The
Beastie Boys are the best. Music was not a big part of my childhood, outside of listening to Y98 in my mother’s car and my dad’s brief country music career. My first exposure to music was watching MTV with Andrew, and at that time the Sabotage video was on every countdown every day. From then on, the Beastie Boys have been there for me. I remember Diane Holden introducing me to the Anthology album, rockin out to What’cha want in the Tropical Sno hut, listening to Intergalactic everyday on my way to golf practice, participating in a mosh pit to Fight for your Right at my wedding, and having them as my go to jukebox group (along with Rage)! On MTV’s Say What Karaoke, they had a wheel they would spin to determine what song they had to sing. They had some really hard songs like REM’s It’s the End of the World, and then easy ones like Enter Sandman. I remember seeing Intergalactic on it one day and I committed myself to memorizing the entire track, just in case I ever ended up on the show.
The passing of Adam Yauch saddened me deeply and I felt it was appropriate to dedicate a week to them in this forum. I know I wrote an article during our hiatus, but wanted something a bit more official.
I chose Ill Communication for a few reasons. First, it was the first album of theirs I was exposed to and I can still remember how happy the album made me the first time I heard it. Second, it has elements of all of their eras and talents. It has some tracks which represent their early work in Tough Guy and Get it Together. It has many Jazz Funk tracks like Sabrosa, Futterman’s Rule, Ricky's Theme, and Shambala. Then it has some of my favorite rap tracks in Flute Loop, Root Down, The Update, Bodisattva Vow, Sure Shot, and Sabotage.
I really love all of their work, but I also especially love To the 5 Boroughs and my 2011 runner up album of the year in Hot Sauce Committee Part 2. While I have focused on Ill Communication, I would really like this week to be a tribute to all of the groups work, so please join me in celebrating the genius that Mike D, Ad-rock, and the late MCA have spent the last 33 years compiling for us.
I have never been so deeply affected by a musicians death as I was when I heard of Adam Yauch's passing. So many factors contributed to my melancholy, he was only 47 years old, and because his music was woven so richly into my life it was like losing a friend. His raspy voice stood out on every track he was on, but never felt out of place alongside Ad-Rock's or Mike D's more upbeat and carefree deliveries. My heart is heavy, still, as I type this. His impact on me was real.
ReplyDeleteIf you know me, you know I am not on the cutting edge of any technology. It took me a while to come around to ditching cassettes and upgrading to compact disc's (this is old people talk). The first cd I ever bought with my own money was the Beastie's Def Jam debut "Licensed to Ill". I still have it and I cherish it. They are easily in my top 10 favorite artists of all time because "artists" describes who they are perfectly. Their music is not compromised, what you hear when you listen to their albums is a bullshit-free celebration of everything they love and stand for. Their wide reaching appeal is something that is paralleled by very few artists. They are loved by the punk, rap, rock, jazz and funk communities and any one of their albums is a heartily welcomed addition to any successful party. They made music they could be proud of and music we could love.
This is my favorite Beastie's album because, like Thomas mentioned, it is a fantastic collection of all their different musical styles that magically coexist in one incredible cohesive mix. Their hardcore and punk rock roots shine through with the minute burner "Tough Guy" and the buzzsaw that is "Heart Attack Man". The fact that the lead-in for "Heart Attack Man" is the albums most restrained and jazzy track "Ricky's Theme" is hilarious juxtaposition. The funk is laid on in heavy coats all over Ill Communication, MCA's bass is a deadly weapon and is on full display during "Sabrosa".
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to pick favorites because I love this whole album, but "Get It Together" has easily had the most repeat listenings. I remember rapping along with this track incessantly with TP just driving around and then watching the Beasties perform this live with Q-Tip during the Hello Nasty Tour back in '98 and the, then Keil Center, going absolutely insane. Such fond memories. I could sit here and gush over every track, but I think you get the idea. The fact that 3 Jewish kids from New York could have such a profound impact on hip hop and my life is a reason for celebration. I will definitely be bumping some Beasties this Memorial Day weekend.
Not fair making me pick just 3 favorites but, here you go.
Get It Together, Sure Shot, Flute Loop
Favorite lyrics from this album include:
ReplyDeleteYou say hey Mike D and I say Mike D's nuts!- Mike D
I got my haircut correct like Anthony Mason - Mike D
You know I'm gettin silly, got a Grandma Hazel and a Grandma Tilly - Ad-Rock
I got more rhymes than I got gray hairs, and that's a lot because I got my share. - MCA
I am sorry for the delay. Will be posting tomorrow night!!
ReplyDeleteMCA was always my favorite of the Beastie Boys, although I wasn't as personally affected by his death as deeply as it seems some of you were. I mean, it was terribly sad of course - you could even call his death the end of an era for music. Personally though, I was never really into the Beasties, outside of a short and sweet love affair with "Hello Nasty" when it came out.
