Reviews (page 7 of 14)
pretty good album here, maybe my favorite of the BBs albums I've heard from this list so far. i didn't know anything from this other than sabotage (of course) though flute loop felt familiar so maybe i'd heard that too. i love the samples and genre-bending music that the BBs make but the instrumentals here are second-to-none. in fact, listening to this made me realize that the biggest thing i don't care for when listening to their music is the white boy rap vocals. the boys themselves are simply too beastie for me. favorites: sure shot, sabotage, get it together, futterman's rule, flute loop, ricky's theme
I would say that my opinion of the Beastie Boys was somewhat negative going into this. The extent of my familiarity was some singles, their feature in futurama, and I knew that they were all white. At the beginning I didn't like this. It took a little for the project of the group to make sense to me. I think it was around Sabotage which I immediately recognized from this great youtube video of a guy recreating the skateboarding scene in family guy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=4oS6ooRxZY0&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bing.com%2F&embeds_referring_origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bing.com&source_ve_path=Mjg2NjY When it got to the song with Q-tip I was pretty impressed. This album explores a wide range of sounds and the boys showcase their versatility and production skills. What impressed me most is the white space on this album. lots of space for the tracks to play on their own without the Beastie boys feeling they need to interject. This project is a space for the group to experiment and try things without it feeling messy. Some of the lofi stuff is really out there and not something that I realized that the beastie boys were interested in. I was pleasantly suprised by this album, I didn't expect the depth and experimentation that we got here.
This album is a lot more refined than Paul’s Boutique which is good in an easier to listen to sense. The best songs on here are the ones with crisp or unique samples - Sure Shot, Root Down, Sabatoge, Sabrosa my fave of the instrumentals) etc. I don’t think there are any particularly hidden gems on here. The rapping hasn’t really evolved; in fact I think it may be more basic to introduce more melody to the songs. One of my favorite parts of this album is MCA playing bass. Some of the lines are so slick and using a standup bass is next level. Making your own sample is great work in general, for all the tracks where the instruments are original. I think that’s what makes this album a move forward in many respects. In general the beastie boys were in their own space between genres and I think this album was the first sign that they’d keep doing that for a while. I would rate this a 5 but I got sick of a few tracks that went on too long, and the punk tracks were not great, so 4 it is. I really loved the instrumentals (even the throat singing one), they weren’t long enough!
Quite good, but very disjointed. The hardcore tracks suck, but the jammier rockier songs fuck 😎. Also too long doe 🤷. Sabotage is a classic tho. 🤘 4/5
One of my favorite Beastie albums! Surprisingly I don’t own this one so I will definitely have to revisit.
Fav: Sabotage Least Fav: Eugene’s Lament
Check Your Head was the more ground-breaking album.
蘸豆！爽！
Sabotage has been on my favorites list for a while, but I haven't listened to the whole album. I'd give it a 3.5, but I'll round it up to a 4.
Slept on by way too many
Whomever wrote the book this is drawing from has a real thing for Brooklyn. This is the *third* Beasties album that I've pulled so far. Not that I'm complaining. It's good shit. The boys play a lot of their own instruments on these tracks -- so it's got a more organic sound than the sample-heavy first few. They still flow like few others. They really found their sound here. Unexpected bangers: Bodhisattva Vow, Flute Loop, Get It Together
Took me a few listens to get my head around it. This is much more than just a rap album
4.5/5. I watched a pretty funny tik tok today with Sabotage in the background so this is fate. I’m just so impressed that three white middle class kids from New York had such a big impact on hip hop while maintaining their punk DIY aesthetic. The music video for Sabotage is decade defining fun and mayhem.
Great sounds and a lot of versatility shown. I enjoyed the different styles and sounds, but from an album cohesion standpoint it was slightly disordered.
The Boys have their adolescent swagger in tact, but have added some really impressive musical sensibilities. Their instrumental tracks are more than just a beat! I have a whole new respect for them.
Who knew there were this many genres?
Albumi #1, 28.07.2024 Vanha tuttu albumi arpoutui ensimmäiseksi albumiksi. Hieno avaus.
Damn near a five just for that fuzz bass break into WhoooaaaaOOOOAAAAH on sabotage, arguably the only rap rock song that ever needed to exist. Cue some of the nutjobs on here whining about how a rap group from brooklyn, named the Beastie Boys,"yells too much." Jesus. Hits like Rod Carew. Interesting music, violin, tibetan chants, but not as fun or as cool as Paul's Boutique.
This the Beastie Boys best album. It could be a 5 if they got rid of all the B sides and saved them for a reissued box set. But it doesn’t get any better than “Sabotage” and “Get it together” back to back.
I was prepared for the aggressive white boy rap MC work done by the Beastie Boys, but I was not prepared for the beats, funk, grooves, and instrumentals on this album. I was always curious how the Beastie Boys fit into the Hip Hop story, or what the Hip Hop community thinks of them. Q-tips appearance on “Get it Together” answers that question. I enjoyed this way more than I expected to.
This album is filled with many good tracks, including some fours into other musical styles however, the album feels over stuffed, and some of those explorations are not as fruitful or interesting.
Die Beats sind schon sehr beeindruckend und ikonisch
Pretty cool, tho I involuntarily started going for a run when sabotage came on.
Solid classic
You couldn't have turned on MTV for more than 5 minutes in 1994 before you were bombarded by the video "Sabotage," which was EVERYWHERE and seemed to air at least twice an hour for 18 hours a day during the summer of 1994. My graduating year from high school was inundated with the sounds of this as well as Soundgarden's "Blackhole Sun," Aerosmith's "Crazy," Beck's "Loser," Collective Soul's "Shine," and Warren G's "Regulate," among many many others. It's difficult to remove the nostalgia from music, and while I never dedicated much time to listen to the Beastie Boys when this was first released, this album was pretty incredible.
Just a great album through and through. I love the beasties playing their own instruments and there are just masterful sound drops throughout. It also hits my nostalgia card since I had this on repeat for a long time in the 90's
You know I never really got the beastie boys. Then I listened to this album and I get them now. Great album, my infant enjoyed it. 4/5 stars
19/07 Degelijk album. Niet hun beste, maar toch zeker hun tweede beste. Sabotage was, is en blijft een banger. Zeker een 3-4 nummers hierop die in m'n playlist vliegen. De rest is niet slecht, maar nu ook niet super, wat dus bij Licensed to III wel het geval is, maar die zal ik wel nog tegenkomen. 3.6*
Fantastic rhymes and even better music. Blessed to blast this on my stereo today. Discovered some jams I wasn’t as familiar with.
Days after listening to Paul's boutique , this I'd say has better verses , lesser noise and better arrangement . Songs are also a bit longer . But Paul's Boutique was better in samples and the beats used . It is unfair to compare 2 separate records but this just came as an afterthought. Favorite song has to be the Q-Tip's feature .
