Beastie Boys

[E.H. Ruddock]

I mean sure, but at the same time it is nice to listen without pretext or in some ways a sense of time. That, and it certainly isn’t happening with me 90% of the way through Hot Sauce Committee.

Ooh I can't wait to hear your thoughts on that album

[liebzz]

I actually really enjoyed it!

Hot Sauce Committee (Pt. 2) - I think this is a really strong swan song. It’s a bit different from everything else they did, but seems so in large part due to the passage of time. My first listen highlights were Make Some Noise, Nonstop Disco Powerpack, Ok, Too Many Rappers, Funky Donkey (that is a fun song), Come Again Lee Majors (throwback!), and Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament (those instrumentals). I think this is largely cohesive, though the sampling and delivery not as spitfire as the early albums. Nonetheless, I enjoyed where they went with this, and think it was their best since at least Hello Nasty and would probably say since Ill Communication.

My overall thoughts are that they had an incredible mastery of layering samples, beats and rap on top of each other and were almost always successful in that vein. The only album I can say did not do it for me was the Mix Up, and mostly because while their other albums contain tons of great instrumentals, it seemed they could have done a lot more than they did. My all time favorite hip hop group has to be The Roots (I mean I have seen them something like 8 or 9 times live), and The Beastie Boys for me are probably next on the list. I won’t ever obsess over their catalogue but you mostly can’t go wrong with them.

[tragabigzanda]

[E.H. Ruddock]

hop-hop

[Birds in Hell]

I agree The Mix-Up isn't great, yet I find The In Sound From Way Out to be fantastic.

Yeah, I love that one.

[tragabigzanda]

Top 10 maybe?
Hello Morning
Close Captioned
The Kill
Place/Position
Do You Like Me?
Latest Disgrace
Recap Modotti
Nightshop
Break
Life & Limb

I'd maybe bump Life & Limb for Epic Problem

[liebzz]

Oh I absolutely love The Roots. Really I wish they did not go on Fallon because they could have produced more albums and I probably would have seen them 4 or 5 times in that time period. Things Fall Apart and Phrenology are two of my absolute favorites in terms of hip hop albums. The former basically the perfect fusion of what they do and the latter really stretching their sound and taking chances while delivering incredible hooks.

And live they are phenomenal. I remember taking my wife, who at the time was really into Dave Matthews, to see them open for DMB at the Garden and in a half empty arena she remarked that they were amazing live. They can quite seriously nail anything they play - from covers of AC/DC to backing Public Enemy and Naughty By Nature to torching their own songs which they almost never play the same way twice.

[liebzz]

I agree The Mix-Up isn't great, yet I find The In Sound From Way Out to be fantastic.

Yeah, I love that one.

I didn’t listen through that because I noticed it was the instrumentals already on the other albums, nearly all of which I remarked were highlights of those albums - so I agree by association on that.

[Kevin Davis]

Oh I absolutely love The Roots.

I love them too, liebzz -- my favorite album is probably How I Got Over, but I got into them with Phrenology so that one is special to me too.

[liebzz]

Oh I absolutely love The Roots.

I love them too, liebzz -- my favorite album is probably How I Got Over, but I got into them with Phrenology so that one is special to me too.

Not to completely hijack, but I think How I Got Over was the apex of their musical abilities on record. It’s exceptional in that regard. Probably third or so on my list under the two I mentioned.

[VinylGuy]

I listened Paul´s Boutique on my way to work...yeah, what a leap they did with this one. Its not my fav from them, but still...

[liebzz]

I listened Paul´s Boutique on my way to work...yeah, what a leap they did with this one. Its not my fav from them, but still...

It’s really good but I found it to be a challenging listen. That of course does not make it bad in any way and I would say it was my favorite and most rewarding listen, but I am surprised that others like it so much.

[VinylGuy]

Yeah, im surprised on how much love it gets.

[washing machine]

On the patchwork quilt of sampling alone, Paul's deserves all the love. You guys kidding me?!

[VinylGuy]

Yeah, its very strong with sampling. True.

[liebzz]

The sampling is great and that wasn’t my point. My point was that I am surprised that the average joe seems to love this album but it requires multiple listens and a deft year to take it all in. A challenging listen yet to me the most rewarding.

[VinylGuy]

yeah, i guess i like it because of the step forward it meant. But the songwriting is not their best.

[washing machine]

I really just wanted an excuse to post that cool video.

[Norah]

classic B

[darth_vedder]

Check Your Head - this album feels very consistent and strong throughout. Rather than the spitfire interchanges of the first two albums, the songs seem more focused on each of the members. Some of the greatest stuff for me lies in the instrumental tracks, like In 3’s, Pow, and Groove Holmes, though I am not completely sure why. I actually listened to Paul’s Boutique twice before commenting because I felt like it needed that second spin, but got through this one quickly. Both have tremendous virtue though, and are strong from top to bottom.

I think one of the most fascinating things is the contrast between PB and CYH. Talk about going in a different direction, it's really pretty amazing. In some ways I actually like Ill Communication better, but...it's like a logical extension of CYH. For that reason, CYH is kinda the better album.