Paul's Boutique

Now this is some classy hippity hop

Liked the experimentation they did with some of the songs but they were kinda hit or miss. Some were forgettable, some were boring and a few stood out like egg man, Johnny Ryall and the sounds of science. The b-boy bouillabaisse tracks were boring for the most part.

My biggest problem with these guys is that everything is the same level of screaming into the microphone: there's no subtlety whatsoever. Many artists of this genre have the sense to have a good musical hook and then have their vocal style match. These guys see their music backing as a challenge and just take to shouting over it/shout it down. What a waste. This is the musical equivalent of screaming "Deez Nuts!" over and over. "Looking Down the Barrell of a Gun" is the closest to them finding that balance of vocals and music that work together rather than against each other.

What do you do when you've been pigeonholed as drunken frat boys, running roughshod all over and being seen as lesser than gimmick rappers? Well, the conventional thing would have been to double down and keep making money and memories that would fade amongst diminishing returns. Instead, a kaideoscopic and sprawling journey was undertaken that occupied creatively patchworked beats and oddball characters and rhymes that befitted the scene and radically reinvented not only a genre that was already well into its golden age but careers that seemed to be operating in free fall. For Paul's Boutique is not just a hip-hop album, it is a manifesto. Beastie Boys had decided that, in order to keep ahead of the game, constant stylistic turnover would be required for longevity. And not only was that achieved, it set a precedent that many are still trying to keep up with to this day. If it weren't for Paul's Boutique, Beastie Boys would have never climbed out of the 80s and into the 90s and beyond filled to the brim with memorable songs and albums that showcased their jack of all trades persona. A masterpiece of the hip-hop genre.

Good rhythms and samples on this album, it sounds 'cool', though I don't like much of the lyrics and that many times there are a lot of shouting-rapping (I don't know how to call this). Overall I appreciate the culture impact it had, but it isn't my cup of tea.

Classic and great!

I’ve came into Beastie Boys on Ill Communication, and had never listened to PB. What a mistake on my part! Absolute banger!

Not a huge beastie boy fan. Listened to a few tracks

Paul's got the goods

When I first heard License to Ill, I think Brass Monkey, it was one of the coolest things I’d ever heard. I didn’t actually get it for a few years and picked up Ill Communication, which I also thought was so awesome. I actually never had Paul’s Boutique and just so happened to never really have friends who put it on. I tried to listen to it a few years ago and never really got into it. I listened to it again today and to be honest felt really bored. I know it’s legendary for its samples, but I just am not feeling it. Maybe I just need to listen to it a few times, but it doesn’t have the coolness of Communication, or the novelty I felt back in the day with License. I know it’s sacrilege in some circles, but I can’t see myself really jamming this.

just some guys having fun :)

While I'm not big fan of this genre, I've tended to enjoy the Beastie Boys more than I thought I would. This is a solid album with some varied sounds. "Hey Ladies" is a stand out for me, as is "The Sounds of Science".

Damn, this is unique. I read somewhere that this is a cocktail of sounds. Apt description. The vocals aren't my favorite, but the sounds are really good.

This sounds so much better now than I gave it credit for at the time. In my indie snobbery I’d been too dismissive of Hip Hop. This is a really good, interesting and at the time obviously groundbreaking piece of work by great innovators.

I haven't listen to whole album in a long time. Still enjoy it.

Still like it, fav song sounds of science

To oldschool for me. I sadly cant really appreciate it.

Great. Sounds like a giant party. I had no idea the Beastie Boys were around so early. I hear the influence they've had.

Would give 0 if I could.

The best at this

Paul's Boutique feels like a follow up album where they tried more bells and whistles on their original sound. I'm not sure if I think that because it sounds different to Licence to Ill and I'm so attched to that album.

Som marcou um estilo, dá pra lembrar de várias bandas que foram influenciadas a partir deles. Legal

Jaa, tää kuulosti valkoiselta versiolta perus kasari-ysäriräpistä. Beastie boys löytää kunnon kapinan ilmeisesti myöhemmin? Iloinen raivo puuttuu, tää on vaan iloinen

Viehättävä soundi - joviaalia rääkymistä. Noin puolivälin kohdilla levy löytää kovemman vaihteen ja menee aika saatanan tiukaksi.

Really good samples, but it was a lot of shouting for a Beastie Boys album. That said, it's grungy, "We don't give a shit and we got good rhymes" hip-hop. If you like it, you like it.

Good album for rap

They're kind of obnoxious to listen to a whole album of, but the songs were all pretty fun and the music was really good in some spots!

Enjoyed the album, nice to find more BB music.

cool

смешно, весело, бойко и скрэтч-скрэтч

Быстро вернулся к прошлому альбому. Хмммм... этот уже не звучит так отвратительно и сложно для меня. Прям уже как будто прогресс какой-то в моём осознании раннего хипхапчика. Причём, я быстренько пробежался и прочитал, что альбом "провалился" при выходе: выходит антихайп?

This gives me boyz'n'the hood songs vibe when ice cube and his gang passes the gangstas in the worst street ever and this album in the background.

A seminal sampling album with fun lyrics. For some reason, I always thought ‘Shake Your Rump’ was the single, but not only is it not, but it’s not even one of the non-singles with a Wikipedia page. Anyway, this is just a great album that flows well. Why am I constantly getting records that I don’t really have anything to say about?

Fun but I think they are better in smaller doses, it gets a bit much after a while. No songs I knew but some I've added into playlists.

Not bad, but all Beastie Boys songs sound the same

Good album, I enjoyed listening. Hard to differentiate one song from another

Listening to an entire Beastie Boys album in a row made me appreciate the differences in their songs. I really enjoyed this but I don't know when I'll next listen to them for fun.

Loling @ first song much better on the second listen The sound of science was quite good. B-Boy bouillabaisse also good Seems I like the uptempo tracks better than the boom-bap 3.5/5

Forfriskande

It’s pretty classic beastie boys! I like the stuff they make so I can’t complain

I hate the beastie boys.