Pretty good, not as cohesive as Paul's Botique but they were adventurous with it and when it hits it hits
Love the singles, will come back to this
First time I've ever listened to this whole album, and honestly, I dig it! Sabotage is obviously the high point, but overall I thought it was good.
I really dig this version of Beastie Boys Gilles with musical experiments. Still too much filler.
You never know what to expect when Beastie Boys arrive - you only know that it’ll be good. There’s simply no denying the greatness of BB’s innovative mix of sampling, raunchy vocals, live punk instrumentation and insane attitude. They start to lose grip of the record around “Eugene’s Lament” but luckily they regain it with “Heart Attack Man” and keep on delivering for the rest of Ill Communication.
Sure Shot, Root Down and Sabotage. Say no more 4/5
This album has a few all-timers on it, but struggles to find itself. They seem lost themselves on what they are even trying to do. If they cut half the filler on this album it has a chance to be a 5 star album, but it's so lost in trying to do a little of everything it falls short. Without Sure Shot, Sabotage, and Flute Loop this is a 2 or 3, but these song push it to a 4/5.
Super fun album once again from the Beastie Boys, with a quite few different flairs to show off their musical range. My only complaint is that the album does drag on a bit, but this is a really great display of a really talented group. Favorite track: Sabotage
Sabotage
Wow, this was not what I was expecting at all from the Beastie Boys. This was so much more musical and harmonious than anything I've heard from them. Before listening to this album, Sabotage was the most "musical" song I've ever heard from them, and that's probably the _least_ musical track on this album. So much cool and deep stuff in here, from a musical perspective. Some songs didn't even have any rapping! I didn't realize that they even did that. Overall, it was very good, and will probably relisten at some point, but it didn't blow my skirts up enough to relisten immediately. Four solid stars.
It’s possible that I haven’t given the Beastie Boys a fair shake, but this was much more sophisticated than I was thinking! Nice mix with different undercurrents of jazz, funk, punk, rock… not sure I would normally spin this all the way through, but once again that’s what I like about this 1001 challenge. Only knew ‘Sabotage’ but coming away with some new appreciation. 4.25/5
It's not beasties boy's best album, but man is it some good hip-hop.
dope beats. cant go on a walk today so using it as workout music. does the job
3.5 - they are just fun. Some of this album is a little bit much though
Fantastic. Not as groundbreaking as Paul's Boutique or as varied and jam packed as Hello Nasty, but this one to me seems to mark the point where the Beastie Boys "matured". Sweet jam band interludes, a couple of punk songs, and Sabotage! What's not to like?
Cracking album. Sabotage is my all time favourite Beastie Boys tracks.
Great, with some musical interludes.
Legendary
Quite possibly their best album in terms of live instrumentals. Does it reach the highs of Hello Nasty? No but I think it’s my second fav Beastie Boys album
På den ene side har den nogen af deres største bangers, på den anden side er den for lang og jam agtig mod slutningen
Vanvittigt alsidigt. Sabotage er den beastie boys sang jeg har hørt absolut mest, så blev glad da den kom på! Solid plade, som helt sikkert fortjener genlyt og fordybelse.
Illmaculate vibes scratching all kindsa itches.
I see what they were going for and this is clearly iconic but it feels very dated and stuck in the late 80s/ early 90s. Not bad, just not timeless like some others on this list.
A perfect blend of punk, hip hop, and funk in NYC during the late 80s
This is an AWESOME album and just what I needed to put some 'pep in my step' this weekend! Listen all y'all, it's a sabotage
Beastie Boys show here how versatile they can be. Their best album
I love their production. The writing is sort of whatever in my eyes, it isn’t really the point. More of a vibes group. Really fun and high energy when it wants to be, but even the slow tracks have a nice bounce to them.
This is the Beasties album that won me over to them. Less schtick and more substance.
I never realized how heavily edited these tracks are. It's not a bad thing: the album plays with reverb and static and other effects, which really adds to the attitude. It's very common for songs to do this in 2024, but having so much fuzz so ahead of the game is respectable.
Good music, a lot more range than you might give them credit for if you only knew the big hits.
he like ma bell
I dig it. This might be my favorite Beastie Boys album.
I think I may have mentioned it before, but Root Down, the last single released off this album, was incredibly significant in my household - I can still remember my kids running amok in the house doing the call & response bit from that track - How ya gonna kick it? Gonna kick it root down - this was when I knew they were onto hip-hop, &, for the two of them there’s been no turning back. It is the highlight of this album, for me, but there is a mile of good music here. They can punk it up, as in Tough Guy & Heart Attack Man. There are a bunch of great instrumentals - the very funky Sabrosa; Futterman’s Rule; the violin-based Eugene’s Lament; Ricky’s Theme & Shambala. All very different to each other. Q-Tip’s guest spot on Get It Together & Biz Markie’s piece on Do It both work well. Although, besides Root Down, the highlight for me is Sabotage, which was the first single off the album & features a great film-clip. A terrific record.
OK, this was actually pretty good. Their yelling/rapping didn't bother me as much as it had on other albums. Of the three Beastie Boys albums I have been served on here, this is the only one I would willingly listen to again; in fact I quite enjoyed a few of the songs. My favorites were "Sabotage" and "Flute Loop."
Ill Communication lacked the samples that Paul’s Boutique had but it brought more grittiness and even some Gregorian chants in the later stages of the album. Great album, Beastie Boys were pioneers and Ill Communication is an excellent capsule of the 90’s. 4 stars
I've been feeling miserable all day because I undervalued the Grant Lee Buffalo Album yesterday. Should have been four stars. Sorry to everyone involved.
this is the third beastie boys album in 2weeks. it's still my bfs fav band so I have to like it.
Definitely surprising. I enjoyed how much more instrumental it was than I had anticipated - almost a jazz album. Really enjoyed it.
Far and away the best Beastie Boys project I've listened to. The Q-Tip feature was a pleasant surprise. Highlights: Sure Shot, Root Down, Sabotage, Get It Together, The Update, Futterman's Rule, The Scoop
Previously rated: License to Ill (5/5) ************************ First time hearing this one, so I don't have the same nostalgia. It has its moments - Root Down and Sabotage being my favorites. I wish the vocals didn't have that heavy distortion throughout the album though. I'd like to understand some of the lyrics. And why so many instrumentals? Honestly, I did really enjoy a couple of them.
- Was planning on going with 3 stars for the first half of the album, but the second half really won me over. - Not sure how complimented the Beastie Boys would be by this take, but I think the work they do on their backings far outshines their ability as rap artists. And, for this reason, a lot of the experimental/instrumental tracks truly stand out to me. "Sabrosa," "Shambala," "Transitions"...this is where I find myself most impressed. - That being said, "Sabotage" is "Sabotage" for a reason. Banger of a track.