ReplyDeleteEven though we ended up leaving fairly early, David and I saw a short portion of their set at Bonnaroo 2009, which turned out to be their last ever live performance. Yauch was diagnosed with cancer just a month later. I distinctly remember walking back down Main Street to Camp Andrew Clark and jamming out to "Intergalactic." You could clearly hear everything going on at the main stage from the campsite area, although looking back on it now, I wish we would have stayed for more of the show.
This week, I didn't hear a lot that was unfamiliar to me that I ended up liking. I did think it was kind of cool where the album went jammy, like in "Futterman's Rule" and "Transitions" in particular, mostly because I didn't see that coming.
I guess my three favorite tracks, although totally predictable, would be: "Sure Shot," "Sabotage" and "Root Down," in that order.
"Futterman's Rule" Honorable Mention
DeleteAs one of the brightest stars of the early days of hip-hop, the Beastie Boys were able to outlive their peers (notably Run D.M.C.) with their ability to translate their love of different forms of music into a shifting sound that always remained true to themselves. It's amazing to hear the growth between License to Ill and this album, and the musicianship that the Beasties possess, always underrated, reached its high point on Ill Communication. While this isn't my favorite album by the group (that honor will always belong to 'Paul's Boutique'), as a fan of many different kinds of music, it's impossible to not love this album.
ReplyDelete"Sure Shot" starts things off on an obvious high note, containing my favorite line from the group, "I got mad hits like I was Rod Carew", delivered by Mike D, who was always my favorite. On my listens through this album these past few weeks, though, I've tried to focus on MCA. He was always my least favorite of the three, but as I've grown older, I've come to appreciate his style a bit more...he always seemed the elder statesman of the group, and I guess I can relate to him a little more.
"Tough Guy", a song about playing basketball, hearkens back to the band's early thrash days, and is the first of many examples of this album's wide range of sounds. Due to their musical abilities, the hip hop tracks all have that live instrument sound that separates them from their contemporaries, which is partly what has helped them to resonate with the rockists so well.
I've always enjoyed the more hip-hop influenced tracks, and I love a song like "Root Down" that is able to mix a heavy jazz fusion and funk influence with the standard hip-hop fare. "Sabotage" is still an amazing song after having heard it about 1,500 times. The band's love of cop chases isn't only evident in the video for the song, but even translates into the song, with its frenetic pace and shouted vocals. It's unlike anything else that was on the radio in the 90's, and is a peak of the decade.
"Get It Together" features an outstanding off the cuff feature from Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest, and the smooth soul-jazz beat fits things beautifully. After this, the album takes a turn towards the more instrumental, and showcases the groups love of the music of the 70's. Little bits stand out, such as the percussion and stand-up bass on "Sabrosa". "Flute Loop" is the stand-out of the second half, with possibly the best true hip-hop beat that the group ever laid down.
While this album is really similar in most respects to 'Check Your Head', the album that came before it, it's unlike anything else of its time period. Listening to the album is like taking an audio trip through New York City, and hearing the different cultural influences that these guys took in throughout their lives....and I'm glad they shared these experiences with us.
Favorite Tracks:
ReplyDelete1) Sabotage
2) Flute Loop
3) Sure Shot
Beastie Boys have always been one of the most impressive musical groups I have ever heard. The mere fact that they are three white guys who rap better than almost any other rappers I have ever heard really says something. Not being a huge fan of rap myself, I remember that the Beastie’s always had a way to pull you in with their catchy intros and jazzy fusion. It’s always a shame when talented people die young. Although Mike D was no spring chicken, him and the rest of the Beaties were still putting out great stuff and still sounded great until the very end.
ReplyDelete“Sure Shot” to me will always be the track I think of whenever anybody mentions the Beasties. The repetitive flute riff throughout the song is so darn catchy and so simplistic, yet sets the tone for the song so well. “Bobo on the corner” sounds like something straight out of the Ocean’s 11 movie. I LOVE instrumental tracks like these that require no words but can take your imagination places, like scheming to rob a Casino and such. “Root Down” is funky. I love how each song has it’s own unique sound to it, while still staying true to a style that is all its own. The lyrics are quite humorous as well, which is something else that appeals to me. “Sabotage” kicks ass, and makes me want to head bang. I love listening to this track when I am either working out or pissed off. Kind of has that aggressive feel to it that makes you either want to punch somebody, or pump some iron. My favorite tracks seem to be the instrumental ones, which I am sure is no surprise to anyone. “Flute Loop” is another great track and there is such a whimsical feel to the song that with all the record scratching and randomness going on in the background it all seems to flow very well. The album is good up and down, If you can’t find a track on here to enjoy then you must hate music.
I look forward to listening to the Beasties on car trips to come. Their music will live on forever, and I think between their instrumental abilities and lyrical sophistication you will be hard pressed to ever find an act this solid ever again.
My favorite tracks :
1) Sabotage
2) Ricky’s Theme
3) Sure Shot