Paul's Boutique

Good music is like a time capsule- it takes you to the time and place the music was recorded. Hearing ¨Paul’s Boutique¨ feels like being in Giuliani’s New York, complete with graffitied trains, the crack epidemic and being mugged in Times Square. You can almost taste the Reaganomics at work. I always forget how high the Beastie Boys’ voices can get, except for MCA (RIP). Sometimes it’s fun, sometimes it’s grating, and while they’re never going to win awards for lyricism, they do know how to create an atmosphere. Listening to ¨Hey Ladies,¨ I’d put this era of the Beasties as the rap equivalent of Motely Crue (see ¨Girls, Girls, Girls¨ for a spiritual sister track). The music is just as 80s as anything else, but I do appreciate the ¨everything and the kitchen sink¨ approach to sampling. I know people call this the Sgt. Pepper or Pet Sounds of rap, but I’m not cultured enough to have made that connection. It’s 80s rap for someone who reads Pitchfork and New Yorker cartoons, and I’m not cultured enough to read those either. Standout tracks: Car Thief, Shake Your Rump, Hey Ladies

A time capsule. HEY LADIES

Fav Tracks - Shake That Rump (PHATTTT), The riff on down the barrel of a gun (Mississippi queen sample!), Shadrach Didn’t know any of these BB tracks, great to hear them, the bars are iconic as per, and the samples/beats are smooth as. The album lacks a huge hit, like their other records have; eg: sabotage / no sleep til Brooklyn, but it makes it a more cohesive listen.

Love it

Satisfied to shrug off their metal fratboy personas, Beastie Boys utilize ambitious and inspired sampling to create a fun record with more depth, better rhymes, and endowed with a sense of adventure that no one could have predicted. This was the album that convinced me that MCA, Ad-Rock, and Mike D were artists worth giving a chance, and I haven't looked back since.

yeah pretty good i guess, pretty cool !

Album sympa dynamique, funky. Pas de gros coup de coeur

Pas de surprise pour moi Qualiteyyy

J'écoute jamais de rap/hip hop mais j'ai vraiment beaucoup aimé. Rythme et instruments top, super découverte 4/5

Fantastic production

The raps are interesting and the beats are good.

Yes, I like this yelling rock

Well they do say you have to fight for your right to party, and with lines as poignant as "I'll beat a biter down with alunimum bat", and beats that sound like they down pitched the bad aftermath of an upsetting Taco Bell order, what's not to love. Favorite track of the album was Shake Your Rump with honorable mention to The Sounds of Science

I think I liked licensed to ill better but this is good too

I really respect the lyrics on the Beastie Boys’ Paul’s Boutique. It’s fun, inventive, and adds a lot to the hip-hop game. Their creativity on this album is top tier.

This album turned me into a beastie boy fan, golden hip hop stan and forever changed my walking down the street music, hoooly shit. It's a little long and honestly needs a hundred listens to unpack all the lyricism, if you have the attention to trawl through that much of the same delivery - I wouldn't mind though.

Great album

I like the Beastie Boys sound, but this one felt a bit directionless for me. Still enjoyable overall though.

Really enjoyed the first few songs but fell off a tad for me. Was a good soundtrack for fighting through the Glasgow winds though. Thought it was a nitty gritty dirt band sample but was from deliverance. What are the chances they sampled yesterday’s Johnny cash album as well to be fair. Specific rating -4.1 Fav song- shake your rump Least fav- sounds of science

Vraiment expérimental avec l’instru

Le début de l'album est correct, mais complètement eclipsé par la B-Boy Bouillabaisse. Beaucoup d'excellents samples/instrumental. J'ai mieux aimé l'aspect Funk/Jazz de Ill Communication, mais ici le côté hip-hop un peu plus old-school est très bien réussi.

the boyz

Solid album. Fresh and interesting sound with good lyrics and good energy. Had I not just listened to the Tribe album a couple days ago this may have gotten a 5. Will put this on the 4 side of a 4.5.

Love the beats and style, there was a moment some short song made me laugh inbetween :) overall nice, you can feel the passion they're put into this

Since when the teen titan cut hair???

This could 100% be rated higher on relisten, favourite tracks first time around were Shake Your Rump, Hey Ladies and Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun. Incredibly fun album, 4 Stars.

It's the sooound of scieeeence (this album has top sample use. Full of energy and a blast, one of the best hip hop albums ever)

Beats, samples, lyrics. That's hip-hop. Will go into the rotation.

Egg Man, Sounds of Science, Shadrach - all classics.

Not bad. I still think I prefer trip hop but this is worlds better than the albums on either side of it. I wish they’d kept on going in this direction. It definitely belongs on a list of great sophomore albums.

4.0 I have something shameful to admit. I've only just now, after 3 beastie boys albums and many years of life, have realised that they were a pisstake. I always thought they were some sort vanilla ice esque tone deaf group that was somehow popular as real hip hop had yet to go mainstream. Whoops. Straight away on this album, as soon as the mock gangsta gangsta intros started did it click. I actually paid attention to the lyrics for the first time (seemingly). Then you have a song about drive by eggings. I'm an idiot. I've given it a few listens and I think it's a) really smart and b) really funny. And besides, the samples are actually incredibly well woven together. Laid the groundwork for bands like the avalanches. And now I need to go back and listen to their previous ones from here. Sorry beastie boys. My bad.

These guys were truly just the coolest. 4/5

paulin putiikki. miten voi olla olemassa näin hyvä kieli. putiikki. heh. putiikki. putiikki putiikki putiikki putiikki putiikki putiikki putiikki putiikki. täämä on sitä hip hoppia parhaimmillaan.. ei mitään mumina humina hommeleita vaan asennetta ja aggressiota... kylmää kyytiä koko albumi cold motherfuckers... nämä ja ehkä eminem hyviä räppäreitä muut turhia... muut aika paskoja ja ehkä yhteiskuntaa rappioivat... hey hey (hey hey) mennään mennään kylille (kylään) ja putiikkiki putiikki putiikki putiikki putiikki putiiki putiikki putiikki putiikki putiikki putiiki putiikki putiikki putiikki putiikki putiiki putiikki putiikki putiikki putiikki putii looking down a barrel of a gun

greatness

Love all the samples, much better than I thought, I had never heard this before except for a few of the most popular tracks.

Some great fun all throughout and nice samples. The end medley was nice as well. 4 stars

A landmark hip hop album, there will never be another quite like it. I know the Beasties can be a divisive group but regardless of how you feel this album is important to understand hip hop history.

The energy is infectious here. the three Beastie Boys all have a great chemistry with each other, and work with the samples and beats so well, changing rhythms on a dine or just rolling with it. Just a really fun album.

In the last year or so, there's been a discussion about sampling in music, as there was 40 years ago, but it's more of a different discussion. Modern sampling is just not good, not done correctly or properly to the point that people are saying sampling is boring or uncreative. But I disagree. Sampling, to me, works better when it's chopped and screwed, pitched higher or lower, to the point where you just make a whole new beat AND where the sample originates. You look at classic hip-hop and you see how much of funk, soul, gospel, rock, metal, and they work that into their advantage. No other group, in my opinion, did that better than Beastie Boys. No other example of some of the greatest sampling work done in hip hop history is Paul's Boutique.

