Paul's Boutique

Much better album than the last one on here. It still is there signature shout rap, but the beats were more solid and lyrics flowed a lot better.

I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I think I like this better than License to Ill. Maybe that's just because the former is so familiar and the latter is much less so. But, in many ways, it's better. Not as "raw" as LtI, but thoughtfully-produced I would say. They show some more range on this one.

Having previously had license to III I wasn’t expecting much from this. But this is much better, the sampling clearly set a high bar for future hip hop records.

Hey laaaaaaaadiessss! GREAT album!

Outstanding!

Beastie Boys don't usually do it for me, but this was good. Great production, couple standout tracks.

Þið skiljið ekki hvað mér finnst Beastie Boys skemmtilegir. Geggjuð plata.

So much better than Licensed To Ill, a real breakthrough album.

I get why people adore the Beastie Boys. I get the cultural significance. It's not always for me but it's good.

Sick beats and sick flows. Fire album tbh. Fav songs are Shake Your Rump, Egg Man, High Plains Drifter, and Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun.

Really fun album. Love the Dust Bros production...very similar to one of my all time favorites Odelay. Part of me wonders what the Beastie Boys trajectory would have been if they would have made subsequent albums with this duo. 4.5/5

Layers on Layers of samples. All pre-court case where it didn't bankrupt them to do so. A big change from the Licensed to Ill and not as approachable on the first listen. It's definitely an album I've enjoyed more on each listen. BTW if you are interested in the Beastie Boys at all, their book is great and the audio book version is even better.

4/5. Very neat sampling all over it. The boys have good chem too. Pretty fun

Offerings from Beastie Boys are consistent, their sound unique, and they are remarkably groovy. Beastie Boys as a rap artist is not always the easiest to reconcile and this album is no exception because of how different it is from hiphop. "Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun" is a gritty, prescient 'djent' song with a more subdued hype than "Sabotage". This album is a testament to their ability to evolve and yet keep their soul.

I imagined this album to be the transition from Licence to I'll to Check Your Head. Truth is, it is way more Ill than I remembered. Fun, but not quite the brilliance of the next release.

Some classic rap here. I'm bumping it up a star for the Beatles sample and the Bob Dylan reference.

Genre: East Coast Hip Hop 4/5 A true Hip Hop album unlike any other, Paul's Boutique is an exercise in sampling that takes the tactic to the extreme. The only sounds heard throughout the album are sampled from previous materials, whether it be the drums, keys, vocal samples, it's all done by The Dust Brothers, who'd later gain fame as the guys who wrote the score to Fight Club. Each beat provides an intense listening experience when coupled with the Beastie Boys unique rapping style, filled with one-liners and pop culture references as far as the eye can see. It's an experiment that was worthy of being done, and it pays off big time. The true stars are the Beastie Boys: Mike D, MCA, and Ad Rock. Their lyrics, while not as poignant as their conscious counterparts of the day, do have a political tinge to them. Anti-government and anti-corporate views mingle with one-liners about not wanting to be the creepy guy at the party and other social circumstances. It's all done with impeccable timing and flow, and the rhymes are enhanced with the occasional vocal sample punchline to end a verse. With samples from The Beatles to Johnny Cash to everyone in between, this project is a real treat to listen to. It sounds old school, but it does still have a genuine freshness to it, which is a testament to its individuality. The 12-minute/9-part epic, B-Boy Bouillabaisse, that ends the album is something that doesn't get enough credit for how well executed it is. Shake Your Rump, Car Thief, and The Sounds of Science are some of the best in the Beastie Boys discography, but their big hits and early success unfortunately drown out what I think is their best work. Really good shit, and an album that should titillate any music fan's tastes.

legal, divertido, vibin

Super cool, with a huge number of samples used (over 100 songs sampled apparently), Paul’s Boutique is incredibly dense both musically and lyrically. And while it can sound somewhat muddled at times due to the sheer amount going on in the mix on any given song at any given time, it’s huge fun 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.

J'aime bien le mix des beasties boys de sortir des chansons rap avec du rock/funk etc. Ca c'était pas fait beaucoup à l,époque et ca reste très actuel. Cependant, le flow sur certaines chansons laisse à désirer et est limite répétitif. Quand même un super album. 4

Had "License to Ill" only a few days ago, and the contrast is pretty stark. The production is so much more mature here, even if the lyrics very much aren't, which is I guess part of the Beasties' charm, heh. Fave track - "High Plains Drifter", I reckon, or maybe "Shadrach"

Not the greatest album I’ve ever heard by far, but a fun listen none the less. This album definitely shows artistic growth since the Boys first album. The production and use of samples are top notch, and the funny, tongue in cheek lyrics make up for the fact that they can still be a little elementary at times. Overall a good, classic hip hop album.

For a teen girl in England Beastie Boys were just mindblowing. This album still holds up today, it doesn't sound at all dated. There is such innovation running through every track. Wonderful.

Great bench mark album, As this is where the style and sound progress from the snotty teen anthems of their first album! It's transition album from Licence To Ill to Check Your Head, Stand out tracks would be Looking down a barrel of a gun and Shake your rump.

Best beastie boys record. The sampling and production are insane

I was never really into the Beasties back then but listening back now this is really pretty good - fresh, powerful and full of glee!

So fun. Gotta listen when I can payment attention to the samples.

I’ve heard about this album for years and years, but hadn’t listened until today. Now I get the hype - one of the best rap albums out there (but I really haven’t heard that many). Good rappin’, rhymin, beats and attitude. On the fence between four and five stars.

completamente estarrecido com o que acabei de ouvir

Just enjoy listening to some Beastie Boys

Amazing beats, but the rapping wasn’t really my cup of tea. The sampling was outstanding and the beats super enjoyable 4/5 - Maybe a bit too much shouting, but man the production is pretty incredible

This is the second Beastie Boys' album on this list. The first was Ill Communication. This a better album than that album. The album has a lot of sampling and the lyrics are good.

4,5! masterpiece, original sound, very influential, beastie boys are the real pioneers, awesome production, og oldschool sound, massive number of samples

não é o que eu ouvIrIa usualmente mas é legal e é de 89 ;)

This follow up to Ill Communication was considered a flop when the Beasties moved from their party-boy anthems to well written verses with good sampling and actually playing their instruments. It didn't take long for this to become and underground hit and now rivals Ill Communication as their best - I do give Paul's Boutique the edge over the prior. 4/5.

It's definitely better than "License To Ill" so there's that. The beats aren't built, though. They're wholesale ripped off and, while that was a thing, it's still kinda crappy. The lyrics, while dated, are almost entirely better and more mature than their freshman effort, though. Not hard considering how young they were when "License to Ill" was released. Overall, it's a fun record and worth the time.

Sick

Loved the samples.

Superb sampling.

I understand why this is sampled so frequently.

Energetic and fun, absolutely classic breakthrough album

The production and samples used are off the charts. A classic for a reason.