Really fun. Sabotage is worth an entire star
Eclectic, fun, clever and a very interesting album. I'm on the fence about the Beastie's, but you can't deny they made some great records, this is one of them. I can listen to this all day and I can't say that about most of their albums. It all came together with a crazy mix of all their influences and unique styling and it was this album that blew me away and made me realize they actually were seriously talented.
first time listen of this one, i enjoyed it alot though some of the songs started to sound the same
I didn’t use to be the biggest fan of The Beastie Boys (I used to skip them on Guitar Hero in my yoof). However, I have to admit I started liking them more when shortly after Rach and I started dating, Sabotage came on in a nightclub and like a hellohound she started howling, “IIII CAN’T STAND IT! I KNOW YOU PLANNED IT!” Since then, their shouty rapping has made me feel a little warmer inside. Anyway, yeah, I really quite enjoyed this album, whereas once upon a time I probably wouldn’t have.
4.25
solid 4, great album, just did not shake me personally
I had forgotten how cool this album is. Old school hip hop with bits of NYHC, even bossa! Really enjoyed it!
This album is great! And then I checked the run time and there was still 20 minutes left and I was stranded on an instrumental. Too long. Tooooooo loooooong.
i went into this project never having listened to the beastie boys in full. this is my third beastie boys album and what i can say across the board is that my favorite part of their music is their production. this record is no exception, and may be my favorite of theirs from that standpoint. the production on this album is superb - it sounds so damn good. tracks like 'futterman's rule' are funky, groovy, and sound live and loose. just really cool stuff. my issue, like other beastie boys albums is that their vocals don't really do it for me at all. i would say at times they are grating and annoying to me. in fact - i think q-tip on 'get it together' is my favorite part of this record. the production is phenomenal, and i can't help but think if someone else was rapping on the entire rest of the record, it would be a slam dunk 5/5 for me. either way, i still enjoyed it well enough.
Awesome ground breaking stuff. Also vibes not for every situation
Great mid-90’s beastie boys
6.7 on the Richter Scale
Really quite strange.
Ja errrg vet, had hier ook nooit een heel album van geluisterd Wel erg veel geschreeuw af en toe maargoed hoort erbij
Yoooooooooo Rauw luister hem later wel af, vond hem soms wel iets te intens
they were good
I love the first two Beastie Boys album, but somehow I missed this one and had sort of written them off on the basis of the material that came later, like Intergalactic. Looks like I'd missed a gem.
“Oh my God, that’s the funky shit!” 4.25
There was a lot more punk and other styles represented here than I expected! The first 1/4 of the album almost pushed me away because the vocal distortions were so frustrating, however once they started cycling in instrumental tracks and I could settle in more just to the music, I was hooked. The second half is a 3.5, bits of the first are a 2. I want to come back to this again.
Love it
The samples and styles are eclectic.
come for sabotage, stay for shambala
This album was WAY better than License to Ill. Thoroughly enjoyed this one.
That's pretty much pure flow. They getting straight to the point. No fucking around. Beats were also exceptional.
Love me some beastie
Classic album. More vibey than i remembered
Álbum que mistura música de rap com bases de jazz e instrumentais muitos experimentais, passando por algumas músicas de hardcore. O brilho do álbum são os instrumentais, tanto a base dos raps quanto as músicas instrumentais são impressionantes.
One of the best in their entire discography, but no Paul’s Boutique.
I am not as familiar with this album and didn't remember all the instrumental tracks and liked the funky ones. Sabotage is one of my all time faves.
Overall, I really enjoyed it. It immediately made me want to play Tony Hawk Pro Skater which is about as high a compliment I can give. Could have done with a few less songs but great listen.
The sampling felt sharp and clever. There were also some really nice percussive breaks and funky basslines. I enjoyed the detailed and varied sonic texture a lot (organ samples, some great guitar sounds, the punkier vibe on some tracks, etc.). Also the Q-tip feature slaps
They can get really annoying, but they have really cool beats. I can’t tell which is Adrock and Mike D until they announce their name
Great instrumentals. A long album but glad I finally heard more than just the singles
This is the second album of Beastie Boys that i've listen of this list, the first one was Paul's Boutique and i have to say that this album has nothing to be with Paul's Boutique and that was great for me, 'cause I thought that this was going to be screams all the time, but it wasn't and i liked that there were some songs that were just instrumental. This is a really cool album, I like it.
I like the Beastie Boys. Over the years I’ve listened to them less and less. Not sure why. Always a good time though whenever we do cross paths.
unironically dope. I've only really heard their hits, but this album is in eclectic journey with some really sick beats/samples. 4.2.
A classic but I'm a maniac from preferring Hello Nasty's tumble through a record shop
very good album.
Fabulous listen
This is a high 4, it still stands up and rocks the house
First three BB albums: 5 stars. This one contains Sabotage (best videoclip from the 90s) but is a little inconsistent. score: 8/10.
Best Beastie Boys album with the banger Sabotage, fine opener Sure shot, and an overall good mix between heavy and more laid back tunes.
Really loved revisiting this. There’s a great, eclectic mix of funky hip hop, raucous punk and really evocative lyricism and vocal delivery. As an album we’re getting our moneys worth for sure.
Dobry album, ale lepiej się zaczyna niż kończy. Po pewnym czasie zaczyna lecieć w tle i już nie zwracasz na niego uwagi. Przyjemnie brzmiące prawdziwe instrumenty zamiast samplingu. 4/5
Oh, that was tasty
Highly enjoyable album
Beastie boys are one of my favourite rap groups
"Sabotage was the biggest rock radio hit of the summer of 1994" Aber Licensed To Ill ist noch eine Party weiter vorne.
micket bra!
Probably my favorite Beastie album. The energy and fun they bring is always good but their production is great, even the instrumental tracks shine outright
There’s so much going on. Never all at once- but collectively, this album is doing a lot, and I’d argue doing it well. Several of the songs sound more like jazz than traditional Beastie- but somehow, when they layer their vocal tracks in, it just works. There’s a ton of talent and creativity represented here. It won’t be a regular go-to for me, but I’d listen again. I’ll skip that throat singing song though. Too much. 4.0.
Fun album. Great mix of genres. Not quite as sustained as their other albums, but definitely a solid 4.5 / 5.
Y'all y'all it's a SABOTAGE!