The mastery over sampling continues on this album, same as License to Ill. I will say this album sits in a more vibey spot than License to Ill, which I both like and dislike in comparison. Just comes down to which I prefer at that moment. The vocals aren't bothering me as much as on License though, and its a more varied album. A lot more interesting guitar work and sample usage of guitars on this one.

Very into the beats and the flow. This has the feeling of being something new and testing the waters.

It was fine

A bit long but still you gotta give credit for the creativity on display.

Ma you're just jealous it's the beastie boys. Be more quinticential. But the stuff at the end of this album is fire.

Joka biisin kohdalla pää nyökkyy mukana. Mixmaster Mike alkutohinoiden tällä levyllä mutta kehityssuunta on tuttukaikille.

Really fun great hiphop album that wasn’t too long and had some cool samples sprinkled in

Fantastic album, possibly their best, in my opinion.

Excellent!!!

Fav: B-Boy Bouillabaisse: A Year And A Day Least Fav: High Plains Drifter Sound Of Science onwards it really locks in. Really enjoyed

Like a lot of bands who maybe veered into the cheesy territory later on in their careers (REM, U2, Aerosmith) I was not expecting to enjoy this album as much as I did. The same thing happened with REM when I listened to their first album. There must be something about the rawness of their beginnings that comes through and speaks to me.

Classic

Another hip hop classic. Not their best material but still REALLY GOOD.

It's important to remember how innovative these guys are, by modern standards it is on the simple side. But considering they had very little frame of reference they put out some banging hip hop.

Perhaps the Beastie's at their best. Every rhyme works, and there are definitely building blocks for the rest of their albums in this one. Looking down the Barrel of a Gun is top notch

This is hip-hop, right? So I must hate it, right? Wrong! So what's the difference between this and 2Pac and Outkast? Its humour. It isn't up it's own arse. It doesn't have an agenda. And, most importantly it's got a great groove.

Not my fav among their albums but still, I can’t go wrong with these guys. They rap a lot about their grandmas and cooking and I’m into that.

Love how the three guys can jump in and out from each other. Almost could be one person. High energy nonstop.

A huge improvement over their debut. A joyously weird collage of beats and samples that kept me listening. The lyrics still aren't quite as engaging as they got later, but a step up from previously. Borderline 3/4, giving a 4 just because there feels like a depth that will reward close listening.

I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't this. Maybe I was imagining the Beach Boys? It was a lot, but on the whole it was pretty good.

В цій рубриці ми вже знайомились з більш джазовим альбомом Beastie Boys - Ill Communication (1994). Сьогодні ж перед нами нехай й не мій улюблений їх альбом, але однозначно їх магнум опус. Саме він відокремив більш зрозумілий та хуковий дебютник від подальшої експериментальної творчості. Paul's Boutique примітний в першу чергу видатною роботою з семплами абсолютно різних речей. Це були й класичні соул та фанк, шматочки з різних фільмів, а також треки інших реп зірок, на кшталт Public Enemy. Все воно звучить дуже незвично та дивно. Навіть стандартна для хіп-хопу річ як «біт», тут не є такою вже очевидною. Проте вони все одно якось спромоглися навалити під все це свій качовий та технічний флоу. Це класика, що стала прикладом для експериментального хіп-хопу, яка й досі надихає безліч топових виконавців. З останніх прикладів можу навести торішній альбом No Hands від Joey Valence & Brae.

It's awesome. The mixing of hip hop, funk, punk, and rock, plus the prodigious use of sampling, creates an incredibly creative, forward-thinking, and influential record. The frat boy rhymes can be both intelligent (Pass me the scalpel, I'll make an incision I'll cut off the part of your brain that does the bitching; Put it in formaldehyde and put it in the shelf; And you can show it to your friends and say "that's my old self"), and bawdry (Rapunzel Rapunzel let down your hair; So I can climb up and get inside your underwear). As with all hip hop, it shows its age, but I also think it has aged like a fine wine with a realization of how foundational and influential this album was during the early days of hip hop. 4.5 stars.

Such a killer album!!

If you have read any of my reviews so far, it might be obvious that hip hop is not something that I enjoy and I don't normally choose to listen to it. Paul's Boutique is really the lone exception. I guess the difference between this and other albums in the genre is that this feels sort of like a rock and roll record, albeit one with samples and rap. Maybe it's an attitude that is conveyed, there is humor in the lyrics, it's clever. I don't listen often but occasionally, when Gina is not around, I put it on and turn up the volume really high. Then I tuck it back away until next time.

I don't fee this is their best album, but it is still fun!

The album everyone hated... until they loved it! An album so ahead of its time, it sounds like it could have been made last year and not decades ago.

Often considered their magnum opus, and I can see why now that I've finally listened to it. Love how many samples they used, loved the energy they bring to every record. I think I'd put Ill Communication a hair above this, but I can't argue with anybody saying that this is their best.

It's good

Always a fun listen. Clever rhymes, inspired samples — a true creative tour de force with such awesome energy between the three Beasties. Love it!

Lubię to.

I really liked this album. I've listened to it a few different times over the years, and I think it's one of the more memorable hip hop albums I think I've ever heard. It almost feels like an encyclopedia of beats. Very abstract/experimental parts and some dynamic vocals and a lot of fun mixed in. Playful in tone while serious in delivery, technically well crafted and felt like it was still always reaching for it's limits. I think I'll start to listen to it in like 4-5 round bursts every 2-3 years. Worth owning I think. 4.5

Muy buen disco. Los Beastie Boys hacen uso experimental del sampleo en la forma de los temas. De repente sorprenden cortando tema con segmentos en otro tempo y caracter, para retomar la continuidad. Hacen uso de una gran cantidad de recursos sonoros, pero mantienen una identidad clara, sobre todo gracias a las voces.

interestingly didn't like this as much as sabotage... but it's still super fun music.

it was pretty solid

cool experience, but wont be on my repeat

Just 3 guys who were having a good time

Trendsetter that hasn't aged too badly

I really like this era of hip hop. Great samples, fun beats, it’s just a good time. Reminded me of 3 Feet High and Rising, which I later learned came out the same year. I’ve never really listened to Beastie Boys before despite them being a huge name, but now I want to hear more.

These beats are fucking great, Beastie Boys are really overlooked in rap but this is insanely ahead of it's time

Really good album. Superb sampling, and the vintage style fits really good with rap. Their voices are perfect for the style. Really great.

найс, вайбово.

It’s okay

Not as good as Ill Communication for me but still pretty nice Will I listen to again: 62%

Great album. Reminds me of how fun 80s hip hop could be. Highlights: Johnny Ryall, 3-Minute Rule, Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun Will return to more of their stuff.

Hardcore punk skater messed-up kids turning to rap couldn’t drop anything less than a wild, ironic, and eclectic gem. The lyrics are hilarious, and the high pitched flows are iconic. Great stuff to me, especially for the 80s. « Looking down the barrel of a gun » or « Shadrach » for exemple are far ahead of their time.

Great energy and great sampling

This was sick Remembered why I was suffering through all of these terrible albums

Нормально, но более поздние альбомы гораздо прикольнее

It used to be a favourite

It's a good time. Spotting all the samples is fun.

