Ill Communication

Great early innovations from the Beastie Boys

I understand why the Beastie Boys are popular now

When I had listened to the Beattie Boys in the past I hadn't been a big fan but I've grown to appreciate them.

I quite the Beastie Boys but I don't often choose to listen to them. However, this album was really enjoyable, really varied

A great album but a little too bloated with a couple too many instrumentals. When a record runs over an hour there's always the chance it'll contain tracks that detract or stop it being 5 star and although this is good, it needs to be a little tighter. I really liked it though and was both pleased and surprised by the eclecticism. A really enjoyable listen.

"shit, if it's gonna be that kinda party i'm gonna stick my dick in the mashed potatos!" Love the constant double bass presence, crazy modulation, creative percussion, woodwind. Eugene's Lament absolutely slaps out of nowhere, Flute Loops and Ricky's Theme also stood out as unique and great.

Like it. Not something I'm used to. Depth of sound. Layers.

Still slaps.

I enjoyed the heck outta this album. Such great energy. And an appearance from Q-Tip?! Love it.

Very strong album… would’ve been 5* but fizzled out a little at the end!

I’m not a fan of hip hop but this is probably my favourite hip hop album because the Boys show their range and mix it up with punk, jazz, funk and classical influences to keep it interesting. This is a really fun and creative album. And Sabotage absolutely rocks!

I really liked some of the more instrumental heavy tracks (surprise). Pretty solid album from the boys.

Listen all y'all it's a SABOTAGE

I never listen to this album before. I heard the hits on the radio, but never the piece as a whole. I appreciate the range of the Beasties. I was blown away by the instrumental tracks and laughing at the lyrics of their more traditional rap tracks.

Great great album loved it!

I'm tickled to see Biz Markie appear on this list. And "Sabotage" slaps so hard the song alone makes this album a worthy entrant on the list. Yes, sports fans, Sabotage is a 5. Similar to most rap/hip-hop albums I've come across on this list, this one is overall just a little too long. I certainly don't mind an album running long or taking it's time. But when you get to the 5th or 6th song and find yourself thinking it's running as long as a post-season extra-inning baseball game, that's what we in the business call a problem. That might be the one thing keeping this from 5 territory. Like "Sabotage", a good chunk of this album slaps. I'm impressed the Beasties pivoted from not being allowed to sample songs into something that is oftentimes majestic.

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Tough guy, Sabotage

So this isn’t my kind of thing, really, but I can tell it’s great. The range of influences is incredible. I’ll listen again.

Classic. More instrumental songs than I would have guessed, brilliant samples and guests

Great album ... I was familiar with it. Like the instrumentals

A notable "spiritual sequel" to License to Ill, Ill Communication displays the progression of the Beastie Boys artistry. Not only have the raps and production of their songs developed over time, but their ideas of what the genre can sound like also expanded. In "Sure Shot" open with a jazzy flute solo, lay down a backtrack, and do their signature scheme in a lo-fi soundscape that is very prominent in the rap, hip-hop and electronic music of the modern era. It's those type of ideas that are one of many reasons I would say this album is ahead of its time. They keep their punk rock roots intact with the rest of Side 1, running a suite of punk-rap bangers starting with Tough Guy and ending with the widely famous Sabotage, the notable single of the album. All of these sides are not as widely energetic or loud as their previous hits, but I think it's a nice contrast to showcase how subtleties in dynamics and sound filters can keep a record more interesting. Q-Tip from ATCQ and Biz Markie tag along on the record and share some call and response verses between the Beasties, showcasing classic, but aggressive, comradery that rap is so widely known for. Their features on the record are stellar. The second half "experimental jazz" side of this record isn't usually what I come to the Beastie Boys for, but they decided to do what they want in true B-Boy fashion and knocked it out of the park. To take inspiration from Miles Davis and just create a hip-hop jazz soundscape that focused on the talents of each member beyond their rap skills was something I'm sure turned off a lot of fans, but to me is a testament to their legacy as an all-time great group. Favorite Songs: B-Boys Makin' With The Freak Freak, Sabotage, Get It Together, Sabrosa, Shambala Least Favorite: The Scoop

not a huge fan but enjoyed this album

Not into this at all.

Another great album. And it's not even as good as Licensed to Ill in my opinion.

A classic with some stone cold bangers. I am going 4 stars though for the over used distorted mics and one too many bongo tracks.

Yesss

It's a bit uneven but the grooves are tight! Obviously was familiar with a few songs on here (Sabotage, Sure Shot to a lesser extant) but never listened to the full album. I've been fairly agnostic... probably most due to the vocals always being a bit harsh. But now I realize that the grooves and DJing is probably more important for them than the MCing, at least on this record.

Yup, liked that.

Wow.

Funky. A classic.

No me lo escuché entero pero está guapísimo, me recuerda a ATCQ y eso son buenas noticias

Get It Together is the top track, MCA is stellar the whole album. Futterman’s Rule is a heavy, badass instrumental groove.

Not usually a fan of hip hop, but the rock vibe they bring to it is actually pretty good. I can see why people like it.

Good album. Fun to listen too and experimental.

The Beasties! Had never listened to the whole album, with Sabotage being the only song I knew going into it. Awesome. A bit all over the place, but I really enjoyed that. I'd give it a 4.4 out of 5.

First time listening: 16/20 songs liked I slept on them. I generally know their top songs which to me sound very grading because of their voices (beat first is what I judge) but wow. Their instrumentals and sounds on this album are super experimental. I will definitely give them another chance. 3 songs saved

it was ok

"Root Down" is a vibe, this bass line is so good, the guitar lick complements it so well. My favorite so far. "Sabotage" is so sick, the guitar line goes so hard but not too hard, leaves some space for the vocals to elevate the track. The hook is probably the most memorable so far, pretty great. "Sabrosa" - sure I guess? It's catchy, but it doesn't really build up to much. Keep in mind that I'm very out of my element here, I don't listen to a lot of hip hop or music from the 90's. "The Update" - this gave me the full mix I was missing so far, with that sort of pulsing bass. Definitely works as some great punctuation within the album. "Futterman's Rule" is pretty good, love the guitars. Kinda wish it would go a little crazier though. "Alright Hear This" is a banger! "Eugene's Lament" is a pretty great little interlude. Though I think it runs a little longer than it should. "Do It" I do like this track, but the album is starting to lose me a little. Even with the risks they take with incorporating flutes and whatnot, they still deliver a very straight, even sound. I think some more variety in the beats, and deliveries would make it better. "Ricky's Theme" is kind of getting me back into it, the tasteful production centered around the very nice bass line works well. The drums sound great. "Heart Attack Man" I really thought they were going to feed the acoustic baby in me. No but this bangs. Do wish the vocals were a little farther up in the mix to match the energy though. "The Scoop" started out a little slow for me, but got better as it went. That outro is pretty great. "Shambala" PLEASE this scared me, thought it was okay. "Bodhisattva Vow" So the scary zombie vocals are still here. They work okay here, but they're also all I can focus on. Overall, this was pretty damn good, the production was probably the best facet. The bass lines were slick, and the guitar complemented them really well. The drums were a little spotty, but when they were good, they were really good. The vocal performances were overall pretty good, but I do think I would've liked a little more variety. This is just based on the first listen, so my opinion might change. But a pretty good album to get me out of my comfort zone.

Better than “Licensed To Ill” by far to me. Great use of samples. The album does run a little long though. Favorite Track : Get It Together Least Favorite Track : Ricky’s Theme

A solid hip-hop album with some banging tracks, but it peters off at the end. 8.0/10 Best Tracks "Sure Shot" "Sabotage"

Great album

Solid album, a lot more interlude type tracks than I expected but a very enjoyable listen.

Great work from the Beastie Boys. Perhaps a few too many tracks; they could have left a couple out. Overall very good though.

good that.

Great and propably enjoyed it more than Paul's Boutique.

Low 4. It is a classic, but still it left a little bit underwhelmed.

am i... a beastie boys fan??

pretty good instrumentals; a few really good songs, some not so good 3-4/5

I've loved these guys since the 80s, and yet I constantly forget what a great listen most of their albums are, so keep being surprised by how much they rock. Few bands can make me smile as much as the Beastie Boys do. They're familiar, we grew up at the same time, they're practically family. This album was a great start to the day today.

FUCKIN' YES!!!!

no es mi estilo pero re weno el disco. es como kyuss con rage against the machine

Good early rock/rap genre expanding album. “No Sleep til Brooklyn” Is a favorite.

Pretty fun. Too long. 7

Cool album, the better known songs are by far the best

Incredibly stupid, pretty fun. I do think the Beastie Boys are better when you don't listen to an entire album at once though.

Great tracks. Funk.. Jazzy

I've always enjoyed the Beastie Boy's so much for the originality and freshness in the rap genre. A punk band that turned rap and still played live instruments. They have a fantastic instrumental album called "The In Sound From Way Out!" that they released after this record and you can very much tell they were itching to jam again on here. So many instrumental tracks on this album. Hard ones too. They're instrumental album is definitely a lot more funky than the ones on here. They fit the tone of the album a lot better though. "Get It Together," with Q-Tip is a classic. I think I find these guys so impressive every time because its such a collaborative project. Very few rap groups now have that flow where they literally finish each others sentences. Some groups feel like they don't even write in the same room, but I could not imagine the Beastie Boys being apart when they create these songs. A group that could never go solo.

Those beastie boys…I still don’t know if it is true but I read something a long time ago that they were originally the Latch Brothers who recorded some songs for the Jet Set Radio Future soundtrack. I haven’t googled to confirm because I want it to be true. But we need to live in a world of truth so I did just google it and I was half right!! Mike Diamond was in Latch Brothers and Beastie Boys so I’ll take that as a win. I love the Beastie Boys style and this album really shows that. Sure Shot lets you know the angle of the album before immediately jumping into the less than a minute Tough Guy. Sabotage is such a good song with that famous intro beat. I really enjoyed Get It Together as well, was that one of the members of Tribe Called Quest on that one?? The only song on this album I’d listened to already was Sabotage so all of this is new to me and I’m loving it. I’m not sure if I like this album or License to Ill more, I haven’t listened to either of them fully but there feels like a ton of variety on this one. There are short and long songs, instrumental and rap. The whole album feels like a Jet Set Radio type album as well. Perfect for skateboarding down Mulholland or just cruising on the 405. The cover of the album looks like either a Beastie Boy or a Blues Brother (BB) ordering at a drive in. I guess there could be some Ill Communication there. Maybe some dumb car hop got their order wrong and they were like “THIS IS A SABOTAGE”.

I liked this a lot. The beats and production are so good and the rapping is decently hype. The back half got kinda weird and slow but it is what it is. 8

Love it

Better rock-rap than most new metal ever was. || Loved listening for the samples! When the levee breaks by Led Zeppelin and (I think) sweet leaf by Black Sabbath on the first track. definitely caught some recognizable riffs on girls and other tracks, but couldn’t name em all. || Fun facts I learned looking this up: this was the first rap album to chart! || Kerry King of Slayer played the riff and solo in No Sleep Til Brooklyn, they met because Rick Rubin was producing Slayers album at the same time! || they also were planning to record a Beatles cover but ran into legal trouble with Micheal Jackson - funny this came on our list right after thriller!

Oh boy they did it. They made me homesick for good ol Brooklyn. This is a Sure Shot to a good time. Great flow, mad sample game. A treasure.

4 - würd mir das teil gerne mal live einizentrieren von der bar aus

Know this album inside and out, no fair reviews, They can not put a foot wrong, every track is just solid start to finish.

Already reviewed this album, but it's still amazing to listen to!

yeah, that's about what i remember - takes me back, for sure. less baggage about the hangers-on now than i had back then, which is nice.

So great. It quite five star but would get 9/10

Great bass and the instrumentals were really good. The rest was bonus.

very good. I have more of an appreciation for beastie boys, everyone wronged me I swear. Sabotage goes harder than I remember, but freak freak goes hard hard. last quarter or so grew dull I think. hour long albums are hard to get through imo.

Probably my favorite Beastie Boys album. I love the contrast from Sure Shot to Sabotage.

I fucks with the beastie boys them and Eminem gr8 white rappers

Funky Jazz, scream hip-hop akin to a milder version of Rage Against the Machine (who was surely influenced), and hard-as-fuck punk rock songs. It's eclectic and definitely shines in the instrumental groovy songs.

Beastie Boys have such a unique sound. Great beats, great lyrics, catchy songs altogether.

Hyvä levy johon en ole aiemmin jostain syystä tutustunut tarkemmin. Yllättävän rokkaavaa, jopa punkahtavaa meininkiä joissakin biiseissä. Tunnin kesto oli vähän liikaa, varsinkin kun mukana oli joitakin täysin tarpeettomia instrumentaalisekoiluja.

Great songs, but the first half of the album is obviously the best.

Awesome album. Great musicianship which I was not expecting. Got a little repetitive near the end. But cool style.

Grymma beats. Fantastiska interludes. Bäst: Sabotage

Not my favourite Beastie Boys album, but they get a 4 for nostalgia and my teenage crush on Ad Rock. This is a fun listen, they're such fun to listen to you don't really notice how damn good they were.

Loud and wacky. Good job boys.

This was an album that I haven't listened to in more than 20 years, so it's a strange experience coming back to it after all these years. It's interesting to see the different samples they were using on this album. Lots of jazz and funk influence. There's a lot more instrumentals in this than I remember. It's also pretty fun when they break out the hardcore punk for a song or two. It's a little strange listening to a rap album where my least favorite thing about it is the lyrics and still liking it, but the instrumentalism and diversity of sounds in this album really saves it 4/5

A lot of cool instrumentals. Great singles. At 59 minutes, it's long.

DOPE, I didnt know beastie boys had so much range, this album is punk funk rock and rap, insane

Enjoyed this for sure. Long album but some fun songs although I couldn’t name them for sure.

4/5. BEASTIE BOYSSSSSSSS. I wish more rap/rock albums 1) existed and 2) were this good. So much energy in sabotage, great song to get hyped too!

Very strong vocal style. An unknown artist for me, but an amazing addition to my collection

Pretty nice

The sampling is *chef’s kiss*

Kova levy! Siisti tyyli tehdä hoppia ja poikkesi isosti valtavirrasta, arvostan.

Fun and loose. Showcases the Beastie's hardcore punk roots more than I'm familiar with. End of the album is kind of a drag. Favorite tracks: "Get It Together", "Do It", "Sabotoge"

Sabotage is always a classic

Best beastie boy album so far by a considerable margin. Largely because the beats feel extremely creative and fresh compared to their other work. Still don't like the rapping itself too much.

Probably the best hip hop/ rap album I’ve heard to date. Some quite funky grooves apparent on this

-tough guy punk inspired -Root down jazzy -sabotage favorite so far (hip hop with punk) Overall fine. The vocals all sound the same to me.

Not typically my genre, but I enjoyed a lot of the instrumental sections

I've been listening to this album for the last three days because I wasn't very sure about what rating giving it, and I finally decided to go for the lower instead of a higher score. What intrigued me about this record is how much things it has to offer. There are the silly hip hop tracks, the more serious ones, the groovy instrumentals, a couple of hardcore punk songs, another couple of weird/experimental pieces and "Sabotage". The majority of the album falls in the two first categories, basically being hip hop. What I liked the most about these songs is the incredible chemistry between the trio, when they are rapping in the same song. Every handful of verses they change who is taking the microphone, and these jumps are incredibly well connected. Their quirky flows and very groovy beats are also a major factors that make these songs very fun to listen to, though they are some that are weaker than others. Besides, when they aren't all together, the song loses a bit of steam, and I'm thinking of "The Update" or "Bodhisattva Vow" as examples. Moving into the next category are the instrumentals, which can be really interesting. Their sound is quite far from the average hip hop track in here, usually being a mixture of funky and jazzy vibes that are incredibly groovy and also relaxing in some cases. The best examples are "Sabrosa", "Futterman's Rule", "Ricky's Theme" and "Transitions", which are mostly if not all the instrumentals that fit the description. Then there are the hardcore punk songs "Tough Guy" and "Heart Attack Man". As expected from the genre, they are very energetic and fast, and I think they work incredibly well here, as the fit the other highly frenetic tracks. Another couple of pieces I find very peculiar are "Eugene's Lament" and "Sambala", both being instrumentals. The first one has a very weird and hypnotic violin, and the second one is another groovy instrumental, similar to the ones mentioned before, but due to its use of Tibetan chants I think it is worth separating it from the rest. These two are certainly not the brightest moments, yet they still are interesting. Lastly, I can't finish the review without talking about "Sabotage", the best song of the album. Love the spirit in this one. It is fun, wild and in your face. Ad-Rock is basically screaming and the instruments are very loud and distorted. Absolutely loved this track. However, this album I think falters from having too much material, increasing the chances of weak spots, which there definitely are. Thankfully there are some really high spots as well, but the quantity certainly restrains my enjoyment a notable amount.

This album was really mid I don’t get the beastie boys hype Favorites: flute loop, bboys makin with the freak freak, sure shot 2.5 or 3/5

Wasn't sure what to expect, but its pretty good.

Great Songs: Sabotage Good Songs: Sure Shot, Root Down, Get It Together, Sabrose, The Update, Alright Hear This, Eugene's Lament, Do It, Heart Attack Man, The Scoop, Bodhisattva Vow, Transitions Mid Songs: Tough Guy, B-Boys Makin' with the Freak Freak, Bobo On the Corner, Futterman's Rule, Flute Loop, Ricky's Theme, Shambala Bad Songs:

Hell yeah

They are still a bit too shouty for me but I enjoyed this more than Paul's boutique. It's a weird mess of an album though and kinda jarring to listen to. There's some nice instrumentals on here.

Love the Beastie Boys

Day 353 Sabotage is such a tune. Highlights Sure Shot Root Down Sabotage

It’s fine. Please don’t make me listen again

Not my jam.

Poor ending to the album, but pretty good overall!

Love and celebrate the seminal nature of this album, but aside from the gigantic hits (esp Sabotage) this album is only OK for me. In the right mood I can really love 80% of it, but in my normal life its less than that. Still gotta love and celebrate the Beasties of COURSE though!!

Sure Shot is a great way to start the album, I’d almost forgotten about this track but just the opening bars brought it straight back. Sabotage is such a classic track. Remember the video too. Great stuff. Really enjoying my return to this album :) A number of the songs sort of fly by in the background so I’m torn on what to give this. Teetering between a 3 and a 4.

This one is a bus ride from somewhere exciting, still feeling the joy from before. 3.4/5

Sabotage was on repeat when this album came out. Listening to the entire album 30 years later, I’m impressed in their musical versatility. I appreciated their inclusion of political statements and the spiritual journey. I have a newfound appreciation for the artists.

quite good

Quite unexpected. My earlier knowledge of BB was of lighter brighter rap. They were innovators, one of the first rap groups to hit the mainstream. Some reading has revealed their punk roots, and that's evident here. As is some real guitar band music ability.

Not really my style, but i could recognise why people like this. Really beautiful musically, and enjoyed Sure Shot, Sabotage and Tough Guy.

Sabotage! Didn't love or hate the rest of the alhum.

Not my favorite Beastie Boys album. This is really not doing it for me, but still nice to listen to Best Song: Sabotage Rating: 5.5/10 Stars: 3

Kinda bloated and they use the distorted speaker box too often. Like I couldn’t understand several track. Sabotage is the coolest shit though, seeing them play their own instruments on Letterman was sick as hell. And that’s a lot of what this review is riding on 2.5

A pretty good Beasties record. And Sabotage still crushes - especially with the video.

Not bad, but I zoned out a bit during most of it

Seems kinda generic now but maybe it was innovative at the time. Not an awful listen

I absolutely love the Beastie Boys and I don't think they have a bad record in their discography. In fact, I think Sabotage is one of the top 10 tracks of the entire decade (with a top 5 video from Spike Jonze). All that said, Ill Communication is too bloated to be considered great. It's 20 tracks long and filled with unnecessary Kojak style 70s funk interludes. Cut all that noise and you can add a full point or point and a half to my score.

It was a little underwhelming from what I was expecting, from what I knew from the artist, some good 90s hip hop in there but long instrumental parts that were a chore to finish

I can appreciate how great Sabotage is as a song. In isolation. I'm just not here for an entire album of this.

the beats and the flows are kinda good. i just feel so goofy listening to beastie boys

#987. It's pretty good in the beginning, but kinda lost me towards the middle. The second half is a bit less interesting. 3/5: fine.

Sabotage is still one of the best songs of the 90s, but this album was looooong. Do It with Biz Markie stood out too. Liked the blending of different genres, especially punk (Heart Attack Man). I haven't heard a lot of that from them. 2.5/5

Very moody- could be the perfect vibe for a specific dreamy “don’t care” day. Overall not my thing, find it repetitive sounding and I’m not in love with the tone of the rapping. Something I can appreciate, not something I’m saving to my library though.

B-Boys Makin' with the Freak Freak Sabotage Futterman's Rule Heart Attack Man

Ill

I feel some kind of obligation toward the Beasties just for being a Gen Xer. I had this album! The fact that I don't remember most of it tells me that even back in the day I was not a huge fan of the hardcore interludes and the the instrumentals. And those make up a surprisingly large proportion of this record. Most of the actual songs are great, it's just that not all of them are, and there aren't that many of them.

Repetitive

this is too long and unfocused, but has some amazing singles on it. III/V

such a wild rhythm that you can't help but shake your head, even if you don't really like it

Third Beastie Boys album on the list that I've listened to and a more mature offering than License To Ill and Paul's Boutique. I'm never going to be a fan, but I can appreciate the development of the musicianship and the blending of genres. Sabrosa is funky as hell and Ricky's Theme is pure chillout watching the sunrise in Ibiza. On a hip hop level, I enjoyed Root Down and any song that samples a sheep is going to make me smile, so B Boys Makin With The Freak Freak made me smile but it's not a genre, band or an album that I would return to by choice, so it's another 3 stars. I imagine there will be other Beastie Boy albums on the list - I guess the review will be similar.

I don't rlly listen to such music

I don't like one of their songs

I’d rate a 3.5, but not high enough to round to a 4. I recognize the influence and can appreciate the wide ranges of genres that blend so well. But it dragged on a bit.

1. Sure Shot (★★★★⯨) -Fav 2. Tough Guy (★★★★☆) 3. B-Boys Makin' With The Freak Freak (★★★☆☆) 4. Bobo On The Corner (★★⯨☆☆) 5. Root Down (★★⯨☆☆) 6. Sabotage (★★★★★) -Favorita del álbum y más... 7. Get It Together (★★★★⯨) -Fav 8. Sabrosa (★★★⯨☆) 9. The Update (★★⯨☆☆) 10. Futterman's Rule (★★★★☆) -Fav 11. Alright Hear This (★★★★⯨) 12. Eugene's Lament (★★★⯨☆) 13. Flute Loop (★★★⯨☆) 14. Do It (★★★★☆) 15. Ricky's Theme (★★★☆☆) 16. Heart Attack Man (★★★⯨☆) 17. The Scoop (★★⯨☆☆) 18. Shambala (★★⯨☆☆) 19. Bodhisattva Vow (★★⯨☆☆) 20. Transitions (★★★☆☆) TOTAL = ★★★⯨☆ (3,4)

I meannn its alright

slechter dan verwacht, beetje rock/punk hiphop

A bit long and repetitive

Much better than the other Beastie Boys album I had on here

Buenisimo pero extenso:(

I felt pretty neutral towards it. I guess it's not my jam.

5번 트랙까지는 솔직히 정신이 너무 없었음. (6)sabotage 에서 wh——y?🧨 이부분 좋았음. (12)Eguen’s Lament 바이올린이 음산한 느낌을 줌. (13)Fluet Loop 제목대로 플룻. 가사 없는 노래들이 중간중간 쉬는 타임을 줌

Ja sind paar Banger dabei, reicht nicht für das Album und den Textinhalt mancher Title

Like all of their albums, has at least 1-2 complete bangers. Sabotage is an all timer. There are some other good jams on this, like Root Down and the Q-Tip guest star on Get it Together. And the instrumental track Sabrosa could hold up on any great funk album. But also like many of their albums, other tracks are just okay. I find their singing/rapping styles not something I can take for a whole album.

Doesn’t really do it for me. 2.5/5

I honestly really enjoyed this. It was a much better, more fleshed out, whole album compared to the previous beastie boys album on the list. I liked the mix of styles throughout would listen again.

Felt mixed about this, the first half didn't do much interesting and I definitely preferred the second half with its beat tracks and slightly more off kilter songs. Still not convinced by the group really.

Not my kind of music.

Just lots of fun, but would've been even better of I hadn't gotten License to Ill by the Beastie Boys literally yesterday. 'Twas a bit much for me.

classic beastie boys, i like the surprise qtip feature

just re-visited this one recently, and it was much better than i remembered.

I have never listened to a Beastie Boys album. They have some great tracks, but I can’t ever get into these guys for more than a song or two. They are unique and legendary on the scene though

6/10

Beastie Boys are good but were never super my jam. Good album with fun lyrics.

Not a fan of the boys of beastie

3 stars.. musik war soooo fire ABER sie haben den ähnlichen klang bisschen overused und waren kinda fatphobic

The hits really stick out as very distinct amongst a pretty vibesy record. Solid though.

I listened to most of it but could only clock maybe 3 tracks that actually sounded different. Still, not bad.

First time ever really listening to the Beastie Boys. More range than I had previously thought from the snatches I'd heard in the past. they seem to be legitimate appreciators of both punk & rap-- the best thing about them is that they are fun. I like the silly hedonism. Their loops are pretty awesome, and some of their purely instrumental stuff is nearly beautiful. I wasn't even alive in the 90s, but can tell it was a time when genre-bending was still very interesting and earnestly approached. This seems like an apex of that idea. There's certainly times when this is a mood I want to be in, and will put these guys on to achieve it.

Vocals and lyrics are nothing too special but beats and instrumentals are very interesting and/or fun! Highlights: "Sure Shot", "Keep It Together", "Sabrosa", "Bodhisattva Vow"

I’ll always appreciate the Beastie Boys. They’re a little too monotonous for me to really love them, but they at least are trying stuff here and having fun.

Too metal for me.

Better than Licensed to Ill, still not as good as Paul’s Boutique. I could not get through it all (I’ve heard it plenty before), so there’s that. I liked the punk track.

honestly the instrumentals are really quite good, danceable and interesting, but it's a hip-hop album, and i'm getting maaaybe 25% of the lyrics at most.

not my type of music, but a pretty good album either way. has a pretty cool groovy vibe. definitely unique

Peaks and troughs

Disappointing album. Not as stupid/fun as Licensed To Ill. Sabotage is the stand out track. 20 tracks is too many. Bunch of stuff could have been cut here. 2.5/5. Raising to 3.

intensity encapsulated favourite track: eugene's lament

305/1001 Beastie Boys - Ill Communication Heard before? ✅ Revisit? ❓ Throughout this process, I've been a bit indifferent towards the Beastie Boys and this is very much the same...

Sure Shot is a classic. nothing stuck out from the rest to me

Some interesting tracks in here but ultimately it's something I prefer in smaller doses than a full album. Ricky's Theme was a standout for me. A really beautiful interlude between the raucous vocal assault of some of the other tracks.

05/14 Not bad

Sure Shot - woah ho ho, tough little message ya got there

Confident album with a whirlwind of genres has my favorite beastie song Sabotage Not my cup of tea as an album but appreciate work

I don't really listen to hip-hop but I liked the songs. It's was music I could just play and be productive.

Not my type but not the worst

Maybe exams are just putting me in a bad mood but all these songs sounded the same

pretty good, never listened to much 1990s hip hop. i liked the instrumentals. occasionally found it dragged on a bit

Another hip hop artist for whom I really need subtitles. That said, this really grew on me throughout my listen. Enjoyed some of the groovier beats, especially the instrumental tracks. It went unexpected places. Sabotage is great. 7/10 Quite Likeable

white boy rap, andam de skate e brigam na escola

Of obvious historical import - I remember when this came out, it was amazingly innovative. But on a listen after 20 years, I don’t think it really holds up. Eminem (for example) one ups them significantly. But there would never have been a Marshall Mathers without the Beastie Boys! 5 stars for impact on music. 3 stars for current listenability.

Not as groundbreaking as License to Ill, but nonetheless enjoyable

Semmosta jammailumuzaa, keikuttavaa räppiä. Ihan okei.

If only there was some way I could include the music video for Sabotage in the rating somehow This one was a lot more interesting than I thought, the surprising amount of instrumental tracks threw me for a loop. As always, variety is the spice of life and although I have no real problems with the beastie boys a lot of their hits sound exactly the same. Sabotage isn’t my favorite song or anything but it’s pretty solid and definitely the best track on this one. Compared to other hip hop, it’s definitely on the corny side, which isn’t objectively awful but it’s kinda weird at times. It lacks a lot of the impact that a lot of other 90s hip hop has. This one’s also just a little longer than I’d prefer, 20 tracks is a lot when the vocals get really repetitive after a while. I’m not a huge fan of how it sounds like all the vocals are being routed through megaphones Definitely not bad, but compared to all the other 90s hip hop we’ve got (genre I’m starting to realize I really enjoy) it’s just not that special

Sabotage is an iconic song, but I can't really say the rest was. Interesting how some songs leaned more punk, some more hip-hop, but nothing really grabbed me and Sabotage isn't good enough to elevate this album too high.

I only really like this album for Sabotage. As in, I would be giving this album a 2 if it wasn't for the fact that Sabotage is on this album. That's about all I can say, the music was sometimes interesting, but not that interesting.

I don't mind a Beastie Boys song or two in small doses but man having to listen to an entire album by them is like looking up at Mt. Everest from the base camp knowing you have to climb it in nothing but socks. It's a huge task getting through everything, and it becomes stale real fast. You can only apply so much vocoder on your voice before it becomes annoying to listen to for an hour. You get the first few songs on this thing that are pretty good, and I really enjoyed the punk song & the one with the Q-TIp feature, but after that this really all does just become boring and generic. How can you have 8 years to grow as an artist and your sound is exactly the same just with some better production? What were you doing for 8 years? The only fresh or interesting stuff on here really was the punk additions, which were quite good if I'm honest. In the end, as average as this album is, there are a few solid songs. But overall it's nothing special.

it grows on you

Sounds like they made a bunch of noise and threw it at the wall to see what would stick. Definitely some bright spots, but the Beastie Boys have never been my thing, and this was not an enjoyable listen as a whole

Not my fave

Very nostalgic

Hehehh. You have to be in the right mood, but I was kinda in it.

Muy bueno, me gusto la onda que tiene, meda hip-hop con rap

Decent album. Favourite songs sabotage, bodhisattva vow and sobrosa. 6.5/10

Good biking music for my commute. Appreciated the instrumental tracks for breaks.

Good times, good vibes, it's the beastie boys !

it just reminded me of that scene in the office “Scranton! What? The electric city!” but it was the entire album

Great!

Favorite songs: Sure Shot, Root Down, Sabotage, Sabrosa, Eugene’s Lament, Flute Loop, Ricky’s Theme

Interesante álbum para ser el primero de la lista. Tiene temas muy variados pero en general son como los Illya Kuryaki yanquis. Mucho rap y hip hop y varios temas instrumentales, me gusta para escuchar de chill.

Mixtape vibe is a solid change up from how the rest of the albums have felt so far! Too much washing over but hard to deny the influence of this band.

Saved? ✅ Would listen again? ✅ Would recommend to anyone? 🤔 Would buy on Vinyl? 🤔

Used some Buddhists’ elements, that’s really fun. But on average, not a memorable album.3.5/5

These guys are so weird and so fun/ny. Really liked it!

First few songs I liked, many instrumental filler songs

Gets kinda noise near the end, I've already heard a few of the songs and I kinda only liked the popular ones the rest were just alright.

The first miss on this long journey. It just isn’t for me. I can appreciate it for what it is, but I won’t be revisiting this album any time soon.

Very strong.

It definitely showcases the range of the Beastie Boys that not everybody recognizes or experiences, but it is a little long

I liked the funky parts far more than the rocky tones

I like the instrumentals best

It’s not my thing, but I can appreciate why this is highly rated. There is a LOT going on with this….falls into the category of music I can respect, but I don’t enjoy. 3

This album is super weird. Instrumentals make up the better half of the album that just loop constantly, and then just go into another instrumental. The actual tracks themselves are great, but there's just so few that are just sequenced in the funkiest order. It's an odd direction for the Beastie Boys to go, and during my listen I was completely confused and just wanted to turn on Paul's Boutique.

Sabatoge

Bien plus audible que Paul’s boutique. On sent toutes les influences dans les samples mais l’effet patchwork est bien moins fort. Cela en fait un album riche et bien exécuté qu’on a envie d’explorer toujours plus. Mention spéciale pour Get it Together et Sabrosa

Incredibly creative work here, buuuutttt… OK, so I like my music to have understandable vocals. Not here. I can handle rap and metal, but there has to be more to it. I can’t figure out if I like this or not. Some songs are awesome (Root Down and Sabotage), while others leave me wanting something more. 3 stars

ayyyy este era el álbum que le puse 3 estrellas porque no podía poner 2 y media

To be cringe is to be free. ...this album never ends

fun fact de eerste keer dat ik me kan herinneren dat ik de beastie boys hoorde was "no sleep till brooklyn" in een captain america playlist. dat nummer staat niet op deze plaat maar moest ik wel aan denken. anyway dit is zeker een beastie boys plaat. sabotage blijft natuurlijk een gigantische banger (HET rock nummer van het jaar in '94. kurt cobain leefde nog !!) zo veel instrumenten en genres. leuk op een avond uit maar zo los en een heel album, niet echt m'n ding. half puntje extra voor alle homoseks die captain america en bucky barnes hadden in mijn mind palace als 14 jarige. imma stick my dick in the mashed potatoes

Holder seg helt greit, men alt for varierende kvalitet i utgangspunktet.

Tiene algunos buenos temas pero no me encantó, no es tan mi estilo

Sadly couldn’t listen on Spotify. Only copy was a very spotty you tube version

I liked most of it. There sound is fun and catchy. 3.5/5 if I could.

Far less stupid than the last BB album I was given on here, Licensed to Ill (still a little stupidity sprinkled in though), and far more interesting to listen to in terms of beats. Sabotage is absolute gold. Could have done with a little less fluff.

Μου φάνηκε ιδιαίτερα δημιουργικό άλμπουμ. Είχε μία τάση προς την hip-hop, ωστόσο έκανε μίξη με jazz, funk, punk και άλλα είδη. Πάρολο μου μου φάνηκε καλό, δεν με τρέλανε ιδιαίτερα. Ίσως καταφέρει να μου δώσει μια ιδέα του τι μου αρέσει στην μουσική και τι δεν μου αρέσει. Επιπλέον μου άρεσει το γεγονός ότι πολλά κομμάτια έρρεαν το ένα στο άλλο και χρησιμοποιούσαν μέρη απο το προηγούμενο όπως πχ: Shambala -> Bodhisattva Vow Transitions

Not my kind of music. Neutral review. Listened to the first 6 songs only.

okay i get the beastie boys hype a little more now. pretty dang good and definitely a memorable ending with that bodhisattva vow chanting lol. i like root down, alright hear this, and do it, though.

- 0 nummers toegevoegd aan MMMM - 0 nummers al toegevoegd aan MMMM

It's alright.

It’s not as bad as I thought, but it wasn’t good. The highlights were probably: Sabotage, Get it Together, and Transitions. It’s not that bad, but 20 songs is just too many for a Beastie Boys album. Overall, I’d give it a 3/5!

Old school rap. Not the worst. Bearable but not my jam

I think Biz Markie should be on every album,

B-Boys Makin' With The Freak Freak

Really disappointed. Expected so much from this, and the stand out singles are fantastic, but the other songs are just filler. Not the best unfortunately.

Kinda wish the whole thing was instrumental.

Chaotic, in your face record that lacks some of the focus of later work but has oogles of charisma to make up for it

not bad, but not my thing

DOn't love this album, but ended up listening to Beastie Boys the rest of the day. Brings back very fond memories of middle school and Mitch.

I'm not a fan of rap but I am a fan of rock so I'm not sure how much I like this album. The rock part is spectacular and a couple of the songs, like root down and sure shot stood out, reminds me of Rage against The Machine. Not my kind of music, but I can completely see how for its genre, this album is awesome.

Best tracks: Sure Shot; Root Down; Sabotage*****; Get It Together (Q-Tip!); Sabrosa (instrumental); Futterman's Rule (instrumental); Flute Loop (instrumental); Ricky's Theme (instrumental).

algumas músicas me chamaram atenção por serem mais diferentinhas e terem mais guitarra, outras, que foram mais pro lado do hip hop mesmo, achei bem ok.

Prob a 3.5 for me. Enjoyable but meandering in the back half.

Suffers the same problem as many other early hip hop albums. It's just talking (or in the Beasties' case, shouting), all in the same style, over a generic beat. There's no variation, there's no flair. Also it has a bunch of instrumental interludes, which are pointless. The albums starts out with Sure Shot, which I've always loved. B-Boys Makin' With The Freak Freak is actually pretty decent, as well as Root Down. And then Sabotage lights it up, always loved that one as well. That's when the album starts to drag on. I'm sure the rest of the tracks are just as good as B-Boys... and Root Down, but its just more of the same stuff, so it feels like it drags on. I really want to give this a higher score, because the Beastie Boys have some killer songs. Unfortunately, only two of those are on this album. That's enough to raise my score from a 2 to a 3, but not more than that. Best song: Sabotage

Overrasket over, hvor meget federe jeg synes ill Communication er ift. Paul's Boutique. Kæmpe energi, enorm vildskab og selvom jeg fortsat synes at drenegene er lidt cringe at høre på, så er liden bare federe her. Stor 3'er.

stadig silly - stadig godt 2.9

I'm sticking my dick in the mashed potatoes

⭐︎3.8 ロックミュージックにラップを載せたパイオニア。元ハードコアバンドなだけあって、トラックの作り込みが多彩。ただのラッパーじゃない感じ。とはいえ，何度も聞くのは辛かった。

I don't think Ill Communication quite reach the same heights as Beastie Boys' first two albums, but it is a solidly sampled and well-produced album worth a spin now and then.

I like the energy, but it gets monotonous at times

never listened to anything like this. surely must have a cult following as an album because i think it is incredibly unique and interesting. not what i would choose to listen to but it feels honest and i can imagine a lot of people feel represented by this album.

Morre variety in the sampled music. And the BB were more musical themselves and not just rapping.

Also in my permanent collection. Some great tunes on here, but it's very long and gets a bit wearing.

The Beastie Boys are a bit of a marmite band for me. Sometimes, I really love their stuff and can listen to it for days. Then at other times I just get bored with it so very, very quickly. This album is definitely one of their better ones, but only scores a three out of five from me.

Not horrible, but some of the songs are pretty repetitive.

This is definitely a Beastie Boys album.

Whilst I'm absolutely a fan of the genre blends on this album, there's something not quite landing with me. The mix of aggressive indie/rock, hip hop and rap is so interesting and makes for a great listen overall. But too many of the tracks felt like they didn't quite fit and especially on the back half of the album I found myself drifting away from it a bit.

Fun album. More "hip hop" than Paul's Boutique. The standouts are definitely Sabotage and Sure Shot. I remember listening to those when I was a kid in the 90s and it was just the definition of cool.

I’ve heard of them before and heard a few songs before however not really my sort of music and not something I would listen to again although I can appreciate that it’s different and not necessarily bad

Some really good stuff. Sabotage is an all-time classic. Very weird instrumental at times.

Algunas canciones ya las conocia, y estuvo bueno volver a ellas, descubri un par que me parecieron muy buenas, le prestare más atención a los Beastie Boys

Some great groovy songs, and some hard songs that aren't really my jam. A couple that are right in the middle.

A lot going on on this album. All the sounds were generally good, but was kind of hard to really nail down some cohesion.

Grungy, distorted and experimental feeling. I think they were really pushing their creative chops with the style change ups. Sure shot, Get it together, and Flute Loop we're stand outs for that Beastie Boy sound, but I liked Sabrosa and Ricky's Theme for the difference they added to the album.

Aight

pretty cool! a little long

eh, it was fine. didn't catch my attention so it became bg noise. 3 stars i guess.

I was having a while of a time through to Sabotage, then experienced dwindling returns and had to cut my losses during "Heart Attack Man".

I don't know what to make of this group. They have good songs, and it was nice how this album had a jazzy vibe to it. Yet, I don't feel compelled to give it anything higher than a 3.

This has always been an album I feel like I should like more than I do like. It's in my collection, a gift from a friend who thought I'd love it. And Paul's Boutique is one I love. But this album never quite landed for me. It's good, I give them props, I like the bringing back their punk roots and melding it all together. But yet it still just lands a 3 and barely that. I wish I could express better why it doesn't make the grade.

Buen hip hop, mezclado con rock/grunge, la primera canción me gustó mucho, pero sd cae al final

This was a fun listen on a Friday morning but not something I’m likely to play again.

The Beastie Boys really were in a world of their own making. One thing about this album that resonated with me was after a song would, I never knew where the next one was headed. It really kept me on my toes even if I didn't dig every song.

I've never really vibed with Beastie Boys, and the first half of this album did nothing to convince me otherwise (beyond reminding me that Sabotage is a bop). From Sabrosa onwards, however, it's a totally different beast. The instrumentals are the best thing here which I think says a lot. Would have been 2* based on first half alone, but the back end elevated it slightly.

Another classic I’ve never got around to fully listening to. It’s loud, weird, in your face, and unapologetic. First half reads as what the Beastie Boys were known for in my opinion, by the time Sabotage ends the album takes a turn into the artsy and weird. A whirlwind of noises and melodies that keep you on edge.

This was definitely longer than it needed to be

This was an interesting album. I enjoyed the more instrumental song such as flute loop

First few tracks decent enough, but lost a bit of interest, particularly the last 5-6!

I kind of wrote this band off based on Licensed to Ill, but this album is much more rounded and ... surprising. Some Beck vibes, overall not terrible!

Mixed feelings had some good and bad ones. I like “Sure shot”

Legal de conhecer mas acho que a única memorável pra mim é mesmo Sabotage

(3.5)

They tried a little too much with this one. Goes from fun to meh

I get that the Beastie Boys founded the genre of white people party rap. But like a decent amount of music white people co-opted, it's just kind of okay. This album is ultimately forgettable, and I'm not sure I'd ever revisit this. I didn't hate it by any means, I just didn't like it.

You sometimes forget that the Beastie Boys were a punk band, and then bam, punk songs. Some solid songs, but I think it suffered for it's 60 minute length.

I've never really connected with the Beasties. This is probably the first time I've listened to one of their albums all the way through since the early 90s. I liked the jazzier tunes, tho.

When I first heard the Beastie Boys back in the 80s, I really didn’t like them. Partly for the embarrassment of white people rapping, partly for the absurd adoption of VW badges as a fashion accessory but mostly because of the way they used the word party as a verb. It wasn’t until sometime in the 90s that I heard this album and went back to give the meticulously crafted Paul’s Boutique a chance. This album is less sample heavy, and the rapping is still a bit cringeworthy in places (Why do they have to SHOUT, at the end of every LINE?), but the music is pretty good, all things considered. Sabotage is a certified banger helped by the excellent music video directed by Spike Jonze. A solid 3 stars, and I think I may well give some of their later albums a chance too.

Great album had elements of punk, hip hop and rap. It was enjoyable and I love how the album was put together. It was the perfect blend of songs so everything flowed well!

Not my usual fare but I like these guys. They don't take themselves too seriously and seem to be having fun with it.

The opening song is strong, sure shot. It reminds me of slim shady. I like the song sabotage.

per le prima volta, nonho avuto tempo di ascoltarlo tutto... e mi fa male il dente... Cmq non mi sembra male, ha abbastanza tiro anche se non mi fa impazzire... Vediamo se nel weekend si riesce a recuperare

Крепкий хип хоп альбом своего времени. Очень много панчей, по факту хорошо, хоть и разбирать это всё тяжело. Альбом обо всем и чего-то общего в большей степени тут нет. Каждый найдёт для себя что-либо. Меня не зацепило, в остальном неплохо.

favs: sabotage, get it together, the update, heart attack man

Timeless instrumentals on here, just grimy beats you wont hear anymore. Also you couldn't get an album cover more fitting for the music on here.

Hard not to love this album and the beastie boys in general.

the highs on this album are high but I also think there's some filler that drags on. but it has sabotage so that counts for something

I rate this album like a 7.5. I enjoys the beats and all. Overall all it kinda gave me like skater vibe but I sometimes catch myself vibing it it soo that why I gave it a 7.5, its was ratier 7 or 8 soo.

cool, but not really my style

Listened

Already liked a few from the album, didn’t realise how many songs was on it though