By and far my most listened to Beastie Boys album. While I love Paul's Boutique and Check Your Head, this album takes the boys for a delightfully funky spin. Like all Beastie albums, however, this album errs toward the eclectic, which can be a off putting if you're not expecting it. Album starts on a ripper with Sure Shot. Love the flute track and dusty drum shuffle. All three members give great service. Can't help but bob along whenever this one comes on. Tough Guy is a hardcore punk interlude that pulls the rug right out of the groove that Sure Shot just established. B-Boys Makin' With the Freak Freak is a ridiculous song title, broken out into no less than three beat flips and the same compressed vocals they employed on Check Your Head. The whole thing feels like a trip, especially the bleating goat sample that they segue out of the track and into Bobo On The Corner with. Root Down pulls back out the funky groove rooted around a meaty bassline and dusty drums. No question that Sabotage is the best song on this record, and yet it stands completely out of place. Like I'm so glad they pressed it, but relative to everything before and after it stands alone. As some stranger on the internet once said "I dare anyone to put this on in their car and drive the speed limit." Once that's out of the system its back into the dusty funk of the preceeding segment. This time they pull out Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest fame, who puts in a set of slick guess verses. Feels like they crafted this song around him and it really makes for a great contrast with their crass deliveries. Eugene's Lament is a great atmospheric instrumental track. Love the violin work on it. Flute Loop taps back into the funky flute of Sure Shot, but in a very different way. Much brighter and forward with the piano pairing. Lyrics are completely intelligible due to the compression, but I honestly couldn't care less. This is more about the atmosphere. I love this album, and will admit that it overstays its welcome and could have used some better editorial discretion. For that I give it a slight knock. If I could give partial scores, this would be a 4.75. But I round down. This is IMO the most approachable and straightforward fun Beastie Boys album they put out.
This albums awesome. Starts off so damn hype and mellows out. Sabotage is the only “hit” that I really know well, but it was so eclectic and funky/jazzy too. Get It Together with Q Tip was sick. So much bass too. Was looking around for Angus during Shambala. This flirted with a 5 for me. Really fucking loved it.
First BB album for me. Very impressed. Honestly expected gimmicks, but got meaty songs, sonic wormholes, and what felt like truly exuberant creations from people with a real zeal for musical forms. It held me the whole time, big 'single' type songs, great instrumental meditations, and the odd hardcore punk jam! Quite a feast.
First time listening to a Beastie Boys album and I actually enjoyed it. Some tracks felt like a lot of the same and felt like filler.
My introduction to this aggressive style of rapping and I absolutely loved it. Love the rocky guitars and unique production.
3.5/5
HL: "Sure Shot", "Sabotage", "Get it Together", "The Update/Futterman's Rule/Alright Hear This" Wow, the Beasties going back to their hardcore punk roots is easier on the ears than I expected. It's eclectic like Paul's Boutique, and the forays into Latin funk instrumentals, throat singing and heavy metal don't feel abrupt or messy. It's kind of hard to appreciate individual tracks based on the way they all mix into each other, but as a whole I quite enjoyed it. Strange how the lengthy instrumentals + distorted voices distanced me from the lyrics, though. Hopefully they didn't say anything profound or important past "Sabotage".
Lekkah
Bij dit album vloeien hardcore hip hop, punk rock en funk lekker door elkaar. Genres waar ik all drie wel van kan genieten, maar samenkomend klinkt het bij dit album nog beter. Sure Shot is een krachtige inkomer voor dit album. Die fluit is een geniaal gevonden sample van Howlin' for Judy van Jeremy Steig (wie kent 'm niet). Root Down heeft zo'n heerlijke vette bassline. De featuring van Q-Tip op Get it Together is prima, maar naar mijn oren niks bijzonders (helaas). Heart Attack Man is mijn persoonlijke fave. Song over een dikke vent. Na 1 minuut 20 begint het beste gedeelte. Hier had een heel nummer van gemaakt moeten worden. Het Run-DMC beatje (Sampletje van Sucker M.C's) doet het verdomd goed. Sidenote: Hoor ik de allereeste Deez Nuts in Do it?? Meme-historie is hier wellicht geschreven. Het meme-gehalte ligt ook aardig hoog bij het Mongolische/Buddhistische keelgezang op Shambala en Bodhisattva Vow. Had van mij nie gehoeven. Kortom: positief verrast door dit album. Nooit verder gekomen dan Sure Shot en Sabotage, een (klein) gemis. Highlights: Root Down, Sure Shot, Heart Attack Man Rating: 7/10
Beastie Boys are great. I figured Paul’s Boutique was the “seminal” album. I’m sure I know most of these songs. Well - I didn’t know most of the songs. I love this record. Awesome vibe, very cool to hear a couple of hardcore roots songs. Strong instrumentals. This is actually surprisingly close to a 5.
Some bangers
white jewish boys rapping about buddhism i love america god bless
#3 Beastie Boys - Ill Communication (1994) East Coast Hip Hop Funk, Jazz-Funk, Hardcore Punk, Instrumental Hip Hop, Experimental Hip Hop Not as good as Paul's Boutique... but I can see why someone would think otherwise. This is really different from what I'm familiar with for the Beastie Boys, the trio taking a backseat in the second half to make way for some pretty cool instrumental hip hop tracks. It's cool, but I doubt I'll be returning to it anytime soon. Favourite Track: Get It Together Least Favourite Track: Bobo on the Corner
hell yeah beastie boys
Really nice backing tracks
I really liked the funk and jazz instrumentals more than I thought I would. I even enjoyed the punk songs. It's eclecticism really works in it's favor because it helps to break up the monotony of the Beastie's sound.
I wouldn’t call myself a huge Beastie Boys fan. I’ve heard a handful of their songs and enjoyed some. This is the first time I’ve listened to one of their albums in full. I liked it! 4/5
Sounds like if Rage Against the Machine got sent to Lake Laogai
Has a couple of my favorite Beastie Boys songs, including my all time favorite Get it Together!! That being said, I think it’s slightly too long and I usually skip the instrumental songs when they pop up in my playlist. Therefore I’m leaning four instead of five.
I don't know if I've ever heard such a genre-spanning album before. Respect to the boys.
Classic stuff on here, but I've always thought I could do 3-4 BB songs in a row and that's about it.
Loving all of the sounds on this album. Every track is super unique and the grungy, lo-fi sound is great. The length and the experimentation meant this only really clicked for me after a second listen, but I'm glad I went back in for another go. It could do with a few tracks being trimmed (what 90's album couldn't??), but this is still a brilliant listen overall. P.S. - I could listen to that Q-tip feature on repeat for weeks!
Pretty sick
Solid pick, I feel like it’d grow on me like Check Your Head did over time but as of now it falls short
honestly really good and I liked the little interludes
Of course in any context I'd probably give this album a four. It's the Beastie Boys doin' more of what they do best. Unless you were expecting more samples, I don't know what more you could want. Sure, the runtime could be a problem (peak "CD era" issue), but the way I listen to things it was hardly an issue. It's just, I feel like I was enjoying it more than I normally would this time because after the last two albums this randomizer gave me were so ass boring it was just a relief to hear the Beasties rap and yell over some good-shit beats. I'll take this over drum n' bass any day.
