Reviews (page 11 of 15)
i have similar thoughts on this as i did the previous beastie boys album. i thought this one had a lot more interesting instrumentals that relied less on sampling(as far as i could tell). the length is still a problem, i was ready to bow out a little less than halfway through.
I have a love hate relationship with these guys. I LOVE some of their songs and the rest all sound the same. I think it's the vocal distortion they use for everything. Makes me wish they would of had a few songs with clearer vocals. They have some track that are just beats, very well done. It's a more mature album overall. They are still party music. This album brings a little bit for everyone yet works. It's not going to be in rotation for me but it's an album I will pull out every so often.
appreciate it. ground breaking. not my thing exactly
A couple of outstanding tracks and you can tell the groove they were in. Is that good or bad? Up to you.
I like their other albums more but this is fine. The muffled lyrics thing is kinda weird and unnecessary. Sabotage is a jam
Didn't like this album when it first cane out. It was too experimental. "Sure Shot" and Sabotage were great but a lot of the other blues, funk inspired stuff felt out of place. Now hearing it year later I think I have a better appreciation for this album than I once did.
Better than the other Beastie Boys album on here. Some tracks weren't just shouting!
Disse mener det de sier. Mye greier, en del tøft.
Love the Beastie Boys but this isn't one of my favorite albums.
I liked the music, but I’m just not into the beastie boys rapping and vocals. Interesting to hear them evolve into a more traditional band than a sampled hip hop artist
Upbeat and interesting. I prefer the tracks without vocals.
Such an eclectic album, punkish hip-hop with jazz and funk influences. Driving percussive rhythms keep the head bobbing. Sabrosa is a turning point to really cool instrumentals in the back half of the album. I see some people complaining about it meandering a bit because of this, and while I agree it's not the most coherent album I really like the experimentation on display here. Sabotage was instantly recognizable, widely played on the radio in the 90s, but Sure Shot, Get It Together, Sabrosa, Eugene's Lament, Flute Loop, are great. Definitely an album I would not have listened to in its entirety without this challenge. Some of the more jazz inspired tracks remind me of later albums from artists I've heard like Madlib or Fourtet. Not one for permanent rotation, but would listen to it again. Probably a 3.5
Got better as it went on
Wasn't looking forward to listening to this, but this was a pleasant surprise. I like the live instruments.
I do not enjoy these vocals. I found the music legitimately fun and interesting though. 5/10
Definitely have a definitive sound, I liked it despite not saving a lot of songs
Enjoyed some songs. Felt slightly repetitive.
The Beastie Boys get so much love as being an innovative… I kinda lost track of them after Licensed To ILL. This album was a marathon with 20 tracks.
Long, songs the felt like fillers with no words, yet some good songs and the guitar was good
Fun party tracks. Good stuff. A bit samey so not sure if I would listen to it in full as a matter of course.
Shit idk I kinda hate how the beastie boys rap but this was laced with great instrumentals. I really liked the song with q tip and the final song 5/10
Jó hype futni zene de amúgy nem olyan jó
Not my thing. Old school hip hop and old school punk mixing makes it almost bearable but not enough for me to keep listening
I like the Beastie Boys but this album was meh, except for a couple tracks.
Pretty fun album, just not really a Beastie Boys guy
Some interesting influences here.
Love the hits. Was worried when I saw how long the album was and thought the songs would get old if they all sounded like the hits but was pleasantly surprised by some of the instrumentals.
Un beau bordel. Des trucs forts sympathiques, et des trucs forts nuls à chier.
Sure sounds like beastie boys.
Enjoyable, though not remarkable.
Liked some stuff, interesting style
didn't listen to much but sounded good from what I heard
This turned out to be more varied than I expected, which is a good thing. Sabotage is ace, but 12 sabotages would be too much. I really enjoyed hearing live music backing as opposed to just samples on a rap album (at least one that wasn't nu metal).
lit album but also quite weird
It's no License to Ill, but it has hard-hitting songs. The Update, I could listen to every day.
Some good songs on here that I recognized, but I don't know if I'd go out of my way to listen to this album all that often. Overall it's a good listen more or less.
A real mixed bag this album. Way more instrumental tracks than I expected. Overall solid album if not a bit bloated.
Didn't know Beastie Boys got instrumentals. Need to learn Sabotage on guitar!
3.5
I absolutely love "Sure Shot." And "Sabotage." All time great songs, in my opinion. "Sure Shot" has an amazing sample, and "Sabotage" is one of the best fusions of rock and rap I've ever heard. But this album does, on the whole, have the same issues I've had with previous Beastie Boys albums, and that is this: Their voices are sometimes incredibly grating and obnoxious. Combine that with the vocal effects they put on some of the tracks for this album ("B-Boys Makin' With the Freak Freak," "The Update," "Alright Hear This," etc.) and I just can't get behind a lot of this. I also found it really strange that there were instrumentals on this album. Like, it's cool that they're trying to show that they're a band of musicians and not just rappers, but I don't think anybody is coming to a Beastie Boys album for instrumentals. They're great instrumentals, don't get me wrong. I just don't get why they're here, is all. There is a lot like about the Beastie Boys. Their attitude and sense of humor can be really fun. The lyrics, where you can understand them, are sometimes absolutely top notch. And the way they mix genres is as smooth as anybody else who's ever tried it. So I want to like them so much more than I do. But I just find my self getting annoyed while listening, and that's a bummer. I hoped when listening to "Paul's Boutique" that they had better material to offer than what was on that album. They did, I just wish it was even better. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Sure Shot, Sabotage, Sabrosa, Futterman's Rule, Do It, Ricky's Theme, Bodhisattva Vow
Got some bangers and then some stinkers, so sadly evens out.
So many better rap albums to choose from.