I didn't love this! I thought I would. The Beastie Boys really wear me out. Ultimately their voices and personas grate on me. This album is in Sample Hall Of Fame, and as a huge sampler I thought I would hear what others were hearing here, which is reportedly a quantum leap forward in the sounds of sampling, in the hands of the Dust Brothers. From my vantage point... it's hard to hear! So many of the techniques and collage stuff sound primitive to me. Even though I know it was groundbreaking at the time, this album is frankly left in the dust in terms of sophistication and technique just a few years later by... pretty much everyone. So I don't know! Maybe the lyrics and the braggadocio are throwing me off the scent here. There were some great standout tracks, and it was a fun record to put on all afternoon. I just don't really want to put it back on. 2/5

Love it.

When Public Enemy's Chuck D--of all people--is quoted as saying that the "dirty secret" among the black hip-hop community at the time *Paul's Boutique* was released was that the latter "had the best beats", it speaks TONS about the quality of the music here. Chuck D takes "white" appropriation of Black culture *very* seriously, and he can have very harsh words about it. So him saying such things is the best tribute that could ever be given to the hip hop masterpiece Beastie Boys and their producers The Dust Brothers provided for us in 1989. About the rapping now: well, it is simply, utterly, incredible--a constant display of b-boy fireworks: inventive, imaginative, hilarious, surreal, energetic and cinematic... Summing it up as mere "shouting", as the review currently topping this section does, is pretty unfair--even though I like the funny "concept" of that review, and so can somehow respect this hot take, I guess, as incomplete as it is. I dunno... Maybe that reviewer should take herbal tea and relax a little before trying to listen to the record again... As some critic once put it: "Paul’s Boutique sat at a finish line waiting for the rest of the world to catch up." Without this album, there's no fully-formed A Tribe Called Quest (the encyclopedic nature of the samples, their sweeping between genres...), probably no Wu-Tang Clan as we know it (the fast-pace rapping, the movie soundtrack overtones...), and there certainly wouldn't be any Eminem either. 5 stars. Number of albums left to review: 445 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 258 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 132 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 168

Tough one to rate because while I appreciate their dedication to their style, I find it so hard to like these guys. I get it. The sound is unique and I can see why they're iconic. I get that part. I do. It's just not for me. The songs and style are the same and irretrievably consistent throughout the album which solidifies them, but also places them into this box where you either love them or you hate them, and well, I don't love it. Every line is like, "something something something BAM, and then another word and something BAM, and everything something, something, BAM, extra style and something BAM" - the pattern gets so tiring. The voice, the beats. I can't listen very long. If you've heard two songs by Beastie Boys, you've heard them all.

Horribly cringy white rap

Great album to listen on the way to work in the morning to feel incredibly odd yet powerful. Not my style.

Chaotic, energising, creative

It definitely was the Beastie Boys sound but not for me. There wasn’t even a good single on the album. In fact the best bit was the sampling of The Isley Brothers so a low 2*

Not overly fussed. Considering how much I heard the Beastie Boys through the wall growing up I was expecting at least some sort of nostalgia or something...

Great album but some of the tracks are just okay.

“Hey Ladies” brings back good memories, but the rest of the album is a little tiring to listen to.

this album is comfortably the best one i've heard from the Beastie Boys, in fact i'd probably go as far as to say i enjoyed this one.

I find the Beastie Boys fucking irritating. Whatcha gonna do about it?

The Beastie Boys are great, and this is a classic. I haven't listened to this album all the way through in quite some time, so it was great to rediscover some of the songs. Maybe not my favorite of their albums, but it's still amazing.

This is still my least favorite Beastie album.

Funky

Krzyczenie małolatów

Lots of "LAAADIIIIEEEES"

I really just don’t like the beastie boys, they are not my style. The vocal tonality they choose to use is just shouty and annoying to me most of the time. I’m not big on rap or hip hop as a genre, if I was to like it I would be more likely to like more classic styles like this, but this band in particular just really isn’t for me. I really don’t see myself listening to this again.

A success in production, but on the whole really not for me: The Beastie Boys' delivery has always set my teeth on edge, and I find it hard to look past, no matter how good the lyrics are. The achievement here is the production, made at a time when the writing was on the wall for the wild west of sampling. Same producers as Odelay!

Hmmm. Is this a must listen? Licence to ill changed the world. This is excellent. I love the beastie boys. Probably the first hip hop act I ‘got’ before I ‘got’ hip hop. Hmmmm. Must listen? Are the beasties worth more than one album?

Admittedly, the music bits of my brain were salivating before I even got it going, as I'd never listened to an actual Beastie Boys album. Normally, I just sing along to their anthems, feeling audaciously cool and hoping there is a some RUN DMC coming on too. Secretly hoping I haven't confused the two... <cringe?> While at its best these guys are “good fun” and extremely effective and catchy hooks and have a really special signature style we all know and enjoy to various degrees.... Alas, it turns out its lyrically debased if your examine it closely, they are upfront in their fascination for getting the girls, and theft are so different to the rest in the urban music space, despite the indisputably shrill and annoying vocals. Summary Does it belong on the list? Yeah, they did stuff that stood out... but I cont say this has the influential songs. The hits certainly aren't here. It does represent a consilience of styles from different genes - were they experts at assembling other’s ideas (like the film the Matrix by stealing almost every science fiction concept out there) or did they do breakthrough stuff? I have no idea.. Did I love it? Its was just OK. Somehow I preferred the first track to the rest. So no then... It's not really album music - it gets annoying fast . Their catchiest songs like Sabotage and Fight for your Right, and Intergalactic have been huge - they aren't here. Rating 2. Dont love or hate it. meh

Okay, just spent 45 minutes raving about this album then accidentally lost it. Life’s too short to do it again. I love this record. It’s all about those brilliant samples & my memories of my kids discovering this album back in the day. I love it.