Different from the albums most people know from the Beastie Boys, but it's another killer album from the trio.
iiiiiIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII can't stand it. That's not true, quite enjoy this one.
It’s really almost a perfect album.
Sabotage is still my favorite. 3.5/5
Honestly surprised me, don’t really like the singles from this album or any of their vocals save for the first lines of “fight for your right” but the music on this album is great, songs are short, digestible and don’t overstay their welcome. First genuine surprise.
Cause you can, you won't, and you don't stop.
Nostalgic
it’s amazing how good the instrumental tracks in this album are
In small doses, I completely adore the Beastie Boys.
Virkilega góð plata hjá Beastie Boys. Mjög fjölbreytt og gaman að heyra pönk hjá þeim, byrjuðu sem pönkhljómsveit. Smá tilraunamennska í lokin, sem var líka mjög skemmtilega. Sabotage og Get it together þó skemmtilegustu lögin í þessari hlustun. Hlustaði ekki náið á textana, en mér heyrðist ekki vera neitt mikið af kvenfyrirlitningu.
Well, I must say I was surprised by this one. I was really looking forward to it, and whilst there are some amazing standout tracks, I've got to say I didn't enjoy them all :( To give them credit, they did span quite a few genres!
Esse albúm é uma mistura de estilos, com elementos do rap, rock e punk. Uma mistura que dá muita energia e ecleticidade ao album. A faixa que mais me marcou foi "Sabotage".
Some great 90s rock rap some great 90s rock(?) and some out there interludes etc. 4/5 for the bangers
Ich weiss nid ganz wieso aber ich finds irgendwie mega geil? Die einte songs hend für mich biz was vo rage against the machine. Es paar songs sind aber au wirklich trash (aso in a bad sense)? Idk ich weiss echt nid wie bewerte aber ich bi z. B mit "sure shot" voll am vibe gsi. So 3.8/5?
Honestly ich mag beastie boys wük und find sure shot sooooo en starche ahfang is album. Es isch hässig, schnell, rebellisch. S git par bangers wie sabotage no dinne aber s album isch für min gschmack scho chli z lang.. hetts mer chli chürzer gwünscht.
finds huere guet
Great album with disparate influences that all coincide to make a complete piece. It’s tough to mix hardcore punk, jazz, and rap all together and have it work out, but the Boys pull it off and manage to give everything the same kind of attitude that ties it all together.
Classic. Listen to this a ton of car rides with my parents. Super fun and dynamic.
Excellent stuff-good bridge between older and newer sensibilities.
8.5/10
alsof ik naar een heel fijn radiostation luister. En in bijna elk nummer een hele fijne bas.
Heb een heel ander beeld gekregen van de BB door dit album. Veel muzikaler en gevarieerder dan ik dacht. Mijn favorieten: Root Down en Get it Together.
Mooie plaat in een leuk genre. Zeker voor hun tijd gewaagde combinaties van samples en geluidstechniek die later de standaard zijn gaan vormen (althans in de mainstream). Goed geproduceerd in een tijd dat verder alles veel te gepolijst klonk.
Not bad. I didn't know they were more than rock/rap. They have a little funk to them. Instrumentals? Who'da thunk it?
I like the BB. I like Ill Communication. I expected to give this a 3 but changed my mind when I kept thinking about Sabotage and its excellent video done by Spike Jonze.
Interesting to hear the flute and other instruments i didn't expect in a Beastie Boys album.
* Definitely feel like I've heard Sure Shot before somewhere, especially that repetitive background... I don't know what to describe it as tbh; it's most noticeable in the last 30 seconds or so. * Tough Guy feels like if South Park were a song. * Is the name 'Bobo on the Corner' supposed to make you think of a monkey playing the bongos? Because that's what I imagine. * When I started this project, I didn't think I'd be jamming out more to the Beastie Boys than the likes of Prince and Led Zeppelin but here we are. I've enjoyed, all things considered, just about every song so far. The instrumentals I could do without but that's about it. * Futterman's Rule had the chance to move up the rankings a bit more than the other mainly instrumental numbers but got repetitive after a while. * That flute in Flute Loop is obnoxious. Maybe that's the point? * Interestingly, Beastie Boys is similar to Miles Davis in that all of their music, at least on this album, sound very similar to each other, and I find I could very easily fuse them together if I wasn't paying attention. But whereas Miles Davis' sameness bothered me and made it difficult to rank them, I don't get that same irritation from the Beastie Boys. * The instrumental only numbers really drag the album down. If not for them, I think I'd, rather surprisingly to myself, put it at a 5 star album. But I think it's gonna land in a 4 star spot because of it. * That little intro to Heart Attack Man was super endearing. Started strong but the "step back" section dragged the rest of the song down. -- Album Rankings -- 1. Sure Shot 2. Root Down 3. B-Boys Makin' with the Freak Freak 4. Get It Together 5. Alright Hear This 6. The Scoop 7. Do It 8. Bodhisattva Vow 9. Flute Loop 10. Sabotage 11. Tough Guy 12. Heart Attack Man 13. The Update 14. Transitions 15. Futterman's Rule 16. Sabrosa 17. Bobo on the Corner 18. Ricky's Theme 19. Eugene's Lament 20. Shambala
Little long, but overall it was good!
Awesome album. Enjoyed it
Awesome
Pretty sweet. So much more than a hip hop album.
Interesting album. I agree with a previous reviewer that the sounds are so different that I thought I was listening to a totally different artist halfway through!
I'VE HEARD OF THE BEASTIE BOYS PREVIOUSLY, BUT NEVER HAVE. I LISTENED TO THEM BEFORE. I WAS EXPECTING SOME KIND OF SCREECHING ROCK VOCALS, WHICH I DON'T NORMALLY GO FOR. INSTEAD, I GET THIS RATHER COOL AND FUNKY JAZZ SOUND. I LOVE IT. MY ONLY COMPLAINT IS THAT ON Spotify only a handful of the tunes on this album/CD were actually available. What's up with that?.
Never to the beastie boys before and I didn't realize they were such slammin' guitarists, drummers, and bassists. Sabotage is the obvious stand out but I also really enjoyed Sabrosa. I'm not sure stuff like the flute loop in Sure Shot really worked for me - it was just a lot. But the keyboard samples and live keyboards were all really fun. Never gonna be my easiest listen but I understand this album and the beastie boys a lot more than before.
Took the original sound if the band, keeps the gleeful hedonism, but softens the rough edges with polish and attention to musical detail.
It's fun! So many fun sounds going on. And vaguely familiar because I was a kid during this time haha
Ik had me voorbereid op een uur lang geschreeuw maar ik vond die instrumentale tussenstukjes echt heel chill. Gewoon lekker albumpie
Really fun and surprisingly varied.