I don't have many regrets as far as choices I've made for my music collection (LPs, CDs, tapes etc.). One regret I do have is trading my Beastie Boys cassette of Paul's Boutique for a Mick Jagger (?) CD. What was I thinking?! At the time, I wasn't a fan of rap (still not really a fan), but what I was missing out was an important piece of music from the still relevant BB's that many consider an essential listen. This is the first time I listened all the way through and it was very enjoyable. Some of my music tastes have changed, (or evolved?) and I'm more open now to more styles of music. Thankfully with music streaming sites I don't have to re-buy the tape for another listen.

Muito diferente do que eu costumo ouvir. Gostei de Johnny Ryall. O restante talvez eu precise de mais costume.

Sounds like the resting state of my ADHD brain

Definitely a classic. I generally like the beastie boys.

Unexpected fun. Love the white boy false bravado. Only a couple of steps removed from rappin' grannies.

The first album is better

Great Album. Nothing to dowith the first one. Superfly, Jaws, psico, are only a few samples used in this record. Great sound

like the 4th(?) rap album I've listened to in my life but aye it's good, it's fun. More of this, less of Metallica please

Oh yeah, this was wayyyy more up my alley than previous entries. I was jamming out to this shit! I was actually sad when it ended, wanted it to keep going. I'll be the first to admit that Beastie Boys can be corny as all heck, but I really just do not care because it's hella enjoyable. Love their delivery & energy, and I was really enjoying the beats.

Not bad but I think there are better BB albums

This is another album that I've always intended to listen to, based on it's reviews, but never quite managed to sit down with. The samples are transcendent, even when paired by bizarre lyrics. Egg man is a great example of this: a song all about throwing eggs is paired with samples from Pusher Man and Psycho in a way that completely works. What's amazing about this album is how much you will recognize when you start to focus on the different sounds you hear. While I wish sometimes that their rapping was a bit more interesting, it's good enough, and it fits with a lot of the rap of the time. The samples, and their chemistry as a group, make this album work incredibly well. The fact that this was among the first hip-hop albums that could be considered as an album rather than a collection of individual songs packaged together adds to its significance (though I would give more credit to It Takes a Nation of Millions by Public Enemy on that front) 4/5

A perfect follow up to Licence to Ill. You can spend weeks tracing the origins of the samples on this album. This was the album that set the Beastie Boys on their path to alt-rap greatness

Amazing production. Really cool use of various samples. Great groove and flow. The energy is maintained throughout the entirety of the album. Really fun listen.

Sampling masterpiece. Underrated classic hip hop album

I specifically remember when Paul's Boutique came out and I was not super impressed with it for all the reasons that certain people were not impressed with it. I'm not quite ready to embrace it as a beloved classic, but ok, it's influential. I also don't like that "Hey Ladies" is my favourite track, especially when it's not even close to being one of their best. (Pls, let's talk about Hello Nasty.)

Lots of Beastie Boys lately. They weren't always my favorite and their voices can be a little grating but they've grown on me. I didn't realize how much Sublime lifted directly from them.

Witty, dense and timeless

Mostly fantastic grooves and beat. The rapping is fun and interesting, if a little sneering.

nice

Didn’t pay much attention, but a good beat

negatives: couple of songs I didn't like, notably High Plain Drifter, and a little too long... I was kinda over it 35min in so 53 min is a little too much otherwise I mean it's really good and I respect it a lot despite it not really being my style. I feel like it could grow on me even more too, to be honest

If “License to Ill” is “Meet the Beatles”, then “Paul’s Boutique” is “Sgt Pepper’s.” 
License to Ill is more easily digestible, fun, and in the best way possible, safe listening experience. It takes me back to a very particular place and I remember playing it over and over as a kid. Now 30+ years later as an adult, I can still do that without tiring of it. Paul’s Boutique is the more artistic and edgy album and takes risks. Those risks didn’t pay off at the time as the album was a commercial and critical failure, but listening to it now the experimental and ballsy quality of the writing shows the Beastie Boys growl as a band. They were moving from Brooklyn to Los Angeles and the changes in perspective after the success of License to Ill definitely shines out and seems daring even when it doesn’t always make for the most enjoyable listening experience. It serves as a love letter to their hometown. Like most letters written after the fact, it romanticizes things in different way than we did when we were there. License to Ill will always be my go to Beastie Boys album, primarily because of it’s simplicity, familiarity and fun. (Girls not withstanding, but the band has addressed that problematic like product of its era). That doesn’t take anything away from Paul’s Boutique though which is a brilliant album with influences you can easily hear in the works of Lin Manuel Miranda, Eminem, & even Jay-Z. There is plenty of room for both, and like the Beatles albums - the differences hidden within the similarities is part of what makes these albums great.

Such fantastic sampling on this album. The cover is iconic too. Not my favorite album of theirs but I love it still.

A great album. Love how all the samples blend together and every line is a punchline

I knew they are cool, but still surprised by the groove and funk on this album. Top.

Not much genre per se, but entire album shows the amazing craftsmanship they had

Pretty fun! I really liked a lot of these tracks and the samples were cool, but I felt that there were some obnoxious moments and a lot of filler 7/10

Kolejne zwierzakowe bojsy wlecialy, pauls boutique to drugi album bandy, dodakowo 25 lipca byla 32 rocznica wydania plyty, wiec lista prawie trafila z data, tym razem nie az tak klasyczny jak licensed to ill, ale jednak i tak dalbym go w top 3 beastiowych plyt, jesli chodzi o influencyjnosc materialu zaprezentowanego na tym krazku, wydany 3 lata po wielkim komercyjnym sukcesie debiutowego illowego albuma, nie zebral az tak szerokiego poklasku, ale jednak wsrod fanow klasyki jest to niezwykle wazna pozycja, jesli chodzi o techniki wykorzystane na produkcji, to slychac prawdziwa rewolucje, tym razem za masteringiem nie stal pan rubinowy, tylko the dust brothers znani ze swojego mocno samplowego stylu tworzenia trakow, dodatkowo wsparciem inzynierskim byl pan mario caldato, ktorego byly to pierwsze kroki w murzynskim biznesie, no i same zwierzaki mialy ogromny wplyw na brzmienie materialu koncowego, bo niby lekkie duchy z chlopakow, to jednak podobno katowali produkcje w celu osiagniecia brzmienia jaki chcieli uzyskac w swych marzeniach, wracajac do sampli, to chyba ciezko o bardziej osamplowany material, jesli chodzi o mainstreamowe wydania, 55 minutowy material jest oparty na 105 samplach, nie moglo ozywiscie zabraknac bongowego rokowania, ktory pojawil sie wczesniej na liscie, przy czym az 24 sample sa na jednym traku, zamykajacej krazek 12 minutowej rapowej suitcie b boj bouillabaisse, takie instrumentale o wiele bardziej pasuja do komicznych liryk i dialogowego prowadzenia trakow jaki prowadza bojsy, da sie uslyszec takze teksy o wiele bardziej przemyslane i nie tak przystepne dla sluchacza radiowego, wiec po komercyjnym sukcesie chlopaki spelnili sie takze jako tworcy tworzac cos naprawde orginalnego co zmienilo cala rap gre, tworzenie kawalkow na multi samplingowych lejerow, to przeciez 90s w pigulce, dlatego jak dla mnie jest to moj ulubiony material boysow, na plejaka leci looking down the barrel of a gun, prawie otwierajacy shake your rump, prawie bo jednak pierwszy kawalek na trakliscie to to all the girls, a do bab krotka pilka i 30 sekundowy trak calkowitej ciszy majacy przygotowac sluchacza na sampelkowy rolercoster jaki ma uslyszec w nadchodzacych 50 minutach, gdyby inne rapowe albumiki mialy takie omowienie sampelkowe jak ten, to moje zycie byloby o wiele latwiejsze, jesli chodzi o szukanie materialow zrodlowych, no i ostatni trak to the sounds of the science

Fantastic album. None of the big hits that id know well. Typical Beastie Boys humour

Just ok

Interesting album. Lots of samples. Very different to licensed to ill. Still holds up well

Solid album with a good sound. I’d never turn down a listen to it, even though it isn’t my particular vibe.

