Against All Odds (N-Dubz album)
Encyclopedia
Against All Odds is the second platinum selling studio album by N-Dubz
. The album was released in Ireland
on 13 November 2009
and was released on 16 November 2009 in the UK.
Following the release of Uncle B
, Tulisa told the Daily Star: "We have just taken a quick break. We're having fun since our return to the studio, and the album is sounding good." She revealed that the group have adopted unusual work patterns while making the new record: "We normally work till 5am - I come alive at midnight, like a vampire." She added that the group had recorded a song called "Shoulda Put Something On", a track about teenage pregnancy, for the album. "It is about a young couple arguing whether to keep their unplanned baby. It's not something any of us have been through personally. But everyone knows someone who has. The three of us wrote down our different perspectives and we based the song around that. It's our favourite track on the album." The group were rumoured to be recording a song with Kylie Minogue
for the album, after she expressed praise for their debut album Uncle B
, however, Tulisa denied the rumours. The group announced that the album would be released on November 16, 2009, before revealing the album title. When covering for Semtex
on BBC Radio 1Xtra
, Fazer and Tulisa stated that their former manager, Dappy's father (Byron Contostavlos), wanted Against All Odds to be the title of their debut album, but after his death, they changed it to Uncle B
in memory of him and so Against All Odds was the title for their second album. They also confirm this in the album booklet. The album includes six different collaborations, including an updated version of the Tinchy Stryder
's single "Number 1". Stryder's first verse was kept, but new verses by Tulisa and Fazer
were recorded. The album was mixed at The Chairworks
in Castleford
Yorkshire by Kelvin Avon. The album has sold over 200,000 copies.
gave the album one star out of five. The review stated, "The problem is that their brand of music is such lowest-common-denominator stuff that it manages to offend even those that it's aimed at through its sheer awfulness. With a debut album ('Uncle B') that went platinum in less than a year, all the trio needed to do was write a quick follow-up to cash in on their popularity, and they’ve done exactly that. There's little creativity involved in these grimy tunes, smothered in layers of synthesized vocals and rapid-fire raps". The Guardian
gave it a mainly positive review, although they felt the album was "hardly exploding with originality, and the various references to Facebook
, their beef with Swag Blanket and how many records they've sold do date". It finished by saying that "N-Dubz are bound to be inescapable in 2010 – most probably because they will be being blasted out of a mobile phone on the bus". Digital Spy gave the album a solid 4/5 review.
". The group call the booklet a "N-Dubz magazine", which includes the following:
N-Dubz
N-Dubz are a British hip hop group from Camden Town, London. The group consists of members Dappy, Tulisa Contostavlos and Fazer.N-Dubz were previously signed to Polydor Records before joining All Around the World Records...
. The album was released in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
on 13 November 2009
2009 in music
The following is a list of notable events and releases in 2009 in music. Susan Boyle's album I Dreamed a Dream became the biggest selling album in the world for 2009, selling 8.3 million copies in five weeks; more than any other artist's in the whole year...
and was released on 16 November 2009 in the UK.
Background
given by tulisa conastovlosFollowing the release of Uncle B
Uncle B
Uncle B is the debut album released by N-Dubz. It was released on 17 November 2008. The album is dedicated to former N-Dubz manager and father of Dappy, Byron Contostavlos, who died shortly before the band were signed to their second record label All Around the World. It entered the official UK...
, Tulisa told the Daily Star: "We have just taken a quick break. We're having fun since our return to the studio, and the album is sounding good." She revealed that the group have adopted unusual work patterns while making the new record: "We normally work till 5am - I come alive at midnight, like a vampire." She added that the group had recorded a song called "Shoulda Put Something On", a track about teenage pregnancy, for the album. "It is about a young couple arguing whether to keep their unplanned baby. It's not something any of us have been through personally. But everyone knows someone who has. The three of us wrote down our different perspectives and we based the song around that. It's our favourite track on the album." The group were rumoured to be recording a song with Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
for the album, after she expressed praise for their debut album Uncle B
Uncle B
Uncle B is the debut album released by N-Dubz. It was released on 17 November 2008. The album is dedicated to former N-Dubz manager and father of Dappy, Byron Contostavlos, who died shortly before the band were signed to their second record label All Around the World. It entered the official UK...
, however, Tulisa denied the rumours. The group announced that the album would be released on November 16, 2009, before revealing the album title. When covering for Semtex
DJ Semtex
DJ Semtex is a disc jockey and presenter for BBC Radio 1Xtra digital radio station, presenting the flagship hip-hop shows, the Friday and Saturday Night Mixtapes from 19:00-22:00 on Friday and Saturday nights.-Biography:...
on BBC Radio 1Xtra
BBC Radio 1Xtra
BBC Radio 1Xtra is a digital radio station in the United Kingdom from the BBC specialising in new black music, sometimes referred to as urban music. Launched at 18:00 on 16 August 2002, it had been codenamed Network X during the consulation period and is the sister station to BBC Radio 1...