This album was pretty solid. Sabotage, Sure Shot and Get it Together were my favorite songs. I was surprised to see how versatile they were with all the trippy instrumentals in between complete banger tracks. I think this album’s one hindrance is its length. I think the album would have felt a lot less tedious if it was shorter. Though they were versatile, they were not versatile enough to make this album an hour!
Hadn't listened to much Beastie Boys in the past, wasn't sure I would like it. The harder rap/rock songs not really my jam, but the mix of instrumental tracks and some of the more melodic stuff I really enjoyed
Good.
Top Song: Sabotage Buy Vinyl?: Maybe Songs Added To Playlist: 2 Notes: Very solid album, love the mix of lyric heavy and instrumental heavy songs.
I was struggling to decide to wether give it 4 or 5 stars, but I decided on 4 this album was great and had nice interesting sounds maybe if it bad a better voice projection I'd give a 5, Songs I enjoyed were, Get it together and root down
This might just be my favorite album by the Beasties. It's so funky! A little too long, as seems to always be the case with hip-hop and electronic music, but alas. Still wonderful though, and creative as all hell. They're really pulling influences from every corner of the musical world. Certain tracks are a little forgettable, but besides that and the length, this one nearly got 5 stars.
4.5
I love the Beasties, but normally gave the most attention to Paul's Boutique (masterpiece) and Hello Nasty (I remember buying it and playing it to death as a kid). Ill Communication and the Root Down EP are like a perfect mid-career pair, which contain all the elements of the Beasties in microcosm: catchy raps, funk instrumentals, bursts of hardcore punk. The Q-Tip feature is great. I don't dislike the kind of new age Buddhist chant stuff, but I'm not sure it belongs tacked on the end of this album. In fact, the album is slightly too long and gets a bit flabby on the second half. It's still bloody great though. 4*
Although I knew the hits from this album, I never got to listen to it at the time. Being forced to do so is great fun. Shambala is a great track with the voices.
Known Before: Standouts: 7.0
ура реп
The energetic flows and catchy rhythms of the core tacks contrast nicely against textured and funky instrumental cuts. Beastie Boys have one foot in the roots of their past and the other in the future. Raw and loud. Fresh and innovative.
Crazy I’ve had nearly 800 albums generated and this is my first Beastie Boys This has two of the absolute top songs of the 90s on here in Sabotage and Sure Shot. The rest of it, there isn’t really a song that doesn’t work. However this like most Beastie albums goes on for so long. At a certain point listening it’s just background noise and I go in and out paying attention. Would have benefitted so much from being 40-45 mins long.
This was a sad follow up to Check Your Head, which in my opinion is their best album followed by Paul’s Boutique. There are a few standout tracks here but most of them are instrumentals which can also be found on other releases. For example, Heart Attack Man is on Some Old Bullshit, Eugene’s Lament, Shambala and Ricky's Theme is on The In Sound From Way Out, tho that was released after Ill Communication. (The repackaging here is bold and annoying). Futterman's Rule, to some extent is the combination of both the old punk bits and Bossa Nova inspired stuff like Ricky's. But the ‘rapping’ if you call it that is pretty terrible. The best things that the BBoys do are instrumentals and make fun of themselves. Spike Jonze's video for Sabotage was the mainstream saving grace for this Ill Communication. Before theatrical releases of Starsky & Hutch, Anchor Man, Charlie's Angels, and all the other spoof-y movies, it was novel to parody vintage TV and the video was a hit on MTV. But that video represented a flash in time. What’s truly novel about Ill Communication are the lines by MCA on the first track of this album, Sureshot. "I want to say a little something that's long overdue The disrespect to women has got to be through To all the mothers and the sisters and the wives and friends I want to offer my love and respect to the end" This attitude, flew in direct contrast to the lyrics contained on License To Ill and unlike fun music videos like Sabotage. The shift provided the band staying power and longevity regardless of what they sounded like. So, Ill Communication was the turning point, they released Hello Nasty, 5 Boroughs and others, made more funny music videos (Intergalactic, anyone?) and called out bad behavior aimed at Woodstock 99 on the MTV VMA’s. I don’t think they truly redeemed themselves for License to Ill, but they did represent self-awareness and positive change. I like the BB, I’m not a super fan of this album, but I respect what they started with it. https://katefustich.medium.com/the-beastie-boys-feminist-evolution-34d371071663
30 years ago I never would have said I liked the Beastie Boys. I guess I didn’t then. I do now though.
Like the more chiller stuff and sabotage. They might wanna consider not singing through a megaphone. - 7/10
Album was alright.. I like it but don’t know if I’d listen much on my own
The shout rapping is pretty corny when it’s not executed well, which happens a few times on the album, but overall the energy in this is great and the production is outstanding which made it a lot of fun to hear. 7/10
At first I was surprised to learn that the members of the Beastie Boys had roots in the hardcore scene, but Ill Communication makes that fact more than believable. They seem to switch back and forth between the classic Beastie Boys flow I'm used to, only to change it up to the full-band, with guitars and drums. Had a great time listening through! Fav tracks: Sabatoge, Flute Loop (lol), and Sure Shot
Pretty great! I haven't listened to the Beastie Boys all that much, so this was a welcome surprise. Some really inventive and unique songs here at the crossroads between hip hop, hardcore, and jazz. A little long in the tooth, but also an undeniable and critical album in the development of hip hop. Loved the Q-Tip feature as well! Fave tracks: Sure Shot, Root Down, Sabatoge, Get it Together
🤘🏼
I only know of the Beastie Boys from their hits, but I loved the clear influences of funk and jazz on this album.
Lekker divers, niet alle nummers goed, maar wel een paar lekkere knallers. Vet album als geheel.
Some random songs mixed in, but the hits (Sabotage, Sure Shot) carry the album
Dank
This is my second favourite Beastie Boys album. A real staple of the early to mid 90s way of life. I met them in the Boiler Room of a Big Day Out shortly after this album, I can assure you that I wasn't as cool as them...
Fascinating. I know their obvious 'Fight for your rights' song from a while back, which is a stonker. I had expected the signature BB, slightly odd, white chap rapping thing - which is there, but there's so much more. Some great samples and edits and some great chilled out jazzy tunes. Even some rocky punky thing in 'Tough Guy'. I'd be inclined to say this is a bizarre and very good album. A real mix of influences and some great attitude and straight up tunes.
I've never actually listened to this record. I've of course heard sabotage and love it. Turns out the whole record is really good. Strong 4.
It’s a fun album! The production just jumps out here. So much funk and groove. Love the bass lines on this. Sabrosa has a great one. Get it together with qtip is great and the opener sure shot has amazing drums. I love the instrumentals on here and the couple rock oriented tracks as well. The only thing I’m not cool with is the vocals, the tone is a bit weird and not sitting right with me and it also feels like it’s processed with some tool because of which it’s very difficult to understand the lyrics. But the production and energy on this is just undeniable. I’d give it a strong 3 to a light 4.