Good, entertaining rap album with creative use of samples it was ahead of its time.

Super unique sound, especially vocally. I liked it, though I did wish it had bigger hits. 7/10.

if they could only all be as interesting as A Year and a Day...

Love the Beastie Boys! This album is not my favorite, though it's fun.

Good stuff. Love this classic hip hop with what sound to be live instruments, or at least very well mixed instruments. Again, decades after people have done this sound better to more unique results and idk how many of these songs I’d go back to but I enjoyed listening to them.

I don't really know how I could be grumpy about this, the Beastie Boys are just a lot of fun. They're not all winners, obviously, and it's not, like, peak Beastie, but I just kinda respect them for their sound, yknow? Distinctive, no apologies.

9.5/10 Considering I've only really listened to a few selected songs of the beastie boys before this I really enjoyed it - at no point did i want to skip or play something else (very rare for me). You can tell they had fun making it and I had so much fun with all the samples (especially the Johny Cash right at the end of Hello Brooklyn, that was a great surprise). feel like i could spend days going through and pick new things out each listen. Iconic, get it divas. Song's added to playlist; Johnny Ryall Hey Ladies Shadrach Hello Brooklyn

More of a sound collage than an album, but one that shows you how important samples have always been to hip hop. The music was far more interesting than the rapping here, and it was appropriate that we got this album when we did because the whole thing was a fun easter egg hunt. Hearing the guitar solo from "The End" over the drums from "Sgt. Peppers" was thrilling as a Beatles fan, and I'm wondering if this helped influence the creation of the Love album.

Great

Exactly what I needed today! Fun, engaging, and quirky - both the lyrics and the sounds and the beats! 🤌🏼 I think I just really love hip hop 🥰 Album rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

I like Beastie Boys and read their book but for some reason I've never listened to this album? I have no idea why I haven't because it's excellent. The samples are so good in this one.

This is truly experimental music. Is it rough and hard to listen to? Yes. Is it as good as License to Ill? Not even close. But I love the big swings with this one. I love that the Beastie Boys just made a chaotic record because they freaking wanted too. The samples, genre fusing, raps, yelling, swearing. Its all so good.

Can’t lie. This one was (begrudgingly) cold.

I don’t think this album as the same anthems as License to Ill does but this album is the best work of the Beastie Boys

3.5

being in a beastie boys-type group where we all say the last word of each line together would be so much fun. very enriching activity

Sounds cute.

An improvement over License to Ill in every way. Lush productions without comprising the punk attitude they established

Fantastic album. Often overlooked in the Beasties discography, shame too. Reminds me how much we miss MCA …. Plus my favorite Beasties song is on this album - Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun

i’m not gonna lie, i was really questioning this album’s integrity after that opener. BUT it quickly turned around. everything was so funky and rhythmic and FUN! the beastie boys are always a fun listen so idk why i was surprised. nothing really stood out to me, but that’s not to say i didn’t like it… in fact, i would say my feelings on this album were more akin to love. would i go out of my way to listen? probably not (rap/hip-hop has never been my niche). BUT it was still a really good album. 4/5!

A great achievement in both rapping and sampling; my only complaint is that it's hard to listen to both at once.

I do love a sample heavy project it's like skipping through a radio stations. This is rich !!! So much fun!!! Lost me a couple times but really easily brought me right back in with fun rhymes even more fun beats and, again, those awesome samples. God I wish I could have seen these guys live - Favs: High plains drifter, 3-Minute rule, Looking down the barrel of a gun, B-Boy Bouillabaisse: A year and a day.

I have always kinda shrugged off the Beastie Boys because their flow isn't really a style that I particularly love and to be quite honest, it's seemed to me that a lot of their appeal to a lot of people has been "they're great rappers... BUT THEY'RE WHITE!!! isn't that crazy?!" and I find that pretty tiresome and lame. So I have never really given the Boys a fair shake. But I have to admit I really enjoyed this album. The production, and particularly the sampling, is just really really fun, really creative, really varied throughout the album. While they still rap with that kind of staccato 80s New York style that isn't my favorite, their rhymes are also undeniably creative and pretty clever. At times they are a bit boyish but it's never egregiously so. Even though it's not especially the kind of rapping that I like, they are certainly talented and manage to still be quite fun to listen to, and the strength of the album musically certainly carries it enough to make up for it. 7.5/10

If you don't like being shouted at then this is not the album for you, fortunately I love it. The sampling is also in a class of its own, lots to love on this.

Previously rated: License to Ill (5/5) Ill Communication (4/5) *************************** I don't have the nostalgia for this one like I do License to Ill, but this is probably a superior album, though I still prefer License. I'm not a fan of the added profanity in this one. I liked the throwback hip-hop sounds on a couple of the later tracks.

Still not that NY Jew that is obsessed.

Exactly what you would expect from a Beastie Boys album. The lyrics are just crass enough that if your mother heard you listening to it she would yell at you to turn it off, and the production of the beats has that nostalgic feeling that only rap from the late 80s and early 90s can give you. Has this style aged all that well? Not really, but its fun to come back to it from time to time. Not many of their hits on this one at all, but for a debut rap album from a group of white kids, its pretty solid.

An achievement, but also kind of too long. Feel like the beastie boys kept maturing past this lyrically but hit some real highs with the sampling. Since some of the songs are skips, it's a 4.

Lot of samples in this album. Good, but not great album.

I thought I was gonna laugh more than I actually liked it. I didn’t expect it to actually be good

Really good album, would’ve been a 5⭐️ if not for the B-Boy Bouillabaisse at the end. It didn’t do much for me

Really great, some lines haven't aged well but overall brilliant

Great album with some insane sampling. 8/10

Vintage Beastie Boys with some of their best beats.

Þessi er oftar en ekki ansi skemmtileg.

Not as crazy as "Shake Your Rump" seemed to have promised but just for showing what sampling could allow everyone to do, I respect the hell out of this album.

C'est tu vraiment bon? Oui. C'est tu mon préféré? Non. Trop de tracks un peu plus faibles, surtout vers la fin, l'album s'étire aussi. Par contre, la production des dust brothers est vraiment le fun, certaines chansons sont ridiculement inventives et amusantes. Les Beastie Boys sont en forme, c'est un gros saut qu'ils ont fait entre License to Ill et Paul's Boutique

Jeté par terre. J'ai été jeté par terre. Découvrir Paul's Boutique à mon âge. Waoh. La recette est bonne. Tout plein d'idées géniales. Des bons grooves. Un excès d'énergie. Ça nous embarque dès le départ et on ne décroche pas.

Production is unbelievably crisp. This is so listenable, could have been made yesterday. The Beastie Boys go kinda hard on this?? Like, they’re still the Beastie Boys but the rhymes are a little more intense? I dug it!!

I've always liked the Beastie Boys. I liked them, but not loved them. They have a certain appeal, you know? I was even privileged to see their last performance at Bonnaroo. So, I'm familiar with Paul's Boutique. I also understand that the Beastie Boys are nasally, grating, and somewhat annoying white rappers. However, they're all so fun, and have some lyrical prowess. Most of all, though, is the beats. I didn't realize it until I read the Wikipedia article (I always thought this was Mid Master Mike's work), but apparently the Dust Brothers produced this album. in any case the beats, largely produced by samples, are phenomenal. Each track blends into the next, get you moving, and sets the backdrop for some interesting and often hysterical Beastie Boys lyrics. Beastie Boys aren't for everyone, but for those who "get it", this album is fire.

i liked it when they sampled the song

I still laugh.