Influential album and LOVE BEASTIE BOYS FOREVER

Was never bored. Great Sample, great beats

The Beastie Boys are always good. The only problem with them is a lot of their music sounds the same.

Hadn't heard this particular album before. Standard BB faire, pretty decent. 4/5

Klasik album osamdesetih sa klasičnim coverom. Općenito su jako utjecajni na mnoge kulture u glazbi, ali ovaj album mislim da sam najviše slušao kada sam bio zainteresiran u njih. Općenito nekada njihov flow i glas zna biti piiiiinkicu odbojan, ali sve u svemu je ovo jedan odličan album. Ako već neki album od njih po meni zaslužuje ovaku ocijenu, to je onda ovaj momak.

Man, them boys just sound like they’re having the time of their lives. Infectious joy and contagious enthusiasm, with gleefully rough edges. I noticed here that despite the Beasties(?) rapping to the same pattern, more or less, regardless of the beat, it never gets tired because of (1) that infectious delight in what they’re doing and (2) their actual rhymes are never staid or predictable, indicating a good deal of craft. Also, they win Best Egg Man in Music. There, I said it.

Definately ahead of its time. Aged well. I liked it.

Guess what, still good!

Yeh, decent, better than the last beastie boys album I got. Still a bit gimmicky though. Some later tracks decent. 'A Year and a Day' real decent. 4/5

Saved Prior: None Off Rip: Shake Your Rump, Johnny Ryall, Egg Man, Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun, Shadrach, B-Boy Bouillabaisse: A Year And A Day, B-Boy Bouillabaisse: Hello Brooklyn, B-Boy Bouillabaisse: Dropping Names Cutting Edge: Car Thief Overall Notes: Pretty good. More of a technical marvel with all the sampling than a musical marvel, but still enjoyed a fair amount of tracks. Low 4.

Really enjoyed this, not totally sure what they were saying half the time, but loved the sampling and vocal energy, proper vibe! Great for doing jigsaws to! ;)

A crass yet compelling mélange. Definitely need to listen to this again, under more focused circumstances.

Well that was a lovely surprise. Bloody loved that. Kitchen disco. Post dinner vibes. Will listen again🥳 DANNY

Beastie Boys + Dust Brothers = really fun album

Love the vibes. There's definitely a certain sound that you can only get from sampling, a sound that is synonymous with specific genres. It's quite remarkable there are SO many samples on this record. 8/10

Such a good album. Been far too long since I've listened to it. Love all the samples! Songs flew by. Only album I've listened to twice in the day so far.

pretty groundbreaking in its day and a big leap from fight for your right. 4

Not their best but a still great.

Worth a double listen

Surprised this one was in there, but welcome.

Probably the strongest Beastie Boys album. 7 or 8/10, best track is easily '5-piece chicken dinner'

:))))))))))))))))))

great one

Full of Humour and charm, these boys from Brooklyn sure do know how to do sample. Excellent Mixing.

Markedly better than Ill Communication. Part of that is probably because this is from '89 instead of '94: it does sound dated, but it should sound dated. Even still, the instrumental flourishes all over this album are interesting. The beats are very basic, but different samples and basslines elevate this above standard fare. I heard samples of stuff like Superfly, Mississippi Queen, the Jaws Theme, Ballroom Blitz, That Lady (which was also sampled by Kendrick on "i"), Folsom Prison, and Good Times. The perfect album to show to people who hate on sampling in hip hop. Now I can safely say that, despite my distaste for the other album, I'm not a Beastie Boys hater. Favorite tracks: Hey Ladies, Egg Man, Shake Your Rump, 3-Minute Rule, Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun. Album art: This one's a bit of a classic. It reminds me of the Bowie album cover that also features a street scene. This seems to be a common theme for many artists to do a cover like this, but it works. 4/5

Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique - Shake Your Rump - nice "bass" brass - Egg Man - Superfly sample! Epic Meme Sample in the outro! - High Plains Drifter - strong 808 vibes there, but moans where unsettling - The Sounds of Science - is this a parody? a mockery of science? but the second part has so much energy, i like that - Hey Ladies - funky groove, especially the cowbell/a-go-go thing and ballroom blitz sample = superb - Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun - triggers serious bass-face! FAZIT: Golden Age of Hip-Hop, definitely. I liked it.

Fun record, so many samples. I get the critical reception.

Sgt pepper van de samples Horrorcompilatie is goed

Sound of Science is the best

4.5 | Se me hace muy fortuito e interesante que este disco haya salido justo después de Run-DMC, acabando casi de hablar cómo aquel disco era la máxima expresión de cierto estilo de rap en los 80s y aquí tenemos un gran ejemplo de cómo evolucionó ese estilo particular. Saliendo de un primer disco bastante decente, divertido, del cual no hablaré más porque de seguro vendrá en la lista (aunque en mi opinión su necesidad es algo dudosa dentro de la misma), cuando quizá se les consideraba que no serían más que un one-hit wonder sacan lo que en mi opinión es su mejor disco. Es un album fantástico, tiene un centro temático en sus letras (que evolucionan ahora a mucho más que canciones medio de fiesta), incluso para los estándares de hoy, musicalmente es impresionante la técnica y calidad de sampleo. El simple número gigantesco de samples y la variedad de sus orígenes es casi incomprensible; por un lado lo podría considerar CASI como parte de plunderphonics. El disco da una experiencia desorientadora pero perfectamente planeada en su aspecto musical. Es, en mi opinión, un gran logro especialmente en el lado de producción para todo el hip-hop. En comparación de nuevo con algo como Run-DMC aquí se nota lo opuesto, un lado musical y de producción fuertísimo y letras que si bien son buenas en su estilo y cadencia y tienen coherencia, quizá les falta un poco de complejidad estructural para ser tan brillantes como el lado musical y a quien no le agrade pueda sentir incluso que suena similar y tan infantil como el primer disco (lo cual en mi opinión está muy lejos de la realidad). Para mí, el mejor disco de los Beastie Boys y si bien no tiene sus sencillos más conocidos sí es su mejor trabajo.

Dope. Now I get the hype!

Surprisingly good. Never gave the group a chance prior to this.

bonkers sampling

Album fantastico. Sound iconico ed inconfondibile. Alcune canzoni sono esilaranti.

although most of the tracks had a similar style, the funky guitar and loud hip hop lyrics make this album cool crisp n catchy

theyre so cool and funny

Class.