This was actually fun, and Sabotage is a classic.
sure shot- 5. I like the flute tough guy- 6 b boys making with the freak freak- 5 Bobo on the corner- 5 root down- 5 sabotage- 7. good but overplayed get it together- 6 sabrosa- 5 update- 5 futtermans rule- 5 alright hear this- 6 Eugene's lament- 5 flute loop- 5 do it-mike deez nuts. 5 Ricky theme- heart attack man- 8 the scoop- 5 shsmbala- 5 or 6 bodhisattva vow- 5 transitions- 5
I like lots of Beastie Boys hits, just not sure on this album Stand out tracks: Sure shot Flute Loop Sabotage Do it
I tried hard to like this, I really did. Paul's Boutique is my absolute favourite new discovery from this list, and Licensed to Ill is a great album. I gave this several listens and liked it less each time. It's just not as fun as the other albums to me, with a weird mish-mash of styles. It sounds like they are trying too hard to experiment at the cost of enjoyment and listenabilty. There are a lot of jazz and funk samples in this and it sounds like they are trying to copy the style of De La Soul, Jurassic 5, etc., and failing. There are too many instrumental tracks. Even one is too much, I cannot get behind putting more than that on a rap album. Tough Guy is clearly a punk song - was this them getting back to their roots? Overall, for me it's too noisy and unclear, too many vocal effects, I don't like the backing tracks... It's just not for me, Sabotage is still great though. Three stars because I still liked parts of it, but in comparison to Paul's Boutique that's all I can offer.
It's fine
A combination of "not my cup of tea" and "I'd love to get rowdy to this". Perhaps the album format doesn't suit the Beastie Boys, as the occasional headbanger and teenage angst anthem seems great when not overdone for an hour plus.
Went in knowing and liking the band, knew sabotage already of course. Extremely varied. I definitely lean more to the punk rock and jazz aspects of this album. I have great respect for it and how incredibly different it is (was?). There can be a lot going on at times and it's kind of hard to figure out what they're saying. The album is also almost an hour long, which is a little much. I get it though, and they break if up with the instrumentals pretty well. Plenty of sounds here for everyone. Thanks to the Beastie Boys for inspiring Joey Valence and Brae lmao
I really didn't want to like one Beastie Boys album, much less two, but once again I have to admit the production on this album is just really good and really fun to listen to. After reviewing 'Paul's Boutique' I felt I was maybe too generous and in a borderline 3-or-4 situation I made a mistake in rounding up. I like this album more than 'Paul's Boutique', though. I think I do, anyway. I kinda tuned out the actual rapping for the most part and was just vibing with the instrumentals, but I was vibing heavily with the instrumentals. But it's supposed to be a rap album? I dunno. For the sake of averaging out the two albums to 3.5, which I think is about right, I'm gonna give this one 3 stars even though maybe this one is 4 stars and 'Paul's Boutique' should be 3 stars. Hmmmm. Discovering that I kinda like the Beastie Boys is a very confusing turn of events for me.
Had some pretty iconic sound loops and the flute song was pretty good.
could only think of the guitar hero 3 selection menu cause Sabotage, also heart attack man made me feel crazy I had to skip it
Litt kult litt mas
Liker ikke Beastie Boys men noen kule tracks her definitivt. Svak 3’er
Yeah, fine. Doesn't really Float My Boat, but ... I can see the attraction.
Classic
I think it was not a bad start of my journey. I enjoyed the instrumental part, the vocals not as much but I had a good time. Probably will never get back to this album but as a one time listen? I recommend.
Meh
Goede muziek steeds, maar die stem. Sabotage en andere nummers wel hard
Pretty fun.
Another band I’ve mainly only heard the hits from. So far, didn’t really care for much I hadn’t heard other than Sabotage. Get it Together with Q-Tip was a fun track, no idea they could just groove to a Bosa Nova beat for so long like they did in Sabrosa and kinda carried on. The various percussion and string instruments throughout were a cool addition. Overall, I just am not the biggest fan of rap so I cannot rate this higher than a 3.
The presence of this and License to Ill implies that Check Your Heard is on the list, further indicating more Beastie Boys that you might need in one life where other hip hop exists. Side A - through "The Update" is so good, showing their range and command of a banger. The latter half kinda hits like a YouTube beat tape I'd put on to ignore get some work done.
This is a five-star hip-hop album dragged down by the Beasties' MC skills. You need to understand, I LOVED this record when it came out, but that's because I overlooked some of its contemporaries. Whenever I revisit it now, I'm just disappointed that the Boys didn't become better rappers.
Think I ignored this when it was released even though I liked Check your head a lot. This is too long and has some filler but is interesting enough to warrant further listens.
Found this Beastie Boys album less annoying than the last one from this list. Sabotage was always a standout as a song of theirs that I did enjoy. What seemed like lots of instrumentals on this. Some sections even felt like jam band territory, which was unexpected (and not wanted).
Wasn't too keen. Appreciated the vibes of the music, reminded me of World's End, just not my thing really.
I liked it well enough but it dragged a bit
I’m not the biggest rap fan, but there’s a lot of stuff from this era that I like. I can’t with their voices though.
Beastie Boys is like a strong spice for me - I can handle it in small doses, but it gets too much for me very quickly. This time I just couldn't how annoying I found the screaminess of their voices, even though I really appreciated the musicality of the songs. In spite of this being a hip hop album, I found myself liking the punk and instrumental songs better. Crazy amount of genres here.
This one didn't speak to me as much as the first beastie boys album. Still okay. May revisit in future.
Slightly more interesting than Paul's Boutique but still a generous 3 for me
Ill Communication has some really fun moments, and a few all-time great Beastie Boys songs, but the album as a whole is so bogged down by filler that it's hard to think of it as a classic. Tracks like Sabotage, Flute Loop, and Get It Together are fantastic, but I can't see a scenario in which I'm throwing on B-Boys Makin' With The Freak Freak, The Update, Futterman's Rule, Do It, The Scoop, or any of the instrumental tracks. Maybe if they had trimmed this down by about 20 minutes, it would be a better experience. As it stands, it's just a fine one. 6.5/10
This is a solid album, but 90% of sounded similar.
# Album Name: Ill Communication # Artist: Beastie Boys # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Honestly, i cant hear some of the lyrics. Its like my headphones are made of potatoes. This is not my kind of album at all. I cant even connect with it. Its not. awful, its just OK. Not something i would choose to listen to. Theres a couple of good tracks like Sure shot, sabotage and flute loop which save this thing from a 2 for me. But only just. Its simply way too long. 20 tracks. wtf. Sabotage is a classic of course. Great song. Its a low 3 for me. # Top Tunes: Sure Shot / Sabotage / flue loop # Would I listen to it again? No
Not really my thing, Sabotage was the best track by far for me. The rest.... Eh, I can't think of myself listening to them any time soon. I can see why it could be great if you're someone who enjoys this type of music. One thing I can say it's that this album is extremely 90's, you can feel the decade in every one of these tracks.