I was right in the zone for Licensed To Ill to act as a gateway drug to hip hop for me. I was a 16 year old suburban white boy in Australia when it burst onto the radio. We heard almost no hip hop in Australia prior to this (with the exceptions that prove the rule: The Message, Walk This Way, and, god help me, the Stutter Rap). Licensed to Ill was fronted by white boys and sufficiently rock and roll to be palatable to musically conservative Australia radio and record companies, making this one of the first easily available hit rap album in this part of the world. Within a year, I was devouring pretty much whatever I could lay my hands on, which was not a lot at the time (and explains why I have a Velore & Double-O album in my collection). Not much hip hop was getting local release out here. But this was a big hit on radio, and I loved it. And some of the records that I hunted down following this were a lot better. But this, the second album, just flopped on release. Triple J played a few tracks, but it was just too strange and funky for the same kind of mainstream appeal. I picked it up on vinyl not long after release from a cut-out bin at Central Station Records, with the 4' long double gatefold fold out sleeve. And I played it to death. I loved the new sound. The samples were dense, eclectic and funky, and the wordplay was simultaneously smart and dumb. Legal considerations stopped this kind of sampling within a year or two, which is why this and Three Feet High and Rising and Nation of Millions haven't really ever been replicated. There is something new and surprising and fun every time I Iisten to this album. And they are a lot of fun. I saw them touring Check Your Head at Selinas at the Coogee Bay Hotel in 1992, when they were playing their instruments, and they were awesome. As time goes by, I sometimes wonder whether the Beastie Boys were _really_ hip hop, or whether they were an alternative rock band who happened to rap. This album is the closest to true hip hop that they ever did, and it was massively influential on the sound of hip hop. If it's real enough for Chuck D, it's real enough for me. So, I still spin Hey Ladies or Shake Your Rump in just about every DJ set I ever play.

Un excelente álbum de Hip-Hop, y una adición increíble al catálogo del género. El particular flow de Beastie Boys sin duda marcó permanentemente a las generaciones de raperos, sobretodo blancos, que les siguieron.

Beastie Boys have their style. And that's it. I dig it, but it's not very groundbreaking.

Very fun album Standout songs: Egg man Looking down the barrel of a gun What comes around

Sounds good but you get tired quite quickly because all songs are really alike. When i heard nice woman’s voice in the beginning of “Shadrach” song, i thought there will be something different and interesting but no, the same shouting… But the album is still nice!

10/10

I liked the beats, they were very interesting. I was expecting this to be as horrific as other 80’s attempts of white people rapping, but it works, surprisingly. I think that the album would have been far better served with actual rappers, though. I complained in a previous review about the uninteresting beats in Illmatic: if Nas’ skills had been utilized with these beats, then it would be a 5. But it’s not. 2 or 3 at best. The Beastie Boys should’ve stayed producers. The beats being interesting paradoxically makes the whole album mono-thematic, that theme being shouting. Such a shame.

p613. 1989. 3 stars. White boy hip/hop/rap, so wrong audience. Having said that... actually quite enjoyed it. Not sure I'd revisit though.

No notes

Yea I mean easy 5 for me. Great production and one of the last and best sampling albums of all time.

Not my thing

Already listed to this one before but will again I'd rate it a 4/5 before my relisten

It's really good. Not as many hits as License to Ill, but still...

A pretty impressive treasure trove of sampling and production. Very polished and innovative. It is the signature Beastie style, strong lyrics and witty rhymes. I did like the heavier "Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun" the most, but I get a bit tired of their nasally voicing.

I might have liked this better in my teen years. It's fine.

Angsty

I actually just happened to listen to this yesterday without realizing it was the album of the day. Classic work from Beastie Boys I'm which they push sampling to the absolute maximum. As I understand it this was a commercial disaster at the time of the release, following on the hype from License to Ill. Album kicks off in true form with Shake Your Rump, which is a perfect song to do just that to. Then it segues to a country infused song about a hobo scrounging for money to satisfy various habits. Throughout the near hour playtime they sample tons of material and show all different side of they capability. Some of my favorites are Egg Man, High Plains Drifter, Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun, and Shadrach. This album jams. One of my favorites that I come back to time and time again. Sounds of Science I could do without, but otherwise this one is perfect in my eyes.

These are more of the 90's hip hop sounds that I like. Drums and scratches are nostalgia inducing. Lol @ 5-Piece Chicken Dinner I like that I didn't recognize any songs on this album, but still really enjoyed it.

Everytime I listen to Beastie Boys I always think that they are a parody band for some reason, must be because the multiple singers sound funny to me. All of the songs on this album sound like every Beastie Boys song I have ever heard. Not the biggest fan of them.

Egg Man is definitely one of my favorite Beastie Boys songs ever. What a jam. Sampledelia is a genre I don't know if I've seen before. Pretty fun looking at the samples and trying to pick them out of the songs. Just kidding 5-Piece Chicken Dinner is my actual favorite Beastie Boys song. Looking Down the Barrell of a Gun is pretty hype. Heard the beginning of Sublime's cover of Scarlet Begonias in Shadrach and realized that that's also a sample of a James Brown tune. TIL. There are a few standout songs by them but the Beastie Boys just never scratched that itch for me. Very interesting with the sampledelia though and can see how influential this was.

The Beastie Boys sure are a unique sound. I dig it.

Eclectic

To All The Girls- A chill intro to the album, which is most definitely not gonna keep up the chill vibe, but good start (3.5) Shake Your Rump- A mix of many different sounds and samples to create a old style hip hop track (4) Johnny Ryall- The subject of the track has s Johnny Ryall, who is dirt poor and homeless, yet he is a star to his people (3) Egg Man- Another fictional character Beastie Boys made up, as they add wordplay to continue his story (2.5) 3-Minute Rule- A chill beat with the less screaming but more bars (4.5) Hey Ladies- Too much randomness (2) 5-Piece Chicken Dinner- N/A Looking Down the Barrel of A Gun- A deranged song about the bands rise to fame, where they faced many hardships (2) Car Thief- A funky beat where the band raps about the art of car stealing, but don’t actually advocated for it (3.5) What Comes Around- Another witty song about how the world revolves the principle of actions have consequences (4) Shadrach- A song that’s packed with cultures references, probably a tribute (1.5) Ask For Janice- N/A B-Boy Boullibase- N/A Summary: A loud, sound-rich album from Beastie Boys talking about classic stuff in N.Y, just too much screaming; OVERALL: 2/5

Couple tracks had the real cool brooklyn chill electric piano tune to it that I like. Again, Beastie boys is a group I can only relate to in that no sleep till brooklyn would be blasted at 7am at Camp Ockanickon on the speakers every morning. I liked them like every other kid did, but only knew them for their singular hits. This album was definitely playing more into the strengths of the trio, the in your face rap style with good beats. If you're hungry for a large helping of what makes beastie boys iconic, this album is a good second serving.