Que maestría de sampleo, al leer cuántas canciones son te das una idea de la magnitud del trabajo de mezcla. En 5 piece chicken dinner ya estaban cayendo pero de repente comienza Looking down the barrel of a gun con ese sampleo atascadísimo de Mississippi Queen y me dió levantón

So much groove and energy. I feel like I need to spend a lot more time with this to really unlock it. It's certainly pretty weird.

Great choice in samples. It's a fantastic merging of rock and hip hop. The ending of the last song is the best.

I mean, they sample the Beatles

I liked it - baselines especially - also muuch better than others i was sugested to listen lately so the 4* micht just be because it's actually "passable"

Don't listen to enough Beastie Boys!

So much happening in this album. These guys are like idiot savants. Love it!

Hip Hop style, good for dancing. Since the style of the music is loud, full vocal volume it is hard to listen to casually for me.

A treasure trove of music discovery through the samples.

Surprisingly more Jazzy

Possibly the best beastie boys album. Starts strong and ends strong

Rento meisinki ja biiti tarttuvia

Classic Beastie Boys.

Hip-hop in itself can be quite fun, but I can’t stand those whiny voices of the Beastie Boys for the length of a whole album. So, marks deducted for performance.

From the Vault #47 (January 11, 2026) Second Beastie Boys album already. I'm still getting used to hearing these albums in close proximity of one another now that I'm working my way down this list by genre and year of release. I listened to Licensed to Ill a few days back and wasn't big on it. It's already been memoryholed, truth be told, though I recall not getting down with the tacky instrumentals above all else. I'm pretty sure the vocals didn't move me, either, which is a shame as I think Mike D has a good singing voice. I've also verified that, tragically, "Intergalactic" doesn't appear on any of the albums which feature in the book. Unfortunate, as I've given it a relisten and can still put it down as one of the few hip-hop tracks I like. Anyways, I'm pretty sure this album is widely considered to be the Beastie Boys' best, so I'm curious to give it a go. Hello from two months later. I completely forgot to write this here review section after I had written out everything else, so I'm sitting my ass down in detention and finally paying my dues. I'm liking this album more now than I did when I first listened to it. My biggest gripe at the time was how empty these songs felt. There's a lingering feeling of dead air which hangs over these tracks, as if the music is muffled or only coming through one ear. Another point of criticism I had is that, while I appreciated the novel sampling, none of these samples worked together in a way which created immersive soundscapes or gripping instrumentals, which I blame as the sole cause for this album's feeling of emptiness. Listening to it now, I view the music through a slightly different lens. I think the stripped-back production serves to emphasise how methodical Beastie Boys' songwriting is. The album has a near-identical vocal delivery across its 15 tracks, yet I'm surprised that the band managed to make it work. I chalk it up to all three Beastie Boys being talented vocalists. Their foolhardy sound aligns with the lyrics quite nicely, too. Overall, this is a perfectly accessible release. It held my attention for the entirety of its runtime, which is a rare feat for music, even with the albums that I like. While I could feel the limitations of this music chafing at every moment, I suppose I respect this album. Book time. Plenty of diverse samples. One of the last sample-heavy albums to be released before there were significant law reforms surrounding uncleared samples. That's about it. Wikipedia says that while this album didn't perform as well as their debut, it was innovative within the hip-hop genre and has a very strong critic backing. Yup, this seems like a good enough pick to me. I cosign this inclusion.

During my listen I jotted down a lot of reasons why this album shouldn't work. The tracks overuse simple A/B rhymes throughout. The lyrics come off as something written by a unruly teenager trying to seem all fly and gangsta, but ultimately read more immature than cool. The overall feel of the album is Bart Simpson trying to stick the finger to teachers/adults. "59: Christie Street" is basically "Lolz I saw a vagina!" The lines are delivered in cartoonish almost goofy voices which made me think of Justin Roiland. It's like Mr. Meseeks and Mr. Poppy Butthole came together to record a hip hop album. However: Somehow it works. The trio delivers their wonky lines with such authenticity and ernisty that it comes off as fun, but never silly. It's the neighbourhood teenagers bullshit boasting about their misdeeds in such an endearing way that is infectious. The rebellious rascal energy of these troublemakers reminded me of my own teenage mindset, their bears made my head bop. I love that this album has moments like "5-Piece Chicken Dinner" which have no other purpose than to be fun, adding to this vibe. Ultimately I think it's a fun album, but it's too long for what it brings to the table. I think the album would have achieved the same energy and message at half its playtime. As it stands, It is a light 3 for me.

entiendo muchas cosas del hiphop con este disco. o sea no entiendo, pero me hacen sentido al escucharlas y entender que pueden provenir desde aquí. suenan MUY 90s.

I liked it more than I thought I would. I'd only heard one of their songs in full and wasn't really a fan of it, but the songs on this were catchy.

Good if youre angry

It's 3.5

Not my favorite Beasties album, but still a solid record that has produced some great tracks, fun wordplay, laid over funky and rocking samples. There's no mistaking the East Coast vibe. Highlights: "Shake Your Rump", "Hey Ladies", "Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun"

A fun concept of a record, but not one that I'll end up revisiting often unfortunately. While I think I liked the Beastie Boys a lot when I was younger, their style of rapping quickly ends up getting on my nerves due to how basic a lot of their bars end up being, especially when comparing them to 80s rap legends like Rakim, Public Enemy, or NWA. That said, I did end up really enjoying the tracks "Johnny Ryall", "Shadrach", and "Car Thief", they have a level of storytelling that feels very real and penetrates through their admittedly pretty douchey frat boy demeanor they exude on the rest of the track list. Also I shouldn't need to say this, but of course the beats on here are absolutely killer, the samples they end up using really elevate the atmosphere of the record, turning pretty meh songs into something that I could end up bumping and tolerating. It really makes you feel like you're on a street in Brooklyn, listening to all of the different tracks being blared from the residents into one singular sound that feels alive. This is especially true on tracks like "Shake Your Rump" and "Hey Ladies", as while I find the bars to be pretty corny and juvenile, the incredible sampling work easily carries and makes them feel a lot more fun and lighthearted. The two interludes, "5 Piece Chicken Dinner" and "Ask for Janice" I could do without, they just end up feeling like filler. Final track "B-Boy Bouillabaisse" is fine too, I understand the concept of them trying to do their own "Abbey Road" ending medley, but due to each part of the suite feeling like undercooked demos of an unfinished full song, they don't gel very well together, something the last half of "Abbey Road" does much more cohesively in my opinion. While this is definitely an important piece of hip hop history, I just can't shake the feeling that I respect what it's trying to do rather than actually enjoying it as its own standalone project.

3.4/5 innovative but not their best

hip hop também não é meu gênero favorito, mas o instrumental, toda produção musical e a junção de samples são bem interessantes aqui

conhecia umas duas do beastie boys e tinha vontade de conhecer mais. esse álbum não aumentou a vontade.

Some of the most innovative sampling in all of hiphop, paired with some of the most tiresome vocals.

I actually really liked this album. Solid 3 stars quite fun

very fun but not something i’d intentionally seek out

Decent. The samples were what elevated it.