Not horrible! 7/10
I thought I was going to like this more...however, there is A LOT of weird on here. Gotta give it a solid 3.5
Average album in my opinion. Sabotage standout. Track ratings: 1: 3.5/5 2: 4/5 3: 3.5/5 4: 3/5 5: 3/5 6: 5/5 7: 3.5/5 8: 2.5/5 9: 3/5 10: 3.5/5 11: 4.5/5 12: 2.5/5 13: 2.5/5 14. 2.5/5 15. 2/5 16. 4.5/5 17. 3/5 18. 3/5 19. 3.5/5 20. 3.5/5 Average score = 3.3/5
Overlong
Of course there is the well known banger "Sabotage" but in total the album is just o.k. for me. 2,5
3+ Stars (9/15)
Decent but not their best
Ah fuck, méér Beastie Boys?? Ik zou dit vet moeten vinden, want ze hadden zo'n grote invloed op hiphop door hun samples enzo; maar ik kan ze echt niet uitstaan. Lyrics zijn ontzettend matig, hun beats zijn vaker gewoon hardrock, metal en punk. Ik ben er steeds meer van overtuigd dat Beastie Boys hiphop is voor mensen die niet van hiphop houden. Prima, maar duw het in godsnaam niet zo door mn strot. De recording klinkt trouwens vrij matig, en dat is een stijlkeuze want op het eerste nummer is dat niet het geval. Daarna klinken ze alsof ze ergens onder een weg staan op te nemen, fucking irritant. Dit album is wel meer funky en jazzy dan de vorige albums en eigenlijk klinkt dat grotendeels prettig. Jammer dat die klojo's er nog steeds overheen schreeuwen, want Root Down is funky as fuck. Wauw, het is bizar - je hoort het kwaliteitsverschil tussen Tip en de Beastie Boys. Zul je zien dat er maar 1 album van Tribe op de lijst staat, ik weet wel minstens 3 albums die er af zouden kunnen zodat je meer hebt van de Tribe. Beste album van de Beastie Boys voor mij, en dat komt vooral omdat er heerlijke instrumentale stukken op staan en er een fantastische Q-tip feature op staat. Wel duurt dit album nog steeds veel te lang en zijn die gasten onuitstaanbaar... FAVO: Root Down, Get it Together, Futterman's rule, Ricky's theme,
Ok... I think I like the musical interludes over most of the actual songs on here. In fact all, other than "Sabotage". They speak more to my personal musical senses. "Sambrosa" with its War like funk feel. The pseudo-psych of "Transition", the meditative jam of "Shambala" or just the straight up dirty groove of "Futterman's Rule" they all stood out to me. The rapping did not do much for me especially with the overly distorted or fuzzed out effects to the point I couldn't make out what they were saying. The couple of 80s punk style songs on here of course I didn't care for. My dislike for 80 hardcore is pretty well known here. There are still some songs I like The opener "Sure Shot" hit me better on second listen, "The Scoop", and of course the monster hit. "Root Down" I loved the jazz influenced tracks, but the rap over just ruined it for me. Honestly there is a lot going on in many of these tracks that if it wasn't for the rap I'd like it. Those may be growers of ever want to invest time getting to know this album. But then there the handful I coukd go without ever hearing again, "B-Boys Makin With The Freek Freek" and "Get It Together. Too much I didn't like on this to give it high marks although there is also quite a bit I dig. (6.75) ★★★
Sabotage Album. The album with Sabotage. The one song that doesn’t sabotage this album from the 1001 list because otherwise it would be a 2 or worse.
Growing up I always found the Beastie Boys to be annoying and grating. But over the years, and going back into their catalog, I've learned to appreciate how much they were before their time. I still don't love their music, but I have more of an appreciation of how innovative they were as I've gotten older.
Not bad decent hip hop stuff 6/10
It's good, but who wants to be yelled at for an hour? - R I agree. I like old school hip hop, but overall not a genre for me. I did like Flute Loop.-D
3.5/5
Some of the lyrics are difficult to hear because of distortion in the voice. Some songs are instrumental, but not that interesting.
I like the beastie boys quite a bit but this album is just okay.
3*
This was a good album that was just a touch too long. Its hallmark is its vibe which is very chill and the production is awsome too, but it gets boring at bits due to its length. 6/10
uh no sleep till brooklyn is nice 3/5
Ok, hyvä salimusa.
definitely a young man’s record, so many swears, probably 20 minutes too long
It’s some of their best music ever, it is extremely top-heavy, and could have done with some editing. But, so could the White Album.
It's not my jam, but that doesn't mean it's not a good jam.
I'm about 3 albums away from License To Ill which I'll get to once I catch up with the current album (Black Monk Time by The Monks). Anyway, all that to say I'm not sure where this album fits in the whole scheme of things. Sabotage is an outstanding track, Sure Shot is a great opener and there are some other pearls on here. But I'm not quite ready to give it a 4.
Crisply enjoyable 60mins. Crescent fresh. 3.5 stars.
I love the beastie boys but this isn’t my fave
I skipped songs after 1 min if I didnt like them. Id say I had to do that after half the songs All that aside, some of this was goood. In a not so beatie boys way. I liked Sabrosa and Rickys Theme a lot. Sabotage is probably the only original sounding tune that I enjoyed from front to back. Im pretty surprised that weve had two BB albums already.
Compared to their other albums that give me more of a 'frat boys playing gangsters' vibe, this one feels remarkably mature. Very diverse musically, featuring the expected mix of Hip Hop and Rock/Metal beats, but also dabbles with punk, funk, and instrumental. This diversity makes it intriguing, but also somehow incoherent and overall probably less appealing, since most people won't like all genres. As always with the Beasties, it's not my cup of tea and apart from Sabotage, which is of course awesome, I didn't really enjoy anything. 3.5/5
-well I really like the blending of rap and rock. it’s creative, especially for white guys in 1994. there’s a lot of other cool variety in genre-mixing throughout this album. you never really knew what you were gonna listen to next -that being said, definitely felt a bit bloated. they could’ve shaved it down a little toward the end but oh well, still pretty cool -Favorites are Sure Shot, Sabotage, and Get It Together
3/5
Didn't grab me as much as some other BB albums
Expected to love this, but there are a LOT of skippable tracks for me and I don’t get why they spend half the album rapping into a fuzzy landline connection. Still gets 3 stars for overall vibe and Sure Shot, Sabotage, Root Down, and Get It Together, but it’s a soft 3.