Pretty good on focused listen. don't know how much of the vocals I could take, but the drum beats were fun to focus on.

Love me some Beastie Boys

And thus this concludes the Beastie Boys trilogy (although not chronologically, I know). I like it that this is sort of a bridge between the other two albums in this collection, with some of the frat-style hip-hop of "Licensed to Ill", but also occasionally more interesting collections of sounds and instruments as on "Ill Communication", but clearly *much* more sample-based than the latter album. They hadn't quite graduated beyond occasionally sophomoric lyrics, but there's a nice groove flowing through the album, accompanied by some of the most dense and satirical lyrics you could ever ask for. I felt like their strongest tracks were probably "Shake your rump", the second half of "Sounds of science", "Looking down the barrel of a gun" (another RATM-sounding track), and "Shadrach", with honorable mention to the concept of "B-Boy Bouillabaisse", even if it doesn't consistently deliver on the concept. I was also really impressed by how this sounded much later than 1989, and doesn't really feel dated in many ways, amazingly (but also glad to read that they were able to clear most of the samples and at affordable rates due to the early date of this album). I had never heard of the Dust Brothers before reading about them in this album's Wikipedia entry, but I'm glad I read about them given how many songs, albums and artists I've enjoyed that they collaborated with. (And I loved finding out that they got their start at Pomona College's radio station!) The Beastie Boys chose well in getting them to work on this album--an amazing collaboration.

I've always enjoyed Beastie Boys singles, but had never really sat down and listened to a whole album. I didn't expect I'd enjoy it, given that it's 80s hip hop and as a rule I tend to find it boring. I didn't find this album boring though, in fact I listened through all the extra 20th anniversary material as well. Great beats, fun vocal flows, music that's sort of all over the place.

Not the biggest rap fan, but sample "The End" by the Beatles and your album automatically gets to 4 stars. Other than that though this album is really good!

I liked this album, but it felt like they were still searching for their unique voice

A disappointing experience for me. This is my favorite Beastie Boys album, so I was very excited when this was revealed as my album of the day. However, it was not the perfect experience I had foreseen; this album has some flaws when listened to from beginning to end. Still a four-star album for me, though.

I didn't go in thinking this was going to be good, but it ended up really impressing me! The songs were pretty varied, the sampling was pretty impressive, and I loved the rock elements that really came in on the second half of the album. 3.7/5 -> 4/5

Ein kreatives, verrücktes und zeitlos gutes Album, das richtig Laune macht! Man kann fast nicht anders als mit dem Groove mitzuschwingen und die Arme gekonnt in die Luft zu werfen. Definitiv ein cooles Album, wenn man sich in Stimmung bringen möchte Unfug anzustellen :D

I love the bestie boys and I honestly wasn’t sure what it would be like to listen to a full album, but I really enjoyed this! It was a teeny bit jarring to listen to in the morning, but the different variety of songs made up for it. I liked the songs egg man, shake your rump, and what comes around. Also 5-piece chicken dinner gave me a laugh and was unexpected. I really loved this and it made me like the bestie boys even more. I love their creative use of sounds and beats and it’s so fun and unique!

I loved this album. The lyrics were so clever from Sadaharu Oh to the Torah and all the satire laced throughout. The production was head an shoulders above any hip hop we've had so far, but knowing what is potentially coming, still not quite a 5.

I still think it's weird that they rap the lines together? Like I know that Run-DMC did the same but it feels weirder when the Beastie Boys do it. Also "Humpty Dumpty was a big fat egg" from Egg Man is the beginning of the best beef in rap

Maybe white guys can rap. lots of shouting but groovy and had some good rhythm/baselines

One of my favorite bands thanks to this project. This album is the most classic Beastie Boys sound. Some strong hits, although the lyrics aren't particularly deep. I prefer later era Beastie Boys when they got more instrumental and funky.

I actually really fw the beastie boys

9/10

They are always fun with a driving beat.

Great album musically, but not for me!

Great album full of interesting samples. Looses energy in the middle a little

What a cracker!

batidas boas, lyrics que ficam na cabeça, energia contagiante. nota 4

the sampling and beatmaking on this record is incredible, hugely influential. another album that gets better as the tracklist goes on, which i always love. however, i think the beastie boys get stronger lyrically in the coming albums, this one is still a lottttt of girls and parties rap. lots of fun but i don't consider this their best- but it's still a damn beastie boys album so it's always in the rotation

i really do hate the whole "you can't make Blazing Saddles today" thing people do, because it's both true (you don't really need to make fun of cowboy movies anymore) but for the wrong reasons (Evil Woke Liberals). however, i say this will all of my heart: you cannot go to Capitol Records, tell them "hey, I want to make a record with these new producers just starting out using 100 samples" and expect them to just let you do it. nowadays they'd ask questions like "do you know how much money it would cost to clear all of that" and "i don't trust these guys, why don't we go with Rick Rubin" and "who the hell do you think you are?" everything just feels so fun and creative here, from the production to the flows (a lot of the bars goof around, but don't fully lean into novelty), and the cover even reflects that. it's messy, colorful, a little grimy, but not scary. just a fun time.

Can't fault it

⭐⭐⭐⭐– 3[.9] of 5 stars. I'm gonna be honest, this thing gives 90's frat party so much. Like seriously. The beats are really goofy and weird, but in a good way. I honestly enjoyed listening to this album, and will probably listen again. Also, I really love their vocal style - it's absolutely iconic. Overall, a really fun-to-listen-to, slightly goofy hip hop album. Favourites: Looking down the barrel of a gun⭐, What comes around, Shake your rump, The sounds of science, The B-Boy bouillabaisse collection. Dislikes: High plains drifter, Hey ladies.

Production is very musically rich when compared to today's hip hop.

One of the rappers is SO annoying but the others are pretty good. Beats are a bit mixed but some are amazing. Favourite songs: shake your rump, 3-minute rule, looking down the barrel of a gun, car thief, a year and a day (this one could be my favourite overall). overall around 7/10

os beat e o uso dos samples aqui são absurdo demais. muito bem produzido e mixado, fiquei supreso. mas é só isso mesmo. não piro mto no hiphop deles não, mas eles mandaram muito nessa produção aqui. o bom uso dos samples carregou o album nas costas papo reto

I'd recommend skipping the song Three Minute Rule because of its' vulgarity but the other full length songs on the album are great listens. Paul's Boutique is a great mix of hip hop, rap, soft rock, hard rock, blues sounds and electronic music with some truly hyper aware, non linear and precise production to carry this wide color palate selection. Many highlight songs such as The Sounds of Science and Shadrach show how these guys dimensions far deeper than the frat boy images their most well known for.I'd say that I haven't heard any rap/hip hop quite as flexibly eclectic as Paul's Boutique and it's a listen that pleasantly surprised me for the most part.