Not my normal thing but I’d listen again.
I expected to be bored by nearly an hour of Beastie Boys but there was a lot of variety in the backup music. I particularly enjoyed the songs with hardcore percussion and structure. And all the flutes. Impossible for me to separate Sabotage from the Spike Jonze video for it, and in fact I watched the video immediately after I finished the album.
It's got Sabotage. What else is there to know?
- Sure Shot
A fun album that kind of drags in the back half due to an almost total vibe change. I dig those tracks when I’m in the mood for them, but they’re definitely not on the same level as the first half of the album.
i was expecting to find this a little bit naff and not really for me but wowee i'm having such a good time listening to it right now. i can imagine my older sister loving this, it's a perfect listen while i'm getting ready to go out for the night. there are definitely some songs i like less (alright hear this, the scoop) but overall there is a super fun energy to the album that i'm really into. really love how many instrumental pieces there were too! i wasn't wowed by them all but i always love hearing bands experimenting with music in that way and i wasn't expecting that at all from this album so that was really exciting to me.
I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. This album is probably the best proof that hip hop & punk could go hand in hand. Could’ve benefited by removing a few of the tracks though
its good but i just dont careeeeeee im sorry i wrote that but damn, the qtip prodcution was fire. fuck i want to cringe at it but its good
I didn't think I would enjoy it but fair play took me by surprise. Some pretty cool, sometimes comedic moments. Some interesting twists here and there and some cracking samples. They made the album for me.
Я послушал его трижды, чтобы сформировать мнение Альбом удивительно разнообразный: местами банальный и понятный, местами сложный и неожиданный
Ахахах, ребята нашли пилюлю Slayer'a, которую принёс Рик Рубин и забыл?)) Но это по началу было. Дальше прям феерия какая-то началась. На Futterman's Rule я вообще выпал... а что, у нас теперь не хип-хопчик в приоритете, лириксы забыли дописать? Фанк и джазик пошли откуда-то вдруг... это что, эксперименты? Вокал в перегрузе - интересно, но довольно своеобразно. Не всегда хорошо воспринимается. P.S. Бля буду, обожаю флейту в рэпе
все бисти в одной пластинке, охуенно
If you look back two albums, I called Beastie Boys. Beastie Boys are a timeless act who are instantly recognizable in the rap rock and hip hop scenes. "Illinoise" was a complete bait and an utter disappointment. "Ill Communication" is a strong album which has produced hits including Sure Shot and Sabotage. While the vocalists experimented with different styles, the creative and rhythmic musical interludes (Sabrosa, Flute Loop, Ricky's Theme, Shambala, and Transitions) were surprisingly elegant.
Good, but also long
My second Beastie Boys album of this journey after License to Ill and I liked this one better. It felt put together better than their first album.
Musicality: 4 - some lovely music as well as being very original Production & Sound: 5 - very clean Artistic Expression: 4 - I wouldn't call it emotional but it has a lot of creativity Performance: 4 - Very talented guys Engagement & Enjoyment: 3 - the high points are great, not sure about some of it though Overall I liked it a lot, very unique and some very catchy parts
Very good. Some good tracks on it.
Sabotage brings it up a point alone
Classic.
Dope. BROOKLYN
Overordnet virkelig imponeret med deres range! Sabotage er selvfølgelig fed og hel RATM agtig, men så Ger it Together lyder næsten som Tribe. Så er der meget instrumentalt på anden halvdel af pladen og endda strubesang til sidst. Meget dødvægt på pladen, men giver alligevel 4 i anerkendelse af hvor alsidige de er og hvor meget jeg har undervurderet dem
What can I say but being totally overwhelmed how supergood this great, groovy, juicy filet piece conserved. It is so tight. So tight right tight. End tracks seem a bit b-sidey. 3.9
Great OG music. Starts off Fab, gets a little tired about 3/4 in, but representative of the Boys. I did not latch onto them when they first came out (thought gimmick) but I became a fan later on.
This one brings back memories from childhood. I love this album. Surprised by the hardcore punk influence still noticeable in some of the tracks.
Great album. For some reason I always wished I could be a fan of the Beastie Boys but they never clicked for me. I think this finally did it.
A classic for my generation
Probably a top 100 album for me. Mostly nonsense lyrically, but this album may have set the standard for what I think of as skater hip-hop funk. Some incredible tracks here, like "Sabrosa"---listen to this doing anything and gain +2 mello charisma. I give "Ill Communication" a strong 3.75, and a shoutout to my old Bazooka Tubes.
This was great! Some of the instrumentation on some of the songs are way more experimental and different than I would have assumed off the bat. I only knew Sabotage off this record and man does it hit when it finally makes an appearance. Songs like Eugene's Lament, Shambala, and Bodhisattva Vow are wild and I would have never been able to guess they came off a Beastie Boys record. Very cool, glad I listened.
Worth 5 stars just for sabotage. Some fantastic beats and bars, vintage beastie boys. But, like all beasties work, it just goes on for far toooooo long
I love this album and have had it since I was about 13. Perfectly encapsulates beastie boys for me. Good mix of hip hop, punk, jazzy jams and even some Tibetan monks. I like the distorted mics and the way the three rap together so tightly - the distortion works as sonic glue (but occasionally makes the vocals unclear). Great album from start to finish.
I just don't like it as much as everyone else seems to. 3.5/5
8/10 - Much more breadth than I was expecting
Beastie Boys, Communication is great!
What a great album.
Not what I was expecting. Appreciate them experimenting
"Ill Communication" is the fourth studio blbum by American hip hop group the Beastie Boys. The album was varied with elements of hip hop, punk, jazz and funk and continued their move away from sampling towards live instruments. There is a decent amount of sampling though. There were various contributors including Q-Tip and Biz Markie. The album debuted at #1 in the US and hit #10 in the UK. A sample of "Howlin' for Judy" by Jeremy Stieg opens and drives the melody of "Sure Shot." Scratching, rapping. They're strutting their rapping prowess. Hard not to like a song that mentions Lee Dorsey, Mario, Kojack and Rod Carew. Another great use of sampling which drives the song is "Root Down ( And Get It)" in "Root Down." The bass. The beat. The groove. Everyone on the mic. Being yourself and doing your thing. I remember distinctly seeing the video for "Sabotage" the first time and saying who is this. The Beastie Boys? No way! Yep. That guitar open with the drums. The bass kicks in. Crazy and great scratching. A hilarious video. It's about a fictitious producer sabotaging them. Alright, a great song. Another great song on this album is the next one "Get It Together." It features Q-Tip on the mic with all of the Beasties. The music is on the downlow and smooth. "Ma Bell I got the Ill communication." "Do It" features Biz Markie. It has a groovy guitar. Again, everyone on the mic. They've got the stuff. " I've got the Attractions like Elvis Costello." The last two songs highlight some of the variety in this album. "Bodhisattva Vow" has distorted vocals and echoes. There's scratching. It has a Middle Eastern sound and expounds on beliefs in Buddhism. "Transitions" has a funky, soulful guitar. Very 70's sounding. It's also one of the four instrumentals on this album. This album does have a lot of variety from hip hop to punk to jazz to funk. There's experimentation with distorted vocals and the instrumentation. I got a pyschedelic vibe at times. A lot of the songs had more of a downtempo. No surprise since they drew inspiration from 70's jazz and soul...hence, some of the sampling. I think this all worked very well and I'd put this near the top of their catalogue.