Some screaming bangers, some screaming fillers.
One of the greatest song of all time and another average album by Beastie Boys. It's just not that interesting. I have no idea how they come up with Sabotage, this song sticks out so much from the whole discography, it's very weird. I think an album with this track on a loop would be much more entertaining than Ill Communication.
Like the sound, don’t like hiphop
Not a huge fan of the vocals and mood throughout. Sabotage, Futterman's Rule and Heart Attack Man were standout tracks that elevate to a 3.
Not bad for a Beastie Boys album
always love some old school hip hop, however some songs were way to crazy and 'loud' for me.
If this album were a drink, its composition would be: A good Hip-Hop whiskey with a good amount of Rock Cola and Soul & Funk ice on top! Very interesting sound. It's not something I would listen to every day, but it was fun to listen to. I had never listened to Beastie Boys before today. I hope to hear better albums than this one in the future.
Remember when Captain Kirk stole his step father’s vintage car and had a police chase/drove it off a cliff while sabotage by the beastie boys was playing. Yeah me either.
I am not a great hip-hop listener but I think I appreciate this record. It sounds really alive, with a good mix of genres that show a true attention to songwriting. Deserves a second, third, fourth listen in order to understand everything and appreciate the record in its best aspect. Really nice drums, I loved that. (perhaps the whole thing is a little bit too long ...) Songs I liked and saved : Sure Shot, Futterman's Rule, Ricky's Theme, The Scoop
Not a fan of Hip-Hop, but this was ok.
Quite impressive, not really my genre though
Beats megacool, Vibes zu aggro für mich
Ich finde die Songs interessant und tanzenswert. Die Übergänge zwischen den Songs gefallen mir, sie machen das Album zu einem grossen Werk. Dafür dass es Hiphop ist, passiert viel. Zuweilen sind auch die Harmonien interessant (z.B. in Root Down). Allerdings finde ich trotzdem, dass die Musik sich stark auf Schlagzeug und Sprechgesang fokussiert, was ich anstrengend und überreizend zum Anhören finde. Eine Ausnahme ist Eugene‘s Lament: Sehr spannend und ein Song, der sich von den anderen im Album unterscheidet. Shambala geht crazy, das erinnert mich an Dune…
Having listened to license to Ill quite a bit it was fun to hear this. I like the more fun quirky Beastie Boys more than this version of them but still good. This was more of a complete album/idea though.
My last album was also by the Beastie Boys and deep down I still wish it said the Beach Boys instead.
Well, I thought I might enjoy this more ... but those vocals really started to irritate me. I really enjoyed Eugene's Lament, however. And Transitions. Quite the vibe. It's a three from me.
Enjoyed the 90s hiphop sound and the instrumental ‘filler’ tracks were pretty good too.
bop
I had a hard time keeping up with the words but I was able to bob my head and tap my toe in time with the beat. As an old guy, that's probably all the exercise I'm gonna get so thank you, Beastie Boys, for making my life better today
Maybe a 3 and a half
You know what, I've never thought much of the beastie boys but this was actually pretty good. Middling 3.
Pretty good album, but starts feeling pretty stale and samey by the end. The Minor Threat-like songs were a good break from all the songs that just sound like generic Beastie Boys songs, but I think I would have preferred a whole album of those, plus whatever was happening on Shambala.
Eskede flute loop og at q tip var med
Great album with a handful of really great songs but a lot of filler in between also
I'm always conflicted with a Beastie Boys album. Always feels like a college white dude party trick. But there are also always some UNDENIABLE bangers. Cmon, Sabatoge! I just don't know. The two tracks that made me turn my head had features and were done in the style of those artists so it was hard to really feel those as Beastie Boys songs.
This was ok. Not as good as some of there other albums. It does have the one hit though
Not boring, at least. Felt like 10 different albums in one.
I really enjoy the instrumentals on this album, this particular style of rapping kind of ruins it to be honest. Sorry, just not for me! I'd definitely rock a playlist of their instrumentals though.
Favourite track: Heart Attack Man.
Instrumentals were pretty good. The rap stuff is not for me.
Classic
Jazzier than I thought. Need to give it another listen. Has some of my fave songs on there but not sure how I feel about it as a whole.
3.5
fairly cool coolest song: Sabotage
First half was pretty good, and relaxing. Second half was annoying and had to skip.
Great album but not my favorite from them. I have to be in a very specific mood to listen to hardcore Beastie Boys. Still love em tho
2,5
Solid album but I'm not a big Beastie's guy.
“Sabotage” is obviously the clear stand out here. “Eugene’s Lament” was interesting. There were a few surprise more chill tunes that broke it up a bit. Still 20 tracks/ an hour of the Beasties is a lot.
I caught the Beasties on this tour in ‘94 and it was cool to see them playing live with real instruments, including having the drummer from Suicidal Tendencies backing them up. It furthered my respect for them and their abilities. The Sabotage video alone almost earns up ranking here. But while this album is a pretty wide gamut of styles and vocal numbers vs. instrumentals, it’s a commitment to get through in one fell swoop. I’ll always dig the boys, but will no doubt check my head at Paul’s Boutique as my go to album for them.
Solid opening but and some great grooves in the mix. Was not expecting so many n words on Get It Together so that was a little awkward with my kid in the car. But Sabrosa right after put some fun funk in our step. Sabotage is such a great music video. 3.25
I find it kinda tough to listen to Beastie Boys for an hour straight. Opening track and Sabotage are stand outs, but the rest is pretty forgettable IMO. 3.25/5
valid
Sure Shot, Root Down, Get It Together and Sabotage are great singles. The album overall tries to combine too many different sounds and styles for me, not many succeeding at, to say this is a highly loved album. 3/5 because I do like the Beasties, but in the grand scheme of pushing the genre forward, not an important album.
