hip hop to really listen to any complaints.

Bang for the Buck is a culmination of why every Ugly Duckling album has been great. It combines the playfulness of Journey to Anywhere, with the themes and production style of Taste the Secret, and the unflagging dedication to old school hip hop of Fresh Mode. Only, it sounds different...and better. Maybe because DJ Young Einstein is on top of his game, making some of the most ridiculously layered beats. Just have a listen to the organ-punched beat of "Yudee" or the drums on "Einstein's On Stage" (with a nice Gangstarr shout out). Maybe it's because Dizzee has stepped his game up by leaps and bounds ever since the Combo Meal EP, with stellar verses on "Left Behind" and "Andy vs. Dizzy". Maybe it's because Andy Cooper is still the anchor that he's always been, throwing out some great bars on the single "Smack!" and the title track. But something about this album manages to click, bringing together all the reasons you love UD, and leaving out all the reasons you may not (e.g. the God references, excessive goofiness, kitschy gimmicks to end the songs, excessive interludes).

But from the moment you hear the gunshot of "Bang for the Buck" until the bouncingly epic final track, "The End of Time", Ugly Duckling takes you a ride that rarely lets up, turning the other cheek to any of the naysayers and pledging their dedication to the playful and childlike glee that comes with hearing your first hip hop record. Listen close enough, and it may rub off on you too.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Back to funk, April 22, 2006

By 

Andrew Reifman (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bang for the Buck (Audio CD)

Ugly Duckling has topped themselves with Bang For the Buck. Journey To Anywhere has that special place on my top albums list, but I'm able to admit that the new UD has definitely shown how far they've come and how good they've gotten. While Taste the Secret was a very fun, upbeat and more unique sounding record, Bang For the Buck sounds like a return that classic funk sound. Einstein kills it with his incredible beats, and Andy's and Dizzy's flows took it to another level. It's hard to say which songs are the standout tracks, because all the songs are awesome with their own different sounds. I'm already waiting for the next album and for UD's return to the states to show off their skills live.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dope!!, June 26, 2009

By 

Daniel S. Martinez "Darth Polluter" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bang for the Buck (Audio CD)

One of their most recent albums, Ugly Duckling doesn't fail with bringing hot break beats, jazzy sounds and sick lyrics. All of the songs are good on this album. If you like their older stuff, you will like this too.