Good stuff

drei bis vier

this was great! i could see it growing into a five star record for me over time

This album was great. This sound sets the foundations of DnB and other dance music

Hvis bare mere Hip-Hop havde Beastie Boys’ legesyge og kaotiske tilgang… Kendte kun Shake Your Rump, men var vældig godt underholdt hele vejen, og konstant nysgerrig på hvad de fandt på som det næste. Objektivt set burde den nasale skingre måde at rappe på ikke være godt, men det fungere bare for dem.

I've listened to a few Beastie Boys albums but not this one for some reason. It's cool that somebody managed to make an album like this before record labels got so greedy about sampling The amount of samples is just ridiculous, I was going to try and pick out as many as I could but I couldn't be bothered. Because of the amount of samples, this feels very dense and pribably needs a lot of listens to really peel back the layers, especially because the vocals are weirdly somewhat low in the mix Some parts can feel a bit repetitive, like Johnny Ryall, as did High Plain Drifter a little bit (the weird moaning sample on that one is pretty annoying) It's probably not my favourite Beastie Boys album, I prefer their punkier style which there isn't much of on here. I did feel a little bit of fatigue too, but that's probably partly due to how dense it is like I mentioned Highlights: Car Thief, Egg Man

this album was a fun ride from start to finish. the boys from NYC really brought their “A game” with this one and it shows. many people consider this to be their best album, and it’s hard to argue with that.

Solid

still don't really like this era of hip-hop, but this is a really fun album. really creative production i fw it

brabo

Kaleidoscope sample rich 2nd album from the BBs. A massive landmark in The genre.

I gotta admit that the nasal style wears thin over the course of 53 min, but there's no denying the catchiness of many songs (Shake Your Rump, Egg Man, Hey Ladies, Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun, Shadrach), driven by so many fun samples & beats. So while I personally think this could have benefited from some trimming (or listening in smaller doses), can't deny the brilliance here.

Paul's Boutique has way less rock than I'm used to with the Beastie Boys, though to be fair, most of what I know is Licensed to Ill. Still, a lot of these tracks just make it impossible not to nod along. I'm not about to get up and dance to it, but if you're just kicking back with a beer or something, it's fucking perfect.

Every time I listen to the beastie boys I remember how top tier the production is.

a lot of beastie boys. started while cooking dinner, which was a vibe, but finished before bed and lying down while listening is less of a vibe. anyway, before listening to the album the beastie boys were mainly linked w GOG 3. listening to the album, they're v consistent w their thing - and i like car thief and get on the mic but it's a lot

Great album

Terwijl spotify van het ene nummer naar het andere nummer gaat merk ik dat de kleine pauze in nummers mijn oren goed doet. Alhoewel dit album kennelijk een 'landmark' in de hiphop scène was, met veel bekende samples waar mensen lyrisch over zijn, merk ik dat het gegil me veel afleidt. Misschien zou ik dit wel vet vinden in een film, er zitten absoluut sterke nummers tussen. Vanaf hey ladies durfde ik verder te luisteren dan het gegil en kwam ik er stiekem toch wel in Favorieten: The sounds of science (de tweede helft), hey ladies

3.5

Beastie Boys really confuse me. Like they sound so good, and yet so bad..?

it's the beastie boys, good, happy to start with music I think is good. what came first, samples still used today or the bb?

Not bad, didn’t finish completely

it was very raw and loved the engery in group vocals

Did a whole lot of jolly head banging, some giggling, and no skipping.

I got more stories than JD’s got Salinger - Definitely the album where they changed the game in terms of sampling with almost collage-like backing instrumentals. they’re still one album away from refining their vocal rhythm out of the 80’s; these songs aren’t quite as cohesive and diverse as what’s to come but we’ve got some bangers here nonetheless.

they were so cool

Dug all of the samples , made me think of interesting ways to start using samples when I’m playing music, the synth bass in shake your rump, before the slap bass sample was super cool, and the key change, and the different drum feels from the syncopated ride feel to the Latin drum, back into the 4 on the floor groove with the synth was rad, high plains drifter had that cool (1e bass not that I dug) I need to write a riff in my 404 with that

Mucho se ha escrito sobre este álbum: su imparable reconocimiento a lo largo del tiempo, su avalancha de samples, su influencia, su equilibrio... Beastie Boys son uno de los grandes del Hip Hop y siendo blancos nadie les ha puesto en duda, lo cual ya es un mérito. Licence to ill es el disco que mejor condensa su música, pero cualquiera y sobre todo este rayan a enorme altura. 1989: Stone Roses de Stone Roses, Playing with Fire de Spacemen 3,New York de Lou Reed, Doolitle de Pixies, On Fire de Galaxie 500, Disintegration de The Cure, Paul´s Boutique de los Beastie Boys, Technique de New Order, Freedom de Neil Young, Let Love Rule de Lenny Kravitz, The Seeds of Love de Tears for Fears, Automatic de Jesus and Mary Chain, Love and Rockets de Love and Rockets, Dum-Dum de las Vaselines, Spike de Elvis Costello, Rhythm Nation de Janet Jackson, Mind Bomb de The The, Mothers Milk de los Red Hot Chili Peppers, Full Moon Fever de Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Ojalá Que Llueva Café de Juan Luis Guerra, Shahen-Shah Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, The Raw and the Cooked de los Fine Young Cannibals, Primal Scream de Primal Scream, The Whitey Album de Ciccone Youth, Lōc-ed After Dark de Tone Lōc, 3 Feet High and Rising de De La Soul, 101 de Depeche Mode, Like a Prayer de Madonna, Nick of Time de Bonnie Raitt, No More Mr. Nice Guy de Gang Starr, Raw Like Sushi de Neneh Cherry, The Real Thing de Faith No More, Liquidizer de Jesus Jones, Heart Shaped World de Chris Isaak, Bleach de Nirvana, Velveteen de Transvision Vamp, Pump de Aerosmith, The Healer de John Lee Hooker, Crossroads de Tracy Chapman, Hats de The Blue Nile, All Hail the Queen de Queen Latifah, Done by the Forces of Nature de los Jungle Brothers, Back on the Block de Quincy jones, Me and a Monkey on the Moon de Felt, Ninety de 808 State, Hallelujah EP de los Happy Mondays o Pump Up the Jam de Technotronic, If I Should Fall From Grace With God de The Pogues, Soul II Soul- Club Classics Vol. One, Nick of time de Bonnie Raitt… Y como placeres culpables: Cuts Both Ways de Gloria Stefan, Foreign Affair de Tina Turner, ...But Seriously de Phil Collins y Neither Fish Nor Flesh de Terence Trent D'Arby

This was another good beastie boys record. Dust brothers produced I always thought Rick Rubin did all beastie boys records. I’m going give this 4. That maybe generous but that’s ok.

A masterclass in sampling by the Dust Brothers. The Beasties don't have an armchair ride though - I can't imagine any other act from the time sounding good rapping over wherever the Wheel-of-Sampling landed on. It's goofy, corny, of-its-time, yet nothing else sounds like it.

Solid. Like the development in sound and production post Licensed to Ill. The Bouillabaisse might have been my favorite.