6.5/10 Enjoyed a lot didn’t, like the instrumental ones however
Love beastie boys! This isn’t my favorite album tho.
Ehhhh. Doesn't do it for me
Never been a huge beastie boys enjoyer
Beastie Boys are generally fun but I wasn’t expecting the direction this went in with the instrumental tracks. Really pleasant surprise and led to an interesting post-album shuffle
Honestly couldn’t help but think every song sounded the same but I love Sabotage and Flute Loop
Like a cross between rage against the machine and a tribe called quest and the Styleboyz from Popstar
Good, but a lot of filler
he’s doing what to mashed potatoes!?
A great crossover hip-hop album.
not really my style, but it's fun so why not
Nice, and great throwback to the '90s Sabotage is a classic to rival all classic songs. The rest, is okay.
I actually liked this record better than Licensed to Ill. And I'm sure I'd have loved it in my teens. But it's not for me, now.
3☆/5 09.01.2024
I feel like I need to give this one another spin or two, but my first thought is 3.5/5
Temo che l’infatuazione coi Beastie Boys si sia conclusa. Che peccato
How many god damn beastie boys albums are they gonna put on this list
Some solid tracks, some that sounded more like filler. I expected some more energy but overall it was solid. A 3.5 but not a 4 for me.
brabo
Sure Shot 3.7 Tough Guy 3 B-Boys Makin' with the Freak Freak 3.1 Bobo on the Corner 3.1 Root Down 3.4 Sabatage 4.3 Get It Together 3.3 Sabrosa 3.6 The Update 3.4 Futterman's Rule 3.5 Alright Hear This 3.2 Eugene's Lament 3.4 Flute Loop 3.1 Do It 3.1 Ricky's Theme 3.5 Heart Attack Man 3.3 The Scoop 3.5 Shambala 3.4 Bodhisattva Vow 3.4 Transitions 3.3 Score: 3.38
Good album, but I still feel like I could take 5 songs off this album and put them in a playlist and be happy.
maybe i'll come back to this album later and regret this rating but for now i just don't get it
3/5 - I like if for the nostalgia, but too much of the same for me when listening to the full album. I love the songs individually.
More punk rock energy than you might expect from a Beastie Boys album. Good but not my favorite of theirs
Not my cuppa tea But some nice instrumental songs
First listen Saved 10/20 Top track: Sabotage
3.5
3.5 pretty good liked the variety wish there was more energy throughout like sabotage
little repetitive, but they were so ahead of the times.
I love the Beastie Boys, but this album was very repetitive. It started out really strong, but by halfway through I was ready to be done with it. I’d like to rate this a 2.7. Since I can’t, I’ll just give them the benefit of the doubt and round up to a 3. Sabotage, sure shot, and b-boys makin with the freak freak were my favorites on this one.
Not a very attentive listen but was nice
Cool stuff. I was not expecting so much jazz.
At least they stopped saying their names so much. Don’t live the mixing in some parts but also contains some classics.
Rebel
Ugh, this is another one I want to like more than I actually do. The Sabotage video is genius and Sure Shot is great but the rest bores me a bit. Disappointing
This is a fun CD. All the songs are short and they kind of flow into each other, with a very live-album feel. So it sort-of functions like an overgrown suite, similar to Smiley Smile or something like it. That makes it a really easy listen, and feel shorter than the one-hour runtime. That said, it's not earth-shattering. The virtuosity is pretty limited (almost intentionally so on the most well-known track, "Sabotage). They're a rap band, but the best actual rap is done by the guy on "Get It Together", who's probably not in the band (he doesn't appear on any other track). And while the CD functions well as a cohesive whole, there really aren't any highlights or clear peaks. That's OK.
Loved some of the songs but overall found the sampling a bit too much at times.
While not a bad album, Ill Communication pales in comparison to Licensed to Ill and Paul's Boutique.
Rick Rubin: How many megaphones did you say you need for your new album? Beastie Boys: ALL OF THEM!
Solid album, didn't finish it lol. But I liked the first half that I did. Nothing mind blowing for me though
This album is brought down in my mind by the several instrumental interludes that feel like they are half of the album. I think that if you remove some of them this album gets a lot stronger.
Definitely better than the other BB album. Fave Tracks: Sabotage, Get It Together, The Update, Flute Loop 3.3/5
Enjoyed. Love old school hip hop
This album is brought down in my mind by the several instrumental interludes that feel like they are half of the album. I think that if you remove some of them this album gets a lot stronger.
Sabotage is one of my favorite tracks ever. The rest of this album I just don't get. Feels disconnected from itself.
Although not a fan, the acid jazz portions I found quite good and the style is interesting.
Sure Shot - 4 Tough Guy - 3.5 B-Boys Makin - 3 Bobo on the Corner - 3 Root Down - 3 Sabotage - 5 Get it Together - 3 Sabrosa - 4 The Update - 3.5 Futtermans' Rule - 3.5 Alright Hear This - 3.5 Eugene's Lament - 3 Flute Loop - 4 Do It - 3.5 Ricky's Theme - 3 Heart Attack Man - 2.5 The Scoop - 3.5 Shambala - 2.5 Bodhisattva Vow - 3 Transitions - 3.5 All over the board. Safely landing in 3 overall.
06/25/24 S Tier—————————5 A Tier—————————4 Sure Shot Alright Here This Flute Loop B Tier—————————3 Sabotage The Update Eugene’s Lament Futterman’s Rule Sabrosa Ricky’s Theme Do It The Scoop C Tier—————————2 Get It Together Shambala Bobo On The Corner Root Down Transitions Heart Attack Man Bodhisattva Vow Tough Guy D Tier—————————1
Ill Communication by The Beastie Boys Tuesday 6/25/24 9:57 S Tier————————— Sabotage A Tier————————— Sure Shot Bobo On The Corner B Tier————————— The Update Root Down Flute Loop Transitions Futterman’s Rule Eugene’s Lament Ricky’s Theme Sabrosa The Scoop Alright Hear This Bodhisattva Shambala Do It Get It Together B Boys C Tier————————— Heart Attack Man Tough Guy
I used to think I loved Beastie Boys but I just liked the odd song and this proves it. Sabotage is great! Everything else is okay. Actually Sabrosa fucking rules too.
