Beastie Boys
Licensed to Ill(1986)
Genre: Rap, Rap Rock, Hip Hop
Over the years I have mostly grown out of listening to Rap and Hip Hop in general, but every time I sit down to listen to a Beastie Boys I'm always impressed with their albums even this particular production that is at the very beginning of these guys career, they not only help push Rap and Hip Hop to the mainstream, they were already innovating genre working with the legendary Rick Rubin, fusing rap and rock. The fact they didn't take themselves too seriously, with a nothing to lose mentality thanks to the punk background, sets the base for a try anything mentality, so there is some crazy shit on this album. They are only limited by technical restrictions typical from the mid 80's from working with drum machines and working with samples, but this does not stop them from using an interesting arsenal of samples from Led Zeppelin, AC/DC and Black Sabbath to Cool and the Gang, the Sugarhill Gang and Trouble Funk. There are a couple of colossal classics on this album like "Fight for Your Right" and "No Sleep till Brooklyn" with a guest guitar solo from Kerry King from Slayer, which both received heavy airplay by MTV. The only bad part of this production is that the song writing is a little choppy and a tad stiff, and the Beasties are still learning their craft of rapping. So if you are not familiar with this production I recommend you go and listen to it, after more than 30 years this album still holds up.Overall: 61.5
Paul's Boutique (1989)
Genre: Rap, Hip Hop, Alternative Hip Hop, Psychedelic Hip Hop
They really push the creative envelope on this album even further, working with the Dust Brothers and with longtime collaborator Mario Calbato Jr / Mario C, creating a very fluid and funky hip-hop, and artistically very ambitious. The samples and drum machines have been taken to a whole new level on this production, with an insane amount of samples from more than 50 artists from the Jackson 5, P-Fuck All-stars, Sly and the Family Stone, Curtis Mayfield,... and even Paul McCarthy and Pink Floyd, this actually lead to legal issues, in part, which affects the rap world in the way they could use sample from here on. They elevate the DJ Turntables to a true instrument status that can do some really interesting shit. The Beastie's themselves have improved in the rapping capabilities being more organic and fluid. This album is a true milestone for Rap and Hip Hop.
Overall: 64.1
Beastie Boys
Check Your Head(1992)
Genre: Rap, Hip Hop, Alternative Rock, Hardcore punk, funk rock.
The Beastie's basically redefine what hip-hop band could do on this album, by totally breaking their genre's mold. First, they each picked up instruments to play on the instrumental tracks and to make material for their own samples, Ad-Rock plays the guitars, MCA plays the bass and Mike D the drums. Money Mark is added to the fold who would become a long time collaborator of the Beastie's who plays the organ, synthesizer, keyboards, clavinet... and they actually let him show off his skills
They add funky jams with "Funky Boss", 70 inspired funk rock like Gratitude, with some kick-ass percussion, trippy psychedelic track with "Something Got to Give" and they go back to their punk roots with "Time for Living". All these musical styles, except for punk will be staples on almost all of the album from here on out.
But the Hip Hop has not suffered due to the musical expansion with some mega classics for the genre with "So What'Cha Want" and "Pass the Mic", that really show off the Beastie's rapping skills and Mario C's production.Also, this is one the first albums, with Praxis's Transmutation, to actually integrate DJ sampling and scratching interacting with a rock band.
Overall: 64.6
Beastie BoysIll Communication (1994)
Genre: Rap, Hip Hop, Alternative Rock, Hardcore punk, funk rock, jazz
When I was a teen back in the mid 90's one of my best friends lent me this album and as total ass-hole, I never gave it back, it just blew me away how good it was, and it became a permanent fix in my Discman for the longest of time jajajajaja. The album itself is a Check Your Head part II, it sounds very similar and has the same feel and production, but this album does hold its own, with an insanely good track list. The Beastie's have gotten better in songwriting in general, working better as a band and we have the addition of Eric "Bobo" Correa from Cypress Hill on the percussion and DJ Hurricane who I forgot to mention that he was also on "Check Your Head" review. Money Mark also gets to shine more on this album especially on the funk jam tracks that have a more of a jazzy feel. The album has to guest with Q-Tip and Biz Markie.
Overall: 62.6
Beastie Boys
Hello Nasty (1998)
Genre: Rap, Hip Hop, Alternative Hip Hop
Back when this album came out I hated it, I just wanted a Check Your head part III, but the band change up their sound and decided not to incorporate any punk or have any rock tracks, in many ways it felt like they totally sold out stripping any grit to their sound. But years later I sat down to listen to this album and I was totally surprised to rediscover this production and how good it was. It was a ballsy move changing up their sound like they did, adding more keyboards, future type samples and using a clean a bright sonic pallet in general. There is a tradeoff no hardcore punk tracks, but we have the addiction of mellow indie hippy trippy ballads and some interesting experimental tracks, but the rest of the band's traditional types of song are on this album like the party rocking raps and instrumental jams, the whole experience is very rich.
What I discovered recently is that the band had a batch of punk tracks that didn't fit into the sound of this album so they were put out on a EP called Aglio e Olio, which is a straight-up hardcore punk album, so that pretty cool of the Beastie's.
Now back to Hello Nasty, they try all kinds of crazy shit on it, it's a pretty experimental album but being very accessible a the same time that no small feat. Mix Master Mike as joined the band with his impressive DJ skills reinvigorating the Beastie's sound. Two tracks have a female vocalist with Jill Cunniff from Luscious Jackson and Mino Hartori on another. And Lee "Scratch" Perry reggae legend is a guest on one on the tracks. Overall this album kick ass, go and listen to it.
Overall: 62
Beastie Boys
To the 5 Boroughs (2004)
Genre: Rap, Hip Hop
Even it`s a decent Rap Album, for the Beastie's it feels pretty lazy, they take zero risks on this one. The songs are ok but feel redundant in their catalog, no jam instrumental tracks or any experimentation with any other genre.
Overall: 52
Beastie Boys
The Mix-UP (2007)
Genre: Instrumental Rock, Funk Rock, Jazz Funk, Fuck
Surprisingly after a completely rap centered album, the Beastie's release a completely instrumental rock-funk album with a jazzy ting. Even though it feels that the play it too safe not experimenting enough it's a fun album. Money Mark play a big role on this album with his work on the keys, but I don't understand why Mix Master mike isn't on the album he could have done a lot of cool thing in this production.
Overall: 57.5
Beastie BoysHot Sauce Commit Part Two (2011)
Genre: Hip-Hop, Rap, Alternative Rock
Sadly this is the last Beastie Boys album with poor Adam Yauch passing away in 2012, but boy did these guys went out with a bang, because this album is fantastic, even though they do not do anything groundbreaking, they mashed everything that we loved about their music during the whole carrier rap, hip hop, rock, punk, indy... with a fantastic batch of songs. The production is a mix of Check Your Head and Hello Nasty, great instrumentation and the Beasties sound reinvigorated and inspired working the material. I love this album Nuff said.
Overall: 60