Lotttta B Boys. Kind of cool to listen to these so close to one another - one of the more impressive progressions of a band we've seen. This is the rawest/most intesnse album of the three. Feels more like art compared to the other two. Considerable improvement over their first album and feels like the purest form of the their sound. It is impressive this was made in 1989 and it really shows the possibilities of hip-hop. It also makes we wonder why more artist didn't push the boundaries . We have a few, but compared to this 90% of hip-hop feels lazy. As much as I've enjoyed our Beastie Boys journey I'm ready for a new deep dive.

I enjoy later Beasties more than this one but it is a major achievement. O wonder how many records from this list are sampled on it.

3.75

Favorite Track: Egg Man

Just an absolutely killer record. Some of the flows are a bit redundant, but the production might be the best of the whole decade.

Much better than the other two BB albums. Still don't really like the shouty vocals but the beats/production are real nice on this one. Fave Tracks: To All the Girls, Hey Ladies 3.6/5

Not my first listen. This is some goooooood shit!

i got this and was over the moon when i recognized the isley brother's sample in 'a year and a day' from kendrick lamar using it on his song 'i'. what a great birthday album

That was a tasty listen

So good to listen to the Beastie Boys again. I think many people still think of Beastie Boys as idiots but this is quality. Stunning production, sampling, bass, percussion.

Such an interesting and inventive album. There are a couple of great songs on here that stand well on their own but this is an album that works better as a unit. It's not something I'd want to listen to all the time though.

Decent am sure their other album is better

Really enjoyed it.

Following up a release such as "Licensed to Ill" is no easy feat. And I'll start off by stating that this does not quite match that debut effort in terms of individual track quality in my opinion. However, I will say that "Paul's Boutique" does feature some truly unique sampling all throughout. Apparently 105 songs are sampled in total here, which is absolutely astounding to me. We're talking samples of classic funk, soul, rock, etc. Now I know that the Beastie Boys are known for their heavy rock influence, but I can't think of another album that incorporates so many diverse song samples. The Beastie Boys really were their own act during this "golden" age of hip-hop, and "Paul's Boutique" showcases that. Looking outside of the plentiful sampling work, you've got the usual goofy storytelling and lyricism from Mike D, Ad-Rock, and MCA. While there are a lot of tracks, it doesn't really feel that bloated. The last "track" (which is basically a ton of bite-sized raps) showcases some of their breakneck & clever rhymes well, but I also enjoyed "Shake Your Rump", "The Sounds of Science", and "Shadrach". Looking forward to getting "Ill Communication" whenever it comes.

Beastie Boys are one of the most FUN groups to ever exist. fun, exciting, funny songs in every album. never boring - you can just feel how much fun they have recording all this stuff. also basically musical geniuses with the samples and stuff

Nunca había escuchado a los beastie boys, no esperaba que fueran Hip Hop, la verdad disfruté bastante

Classic golden age hip hop

This one brought back memories of being in the Navy chipping paint in a fan room listening this Beastie Boys cassette out of a boom box.

Really good

Veel vette beats, samples en raps. Wel veel hetzelfde, en te weinig grote hits

One of Beastie's best, may be the best

Ok. So, it's perfectly obvious to me that NYC in this era was a big bang of culture, creativity, art -- so much life. I'd even call it beauty or magic. But if I'm honest it does kinda feel almost like a religion, where maybe 'coolness' is the god. Or is it just youth? Sometimes I get swept up in it all, but the day after, looking back, I can't help but but have doubts in that god.

For some reason that I can't explain, I was not looking forward to listening to this. I think it is because I feared it would not hold up to Il Communication. Even I was prepared to give it a lesser rating... and because of that it took time for me to get into. But then I did. It is a little more explicit and the lyrics are just as fun, the energy is there, the spirit, the sillyness but still high musicianship... What's not to like?

Had me grooving only the way beastie boys can do

I don’t recall listening to this album as much as some others, but it is classic Beasties. The rhymes are solid and clever.

Twas a fun little album. Does it have the deepest lyrics, no. Is it profound? Also no. But is it just fun to listen to? Absolutely and that’s the appeal. Nobody takes the Beasties seriously, not even them. That’s the joy and what makes this album so fun to listen to.

Very much a Beastie Boys sound

to all the girls- 5 shake your rump- 6 or 7 johnny ryall- i wish i was the leader of the homeless. 6 or 7 egg man- 7 high plains drifter- 6 or 7 the sounds of science- 6 the three minute rule- 5 hey ladies- 6 5 piece chicken dinner- 7 looking down the barrel of a gun- 5 or 6 car thief- 6 what comes around- 5 shadrach- 6 ask for janice- 5 idk if its a 3 or 4

Not their best (yet)

One of the greatest early hip hop records, one which happens to be at its best when the elements of the band's hardcore punk past are seamlessly blended with the new sounds they were experimenting with.

Not my favorite Beastie Boys album, but still a really good/strong album. Exactly what you expect it to be.

Egg Man is a personal highlight

Catchy nonsense! Love it.

Not on Spotify

Супэр. Как альбом лучше, чем уже упоминавшийся в списке Ill Communication. Интересно, как к этой группе относятся хип-хоп пуристы. Лучшая песня - The Sounds of Science.

Great funky beats and rhymes. I've always known a few tracks off of this but it was great to finally listen to it all.

Too good. Not my favorite Beastie Boys, but still amazing.

Really enjoyed the lyrics and the mixing. Fewer hits than "License to Ill," perhaps, but more consistency throughout.

No big hits on this album, but still pretty solid overall

Hip hop rock jazz funk. Te hace mover la cabeza. Este album de ellos no me ha aburrido al final como "Ill Communication". Así que 4.

Pretty cool. Love all the samples. I really like the Beastie Boys and I know this one is a critic favorite but probably not my most favorite.

HEY LADIESSSSSS

good, high energy

no puedo no mover la cabeza. es imposible. automático.

Catchy

The beats are great, and the rapping is on point, but there's some cringey 90s-ness about this that I have trouble getting past for whatever reason. I'm not certain the lyrics aren't problematic in some regard either. Nevertheless, I like it, and might come back to it here and there.

An incredibly impressive feat of sampling wizardry that pins together the Beasties classic style of rapping. There are a few bangers on here with Shake Your Rump, Hey Ladies, and Shadrach. There’s a song that samples Curtis Mayfield, Funkadelic, Psycho, and Cheech and Chong and is about throwing eggs at a bald man, so that’s fun

I have never been a fan of the Beastie Boys, but my friend who is a big fan implored me to listen to this record as it is a "masterclass in sampling." He wasn't wrong. This is certainly the best Beasties I've heard. Their voices still sound like nails on a chalkboard for the most part, but the production quality and their rap content makes it tolerable. The beats are soulful, dingy, and raw. Their raps capture the moment of NYC in the late 80s and carries some of the sounds from that era, while also introducing the transition to the Golden Era of 90s hip hop. This was much better than I expected.

I have (and love) Licence to ill, student days and all that. One of the first albums that got me interested in hip-hop too. But I didn't know Paul's Boutique. I loved it. It doesn't have the hits of Licence to Ill but is more coherent and just sounds great (I love the basslines too). The use of samples is very clever. My only slight gripe is that the vocals are a bit too omnipresent for me (and quite samey). A more restrained use of vocals and a greater emphasis on the music would have been a 5* for me. Still a great album and worthy of the 1001 list.