Good time! Altså det er lidt noget rod, men det er sgu fed!
Not as good as License to Ill, but still pretty decent.
🎧good hip hop
I'm not a huge beastie boy fan, but I do like a couple songs, and most of those happen to be on this album, and most of them start with S. I appreciate the hustle they do and am kind of in awe at how they get their product to look like not a lot of effort went into it. If you told me they didn't try very hard and still put this out, that would also be impressive. Favorite track "Sabotage" 3/5
Ég hef ekki verið mikið fyrir rapp en rokkskotið rapp er samt alveg eitthvað sem ég fíla alveg síðan Quarashi var og hét. Ég fílaði einmitt þessa plötu en mun samt líklegast aldrei setja hana á af sjálfsdáðum. Þetta er ekki eitthvað sem mér dettur í hug að hlusta á nema bara eitt og eitt lag. Samt gott stöff með góðum smellum.
Not my favourite from them but decent.
Hip hop rock jazz funk. Te hace mover la cabeza. Al final se hace un poco pesado.
idk how to rate this. i liked how many genres there were how many sounds they tried out it was conceptually so sound but i think on a deeper level i just do not gaf about the beastie boys.
I thouht this was pet shop boys and was pretty surprised by the genre lol. Shocking amount of what sounds like jazz flute. I enjoyed the more relaxed interludes
Okay
Solid - a lot more variety than expected.
Hyvä meininki levyssä. Aika rokahtava, kaksi ihan suoraa hardcore punkki kappalettakin. Instrumentaaleja myös. Vähän liikaa ehkä. Niin sanottuja "oikeita kappaleita" liian vähän. Parhaat: Sabotage, Root Down, Get It Together
Too many filler tracks to be more than 3 stars. Some absolute bangers though
Ein av de bedre tingene 90-tallet hadde å by på
Not my style, but still ok
Good blend of rapping and heavy metal sensibilities.
There’s now two Beastie Boys albums I at least sorta like. This one not as much as Paul’s Boutique, but still a lot more than I expected.
Very solid front to back
I don't know to honestly... Beastie Boys manages to make white guy rap cool with some energy, but still quite bland. 'Sabotage' is a really cool song, but had a hard time finding anything else that stood out. Gets pretty monotone after a while, but I've heard worse albums as well.
Not as good as I remember it being from my teens, way overlong and the singles are hugely overplayed now. Should have cut the bad hardcore too
Good!
Better than the last Beastie Boys album since half of it is just beats and jams. It’s also got Sabotage which is the best song they have made. 6/10
I like Beastie Boys but this is eh for me- some hits some misses
Beastie boys altijd classic legends, maar ik kan er gewoon net niet naar luisteren
This was not what I expected. I liked the jazzy instrumental tracks and the overall vibe of the album, but I'm not a fan of shouted distortion-heavy vocals. This is especially the case for rap, where it seems odd to choose a style which makes the lyrics difficult to understand
Love the Beastie Boys, this album was great Top tracks: Sabotage, Flute Loop
The Beastie Boys are very much hit-and-miss for me. Personally they get some bonus points for their inclusion in "Patriot" which remains one of the best TV shows of all time. That's enough to round this 2.5 up to a 3 for me. I liked a few of the songs on this album, but overall it was more miss than hit and probably deserves a 2.
Far far far better than License to Ill Still not amazing, it lasts too long, so you enjoy it for a bit, but it keeps going and going. It feels really uncool at times. They just arent my kind of group, the vocals can be cringey. The whole thing can be, but the first half is fairly decent. Lets say low 3 and we can all move on
Never been much of a fan of the Beastie Boys. They feel...messy, the sound is too dirty, too hyperactive for me. I don't know why they have to make their voice sound like they're far away from the mic. I guess I just don't like them. That's fine. For me, they're background music, something I would play in a bar or in a skate shop, just to have something playing to fill the deafening silence. Or maybe something I would play on a long car ride during the summer, because they feel somewhat "beachy"
Not my cup of tea
I liked this album well enough. I’m a huge fan of Licensed to Ill and Paul’s Boutique, so I was disappointed by the lack of rap on this album. I had to keep checking to see if Spotify accidentally started playing something else — I was so confused.
Fun. Didn’t realize how instrumental it would be
The Beastie Boys have always been challenging for me. I am sometimes in the right mood and can absorb their hype, but more often I am not operating at the right speed. It's hard to get into while sitting at my desk, it feels like I should be in Manhattan drinking funky monkeys and smashing wing mirrors. The beats across the album are so dope. Get It Together, Sabrosa and The Update were an awesome trio of songs. The beat on Alright Hear This was also dope. I was not expecting the abstract to show up, that was my favorite song. I loved all of the instrumental tracks. I thought the album changed pace a lot and had great variety. The bars were funny and kept coming fast. Unfortunately I have a very hard time connecting with their style of lyricism, to the point where I have to make an effort to enjoy it. I would not choose to put it on again, so despite my praise it has got to be a 6/10 from me. It would be a 9/10 if they would just stop yelling at me, but then they wouldn't be the beastie boys.
The beat on “Sabotage” is so iconic
While it's not my favorite Beastie Boys album, and the second half starts to drag, it does have a couple legitimate bangers. "Sabotage" is on my short list of greatest hype songs of all time.
I would say this was an enjoyable listening experience. Sabotage is good, I liked flute loop, Tough Guy was an odd punk song honesty. There was good musical variety. Like sabrosa, idk what to call that. World music? That being said, it was weird to have instrumentals with no vocals, even if the variety was nice. I also found the album to be a bit long. In short, good variety musically, classic hip hop, punk, world music , etc. even if the instrumental only songs were an odd inclusion. A bit long and not every song was good. 3.5
Not too bad for a bunch of Jews
Listen all yall it’s a sabotage Heard this album many times growing up, not my favorite but it’s alright
Didn't think i was going to like this at first. Have heard of this band but never really got into them. The album grew on me and I found the music to be well produced and the material original. Quite a rap influence threaded through. Wouldn't go as far to call myself a fan but it was OK
FUNNNNNNN
Before listening: I really want to like the Beastie Boys. It seems to me like it would be a fun life being a Beastie Boys fan. But, alas, I've listened to one of their albums before and I just did not get it. The album was License to Ill which I'm guessing is their most famous album, shrug emoji. I'll listen to this one and I'm hoping so much that I'll like it. After listening: There were some good songs in here, but so much filler. My god, this could've been cut down by like five songs and it would've gotten an extra star. But for now it has to settle for three.