Flawless

Less headache inducing than Licence to Ill, at least. It's fine.

I won’t give this 1 star because I think the sampling could be fun and clever at times, but I didn’t like being screamed at for an hour and will never listen to this again.

I am the egg man

1/5

I can never decide if I like the beastie boys or if they’re annoying.

"The Sgt Pepper of Shit Slop". Someone's having a larf. Utter shite from one of the most risible bands of all time.

After Licensed to Ill I found much of the Beastie Boy music hit or miss for me. First time listening to this album and I am very surprised how much I enjoyed listening. Maybe it was one of the 105 songs sampled? I knew after the first listen there were a number of samples I recognized, but would have never guessed in the 100's. Some of the fun of this album was checking out all the songs sampled, detailed on the wiki page. Pretty incredible list and wide ranging genres. My two favorites are High Plains Drifter and Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun. High Plains sampled Those Shoes by the Eagles. Near the top of the list of my favorite Eagle tunes. Anyway, enjoyed pretty much most of this album from start to finish. Hell, I can see myself catching a nice cool buzz and trying to pick out all the sampled tunes. While this album doesn't reach the heights of License to Ill, I did find this to be a fun, entertaining album with some great sounds. Not sure I can give this a 4, but definitely at least a 3.5 for me. I'm going to score a 3, but probably closer to a 4 than a 3. 3.5

These dudes are so fucking annoying. Their whole career seems like a joke that got out of hand.

5 Yep, back-to-back 5’s. Once again, I didn’t anticipate that being the case coming into this album, but holy cow, this instantly became one of my favorite hip-hop albums of all-time and quite possibly my favorite Beastie Boys album. How have I never listened to this before? And why haven’t more people listened to it? I don’t understand how this wasn’t a huge commercial success when it was released, but I’m glad retroactively it gets all the praise it deserves - this feels like a majorly impactful release for the genre. I was really debating a 4.5, but when you genuinely enjoy every single song on an album, is it deserving of anything less than a 5? Every beat, every rhyme, every dynamic between the boys - perfection. I’ve always been a fan of the Beasties, but I really think this album escalated my respect for them to new heights. I don’t want to spend my review paraphrasing the Wikipedia page, but basically, after a period of being written off by both the music industry and pop culture as an annoying, frat boy-ish trend, the B-Boys dropped the rock instruments and talked sample-based songwriters The Dust Brothers into letting them use their music as the basis for their next album, one which they planned to produce themselves (and keep in mind these guys are like 22 at this point). And shoutout to The Dust Brothers, because these beats are absolutely incredible by their own merit, but man, the B-Boys elevate them into absolute musical excellence. I was about to start listing out my favorites here and then realized I would basically be just reciting the tracklist of the album - you really can’t go wrong jumping in at any point. To All the Girls is a great opener (if slightly dated), and I loved that they ended the album in a 9-song B-Boy Bouillabaisse suite. Kinda wish Spotify combined all the segments into one track (as intended), but either way, it’s really enjoyable. (Side note - if you’re like me and curious what a bouillabaisse is, it’s a kind of French fish soup. There, saved you a Google). My biggest takeaway - this is peak hip-hop, and it’s so frustrating that we’ll never hear an album like this again. Once again, not trying to make this a Wikipedia article, but for those unfamiliar with music sampling, this was released in an era before doing so required clearance with the original owner (fuck you, Gilbert O’Sullivan). That no longer being the case, an album like this with 105 different samples on it is likely something we’ll never see again, and I think that detriments the genre so much. Obviously there’s still good hip-hop in the world today, but imagine if beatmakers were still able to explore their full scope of musical ability like The Dust Brothers were able to here. Well, at least we’ll always have a taste of it with Paul’s Boutique.

This album gets better every time I listen to it. And I listen to it a lot.

There's not really any "big hits" on this, but one must admit that it's just consistently good.

For sure, there's an insane work of sampling behind this, but I feel a lack of offering something engaging and catchy to the listener. Great work, tho.

Not the best Beastie Boys on the list. But it does solidify the genre of white boys playing at hip hop, laying on snarky cynicism that doesn't really honour hip hop as a genre, but appeals to high brow people who can't relate to the real deal.

good raps, really good production, all with an insane amount of sampling. nice

I liked this more than I thought I would. Usually not a big fan of this genre, but this album had good writing + Beatles samples which also made it better (I’m really biased).

The sampling is interesting, but I prefer license to ill

2.5

Terrible.

listened to again great sampling work and energy

Paul's Boutique has quite the distinctive sound of the Beastie Boys, although I wouldn't go so far as some have in describing it as the "Sgt. Pepper of hip-hop". It's fill of energy and life, with what would have been quite a fresh take on hip-hop at the time as well - even so far as the black hip-hop community loving the take on new beats. Although it's not to my preference, I can appreciate the way the Beastie Boys have curated this album. Best: Hey Ladies Worst: High Plains Drifter

A classic

Inventive use of samples and lyrics classic!

I'll be honest, "Sabotage" is one of my favourite song of all time. The amount of energy it brings is almost unparalleled. I always thought that I should be a big fan of the band, but somehow any other song I listened to sounds mediocre at best. And this is the case with "Paul's Boutique". A lot of great beats, but the rap style of Beastie Boys is so draining, I just end up hating this band after few songs. It's better for all parties to just move on and leave an average rating, before someone (me) will have a mental breakdown.

My favorite (and probably the best) Beastie album.

Have always been put off the Beastie Boys by the diabolical whiny, yelpy vocals. Sampling, song writing and lyrics are top drawer though.

Good beastie album, prob really fun when this first came out

It was a good listen. There were some great songs and some okay-ish songs.

Forfriskande

It’s aight

This is tough. I would easily say that Beastie Boys are five stars all around… but… even they would say later that this was probably a three star album among their discography. So, I’ll split the difference this time.

Wow! Great follow to License to Ill.