, Fazer and Tulisa stated that their former manager, Dappy's father (Byron Contostavlos), wanted Against All Odds to be the title of their debut album, but after his death, they changed it to Uncle B
Uncle B
Uncle B is the debut album released by N-Dubz. It was released on 17 November 2008. The album is dedicated to former N-Dubz manager and father of Dappy, Byron Contostavlos, who died shortly before the band were signed to their second record label All Around the World. It entered the official UK...
in memory of him and so Against All Odds was the title for their second album. They also confirm this in the album booklet. The album includes six different collaborations, including an updated version of the Tinchy Stryder
Tinchy Stryder
Kwasi Danquah III , better known by his pseudonyms Tinchy Stryder and Star In The Hood, is a Ghanaian British recording artist, music executive, A&R executive, and businessman...
's single "Number 1". Stryder's first verse was kept, but new verses by Tulisa and Fazer
Richard Rawson
Richard Rawson , better known by his stage name Fazer, is a British rapper, producer, DJ and actor. He is popularly known as a member of hip hop trio N-Dubz.-Early life:...
were recorded. The album was mixed at The Chairworks
The Chairworks
The Chairworks is a residential recording studio complex located in Morrison Street, Castleford, near Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It was established in 2001 by Ryan Jarvis composer and producer...
in Castleford
Castleford
Castleford is the largest of the "five towns" district in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England. It is near Pontefract, and has a population of 37,525 according to the 2001 Census, but has seen a rise in recent years and is now around 45-50,000. To the north...
Yorkshire by Kelvin Avon. The album has sold over 200,000 copies.
Critical reception
The album had received mixed to positive reviews from critics. Entertainment.ieEntertainment.ie
entertainment.ie is a Dublin-based Irish website which provides extensive cinema, TV, live music, theatre, comedy, exhibition and festival listings for free, as well as celebrity gossip, music and movie news, movie and DVD reviews, CD reviews and up-to-date lottery results.The site was developed in...
gave the album one star out of five. The review stated, "The problem is that their brand of music is such lowest-common-denominator stuff that it manages to offend even those that it's aimed at through its sheer awfulness. With a debut album ('Uncle B') that went platinum in less than a year, all the trio needed to do was write a quick follow-up to cash in on their popularity, and they’ve done exactly that. There's little creativity involved in these grimy tunes, smothered in layers of synthesized vocals and rapid-fire raps". The Guardian
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
gave it a mainly positive review, although they felt the album was "hardly exploding with originality, and the various references to Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
, their beef with Swag Blanket and how many records they've sold do date". It finished by saying that "N-Dubz are bound to be inescapable in 2010 – most probably because they will be being blasted out of a mobile phone on the bus". Digital Spy gave the album a solid 4/5 review.
Tracklist
Album booklet
The group confirmed in an interview that the booklet will include several features along with the album If a buyer logs on the "3D" page of the N-Dubz website and faces the back of the album booklet to their webcam, the trio will appear standing on the booklet and perform "I Need YouI Need You (N-Dubz song)
"I Need You" is a song performed, written and produced by MOBO Award-winning English hip hop trio, N-Dubz. The song was written by all the group members: Dappy, Fazer and Tulisa. Dappy and Fazer have been noted as the track's producers...
". The group call the booklet a "N-Dubz magazine", which includes the following:
- Introduction
- N-Dubz Glossary
- Exclusive Interviews
- Tour Must Haves
- We Love Our AdidasAdidasAdidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
- N-Dubz Look
- Behind The Scenes ("I Need You" and "Playing With Fire")
- Thank You's
- Family Tree
- Private Picture Gallery
- Credits
- Lyrics
Personnel
Credits for Against All Odds adapted from Allmusic.- Tim Aluo – Guitar
- Amir Amor – Additional Production, Engineer, Vocal Engineer
- Kelvin "Afreex" Avon – Engineer, Mixing
- Gary Barlow – Composer
- Jason Brooks – Bass
- Rich Castillo – A&R, Management
- Chipmunk – Composer
- Dino Contostavlos – Composer, Producer
- Tula Contostavlos – Composer
- Dean Coulson – Assistant
- Kwasi Danquah – Composer
- Junior Edwards – Composer, Producer
- Engine – Artwork – Design
- Anthony Evolko – Composer
- Aaron "Breakbeat" Fagan – Drums
- Tom Fuller – Bass Engineer, Drum Engineering, Engineer, Mixing, Piano, Vocal Engineer
- Simon Gogerly – Mixing
- Evangelis Klemis – Composer, Producer
- Ian McManus – Photography
- Mr. Hudson – Composer
- James Mottershead – Assistant Engineer, Mixing Assistant
- Ross 'Dights' Parkin – Engineer
- Richard Rawson – Composer, Producer
- Harry Rutherford – Editing, Engineer, Guitar Engineer, Vocal Engineer
- Jonathan Shalit – Management
- Frasier T. Smith – Composer, Producer
- Adam Swales – Drums
Charts
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
Certification(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Irish Album Chart | 39 | |
| UK Album Chart | 6 | Platinum |