A romp.

Would have liked them to switch up the flow, but pretty good

It grew on me

B- boys be rockin on and on. It’s no intergalactic…but solid

Production is great. Some of the changing of verses feels a little corny.

The one guy is whiny and annoying but the weave it all in to make it work somehow

Another one from the 1989 club. This is a nice companion to the De La Soul album from the same year; I'm not well versed in the genre but these were a great starting point. Really great production and appreciate the sampling. Very close to a five.

4.5 I think if your a true Beastie Boys fan (im not a fanatic or anything but appricate the work) this album would be your favorite . I remember listening it to it the first time and wondering what the big deal was about. Subsequent listens have improved that opinion. Brett is right it really should be viewed as an enitre album as opposed to a collection of songs.

TLDR; first half is meh, the second half is God-tier good; 4. But why did the Beastie Boys copy Mr Beast when picking their name???????? What I love about the Beastie Boys is their recognisable sound, they're one of those artists you can immediately tell it's them, even if you're not a fan - which I'm not generally. That's not to say I dislike the Beastie Boys, I just never took time to sit down and listen to them outside of a select few tracks which I love (So What'Cha want is such a bop it's unreal) and License to Ill. I genuinely think the first 5 songs or so in this album are a letdown just in terms of scope, I found them a bit plain and uninteresting. The instrumentals on this album are absolutely phenomenal from start to finish. I couldn't stand the first half of The Sounds of Science, but after that, shit got real and the song actually rocked. From there, 3-Minute Rule really started to pick things up for me. Instrumentals picked up, until 5-Piece Chicken Dinner. What the fuck was up with that? Anyways, this album is good. It wasn't a life changing listen, but it's fun, interesting, and honestly I'd definitely throw this album on when going for a drive.

Probably the most fun listen outside of MJ or Animal Collective so far. The samples used for their beats in this one are a real standout. Their style of yelling out one liners you feed the substitute teacher doesn't really grate on my nerves like it seems to with others but can make the album a bit samey in places. I feel like a lot of my favourite songs from this band come from other albums on this list. Highlights Shake Your Rump: ****1/2 Very bombastic opener, maybe their most underrated song. great lyrics and beat throughout Egg Man: **** Goofy ahh song, very catchy despite using psycho of all things as a sample lmao B-Boy Bouillabaisse: **** What even was this? a 12 minute mashup chopped up? its own mini album? I liked how a lot of it felt less over-produced than a lot of the other songs. It was basically a little demo reel of Beastie Boys. It starts a little slower but really picks up between stop that train and hello brooklyn.

To All The Girls - I identified with the lyrics of this song in a big way. This review goes out to all the Oriental girls. Shake Your Rump - A really fun one, really liked the instrumentals and samples. Johnny Ryall - Another really fun one, really liked the instrumentals and samples. Egg Man - quite wild and even frenetic in parts, but I still liked it a lot High Plains Drifter - not a fan of this one, samples were all kinds of fucked up, and the vocals were not as good as the others so far The Sounds of Science - this song is is all over the place, better after the midpoint. The Beatles guitar sample was an great choice. 3-Minute Rule - loved the bass. I liked the tempo on this one. Solid beats and samples. Lyrics are better than many of the others on this album so far. Hey Ladies - immaculate track, everything going for it. Instrumentals going very hard. Vocals are more my speed. Lyrics are fun and have a great energy. Samples are on POINT. 5-Piece Chicken Dinner - pretty neat I enjoyed it, stick out pretty hard and was quite jarring off the back of Hey Ladies. Looking Down The Barrel of a Gun - HARD. Really cool track. Not sure if I enjoyed this one because of the rock samples they picked or if it was just really well mixed but this was good stuff either way. Car Thief - fantastic instrumentals, enjoyed the lyrics a lot. What comes around - really fun lyrics, but the instrumentals were a bit more lopsided than others, not as sharp as others on this album. Shadrach - I liked the Mario Andretti reference. Track was standard fare otherwise. B-Boy Bouillabaisse - I really liked A Year and A Day, Hello Brooklyn. Didn't really like AWOL. The rest were all pretty good. I've listened to only a couple Beastie Boys tracks before, nothing from this album. I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. A few tracks I saved for really hitting the spot. Not a genre that is really my speed but I've got to recognise a great album when I hear it. To summarise, this album is a trip, it's got funky beats, and I can bug out to it!

An interesting treatise from professors emeritus Dr. Michael D. Phd., Dr. ADROCK Phd., and Dr. MCA Md., which asks such thought provoking questions as: which ethnicity of woman in New York is the baddest, What would happen if I threw eggs through the windows of passing cars, and perhaps the most novel question of all, is it possible to sound any more Jewish?

Huh. I dug this more than License. Less shouty and annoying and posturing. Better produced.

Love TBB. While this album has some sweet songs, it’s not my favorite by them. But it’s a great follow up to Licensed to Ill. I could listen to TBB everyday.

Wild and fun!! Those samples and beats were insane, I was bouncing all over the place!! Love the way the b boys play off each other!!

A lot going on, and good samples throughout, but not as enjoyable on the second listen. 3.5

Very fun.

AHHH YEAH. I really, really regret selling this record. I don't care what you say, this shit is BADASS.

Well that was a bit of fun. Innovators? Cultural appropriationists? Beastie’s are complicated but always in yo face. Great mix of old school and what would become their signature guitar-wailing rock fusion. Always love the three-headed flow and absurd lyrics. NYC surrealist hip-hop that paved the way for Nü Metal and a thousand terrible dad raps. Definitely culture shifting. I know top notch MC'ing is always going to have a gross amount of bravado and machismo but the sexist lines do cause 2024 cringing. Made me feel 12 years old trying to smoke home-rolled cigarettes and riding BMX’s into a lake. And you don’t stop...

Cool jams from back in the day

I think one significant benefit to joining this project is learning that there is more to the Beastie Boys than "Fight For Your Right". This is the third lp I've listened to by them and enjoyed them all.

Not my favorite songs by the Beastie Boys, but the production with the layered samples and how well they work together is pretty astounding. This is one of the few albums on the list that I think truly could not be made today, just based on the licensing costs it would incur alone.

Classic

Pretty good. Some very nice moments on here. It’s fun catching samples of other artists (at least one I recognized from a recent album on this project).