When you were 15 years old this album was good.... and if you were 12 it would be awesome lol. You can't take these guys too seriously, it's a bit if fun, with fun lyrics, Egg Man is a piss, but all great fun. I really don't get why people hype up this album as a statement to hip hop, as it is extremely samey for every track. That said, if it was on I would listen to it and enjoy it for what it is, a bit of kids hip hop fun, but I would never ever dream of selecting it to listen to.

Can't listen to these guys. Their music makes me feel uncomfortable and irritated. Like a group of school kids who have just discovered how to record themselves shouting and 'rapping' and they should never have been famous ..

BEFORE LISTENING: I have never been a fan of hip-hop. I love albums from all other genres (except maybe jazz but I do like a few songs). The only hip-hop album I have ever enjoyed was, ‘People’s Instinctive Travels…’ by A Tribe Called Quest. I do quite like that song ‘Intergalatic’ by the Beastie Boys though. AFTER LISTENING: After hearing three or four tracks, I was going to switch it off after side A finished. I lasted until the middle of ‘High Plains Drifter’. What on Earth is this crap? This did not change my opinions on hip-hop and is in no way comparable to Sgt. Pepper.

This was pretty good in my opinion. Honestly I've always been quite a fan of the aggressive, shouted rapping style the Beastie Boys had going on. However, this album is upwards of 50 minutes and that shouty rapping does grow old after a while. It's another one of those albums that's best suited for a mixtape. As well as that, I think it pales in comparison to some of the other albums in their catalogue. It's good but not their best. Favourite: Shake Your Rump

no.

Too much shouting

I definitely understand it’s influence on hip however this was not for me. Pretty much abandoning the rap rock that was on the last album (except for Looking Down the Barrel) and focusing solely on their rapping due to the sparser production; it was not for me. A lot of the lyrics seemed pretty cringy and their vocal style can grate after a while. It also felt overlong. I preferred their debut.

This shit was deadly. Only gets 4 because they got even better later. This is iconic in its genre. Smasher

Legendary.

very average, it is nice but very repetitive

3,5 because it is better than other 3s. Sounds like Eminem but worse. I think it was something absolutely fresh at latest 80s. But I need something more. Can't listen this a lot.

Yeah

One of the best albums ever

Beastie Boysien tyyli on kyllä tunnisettavaa. Vaikka kappaleet oli toki erilaisia niin tää tyyli oli niin vahva että jotenkin kappaleet saattoi kuullostaa vähän samalta. Ainakin tämmöisessä väsyneessä tilassa

This album has some of the best sampling on it. When the riff to "The End" by The Beatles dropped, I was lovin that! Love the use of rock riffs in the beats. Love the way the guys rap in that call and reply style. Great stuff

looking down the barrel of a gun best song frfr

An all time classic that only improves with age. It’s like a high concept party album.

Je m'ennuie profondément

c'est marrant mais pas 50 minutes

Listened twice. Never gets old.

Top notch hip hop

It’s alright.

This is perfection. One of the greatest albums of all time.

Remarkable spin. I’ve given so many 5s so far but fuck it. Shit slaps. Iconic and groundbreaking mixes and samples. A definitive album of the hip hop genre. RIP MCA.

Impressive. Tons of attitude. Crazy amount of sampling. Really hard to do this in 1988.

They have such a recognizable sound, yet how do all their voices sound the exact same? Good rap music that doesn’t take itself all too seriously because Jewish white rappers from NYC can’t pass for Biggie Smalls. The sample list on the wiki page is nuts.

Typically fun Beastie Boys album here. Their ability to remix and repurpose classic sounds for their own music is pretty cool. Favorite track: B-Boy Bouillabaisse Medley

While I do think it's pretty influential it's not my particular preference of hip hop. The samples are really incredible in some areas, but the shouting gets tiresome and seems to cover up their lack of versatility in delivering lyrics.

Strong 8

Hear the Beasties tryin' to bust out of their Licensed to Ill cage with every beat, sample and rhyme. Not running from themselves, but running to where they wanted to be. Despite some cringe lyrics that haven't aged too well, this album still makes my top three for them, even if their try-hard striving is apparent.

Men asså lite white boy 90-tals hiphop är ju alltid lite nice.

Man hör att de är de, tänkte på Sabotage typ hela tiden.

4.5/5. One of the most underrated and influential hip hop albums of all time. Who knew how much of an impact three white guys from Brooklyn could have on the genre. The multilayered samples were so far ahead of their time.

Turns out I don't really enjoy the Beastie Boys

Didn't really enjoy the album, but I'll recheck it at later date to see if my opinion changes

Excellent. Love this album

Where is the 4.5 star option ;_;

Some songs not as listenable as others, still good though

i get that it’s influential and it’s a cool record but honestly it doesn’t do much for me. they did a good job and they have a genuine attitude but i just don’t care for the shoutyness. and the flows all kinda sound samey. whatever.

Not bad. Different for the beastie boys I know and love

Great samples and lyrics

4.5

Hip-hop. Me ha aburrido un tanto. Un 2.

my third beastie boys album as part of this project. paul's boutique was part of their sample phase. their previous licensed to ill sampled as well, but i felt a larger range of their chosen samples here. of what i caught, they used more rock music, but there's still a touch of disco and country to be found, too. a little easter egg was to hear the drum intro for alice cooper's "it's hot tonight" on "what comes around"! that being said, i only thought this was just an okay beastie boys album. i do enjoy their more original work better, for what it's worth. the beastie boys brought their usual energy, which made the album pass by easily. a pleasant 3.

It's interesting to me that this album's main goal was to deviate itself from a perception that was established on their previous album, "License to Ill", when probably most casual fans would agree that "License" is the Beastie Boys at their best. This album was a bit more Beastie Boys than I typically go for. Most of the tracks didn't really resonate me. Surprisingly, my favorite part of the album was the B-Boy Bouillabaisse suite at the end of the album. On an album where the band was attempting to differentiate themselves from their previous work, this was the portion that felt like it had the most derivation. I will say, most sampledelia usually bores me, but these guys at least kept me baseline entertained. Not my favorite of theirs, but not bad.