3.5. Lots of cool production elements. The jazzy interstitials were probably my favorite part. Beastie Boys don't really have bars though
Can't beat a bit of beasties. Not the best but some rocking pieces
Te saai album voor 4
I knew some of the songs but never listened the full album. Nice jazzy vibes.
I cracked up when I heard the line about sticking your dick in mashed potatoes
Excellent players on this album…so much talent
This album and check your head are blended together in my head as a good but not great Beastie period. Prefer the beasties hip hopping more than rocking. 3.4
3.4
I like the jazzy funky beats, but the punk rock songs are a little out of place. I can't understand most of the lyrics but it's fun and playful while still being quite solid musically. Definitely more than just a rap album. In my memory this was later than '94. 3.9
Nice variety of sounds
Some great jams on this. Lot of random songs that I think take away from the jams. Work has been busy so my reviews suck right now
My favorite songs on this were those with minimal singing. Not sure why with the Beastie Boys but when they have both singers going back and forth it is way too hectic for me and not very enjoyable. The instrumentals were pretty great though which saved this album for me.
very beastie boys. not entirely my thing but i respect what they're doing
I don’t really know if I actually like the beastie boys.
I think the Beastie Boys are really good at creating music and beats. Rhythm, however, doesn't change from song to song. Their same brand of shout rapping doesn't change from song to song, so the album can feel a bit samey. "Sabotage" is awesome. The other songs are good, but they're all doing the same thing.
Some songs I liked, some songs I didn’t.
The music is incredible, they truly love music. Feels like an Oscar winning soundtrack of a fake band invented by a music critic in the best way possible. I can't stand their annoying chipmunk voices though.
Dit vond ik wel eens vet om te luisteren. Een Jazz-punk album. Aantal nummers zijn niet hiphop met jazz-invloed maar zijn gewoon jazz waar overheen wordt gerapt. Of niet eens (Sabrosa). Wat een variatie. Tough guy is echt een proper punk song. Kort en venijnig. Ik vind Sabotage echt hard en heel erg passend in deze tijd van de nineties. Era van RATM en Kurt Cobain leefde zelfs nog bij uitbrengen van deze plaat. Ijzersterk. Al met al positief verrast. Jazz-vibe is lekker. Boeiend om de combinatie met hiphop zo op één plaat te horen (Get It Together) en sommige lyrics zijn echt goud. "If this gonna be that kinda party, I’m gonna stick my dick in the mashed potatoes." 7,5/10 Highlights Sabotage En zie tekst
East coast hip-hop. Thats all it is and I like it. Too repretetive but funky.
Alright
Important punk/rap album but not my vibe. Flute loop is the best imo
A little bit too shouty and yelly!
First day, first album. Good genre bending album with some great tunes and aggressive vocals. I liked it and I’m glad to finally give more recognition to Beastie boys!
It's fine, not fantastic.
Instrumentals interessant
Good album. I hadn't listened to this before.
I remember when my older brother liked one of these songs
I actually enjoyed this quite a bit more than the previous beastie album I got. Sure shot and sabotage are great tracks, but this album is also really nice musically. 3/5
Hip hop rock jazz funk. Te hace mover la cabeza. Al final se hace un poco pesado.
Not my favorite, less recognizable than what I know of them.
Great music if you want to be yelled at by a bunch of 12 year old kids for an hour. There are however a couple tracks where you are not being yelled at like Futtermans Rule and they are genuinely great.
I'm pretty neutral towards the Beastie Boys, but I'm familiar with some of their more popular songs, and I might have even listened to a couple of their albums in their entirety, but I'm not 100% on that. They were supposed to play Friday night at ACL in 2009, and I was really excited to see them, but they dropped out due to Adam Yauch's cancer diagnosis. The summer of Yauch's passing, I was at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and they had a very touching tribute to him that made me cry when I read it. On to the album at hand though. I really wanted to love this album, but I thought it was just okay. I love "Sabotage," and it was easily the highlight of the album. The bass line is iconic, the guitar playing is frantic and piercing, and the drumming is tight and provides a booming sound that makes this one of the most fun songs of the nineties. "Sure Shot" is a great leadoff track, and establishes the jazz and funk sound that's going to dominate the musical aspects of the album. This is a far more mature effort from the band, but unfortunately, it's not as fun as their earlier work. The jazz and funk influences are great and unique, but the music drowns out the lyrics and the band's distinctive rapping style. The album is really long too, and despite the fact that it succeeds musically, it overstays its welcome by quite a bit. This isn't a bad album, but I didn't think it was great either.
One or two big hitters but the rest I could take or leave. I can't give them under a 3 because they fought, and possibly died, for our right to party.
I respect the Beastie boys but I always feel that listening to a whole album by them is just too much. Same with this album..some nice and fun ideas but it is not blowing me away
Hip hop rock jazz funk. Te hace mover la cabeza. Al final se hace un poco pesado.
Pretty good pretty good indeed
This is interesting. It feels like background music in a way that is hard for me to describe. I went on a journey but at least this first listen I don't know where it went.
Sounds like there is some inspiration from NWA. Some good songs, but overall, the album is good but not great.
I enjoyed futtermans rule and shambala most. Generally a really busy hectic sounding album not sure if I’d give it another listen other than for a few songs.
The first half of this is great - second half falls off.
