So, this is it, after four years awaiting and few delays, the eighth studio album by the Beastie Boys. This is NOT another explosive “Ill Communication” or another “Licensed to Ill “, it’s following the line of “To the 5 Boroughs”, but seems better than “Hello Nasty”. There’s no “Sure Shot”, no “Sabotage”, no “Brass Monkey” and no more “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)” – if you know what I mean. But still, it’s positive, I guess, there’s no “Intergalactic” and “Super Disco Breakin'” kind of… ass shaker and money maker shit. Originally planed for a 2009 fall release, after Adam “MCA” Yauch was diagnosed with cancer, the release of this album was consequently delayed. And don’t dig to find “Hot Sauce Committee Part 1” because there is no part 1 yet, it will be release probably later. But since, we’ve got 16 brand new tracks from Mike D, Ad-Rock, MCA, Money Mark and Mix Master Mike. “Make Some Noise” kick off promising, “Nonstop Disco Powerpack” pumping ambiguously and 4 minutes seems a little bit too long, “OK” it’s quite OK, guitars and electronics snakes together nicely. “Too Many Rappers” is spiced up by some heavy and glowing synths, but once again, almost 5 minutes seems too much for this minimalist approach. “Say It” hits with a distorted bass line while “Don’t Play No Game That I Can’t Win” introduce some Raggae/Dub feeling. “Long Burn the Fire” have a nice groove, some guitars would make it work. “Funky Donkey” is almost a “Brass Monkey”, but not quite. “Tadlock’s Glasses” is a twisted, minimalist and slow experiment while “Lee Majors Come Again” bring back something from the intense hardcore like good-old feeling. “Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament” is chill and nice, some Trip Hop like glows make it exciting. “Here’s a Little Somethin’ for Ya” is exactly what its title says, the Hip Hop what most of the BB fans expect, old-school style classic. “Crazy A** S***” is two more minutes of BB, nothing more or less.
I still try to make an opinion and draw a line, but I’m unable. Good stuffs and mediocre stuffs are overlapping each other and after four years it’s good to listen some new s*it from BB, but this is not mind blowing, not outstanding, this is… Beastie Boys with all the goods and bad included.