Very yelly

🏆

I think their next 2 albums are better, but this was a huge step forward from Licenced to Ill. It's funky and it has enough variation. I don't like all the songs, but there's definitely some good ones on this record. They shout too much. I'm not an expert on hip hop. I don't know how this compares to other hip hop from the same time. To me it sounds somewhere in the middle between Dela Soul and Public Enemy, but that's just me. Favorite song: Eggman

Say what you will about the obnoxious, frat-boy personality of the Beastie Boys, but Paul's Boutique is a feat in sampling that would not be topped until The Avalanches' debut. With production and beats this stunning, it's no wonder this is heralded as the greatest hip hop album of the 80's. The Dust Brothers are deserving praise for their contributions to this creative milestone in hip hop. Paul's Boutique is always "on". There is a constant stream of energy coming from the Beastie Boys here, feeding off of each sample like Goku's spirit bomb gaining power from everyone lending their energy. This reaches a natural climax with B-Boy Bouillabaisse, a 12-minute multi-suite epic that throws anything and everything at the wall (with most sticking).

I don't like the Beastie Boys at all but this album was pretty good. I especially liked Hello Brooklyn

Don't know how I've not heard this one yet.

Great start to the album, but fades

Probably their best album.

Like Sam the butcher I’m bringin Alice the meat

Still great, still their pinnacle. Listening to it all the way through for the first time in a long while, I’m a little surprised by the relative low earworm density, but I don’t think this matters. One of the ultimate vibe albums? And the earworms are truly, truly catchy. Shadrach probably my favourite.

pretty fun as the samples it's made from are unbeatable. the one note whine, whine, whine whine (together) SHOUT delivery is tedious as ever but can mostly be ignored. shame there isn't a vocal-free version

Classic. Absolute hip hop classic. Nuff said bruh

Good beats, but not a huge fan of the raps.

Listened Before? Y Oh dear god. One of the best albums of all time. Especially for me, this one drips with nostalgia and I still can't believe the skill and talent of these three men. So amazing. Added to Library? Y Songs added to playlist: Egg Man, Shake Your Rump

I preferred this to Ill Communication; the sense of playfulness I thought was lacking in that album is more evident here. Arguably too evident actually... those vocals do start to grate after a while. The intricate patchwork of samples is cool, and this was clearly a landmark release as a result, but there's nothing on it that I really loved.

This one is always a good listen. Great work by the B Boys.

Hip hop onda Eminem, pero saturador. Me reventó la cabeza. Ruido.

PUNK.

Hou altijd wel van veel samples, vgm zijn ze voor deze plaat ook nog aangeklaagd voor copyright! Zou misschien eens een paar nummers aan zetten maar niet het hele album

Totaal overprikkeld uitgezet. Beetje schreeuwerig. Zitten paar vette nummers bij, maar een heel album is too much

Kwam er niet echt lekker doorheen

Deze groep heeft mij nooit echt gelegen, veel geschreeuw. Wel paar leuke samples

Nice soft intro that crescendos right into a fun and lively party song. Everything blends very well together. Lyrics transfer from ridiculous stories and metaphors, party lyrics, but also smaller sprints of deeper meaning. Lots of sampling which make you feel as though you are listening to the radio. The more punk rock feel of "Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun" is a fun departure. Album ends with some less aggressive songs, but also the funky "Shadrach". Album ends with a B-roll of short songs. These are heavily sampled, a little funky, great bass, and little more aggressive. 5/5 Favorites: Shake Your Rump, Hey Ladies, Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun, Shadrach, A Year And A Day, Least Favorites: What Comes Around,

Oh yay, I love listening to yelling.

The music and the arrangements in this album I never appreciated until this listen. They took the evolving sounds of hip and really created interesting tracks around it. Good rhyming thrown in makes this one of the best Beastie albums.

Highlights: "Johnny Ryall," "A Year and a Day" This is a step down from Licensed to Ill. Less energy in the beats and the raps. Some more interesting lines and subjects, like in "Johnny Ryall," but this is not sustained. There are samples in here that get a reaction from me even though they're not used the best, going from Sweet's "Ballroom Blitz" to Zapp and Roger, or mashing up Psycho with Jaws. It ends on a high note, realizing its strengths: the blown out 808s on "Hello Brooklyn" sound prescient of the '10s, and the warped chopping of "A Year and a Day" is daring and disorienting in a fun way. Beastie Boys did have a knack for trippy tracks.

It's alright. I got lulled into a false sense of security with the opener before I remembered it was a Beastie Boys album.

A rare example of a hip-hop album that works better as a whole, rather than having stand-out hits that are often diluted with filler. Great synergy too!

The Beastie Boys's best album. Lots of variety with the sampling and lots of energy and lots of fun. Clever lyrics and a style that you just didn't see in hip-hop at the time. Didn't completely stand the test of time but I'd still consider this a master class in rap music.

I’m not a big hip hop fan, but I can see why this album was dubbed the Sgt. Pepper of hip hop. Still not my favorite thing to listen to, but I’ll give it 3 stars for the effort.

nah.

It's pretty upbeat and funky. I'm liking the beats and sampling going on. Overall I liked it.

It’s just noise

Is it me, or does all hip-hop sound the same? The game seems to be to try to spot the sample.

Well. It's good in spots, but very shouty. I've seen them live and enjoyed it more when they were thrashing guitars. This one - I'm just not liking it. Had to listen to it in two shifts cos I was done after a few songs. Good to pick up the samples but it just feels a bit smartarse.

Loved this album! 4/5

So I actually knew a good amount about this album before hearing even a second of it. I had heard "Licensed To Ill" and it was good but not mind-blowing and really was carried by the big hits. That made me worry a little bit about this album. Then I read that this was so different from their first album that it was panned by the public. That gave me some hope because making another "Licensed to Ill" would have been a bad decision. I also saw that it was considered sampledelia which gave me even more hope because some of my favorite albums are sampledelia like "3 Feet High And Rising" and "It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back". It did not disappoint in the slightest as this is a 10/10 record. I constantly found myself thinking there is no way they can top this song after song and the consistently did especially on "B-Boy Bouillabaisse". Overall all though the songs on this album were great with some of my favorites being "Shadrach", "Johnny Ryall", "The Sounds Of Science" and "Shake Your Rump". Overall a great album that, alongside the aforementioned albums, truly revolutionized sampling in rap music and completely morphed the genre as well as lay the groundworks for future rap subgenres. 10/10

Oh my this was fun! It had escaped my notice when it came out (and apparently I wasn't the only one) but I had a good time listening today. The use of samples makes it so different from Ill Communication, which we listened to just a week ago. I remarked how many samples I recognized from this 1001 Albums project, as well as how well I thought they were used to make something slightly familiar but also original sounding. It's more fun and less yell-y and so far is my favorite of the Beastie Boys albums we've listened to in the project.

