I like the Beastie Boys’ hits—Sabotage, Hey Ladies, all those songs. The only full album I’ve listened to is Paul’s Boutique, and I hated it. I know it’s objectively pretty good but I just can’t stand it. Just makes me think of annoying frat bros. It’s the type of music Kyle would play during the beer pong tournament.
This one definitely begins more enjoyably. Sure Shot is a pretty good opener and Tough Guy is really good; I have a soft spot for punk. Same with Heart Attack Man.
The transition between Bobo on the Corner and Root Down is pretty good, but then the rest of Root Down is just…annoying. I can’t stand it. I was just waiting for it to end. The lyrics are so cringy and awful. And I get it—party band or whatever. But there’s a reason I don’t like frat bros.
Sabotage definitely redeems that somewhat. It’s a great song. Super catchy, and also I’ve just heard it on the radio so much I can’t hate it.
Get it Together is much less annoying because it doesn’t overuse that super aggressive, processed vocal style. It’s actually a pretty good song. But also tf you mean she’s the cheese and you’re the macaroni. I know Ad-Rock is a great guy and the Beastie Boys have done some great activism and stuff, but still, how did that man get Kathleen Hanna to marry him.
Sabrosa is a good track—mostly because it’s just some good instrumentals without anything annoying over it. Same with Futterman’s Rule. The instrumental tracks give it some time to breathe and breaks up some of the repetitiveness.
The Update is also pretty awesome.
Eugene’s Lament and Flute Loop have great production.
I think as long as the song was instrumental, I loved it. If it had lyrics or that awful, repetitive rapping style, it was more of a toss up.
I’m kind of inclined to like this album because I try really hard to not hate Beastie Boys, and I know they are pretty creative. But please, I really didn’t need to hear about your love for mashed potatoes. I wish this album was just all the instrumental tracks, the two punk songs, and Sabotage—maybe Sure Shot, Get it Together, Bodhisattva View, and The Update can stay, too.
And with the vocal style, I definitely don’t mind aggression—I love punk and grunge and hardcore—but this just seems like aggression for the sake of just yelling everything to seem edgy or cool or whatever. And I get it—it’s rap rock, it combines the two vocal styles—but bands like Rage Against the Machine did it a lot better. And I know you can’t compare the two all that well because of the differences in thematic priorities, but the points on technique still stand for the most part.
I’m glad this album exists and I know it’s objectively good, but half of it is annoying and repetitive as hell.
I’ve heard a lot about Elliot Smith—I know about the “sad boy with a guitar” type of music he made, his history, and his tragic death—but I’ve never listened to any of his stuff before. This album was great though. It made me feel like a middle aged dude flipping through old photos of his dead wife (I was, in actuality, looking at pictures of my dog—who is still very much alive and kicking at the age of 15) or a dude in his twenties working a boring job. Emotional as hell and really great quality songwriting.
I honestly have never heard of this one before, which I’m somewhat ashamed of. I’ve been meaning to actually, like, listen to some Janis Joplin albums, though, and this is her, so I’m glad this one was generated.
The album cover is the first thing that really jumps out at me—I mean, how can it not? It seems like a huge inspiration for Green Day’s Dookie—I mean, they did both come from the Bay Area—this one’s just a bit…edgier, I guess.
The vocals are amazing. Really impressive range and energy. The whole album feels like it was recorded live—which, apparently, it partly was. It’s definitely somewhat of an acquired taste, but I like most of it. I also think anyone interested in music history should listen to this one—or anything else with Janis Joplin, obviously.
Also shout out to the guitar solos. Specifically the one in Summertime.
The influence of this album is immediately recognizable—Amy Winehouse, Alanis Morissette, Joan Jett, Fiona Apple, Hole.
The opening track was so annoying it almost made me a conservative. I could barely turn much of this album up over a low volume because it was so annoying. Under the Bridge and Give it Away were good, and they’re obviously talented, but god please make it stop.
I’ve heard this one before! It’s great. Not number one of all time like that Apple Music list put it as, but arguably up there in top 20. The lyricism is phenomenal, and the skits add so much depth to it. There’s a great, cohesive flow to the whole thing. Genuinely phenomenal.
God is this guy talented.
Fun story about Stevie Wonder: my dad had a friend who had the job of mic-ing him up before a concert. The friend tells him, “hey, I’m sure you hear this a lot, but it’s so impressive that you did all this as a blind, Black man.” Stevie Wonder responds, without any hesitation, “wait—I’m Black?!”
On paper, it’s not bad—it’s quite good, in fact, and it was an enjoyable listen—but the Radiohead and Coldplay influences were too painfully obvious. Still would recommend though—especially The Lonliness of a Tower Crane Driver, The Fix, and Grounds For Divorce.
My mom’s highschool boyfriend once got on top of the announcer’s booth at their highschool football field right before the homecoming game and played the entirety of Freebird. I aspire for that level of Southerness.
Cut/improve Things Goin’ On, Mississippi Kid, and Poison Whiskey, and make this band less racist, and this would be a pretty perfect album.