76/100
Definitely something I appreciate more having worked through this project. Also, when I was younger and this first came out, I didn’t really get past the singles. Now, I appreciate the influences and how subtle a lot of this is. Solid album that’s not what you’d expect from early Beastie Boys albums.
Still great, with a few of my favorite B Boys tracks.
this is so swaos me when i'm an 80s hiphop band the samples and instrumentals are good the trio have great chemistry flows are dated, but in a fun way :3 Probably my favorite Beastie Boys album just from the unique instrumentals.
Stick my d*ck in the mashed potatoes
heard all these classics. new shit thx
Many bangers. A bit too noisy at times.
So off the wall and unpredictable but really just an absolute party to listen to. Much of the jazz and Indian influences are pulled off really well. My biggest complaint is the overuse of distortion on the Boys’ voices makes it nearly impossible to understand the lyrics sometimes. 8/10
Love
This album covers a ton of ground. Great listen but almost hard to tell it's one band. Really enjoyed it
Hip hop, punk,funk and jazz. It's fitting that a drive-in dinner speaker is featured on the cover with all of the distortion on the vocals. 70s Nostalgia. Sabotage driving force to it. Sure Shot - sweet flute sample. Root Down sticks in my brain Sabrosa and the other instrumentals are sonic adventures that massage the brain.
Classic Beastie Boys - Sabotage is the standout.
very good, i've heard it before.
Love it. Right time, right place.
Need to do a beastie boy deep dive to really see how I rank them all. Easy listen. Rating: 4.2
delicious album but i do have to take a point off bc futterman's rule reminded me of my starbucks manager who unfortunately had that last name. i of course am saying that in jest but also am i? the flute loop got my body movin (reference LOL).
idk about ill communication i feel like they communicated pretty well 🤷🏻♂️
Even though I'm a huge fan of Paul's Boutique, I went into the album with kinda middling expectations, but man, I actually really fucking enjoyed this. What other hip hop record has two punk songs and a beat with throat singing in it. Extremely fun album.
It's fascinating, the music from the Beastie Boys. Their flow, the way they sing, combined with the choices in the beats and the music, make them special. Nonetheless, I liked more the instrumental and musical decisions, more than the lyrics, so in that sense, I probably would like more their earlier albums.
This was not my thing at the time, although I can get into some of these songs and I certainly heard enough of "Sabotage" back in the 90s. But the jazziness of this album comes as such a surprise - an interesting, fun surprise. These guys had chops. This will never be one of my personal favorite albums, but it is absolutely deserving of its place on the list and was an important and interesting album. 4/5
Mostly for Sabotage
Really appreciate their style. Standouts: Sabotage, Sure Shot, Others: Tough Guy, B-Boys Makin’ With the Freak Freak, Ricky’s Theme, Heartattack Man, Shsmbala, Bodhisvatta Vow
" If this gon be that kind of party I'm gonna stick my dick in the mashed potatoes" - the funk is unreal and the production quality and sounds are insane - Sabotage is an iconic song - love the couple punk bangers
Awesome early rap/rock
Album 168 of 1001 Beastie Boys - Ill Communication Rating : 3 / 5 Favorite Track : There seemed to be a bit more to this than I've grown use to on most of the hip-hop offerings. Nice mixture of hip hop, jazz, punk & funk. Still not really my preferred genre but it has its moments. I like that they tried to do a bit more than their regular schtick.
Still my favourite beastie boys album, so much variation and some great instrumentals and sabotage is an all time classic
Check Your Head will always be my favorite, but this is a damn close second!
good album
I've probably listened to Sabotage 10,000 times while I was growing up. Still rips. 3.5/5
Arguably their most authentic stab at hip-hop. The boys show their talent for fast, mayhem-ic flows and well-produced tracks. While the tape-effect for the vocals may be slightly overused the music still exposes their raw talent. They were not just a novelist rap group, they effected real change in the scene and brought NYC flows to a new level!
Some great instrumentals on this album that changed my mind about the Beastie Boys being mostly a pack of screaming kids.
I love that they returned briefly to their hardcore roots for Tough Guy. Other than that it’s what BB deliver: great beats, good rhymes, interesting and unexpected samples.
Classic
I like it and i don't like it. Hugely influential obviously and some of the beats are great. I really don't like their vocal style and towards the end i find it meanders a bit having had so many big tracks to begin with.
Overall I really enjoyed this albums grungy and raw sound, but there are definitely a handful of songs that I could do without. They weren't bad. It's just they didn't grab my attention, like some of the other tracks did. There were also some pretty interesting instrumental tracks on here.
i actually liked this album way more than Licensed to Ill. the instrumental tracks were a surprise but i enjoyed them more than i would have expected to
I wasn't very happy when I saw another Beastie Boys album. I didn't particularly enjoy Paul's Boutique and it is considered their best album so I was really surprised to enjoy Ill Communication as much as I did. I think it's because there's less whiny screamy raps (reminiscent of Michael Scott and Dwight Schrute "Electric City") and more interesting musical stuff going on in the background. As a drummer, I particularly enjoyed this part of the album as they went more and more into jazz playing some creative rhythms on the drum set. I also enjoyed the album as a whole and I think it's thanks to the great sequencing - the jazzy songs are intertwined with hip hop and/or hardcore punky tracks. As a non-native English speaker I didn't really pay attention to the lyrics but I really enjoyed the instrumental part of the album. Lastly, Sabotage really rules. It's easily one of the top songs of the 90s.
24th August 2023 Listened during the day, pub and then more pub with Johnny. Beasties graduate to include a bit of bossanova jazz to their sound.
Never thought there will be so many jazz things and buddhism references. Strong 4.
I love the shift to their poker hardcore punk style
Great start but the 2nd half is heavy on instrumentals and it loses it's momentum.
This is the second Beastie Boys album I’ve gotten, and although I prefer Paul’s Boutique, this is still a really solid album.
I didn’t think I was gonna like this but I enjoyed most of it and didn’t get bored or annoyed lol. The samples and vibes are really cool.
This was cool.
Oh shiiiiiiit this is at least a 4!star album. My favorite from the Beastie Boys front to back.
One of my favorite Beastie boys albums for sure.
Love their unique sounding voices.