I like hip-hop/rap, but this album just doesn't do it for me. However, it's clearly an innovation of the time and influential. I deserves to be on lists, just not mine. Pitchfork: 10 (20th Anniversary review) Rolling Stone: Top 500 Albums #125

Very good but not my favorite from them.

I'm not in the mood for this. I am annoyed and I have a bad feeling that will taint my opinion. Loved the other album I got by these guys. Hope they can pick me up. -------------------------- I think my mood affected this one - but it didn't quite land like Ill Communication. It's still a fun ride, with interesting samples and vocal delivery. Refined, with carefully cut samples interwoven into their iconic sound punctuated by a pick n mix of percussive delights. A provisional 3 because I'm fairly sure I'd love this more on a different day.

I wouldn't say this is essential since it isn't the Beastie Boys' best album and it doesn't really innovate in a meaningful way. I like individual songs more than I like listening to the whole album all the way through. I think it really suffers from a lack of diversity, with the obvious exception of 5-Piece Chicken Dinner. The Sounds of Science is my favorite.

They have such an identifiable style and class. Decent album

They really got a vibe, but this one is a bit noisy

Random thoughts/observations: a whole album of this stuff is too much (a little goes a long way?); after a while, their voices get kind of annoying; sometimes it's funny (I've always thought that about the Beastie Boys, but never enough to be tempted to buy anything); their New Yorkishness is (for me) about equal parts annoying and charming; the best parts are probably the samples; there was a rhyme they tossed off about Sadaharu Oh that made me smile (and also made me think how dated some of their references inevitably must be). So, anyway, to rate it: it's between a high 2 and a low 3, and, what the heck, I'll give it a very low 3. *Almost* tempted to go back and listen again (almost, but not quite).

The production is amazing and - I believe - groundbreaking at the time for its use of samples. Over a whole album though, the issue for me is the vocals lack any dynamic range, depth or hooks. The end result is like some children have scribbled over a renaissance painting.

I like the Beastie Boys as much as the next guys and this is a nice album but sometimes it’s also a bit dull and boring. The opening is a banger though with „Shake Your Rump“ jumping in after the weird intro but I don’t know what to do with songs like „The Sounds of Science“ or „Johnny Ryall“.

It's ok. I've never really been a big beastie boys fan and this album hasn't changed that.

Started off grating ended up kinda growing on me, has a wierd Lonely Island + Death Grips vibe

It had its moments for sure, but not as good as their other two albums on here

2,5

Fun album to listen to. The vocals get a little bit tiring after a while, but some really groovy beats. Something that I'm not very familiar with, but I like what I hear. 6.5/10

Great sampling and the energy here is so hype. Makes me wanna go out and party and nails this intention completely. Very fun music throughout that holds your attention and keeps it moving constantly.

WTF did I just listen to. Music was often v interesting but (1) sounds like credit due to Dust Bros rather than Beastie Boys, the former had made some full tracks and the latter just wanted to rap on top?, and (2) the album was generally too stop/start for me, tracks couldn’t develop the full bounce I was hoping for (contrasts unfavourably with Three Feet High and Rising). Rapping is kinda okay, I don’t mind that it’s shouty, I mind more that the flow isn’t precise, and also the gender immaturity side of the nonsense does not appeal. Lot and lots of talk about girls, negligible talk with girls or about individuals, it’s just generic “a girl” or “my girl” as a subject for a rap ie talking to other MCs. This might be part of ironic frat pose but at some stage it’s just boyish attitude even if it claims to be aware. (Intriguing that I have since discovered that later in their career the Beastie Boys were a bit right-on??) Anyway I found it interesting to listen to, I’ll try a couple of tracks again but not the whole album, for me it’s Mix of Good and Bad, 5/10.

The Sgt. Pepper of hip-hop, you say? That's a tall order. Though the monotonous mumbling about various genres of girl gets old pretty quickly, I have to give credit to the smooth keyboard on To All The Girls. I could listen to an entire album of that. And at least this guy doesn't feel the need to shout to communicate an extremely mundane message. Shake Your Rump features multiple excellent yet completely contrasting bass tones – one in the intro/interludes and one in the chorus – that absolutely justify the song's popularity. I know in about 45 minutes I'm going to be tearing my ears off (a normal symptom of listening to the Beastie Boys' vocals for extended periods) but for the moment it's pretty bearable. I like when the guy says "shake your rump-uh". Johnny Ryall doesn't add anything new to the mix, but it's early days, and it isn't actively offensive, other than a bewildering mention of Donald Trump. I guess all the cool kids hated him even back in the 80s. Egg Man is pretty funny (glorifying the throwing of eggs at bald people, and a not-so-subtle Beatles nod*) and again isn't quite at the stage of the album where I begin to hate these guys and myself. I know it's coming, though. *In The Sounds Of Silence, we get another Beatles reference, this time a sample of the tuning-up at the beginning of the Sgt. Pepper's title track followed by the guitars from The End. The song is pretty milquetoast until this point, but I have to give them credit: playing Beatles music will get people's attention in just about any context, even the complete wrong context. High Plains Drifter is the first obvious miss. Swapping the shouting between three or four different vocals doesn't justify it in the slightest. Beasties, you know you're allowed to sing, right? Or, better, not open your mouths at all? 3-Minute Rule is pretty similar: it's *fine*, but the vocals and lack of other melodic instruments really throws off the whole balance. Nice guitar and "tappy" percussion in Hey Ladies. I don't think I'm the target audience of this song, but it's pretty good regardless. Also enjoy the harmonised "baby baby baby baby" line near the end. A banjo-fiddle combo will lighten up any album. (Dang it, why didn't they make 5-Piece Chicken Dinner a full-length track?) Great dark, almost metal-like guitar part in Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun. Similarly great dark synth lines in Car Thief that cut through any of the less listenable aspects of the song. What Goes Around and Shadrach are both fine, irritating though they may be – the former is good on account of its guitar line. The vocals are nothing to get excited about. The entire B-Boy Bouillabaisse saga is a bit confusing, but it has some highlights, including A Year And A Day, Dropping Names, Lay It On Me, and A.W.O.L. To the reviewer confused as to why others are criticising the yelling: ("I’m sorry, are we in a library or something?" – Yes.) Albums have long been established as an artistic medium to show everything an artist/group is capable of. This is to proof it against poor musical decision-making (i.e. "I don't like this, but at least the next song won't do it again"). If that artist incorrectly decides something (shouting) sounds good, and makes it the central element of every song, listeners have every right to complain. 3/5 Key tracks: To All The Girls, Shake Your Rump, 5-Piece Chicken Dinner, Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun

Is sounds weird, not as I expected at all - some of the songs are comlete joke and the full album feels like guys are just messing around

No more beastie boys for me after this Better than ill communication not as good as licensed to ill 3/5 Favorites: Johnny ryall, to all the girls, the sound of science

The rapping is nostalgic but let's be honest - it's kinda one dimensional. And by "kinda one dimensional" I mean there are three guys adding half a dimension each, so it's a little more than one-dimensional but... But they have energy, and flow, and they are not overly distinct amongst themselves but they are inarguably distinct together. But really, Paul's Boutique is less about the rapping and more about the beats. And the beats are fire.

No question the BB’s were unique. No one even tried to imitate or come off their heels with any success that I ever saw. Personally, I couldn’t really connect with their lyrics, but the samples, music, and arrangements were always great in their own way.