Despite the fact that the majority of the time that you are listening to a Beastie Boys' album you are being shouted at, and I would generally try to avoid such experiences, I do enjoy the Beastie Boys. The highlight of this album really is the sampling...thank you, Dust Brothers. But there is also a playfulness, like they are all just there having fun.

Wowee! This is a super fun jam. Loved it top to bottom.

With one hit and one miss from the Beastie Boys so far on this project, I wasn’t sure where this one would land. Turns out, it was a hell of a lot of fun. Great rhymes, great samples, great music!

Contextually this is amazing but to listen to now I prefer their later stuff

like it's just so beastie boys it hurts but you can't help enjoying it

I can see why this is called the Sgt Peppers of hip hop. Some iconic samples throughout. I liked how often some of the beats changed just in one song.

This one is fantastic, Beastie Boys were the best at utilizing samples. The way they married the samples with their wordplay was masterful. Yea, I guess their lyrics could be juvenile but it’s still witty as fuck. The variety of the sampling keeps this fresh all the way thru, you have rock, fuck, soul. They really didn’t miss anywhere on Paul’s Boutique, Shadrach could be the best track in their entire catalogue, Egg Man is silly but I’ve always liked the beat on that one. Everything including the cover itself is classic hip hop, easy 5 stars!

Innovative use of sampling, never expected to here Johnny Cash in Beastie Boys album. Many of the lyrics I've heard repeated by other artists. This album was influential on a variety of hip hop and rock artists. It seems dated to listen to it now, but at its time was groundbreaking.

Great throwback album

Fun and high energy, but the Beastie Boys' style is too repetitive and wears thin quickly.

Listened to on 3/21/23 2/5 Favorite song: to all the girls I wish I liked hip hop and this isn’t even the best Beastie Boy album

So many great songs

Maybe even a 4 if not for the yelling...

Niet mijn genre. Alles lijkt ook een beetje op elkaar.

Sheeesh 2 of my last 4 albums have been Beastie Boy albums. In my Licensed to Ill review I said I just never GOT the Beastie Boys. Maybe I get them slightly more now 3 stars

Beastie boys har ju i alla fall gjort en handfull hits som man kan lyssna på. Hey ladies är bästa låten på den här plattan.

Love it

Did they want to be the hip hop Beatles? With B-boy Bouillabaisse a nod to Abbey Road. They have at least a couple of albums better than this one.

Not understood or respected when it first came out.

Classic Hip-Hop

- Great fusion of rap, rock, and funk - Super cool use of scratches and electronics - Sounds like pure fun - Favorite songs: Shake Your Rump, Hey Ladies, Car Thief, The Sounds of Science

- The music is so fun - 40 year old moms definitely go hard to this - Clever, witty, irreverent - Guys being dudes over a beat

actually like so bad just barely okay at points 1.5

Astounding. Amazing. Revolutionary. Love love love love love!!!!!

Rough but clean. 1989s finest, but rap has been power crept since then.

It’s certainly noise.

Fun album, was grooving along until it ended and never really got bored of it.

4.5

Helt ait

Too much shouting/noise.

I almost wanted to dock this one star because the vocal flavor of the Beastie Boys can just get a bit too pungent for me, but they always manage to charm their way back into my heart. Couple that with great rhymes, fun times, and genuinely some of the best beats and production I've ever heard, and I see why this is their magnum opus.

The boys are back at it again. The Suite at the end is such an example of the sampling that really shines in therapy production.

A revelation of hip hop and sampling. So much going on in this album. Great lyrics, great samples, great music. Really a Beastie + Dust Bros. mashup.

Testing

Own on Vinyl

My previous experience with the Beasty Boys led me to believe this album would sound exactly like it did. Not bad, just not something I would seek out to listen to again.

Dit is niet mijn genre - het feit dat de nummers allemaal een erg vergelijkbare sound hebben, die mij niet zo ligt, helpt hier niet bij. Wel kan ik creatief gebruik van samples altijd waarderen, en als ik de references in de lyrics had begrepen zou ik ze vast leuk vinden. Begrijpelijk waarom mensen dit zo'n goed album vinden en waarom het zo'n impact had in hun tijd, maar dit album is niet voor mij weggelegd.

Een soort concept-hiphop album, bonanza aan popreferences en 80's events. Sterk vergelijkbare nummers met enkele uitschieters. - leukste nummer: Johnny Ryall 5-piece chicken dinner is "noemenswaardig"

While this was funny and the plunderphonics elements of it were interesting, I will not really come back to i, mostly because I'm not that much a rap fan and that their voice is pretty annoying haha. 6,9/10

This was one of my favorite albums. I had listened to this one early in my music discovery days, so I returned to it with rose colored glasses. Still holds up well and reminded me of why I enjoy hip hop music despite the lyrics certainly being dated.

Fun and corny in a very 80s rap kind of way. It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back came out a year before this, I feel like it must have been a big inspiration to either BB or The Dust Brothers. Egg Man sampled it at least twice. The use of samples throughout is excellent. Favorite tracks: Looking Down the Barrel of A Gun and Shadrach. Really the whole stretch from that track until the end. Least favorite tracks: The Sounds of Science. The second half was good but not good enough to salvage that first half. 5-Piece Chicken Dinner is a close second.

I liked Shake Your Rump, and the cowbell in Hey Ladies is just a classic. Not the biggest Beastie Boys fan, I've never quite got what the appeal is but I might be out of the loop.

🤮

Love the sampling, hate the shouting.

Disappointed.

I was excited when it popped up but was surprised how quickly I tired of it all. To the point where I was a little taken aback by how much I was ready for the album to be over.