The way that hip-hop has opened up and allowed itself to become one with so many other genres is a beautiful thing. And its producers are largely the reason that this has happened. It’s why I have so much respect for those people. Beastie Boys definitely stand out. Because as much as it pains me to admit, white people don’t have the strongest track record in rap history. The ones that have made a name for themselves are few and far between. Vanilla Ice really doesn’t represent us very well. But these guys are different. Three of New York’s rowdiest white boys. Licensed to Ill definitely highlights that rowdiness in a juvenile way. Paul's Boutique doesn’t abandon that aspect of their music. But it evolves their sound in the best way possible. The sample work here is pure excellence. It’s another one of those situations that makes me question why people scoff at sampling so much. This is a precursor to fantastic albums like Endtroducing..... and Since I Left You. It may not be as complex as those, or have nearly as many samples, but they still use them creatively to their fullest extent. And talk about not limiting yourself. The variety of works they are pulling from here is vast. They chose to not be bound by any preconceived ideas of what hip-hop instrumentals should sound like. Especially in the late 80s, where everyone sort of sounded the same, but certain people were finally starting to branch out. This took a little warming up for me, but once it clicked, I was having a great time. It’s crazy how much this impacted the sound of experimental hip-hop. I don’t think artists like Danny Brown or Earl Sweatshirt would have the same style of production if it weren’t for this. It still generally sticks to funk and rock samples, but I’m sure there are dozens I can’t identify just off of one listen. I also love the integration of the samples themselves. Producers create the beats that act as avenues for artists to express themselves over. But they rarely feel like more than just a backdrop. The way the samples, particularly the ones containing vocals, are laid out on this record, and then built upon by all three MC’s with their verses is so cool. Their rhyme schemes often match up with the sample, which implies the instrumentals were made first, and then the lyrics were written to support them. It’s honestly genius. There are less interesting songs here and there. But overall this is pretty great throughout. It’s the perfect example of pure hip-hop ingenuity. And of course it came from the guys with the goofiest sense of humor and lyricism. Rating: 8/10

Despite the fact that a lot, and I mean a lot, of Beastie Boys songs sound very similar to one another, I still find myself loving them. Some of the most genuinely fun music that I can think of. I don't think this is as quite good as their debut album, but nonetheless it's still got some great songs, interspersed with weird interstitial material. This album gets a solid 4 simply for Egg Man alone.

Shake Your Rump, Johnny Ryall, and Shadrach are the Standouts here.

There's a really dirty bass riff in Shake Your Rump that was great. I quite like the beats but some of the rapping takes a bit of getting used to. Constant sampling. The Sounds of Science started off weird but gets going in the second half and 3 Minute Rule has another real grimy bassline, digging it. First verse is particularly good. Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun might be the best track here, menacing heavy stuff. Car Thief also good and the multi part finale is a pretty strong finish. Not everything hits, but this is important stuff.

hmmmmmmmmmm high 3 low 4 76/100

I don't think it has the hooks or "in-your-face-ness" of the other few Beastie Boys albums I've had, but still a very quality listen with tons of hilarious or silly lyrics from the Boys. 7/10

I’m at a 4, which is kinda disappointing, somehow. I dunno, I guess I was really prepared for a 5, but a few tracks here and parts of the big medley at the end just didn’t quite grab me. Regardless of that, I did enjoy most of this album. Other than the revolutionary sample usage here, which is an incredible triumph for 1989 and an incredible tonesetter for rap production in the future… …honestly, I just don't think there's a lot to wax poetic on. Don’t get me wrong; the beats are great, the flow is great, the lyrics are pretty good, and I think for the most part, the energy stays at a good point throughout. This *IS* the Beastie Boys, and they’re doing great work on most of this album. There’s just something about a few tracks that I simply felt weren’t too captivating or engaging enough for me to really like them like that. It could just be fatigue from its length or the fact that there’s not any breaks like on Ill Communication. It’s honestly really weird, because I’d probably normally just look past it, but for some reason, when you just know something isn’t as good as you want it to be, you can just feel it. This album is still very good, but it falls short of hitting that 4.5 mark, and even if it had, I’m not quite sure I could bump it up. Regardless though, it’s no less than a 4 – it’s a super fun album that just kinda fell short for me in a few spots, but it’s a great listen and a great way to cap off 1980s rap.

More groovy.

I enjoyed this album all the way down to the same of the Eagles. Definitely surprised me. 3.6 with the benefit of rounding up to a 4!

This is their best one so far

I enjoyed this album. It is good beats and fun. Tailed off a bit at the end for me. Thought it was bonus tracks but it was not -1

I really enjoyed this album. There's just an originality factor that I love.

The beats are great.

The sample work absolutely out does (and probably hides some of the inadequacies of) the lyrical content and style of the whole album. What a masterpiece of beat manipulation, and I guess it suits the three styles that the actual Beastie Boys have. The dust brothers must’ve spent an eternity creating this stuff, and it’s really great. Their rapping style is a real “you like it or you don’t”, but I did find it growing on me, like it does for all their other albums. It always takes me 2 or 3 songs to get in to it. I do love how they pass off the mic to each other within the verses rather than trying to do individual ones like so many other groups do, and they’ve always done it this way. “Car Thief” is my favorite here, and in addition to the way they rap it, the best lines are in it too (“The godfather of soul in the belly of the beast/smokin that dust at St. Anthony’s feast”). The B Boy suite might as well be a different album, and I feel like it’s the cuts they didn’t want to make in to a full song but were too good to drop. I like “Hello Brooklyn” the most out of it though the fast paced nature of it makes it all good. None of it feels over cooked for that reason. Fun record to revisit.

Feels incredibly transitory from old "party" beastie boys to their next evolution. Very good.

Hi quality beats manufactured in NYC.

I don't fully know what this is but it was a lot of fun. Favourite track: Johnny Ryall.

Absolutely incredible. This came out in the 80s?

Catchy for sure

8.5/10

Highlights: Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun

the beastie Boys are, you'd never guess it, pretty irritating to listening to for an album length period of time. but Paul is pretty good ain't he. some of the most masterful lectures in creating punchy, sample-based bangers hip hop ever produced

Thanks to the 1001 list, I think I realize that I'm a fan of the Beastie Boys. However, I don't think this is their best album (as the Wikipedia page appears to argue) since it's too unorganized and doesn't look coherent. Not all albums in the world should be coherent, but all the Beastie Boys albums I got here were, so it's a problem for me. An expectation problem, but still. Great album, though!

Changed the game.

Beastie Boys are a treat as usual, could see this becoming 5 star with repeat listens

Amazing album! But very hard to listen to all in one sitting, I've never tried that before. I'm impressed by just how much they have managed to put together with the samples and sounds here. Quite a few I've heard before, and so many completely new ones!

Few do it like the Beastie Boys. This oozes cool, great listen

Free flowing, full and funky. One of the Beastie boys best be sure.

I loved this.

enjoyable album kinda my shit i cant lie 3.8/5

such a fun album i'm obsessed. egg man especially, what an experience. the sounds of science has to be a fave (although i must say his voice does get to you after a bit...) overall a delightful listen but i don't think may of the songs I would just casually listen to

I've heard the beastie boy's first album and thought it was impressively mediocre- while each of the members are outspoken activists nowadays, 'Licensed to Ill' was just a bunch of clearly-talented edgy white kids spewing misogynistic vitriol That said, this album is leagues better- a massive improvement on all fronts. I genuinely think this is fantastic, and might be one of my favourite hip-hop albums of the 80s. Is it entirely devoid of the misogyny of the first album? Certainly not- though it's vastly vastly more muted, and they wouldn't really move towards making amends for another half a decade. However I do think that especially with the context of growing up, apologising (famously) and decades of activism since, this album stands Very well on its own. 4 stars

Actually some good tracks here

Not as good as Licensed to Ill but still solid overall.

Certainly not my favorite Beastie Boys album, but still good

It’s a trip, it’s got a funky beat, and I can bug out to it.

Super creative.