I really wanted to like the bestie boys because I think they just have an aura of cool about them, but it just didn't resonate with me. Im sure if you lean more into hip hop this probably hits hard though

I dunno. I mean it's...fine. I don't mind the shout rapping, I don't mind the beats, I don't mind the flow. It's quite fun without being tryhard and overly skit-filled. But I don't particularly like it more than "it's okay".

i don't like rap and hip hop

those boys sure are beastie

I have a strange soft spot for the Beastie Boys, I find them oddly charming even though I know that’s not the intent of the music. But I only generally enjoy listening to a few of their songs and this only added one or two to that list.

I've tried to listen & appreciate this for what it is. And for no matter how hard I try, I just don't get it.

5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background

Still not impressed with this group, but this was more tolerable than “licensed to ill” Will not be diving deeper into their discography

Good album from BB, but not my favourite

So, after my first listen i absolutely hated this. The Beastie Boys’ screaming is a lot to endure for one hour. BUt since i swore to listen to every album at least twice before rating it, i put Paul’s Boutique on again a few days later. And certainly, on my second listen i had a much better experience. The production on this album really is cool and they came up with some great beats and samples. Of course the Psycho sample is absolutely amazing, but its only one of many great production moments. That nasty bass line on Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun? My god, how amazing. Another one i really like is the sparser beat on Johnny Ryall. And yet, the rapping itself is still not my cup of tea. It’s just so screechy at times. On some songs it doesn’t bother me, but other songs like What Comes Around it becomes an issue to me. Their rapping doesn’t really seem to modify that much depending on the beat they are currently rapping on. On Hey Ladies, for example, i really dig the beat and the use of the samples. I just wish the Boys’ delivery would match the smooth and more-laid back, flirty energy of the music. It’s a bit like they recorded a bunch of acapella parts and put them over whatever beat they got. The whole B-Boy Bouillabaisse leaves me a bit puzzled though, i genuinely don’t know what i think about it. Stop That Train has a nice groove! But yes, overall this album is fun and funky. I like it, although i have no desire to listen to the full album again. Maybe if I split the two parts of the album, it will become are more pleasant listening experience, who knows. And I can’t listen to Shadrach again, that vocal sample is too grating.

idk dawg the production is gnarly and some of the samples they pull are sick but if you expect me to pull up rap genius or the liner notes to understand more than every fifth word you're gonna have a bad time

A good chunk of this record is great, but a good chunk is also kinda dull. 5 or 6 tracks make it on a best of comp but the rest is unmemorable. 3.75/5.

No huge hits off of the album, but vintage Beasties. Pure chaos from start to finish, a fun listen.

Usually find the short tracks between songs super annoying and distracting and useless, but I liked these ones. 3 or 3.5

Enjoyed this a lot more by listening to the full album as opposed to picking out individual tracks. Shake Your Rump remains a highlight but there are stronger Beasties albums

it’s good, very good in fact and probably the most coherent of their albums, that said IMO it’s a fair bit weaker than LTI all be it with some clear standout moments (Egg man). Some really great production moments too

Once again, the Beastie Boys rule. I'm quite enjoying the samples used throughout this album. Very creative

Not my favorite Beastie Boys album. Solid but not great. The back half of the album was a fun change up to the rest of the album.

On a technical level this is a great album. It has fantastic production and innovative use of samples, but I feel like they only really found their groove on a handful of songs here. A lot of this album feels like it fades into noise for me because the Boys' abrasive and unrefined rapping drowns out the production. I feel like they got a lot better at this aspect in their later albums, but then of course those had entirely different production styles. I wonder what this album might have sounded like if all these songs had been given to them to rap over 5 years later. I think it would have turned out better, but maybe that's just me. Favourite tracks: Egg Man, Sounds of Science, Hey Ladies

Такой классный продакшен. Но зачем они кричат в микрофоны? Нахуя?

I was very into Beastie Boys back in middle school, so this is a nostalgic listen but not something I would listen to these days. My brain has been too fried by all the experimental and industrial hip hop I listened to in high school for this style of rap to really do much for me. Great production though.

I have always loved the "Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego" chanting from "Shadrach." So funny, and it makes me think of the BBs hanging out in the fiery furnace. "Get on the mic, Mike!" Someone put together a nine-hour playlist consisting of the songs from this album, each immediately followed by songs that it sampled. The one I found is on Amazon Music, although I wouldn't be surprised to find something similar on other platforms.

No mi estilo pero me re sorprendió lo bien q suena hermano

Fínt, en ég er ekki nógu mikill rapphaus þannig að þetta skilji eitthvað eftir.

It's a great Dust Brothers album and an ok Beastie Boys album. Their vocals are mixed so low you can barely tell anything they're saying - it's pretty fun when you can though? I think the Beastie Boys are fundamentally very silly and this album is very cool which kinda means you lose some silliness. Like you could actually put a lot of these tracks on as background in a bar or something and it wouldn't be that distracting, but there are a lot of other artists better suited to be played in the background at a bar. Shake your rump is truly great though super energetic and chaotic and disjointed I wish the whole album was more like that. Production is really great throughout though 5 stars for them.

5-piece chicken dinner was the best 23 seconds of this album. I prefer licensed to Ill tbh, but not bad.

One of the better rap albums on the list, with deep beats that draw you in to listen closely. I love the way their voices interplay constantly, and the lyrics are strange in a good way.

Razumijem zašto se drugima sviđa ali nikad nisam bila veliki ljubitelj njihovog zvuka, čak ni onih najpopularnijih pjesama.

I really like a lot of their singles. I have never wanted to listen to a full album of theirs, and this experience confirmed a lot of those feelings. Hugely influential? Yup. Great samples and witty lyrics? Absolutely. Quickly wearing out its welcome? You bet and that’s the unfortunate problem.

I really thought I would enjoy this more. Not sure why not but I don't think it has the power as some of their other albums. Sampling is masterful but needs more.

Had never heard any of the songs on this one. I liked it!

Its aight, its beastie boys, if you like them you love them so

First songs were good the others just gave me the feeling of being shouted at

sympa pr l’aspect historique, le reste c’est bof, fondateur cependant 3-/5

Take this review with a grain of salt as I was dozing in and out on the couch while listening to this. No clue how I was able to nap with the Beastie Boys playing in the background, but there you have it - I’m officially old. This was what I imagined it would be. Decent beats, some good samples, great rhymes (those I heard). It was a fun listen.

The Beastie Boys album that everybody waited for and then nobody wanted. “Critically acclaimed “ translated as “not very popular”, at least in this case. The rhymes are still on point but the ‘innovative’ samples and the listless meandering of topics don’t really hold up for me. Not a memorable track to speak of on this one. 2.5 but I’ll round up.

