The latest effort from the comical Bloodhound Gang, Hefty Fine seems to make a bid at maturity. Every song on the album is impressive, and the band's skills at production and arrangements have definitely improved a great deal.

The Bloodhound Gang may have long doomed their music from being given any kind of serious attention a long time ago with their peculiar and comical song-writing style and monotone raps. Although the band has put out countless catchy tunes over the years, this lack of attention becomes most tragic for the band’s 2005 release. Hefty Fine displays some of the bands more serious music writing, despite the constant presence of crude lyrics. Perhaps it’s front man Jimmy Pop’s sexual innuendoes and monotone white rapping that initial throws off some listens and prevents the music from being fully appreciated. Though the disc is littered with skit-like tracks that help bridge songs, there are countless incredible tracks that could surprise even a die-hard fan. The band’s ability to alter their musical style accordingly to individual tracks pays off huge here, providing a little something for everyone. The album’s opener, “Balls Out” makes an alternative bid, while the single “Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo” is catchy and radio-friendly. Among the tracks with a techno/dance feel, the piano led, hard driving “I’m The Least You Could Do” is one of the major standouts. It’s not that the music Bloodhound Gang plays is complex, but rather that the band has found a knack with arrangements; almost giving an illusion that more is going on than there actually is. Even a majority of Jimmy Pops lyrics are actually clever rather than crude. Although tracks like “Farting With a Walkman On” and clips like “Diarrhea Runs In the Family” would suggest otherwise, a lot of this album screams maturity. Tracks like the mentioned “I’m The Least You Could Do”, dance-partner “Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss”, “No Hard Feelings” and “Pennsylvania” show growth in leaps and bounds, and make for some killer music. “Ralph Wiggum” will please any fan of the Simpsons, and further goes to show how far this album can spread. Regardless of the opinion of this band, the music on Hefty Fine speaks for itself and deserves much more recognition than it receives.