Ugly Duckling - Bang for the Buck

After the hilarious commentary on the fast food industry on Taste the Secret, Ugly Duckling seems to take a small step backward with Bang For the Buck. This is a straightforward album albeit a very enjoyable one.

Although Ugly Duckling has always been somewhat silly, Bang for the Buck is the first album on which they come off as cheesy. The cheesy moments are few and far between, but I just can't get over what an evolutionary step backward this album is. I guess Taste the Secret really  set the bar high, and anything else would probably come off as a disappointment.

Bang for the Buck still provides plenty to love. "The Breakdown" is far and away my wife's favorite Ugly Duckling song, and probably her all-time favorite hip-hop track. "Andy vs. Dizzy" is my favorite track on the album. It's an MC battle between Andy and Dizzy that brings out some of their best rhymes and cultural references. I guess I just need to get over the fact that there will probably never be another Taste the Secret and Ugly Duckling will just keep on doing what they do.