Good album, couple great songs that always get me bopping. The beats are amazing throughout, it has the feel of a Dust Brothers album with the Beasties rapping over them. Which it kinda is, and that's not a bad thing, but loses a bit of the Beastie edge as a result. Definately didn't need the 12 minute Bouillabaisse suite, that pushed the album into the too long category and brought it down to a 3.

its got a flow. made me giggle a few times. overall though after a while just feels like nails scratching on a chalkboard mixed with the feeling of being wildly hungover. like you have big sunglasses on trying to eat the most simple carb and drink electrolytes without vomiting. and like everything is too loud like not sound wise but like the sound just pierces too far into your skull. but then they would say some weird shit like "HHHhhHEEeeeEEEYYYyyyy LLLlAAAadddDDiiiieeeesssSS" and im like cool cool ok.

fun but boring at last

Probably another 3, but a high one. Never in danger of less; flirted with more. Shake Your Rump is an absolute banger.

Just enough about it in places to make a 3

Beastie Boysin toinen levy oli melko hyvä, vaikkakin pidän Ill Communicationista vielä paljon enemmän. Paul's Boutique on kestänyt aikaa yllättävän hyvin eikä tunnin kestokaan kauheasti vaivannut. Sampleja löytyy Beatlesista Psykoon.

Beastie Boys shouting tone can get a bit tiresome at times Fave track: Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun

Viewed as a classic. It shouldn’t be. 2.5/5

I only kinda get the charm here, not my kind of music

#39 You can tell these guys had a lot of fun making this album. Lots and lots of samples used throughout. Maybe a little too long, it starts to sound a bit repetitive after a while. I could see myself re-visiting at some point.

Twas alright, went on too long for me

2,8/5

Honestly better than I thought after all the memes but still really odd and just a rip of black culture.

I liked about half of this album. The Beasties have never been accused of having voices that could read a phone book, and that simple fact grated on me quite a bit. It's not even the yelling for me, it's more of the strident, snot-nosed delivery of essentially every bar. This is admittedly an album of party music, and the more upbeat numbers keep the energy high and consistent. The more mid-tempo tracks on here are absolutely grating to me, especially "High Plains Drifter;" I felt every second of those 4 minutes. All that aside I can definitely see how this album is considered so essential, being that it sampled a little bit of everything from everywhere and introduced that approach to broader hip-hop as a result. To my ears, listening to this 35 plus years after its initial release, this album strikes me as a standout release that came out during the most fruitful years of hip hop's evolution. These days, its influence casts wide, but the album has aged a fair bit. Key Tracks: Shake Your Rump, Hey Ladies, Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun, B-Boy Bouillabaisse (some releases separate each movement, others group them as a single 12 minute track)

so many beatle samples in sound of science bit repetitive but also experimental good genre good representation

Would not buy

I don't listen to hip hop. Can't be mad at movie samples tho.

The Beastie Boy’s mature, but not that much

This doesn’t hold up as well as I thought it would. It’s whiny. I still respect it a lot, but it’s funny how it didn’t hold up or maybe I didn’t hold up.

Didn’t need to be 53 minutes

Huh, de eerste keer dat dit clubje zich aandient, en we moeten er nog drie? Ik dacht ze al gehoord te hebben, maar kennelijk ben ik in de war met Run-DMC of zo. Hoe dan ook, het is energiek, creatief, niet al te grofgebekt, maar het doet me ook niet al te veel. Men heeft natuurlijk weer een van de befaamde 'albums met expres geen hits' uitgekozen.

Way before its time but not for me

Not bad but License to I'll is all you really need to know about the Beastie Boys.

Love the mix of media in the songs. Killer use of samples. Vocals get a little obnoxious at times but this album is a party.

I enjoyed this album more than I expected, especially considering that hip-hop is not usually my genre. While I could appreciate the creativity and dense sampling throughout the record, only Shake Your Rump stood out to me. Its driving groove and bass line were easily the highlight of the album.

A fun listen … I enjoyed the sampling throughout. 3

(4/7) some of this is fun

No conocía a la banda, no era lo que esperaba. Me gustó:)

Liked it but was expecting to like it more, only saved one song

Ik hoor wel dat t vet is, maar niet mijn smaak

The energy was great and the samples were really fun, but I sadly just wasn't that into it. Favorite Songs: Shake your Rump, Looking Down the Barrell of a Gun

The best Beatles album

This was good fun and some of the lyrics made me smile, but this is not a genre I get on with. I find this difficult to rate, I want to give this a 2, but I enjoyed this more than most of its type, but I wouldn't listen to this again.

They have such an ear for hooks, making music with samples only. It’s often catchy and funny and energetic

Pretty fun listen, good catchy beats. I was starting to get a bit tired of it by the end, but it was still pretty good overall.

mm un 3. No es tanto mi onda pero es un buen album

enjoyed the newschool : oldschool

trop bien

My second from the Beastie Boys- this one an earlier work. It had a lot of elements of early hip hop that worked- funky rhythms, clever lyricism, attitude. I think it established the Beastie Boys as true hip hop artists. On the otherhand, the songs fealt less varied than later albums. Still enjoyable- just a little "same-y". Overall- solid album

Instrumentally I think this is a step up from Licensed to Ill. But delivery and lyrically it’s very consistent and does get tiring song after song. Likes: Egg Man; Car Thief; Shadrach

Not my fav

Día 4 → 15/05/2026 Álbum: Paul's Boutique Grupo: Beastie Boys Año: 1989 Canciones: 1. To All the Girls: (intro) 2. Shake Your Rump: 8/10 3. Johnny Ryall: 7/10 4. Egg Man: 6/10 5. High Plains Drifter: 6/10 6. The Sounds of Science: 5/10 7. 3-Minute Rule: 6/10 8. Hey Ladies: 5/10 9. 5-Piece Chicken Dinner: 7/10 10. Looking down the Barrel of a Gun: 6/10 11. Car Thief: 8/10 12. What Comes Around: 6/10 13. Shadrach: 6/10 14. Ask for Janive: 6/10 15. B-Boy Bouillabaisse: 6/10 16. 59 Chrystie Street: 6/10 17. Get on the Mic: 6/10 18. Stop That Train: 6/10 19. A Year and a Day: 8/10 20. Hello BrooklynDropping Names: 6/10 21. Lay It on Me: 6/10 22. Mike on the Mic: 6/10 23. A.W.O.L.: 3/10 Puntuación: 3 estrellas

Dinámico vibrante buen disco

I've tried so hard and got so far, in the end, it doesn't even matter to me. 3 stars

Not bad - more of the same from The Biys, I think.

Obviously a work of art and potentially even a Hip Hop masterpiece, with the most sophisticated use of sampling to exist when it came out. But too be honest I prefer other eras if the BBs. Lyrically they were still a bit immature here and I miss their live instruments on this record.

For how good BB are in general, the overall album was actually pretty average. Some great songs in this, but the rest are fine at best

So this is where they got the Minecraft villager sound

Fun stuff

Mejor que el otro que escuché. La segunda parte es bastante interesante.

Liked it

A far cry better than License To Ill (in my opinion), but not quite at their peek yet. For me, I'd take any of their next 3 albums over this one. 3 1/2 stars

I like the Beastie Boys, but this album feels a bit too niche.

Not sure how their sound evolved drastically enough between albums to warrant multiple appearances on this list, but still a lot of fun.