Classic Beastie Boys. they seem like they were having fun. At some point in time every song sounds the same.

I love the Beastie Boys. I’d never listened to this album before but I liked it.

THE SAMPLES HEARD AROUND THE WORLD!!! lol. The Beastie Boys and Dust Brothers made a masterpiece (the Beasties would go on to make two more with their next two albums). The perfect mix of the inventiveness that was a hallmark of the band and the silliness of their first album.

Probably the best of the early rap albums.

This sucks.

Vocals can be a bit grating at times, but the instrumentals are top-notch and it has a good energy throughout.

Not terrible but If I'd actively put on some music it wouldn't be this

Toooooo much shouting

I can appreciate the existence of the Beastie Boys but an entire album is a bit much

I never gave this album a shot because ive known their biggest hits for so long. This gave me a new appreciation for their music, insane production for an album from this time period.

A landmark album from one of my favourite acts.

Wildly exuberant, inventive and exciting, possibly the Beasties best effort. Still know most of this inside-out after endless plays as a teenager. 5*

One of the GOATs!

Gott gäng. Gillar att dom samplat when I'm 64.

The thought these guys put behind each song is astonishing. I think there was nothing like that back in 1989. They were able to change the immature image from Licensed to Ill and show what they can do. To me, the best Beastie Boys work.

It is a cool sound with good rap flow. But the same rapping meters are used over and over again and the beats quickly get stale

Great album. I feel like they should have mixed different to make the lyrics better understood. Recommend listening with the lyrics option turned on

Бля, это просто идеальный альбом, как по мне. Да, некоторым он может показаться заезженным, если такой жанр им не по нраву, но какое же лютое мастерство продакшна и умение идеально выдержать настроение альбома на всего его протяжении показали бисти бойс. Юморной, драйвовый и очень прорывной для своего времени - использование сэмплов, которые очень чётко подходят как под ритм, так и под тексты, определённо сделало своё дело и конкретно закрепило этот альбом в истории хип-хопа и музыки в целом, а также в моём персональном топе навсегда. DROPPIN SCIENCE LIKE GALILEO DROPPED THE ORANGE 🔥🔥🔥 (9.5)

I really enjoyed Ill Communication for its jazzy production but I just can't get myself to listen to this thing till the end. Anytime I hear them rap-screaming I see Michael and Dwight from the Office doing a rap video about Scranton.

Really impressive sampling and wordplay. Like it much better than the debut. 4 stars

Yea kickit

One of the stand out rap albums. Lyrics and vocals of these three are innovative as hell - every song I feel like I've been kegged in the middle of everyone laughing. Still, seeing them live would be 5/5 experience. Production is highly rated, though it's sometimes hard to follow. Appreciate this being a 5, but for me personally it's a 4.49. Thanks, Josh

Fluttered between a 3 and a 4 but I thought sheff would disown me if I went 3.

It’s here… it’s finally here. An album layered with samples, put together in the most disjointed way possible… but it works so well. This is overlayed with the bombastic vocals and absurd lyrics of the B-Boys themselves. A lot of quotables on here, such as: “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair, So I can climb up and get into your underwear” The Sounds of Science will forever be one of the most mental hip-hop songs ever made. All in all, one of my favourite albums ever, this shit really SLAPS my potatoes.

Best one as a ‘whole thing’. They say it’s the sgt peppers of hip hop I think that fits. Mental sample list. Sot Shake your rump Johnny ryall Egg man A Year and a Day Hello Brooklyn 4/5

El hip hop de los 80/90 golpeandote en la cara, buen ritmo pero muy gritado para mí gusto

Still not a fan of this era of shout rap.

Vaguely liked the beats and bass, absolutely hated the rest. Got 8 minutes in and skipped the rest of the album. I'm a music person and not a lyrics person and this sounds absolutely terrible. They're screaming the whole album..

SLAPS CLASSIC BEASTIE BOYS

beats, bears, battlestar galactica Top notch samples

Love a bit of beastie boys

4.5

I loved this, listened as I walked round Brighton this morning and put a big smile on my face. However, it is the sampling and instrumental that stands out. I've got a soft spot for the Beastie Boys, but on this album I just can't quire connect with their lyrics and vocal style. I found myself wishing for a purely instrumental version so I could really pay attention to the cool stuff going on in the background.

Loved it.

You still get the sense that the Beasties were still on the path to maturing from a baseline of License to Ill, but damn the DJ work and sampling in this album is out of this world. It's doubly frustrating to think that an album like this could never happen again due to the work and money that would be involved in clearing the samples today.

interesting hip-hop kind of album but the lyrics...

Not my cuppa

ok

Didn't enjoy it

Hell yeah! The way the Beastie Boys transformed themselves into a more artistic and thoughtful act while retaining their playful adolescent charm is impressive. This album is a true labour of love, friendship, and growth. And even though it’s comprised entirely of samples, it’s somehow a stunningly original and charismatic listen. A true gem, proving the Beastie were so much more than an immature fart joke.

If it helps you, I made a pilgrimage to the corner in the Lower East Side that is on this front cover. Which might give you an idea of how much I love this album. It somehow manages to be incredibly intelligent and stupid as hell at the same time. If I'd known it was going to be this kind of party...

Loved this - grimey beats, fun, feels homemade in the best way. Good groove and introspection as well as sillies.

The production on this elevated it over other Beastie boys albums, but eventually the vocals dragged this down.

A sampadelic bouillabaisse of hip-hop evolution.

Great but not good for me

Forgot how great the Beastie Boys were in their heyday. 4/5

I've never really given the Beastie Boys a fair shake. Mainly because I'm not super into hip hop. I found myself enjoying it as each track went by.

I read someone describe the Beastie Boys as "comically juvenile," and I can't say it any better. The album is catchy and fun. It does very little for me but I understand why it's held in such high regard by so many.

Sorry Beasties, just can’t deal with that nasally, annoying flow. I’m sure this was cool in ‘89 but I couldn’t even make it through the whole thing.

Glad I listened. Won’t really return. Too shout rap-y

While I respect this and what it meant to the progression of hip-hop, pre Wu-Tang rap just isn’t listenable anymore.