Liked the jazz-and-funk infused tracks. 2.5/5
I’ve always enjoyed the beastie boys for their evolution from a punk rock band to leading into sampling music , to then pick back up their instruments. This album felt like a jam session mixed with all of their influences at the time. This album goes from hip hop to punk, to jazz and funk and then instrumental so quickly that it can be a lot. A lot of these beats reminded me of the band sublime But there are some classic songs in this that stood the test of time. I love the song with Q-tip. The album is a lot of things, which can make hard to listen in one sitting. 3.5
noomel beastie boys. uuuh beat goht dumm. verstoh wenig. aber goht los, flöteveat hard. tough guy afoch punk. woth the freakfreak hahahah. afoch schoof km beat huere geil. root down geeeile bass. yooo what mega jazz chords. Get it together isch QTip time, geile beat. shes the cheese and im the maccaroni hahaha. Sabrosa funky time? funky time. Futtermans rule instrumental und goht no los? die letste paar tracks sind chli a mir verbizoge aber s isch immerno cool. Do It isch funny. Ricky's Theme isch mega smooth jazz huere cool. heart attack man wieder vooooll punk. da album macht afoch chli alles. shambala het mongolische kehlgsang??? bodhisattva vow au. oke sehr cools album aber s isch sehr all over the place.
okay eis album hemmer ja schomal gha licensed to ill isch für mich faast es 5i gsi, mal luege oke vom flow und so findis immerno ähnlich aber de flötebest isch natürlich recht andersch OHHH bi tough guy ghörtmer, vo d beastie boys chömmed (d längi vom lied passt au gad dezue) also de Effekt wo sie uf ihri stimm ghaue hend dass es tönt, wie wenn sie dur walky-talky würded rede, findi wird recht schnell alt UH SCHLAGZÜG okay also me ghört sehr guet ihri wurzle aber sie hend sochli en andere bezug dezue gfunde? d produktion und so isch alles chli roher (leider verstahtmer fast nümme, was sie singed) und synthis hend sochli meh platz (bis jz) sabotage findi recht sick schad, dassmer de text chum verstaht, will woni churz d lyrics nahgluegt han, ischs sochli ernster gsi wieder de gaggieffekt bi the update, obwohl ichs lied recht geil fänd aber wemmer so gar nüt verstaht nervtsmi chli 20 lieder findi hslt eifach chli z vill für eis album bin mengisch chli überforderet was sie alles probiert, iwie ghör ichs und es isch sochli "ja voll das isch passiert" uhh flute loop bopt no HEART ATTACK MAAAANN jaa vlt verglichs z fest mit licensed to ill wo banger after banger gsi isch aber leider het sich das album z lang, komisch abgmixt und für min gschmack ih verschiedene bereich eifach chli too much ahgfühlt
This is my 3rd Beastie Boys album, and although I know that this album is a bit different from the others (Licensed to Ill & Paul’s Boutique), I just have trouble telling their albums apart. I’ll probably have to re-listen to them sometime.
Tandon Scale Rating: 3.25 Standouts: Sure Shot, Root Down, Sabotage Foot Notes: 1 I’m pretty sure they sampled a goat noise in b-boy 2 I don’t know if they’re punk or hip hop or funk 3 broke me damn AirPods turning up Sabotage too loud Would I Listen Again: has some bright spots I’d probably put it on Album Cover Rating: (1-5) 3.5 Album Name Rating: (1-5) 5
Listening when I work out. It went HARD. Reminds me of Tod. This is what would I could playing in the Grange garage during the summer. Or like Tony Pro Skater 3. It must’ve been a choice to sound away from the mic? Maybe it made them sound better than they were. But I wish it was just a bit clearer. Maybe it would have been cheesy if it wasn’t presented as it was. The Sure Shot vinyl scratch went hard. That’s when I leaned in. Sabotage still goes so crazy. Replace all Seven Nation Army song uses with Sabotage.
Was skeptical at first because so far I’ve not been a fan of 90s hip hop, but by the end I was liking it.
bit yelly
Ok
Better than I expected, but not amazing. Seemed to meander at times. Some of the non hip-hop tracks were good, but a fair few fell flat. The vocals also got tiresome after a while, which is at odds with the intermissions also getting stale. 2.5*
Den originale blanding af rap og rock, masser af energi, jazz samples, ren sabotage
Summary: This album was a bit all over the place. Some unforgettable tracks that will be mainstays in playlists forever and others that seem like experiments that missed the mark. I love the creativity and courage but if you miss on it, I'm still going to skip the track. I would surprised by the instrumental tracks and even more surprised how much I liked some of them. 1 - Sure Shot: They jump RIGHT IN with a great beat. Head is immediately bopping. It feels like an intro song and will never be a repeater or favorite but I'm invested now. 2 - Tough Guy: Not really my style. Seems like maybe this was an influence to The Offspring which I also don't like. Skip! 3 - B-Boys Makin' With The Freak Freak Not shy of the distortion knob. 4 - Bobo On The Corner Interlude-type track 5 - Root Down Okay... okay... this is fulfilling the promise the first track made. I'm back to bopping along. 6 - Sabotage AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH YEAH! This song evokes a feeling so well. I can even still imagine the music video while I'm listening. 7 - Get It Together Very different and gives me Digable Planets and Naughty By Nature influence vibes. Ooooooooooh roll credits (mentioned the album title at the end) 8 - Sabrosa Got that funk... Holy crap is this all instrumental? I like it. Almost like an intermission with style. 9 - The Update Fine track. I'll probably not listen to it again unless I'm not paying attention. 10 - Futterman's Rule Another instrumental break. I dig this one too. 11 - Alright Hear This It's ok 12 - Eugene's Lament Interesting change of pace. Not my favorite. 13 - Flute Loop Oooooh I like this. 14 - Do It This is got a groove to it. 15 - Ricky's Theme All of the sudden a chill beat... ok... cool 16 - Heart Attack Man I don't like this. 17 - The Scoop I like the way this is put together with the clips and the funky beat. Seems like it was a bit ahead of its time. 18 - Shambala Another interesting instrumental. 19 - Bodhisattva Vow A fine addition towards the end. 20 - Transitions Nice transition out of the album. Relaxing.
This is a toughie for me. I like a lot of the instrumental tracks and enjoy vocals when they aren’t very distorted. But the tracks on this album with a lot of industrial influence, distorted vocals, and pitchy disc spinning don’t do it for me.
Mochte ich früher gar nicht, heute ist das eine oder andere Stück beachtenswert. Insgesamt aber nicht meins
Oujeee
Starts strong, but tapers off into just noise by the last 1/3 of the tracks
Too much yelling. I get the interesting rhythmic things happening, but I can't get over the yelling.