This appeared in my mailbox the other day and I immediately tossed it in the car cd player. It’s been years since I’d listened to a proper Beastie Boys album since nowadays the albums are all chopped up and stored in a playlist on my iPod or on a self-made best-of mp3 cd in my car. So, for a few days I drove around enjoying the album as it was meant to be heard before deciding that I wanted to post about it on here, and I figured a Friday is the perfect time to write about the Beasties.

Paul’s Boutique was released in 1989.  Coming on the heels of the commercial smash that was Licensed to Ill, it largely disappointed their fan base. Hell, I can remember listening to it for the first time as a kid with massive disappointment. Twenty years later, though, I’m listening with new ears and can fully appreciate the leap the band took with this album. I finally understand and appreciate what the band was trying to achieve and the thought process that was so succinctly summed up by MCA when he said, “Fuck that!! This is the record, with no fucking single!… Fuck “Brass Monkey”! None of that fast-rapping commercial shit!”

Okay, it’s Friday and 200 words is enough, if not too much, for any B-Boys Record, so pick it up on your way home, pour some drinks and play it all night. If anyone complains then they’re probably not a Friday night caliber kind of friend.

Beastie Boys – Shake Your Rump
Beastie Boys – Hey Ladies!
Beastie Boys – Car Thief

Beastie Boys Official Site, Beastie Boys on myspace, Buy the Paul’s Boutique (20th Anniversary Edition)

The Beastie Boys are one of those bands. It doesn’t matter if you’re a metal kid, a punk kid, a hip hop kid, a goth kid or an old curmudgeon such as myself…everyone likes the Beastie Boys. I’ve even heard people flat out say, “I can’t stand rap, but I dig the Beasties.” If you know someone out there who seriously dislikes the B-Boys, I would advise you to harbor a sensible amount of distrust towards them.

Best of Grand Royal 12s is a collection of 17 remixes from their Grand Royale catalog. When it’s on it’s freaking great, and there are a lot more hits than misses. The hits include “So What’cha Want (Soul Assassin Remix)”, Fatboy Slim’s remix of “Body Movin’”, and “Drum Machine (Psycho Dust Mix)” which features some of the biggest drums I’ve heard in quite some time. The biggest miss is that they included “In A World Gone Mad” on the album…no remix, just the song. Why? It was a terrible song when they gave it away originally, and time hasn’t done it any favors.

This is an album tailor-made for the iPod generation. Stream it, put the tracks you’re diggin’ on the iPod and then rock your face off.

Beastie Boys – So Watch’ Cha Want (Soul Assassin Remix Version)
Beastie Boys – Rock Hard (12inch Version)
Beastie Boys – Body Movin (Fatboy Slim Mix)

Beastie Boys Official Site, Beastie Boys on myspace, Buy Beasties music

In the gospel according to Autopsy IV this is the greatest Beastie Boys song ever: