Another album that passed me by. I think I was put off by all those knock off Parka coats with Paul's Boutique plastered along the tail. No album should be a fashion accessory. I understand the great production and decent use of samples. But I still feel that the Beasties are shouting at me. It's not the best music to listen to alone in isolation on a Monday morning. I bet it makes much more sense in a club with a bunch of mates. But I think I'm past those days now.
I used to love the Beastie Boys. And this album has a uniqueness that came partly from the time it was made - another where the sample clearance would just be too much work to even attempt now. There are some fun tunes here, but having seen the recent Apple TV-funded ‘TEDTalk’, Beastie Boys Story, it all feels a bit more contrived than it seemed at the time. And a lot of the credit surely has to go to the Dust Brothers? Long story short: I used to think this was great album, but it’s become a little tainted by hindsight.