I get it. This is the OG Kanye. Crazy production, even if the lyrics are irrelevant. I don't like it but I respect it. Can't give it a 2 in good conscience, so 3 it is! - First Beastie Boys, no idea what to expect. - Wack intro, lets see... - Wait it's rap? - Is this a joke? This is garbage - Okay it's stabilizing but the lyrics still suck - The less produced songs really show off the weakness of the lyricism... Those are easy skips

Fuld energi

I was not in the mood to listen to the Beastie Boys this morning, but the beats are so infectious that I was bopping along almost immediately. This album is a little inconsistent, though. There are some standout tracks and really awesome use of samples, but some other songs that drag. Overall, I prefer Ill Communication. Also, there’s a lot of casual misogyny and homophobia because it was the 80’s, but the fact that they apologized and more importantly changed their behavior makes a huge difference.

Hip hop is my least favorite genre covered in this list, and the Beastie Boys in particular grate with their whiny delivery. But if "License to Ill" was the poster child of all that is irritating about the band and genre, Paul's Boutique does represent something of a redemption. While it can be overlong and samey, the collection of creative samples and turns of lyrical phrase make it a massive advance and fun exploratory experience in moments.

Meh.

This is a fun introduction to the Beastie Boys. The refrains in ‘Johnny Ryall’ and ‘Egg Man’ are quite silly and I guess encapsulates the humour the band brought forth. Brimming with the 80’s era NYC Rating: 3.8/5 GEMV (22.04.2026)

This was pretty fun. I liked how it came across as a couple friends getting together in the studio and just having fun times

like "ill communication" the best part of this album is the samples.

Goofy ass guys….. idk if i love it or hate it….

Usually really like Beastie Boys but this album overall was a bit too much for me. I'm aware that's a stupid criticism but each to their own. Still enjoyed it tho. Shake Your Rump was my fav song and first listen. Johnny Ryall and Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun were my other highlights

great beats but i didn't like the vocal delivery

It's decent

some silly fun, i fucked with Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun heavy. unfortunately though it does all start to sound like they're just going absolutely wild at a drunk karaoke session

Everyone loves them, so it feels like I should too. But tbh, while there's a few bangers, their vocals and writing seem terrible to me.

Kinda fun but it gets samey and repetitive.

I can acknowledge that hip hop was not the best in the 80s, and by all accounts this is likely a good showing for the style of the time. I can also acknowledge this group's effective music knowledge in their sample. That being said, it just doesn't resonate for me. The lyrics fall flat. It's def a fun album but if I'm looking for pre-90s rap, this one wouldn't be one I'd come back to. There's talent there though Highlights: Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun, Shadrach

fine. full album is a bit much.

not really my favourite or most familiar genre. Some songs were very catchy, but i need to listen to them more to really understand the idea

First time listening to this group who I think are like a hip hop NSYNC. I can see that was the concern of others at that time. I do get how influential they were and how many people grew up with this band in their background, and while I quite liked the Beck style production and energy, I found it too repetitive and ultimately not for me.

Mi primer encuentro con el género. Nunca me había sentado a escuchar un álbum entero de hip hip, te diría que nunca había prestado atención a una canción siquiera. Me gusta su complejidad pero también esa cosa repetitiva. Me interesa buscar sus sonidos más que la totalidad de la canción.

It’s great, but strangely one of my least favorite Beastie records.

Dober

Probably objectively good, but in all honesty, not my type of music.

Good.

Pretty fun listen

Decent enough for this kind of thing feels a bit dated these days, but quite enjoyed

I already knew the beastie boys, but much like the wu tang clan I never got around to listening to a full album. To all the girls almost felt out of character, but it was a beautiful intro to the rest of the album. Johnny Ryall was catchy and felt timeless! the entire album would sound good both for day to day life and for a movie. High plains drifter got annoying after the first minute lol I couldn't keep listening, same with the sounds of science and it's too bad cause at minute two it gets good. Overall the highs of this album are HIGH, and the lows are LOWS. The lyrics aren't meant to be taken seriously so it's a fun album to dance to and sing along without thinking too much. What the fuck is the TWELVE. MINUTES. SONG. oh my god

Det er ikke lige sådan rigtig min genre, men jeg kan sagtens sætte mig ind i at hvorfor dette album for mange er top.

*68 Ikke helt på niveau med Ill Communication, men stadig en solid slasker. Hvis The Sound of Science er the sound of science, så kan jeg ikke lide the sound of science :/

beastie boys har altid været sick men silly 3.2

Not my favourite style, but I enjoyed the hip hop vibes for a few songs

I didn't particularly like or positively review Licence To Ill, so here's Beastie Boys second album for me to worry over. It's an improvement. Theres a higher production value, it's cleverly packed with a range of interesting and wide ranging samples, from The Beatles to Johnny Cash. Due to this, Shake Your Rump and Egg Man are favourites of mine - I'm loving the Jaws section at the end. However, while I appreciate the album's sense of humour, there's not too much development from the frat boy rapping of Licence to Ill. As good as Egg Man sounds, it's still just a track about throwing eggs at people. There is more meaningful work at other points, like The Sounds Of Science and parts of the Bouillabaise are interesting, but I'm still not seeing what the fuss was all about with the Beastie Boys. A middling 3 stars.

I prefer later albums, but still good.

honestly I think this and ill communication suffered from getting them within like two days of each other

whats better than this just guys being dudes

3/21 Old school hip-hop. Its okay

I think I simply need to listen to this a few more times to really appreciate it, as I didn't particularly like it; probably because I'm not used to listen to much Hip Hop music. But I can hear substance in here: there's a lot of variety, great sampling and good beats. And a lot of creativity. So for now a 3/5, but I'm sure this could easily be a 4/5 if I give it another chance and finally get a bit more into Hip Hop.

Not my favorites album of theirs but still solid

I didn't enjoy this as much as the others, just felt simpler and less Beastie.

This was just okay. I feel like something has happened because every time I listen to music I can only evaluate it as average, neither enjoyable or unenjoyable. So this rating might be a reflection of how I feel rather than the music itself. I just don't know how to feel but I don't think this was bad

First half of this album slapped but the B-Boy Bouillabaisse stuff not so much which is a shame because I really like the Beastie Boys. Took it upon myself to do a bit of looking into this and apparently Bouillabaisse refers to 'a humble fisherman's stew made from bony rockfish they couldn't sell' and so I guess these songs were merely a jumble of ideas they couldn't quite put together into their own album and so were dumped on the end of this one - disappointing.

I felt myself bobbing along to the beat mor often than probably necessary. I didn't really like the 'Boy Bouillabaisse' section but you can't win them all

Not nearly as good as ill Communication but still a cool record. Felt the production was a bit weaker on some songs while there are some pretty solid ones too.

Not bad but not great either

I liked this, but not as much as Licensed To Ill. I consider that one a classic. I can say that I enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed Ill Communication. Maybe just a bit less but it's still a 3.

First time I've listened to this much Beastie Boys and the longer I listened the less I liked them. It all started to sound same same and I got bored after a while.

I've listened to 5 or 6 hip-hop albums in this project. This is the one I enjoyed the most. It's definitely 3 stars at least (and pretty close to 4 stars).

Hm, nowadays this record sounds like the parody of itself. It was top notch when it came out, but I fear it did not age very well. I get some Lonely Island vibes here and there. :D Fav: Looking down the barrel of a gun