My brother gave me the double DVD of Beastie Boys music videos (with band and director commentary, 40 remixes, and a couple of short “films” – sweet!) for my birthday, and I’m digging it. Now I want to acquire an album or two…but which one?
If you had to pick which Beastie Boys album you enjoyed the most, what would it be?
Paul’s Boutique would be my recomendation.
I think the consensus is that this is an album that couldn’t be made today; too many samples from too many artists. In my humble opinion, it’s their best work.
I agree with Ich Bin’s - Paul’s Boutique is far and away their bet work.
Another Paul’s Boutique suggestion here.
Licensed to Ill
Has some of their best ever:
Slow Ride
Girls
Fight For Your Right
No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn
Paul Revere
Hold It Now - Hit It!
Brass Monkey
Slow And Low
And a couple of other songs.
Wow. I came here to also recommend PB but now I guess that I will just echo everyone else. Fantastic album from front to back.
The In Sounds From Way Out. All instrumental, no lyrics. Just the Beasties jamming. It really shows off their talent as musicians, and it’s also great background music for a party.
I too would recommend Paul’s Boutique
From the allmusic.com review …
“To put it mildly, it’s a considerable change from the hard rock of Licensed to Ill, shifting to layers of samples and beats so intertwined they move beyond psychedelic; it’s a painting with sound”
It’s a painting with sounds, I like that phrase.
Paul’s Boutique and Check Your Head are both great, but I’ll give the nod to PB, just like everyone else. Go get it.
Paul’s Boutique is their best album, like everybody else said. But Hello Nasty is my favorite of theirs; maybe because it’s more pop-ish. Plus, “Body Movin’” just rocks.
Personally, I’m a huge fan of Ill Communication.
I’d have to vote for buying two albums: Licensed to Ill and Paul’s Botique.
Licensed to Ill is just classic Beasties. The guys were in High School still (I think) and it shows in their music. But at the same time this album is just so tremendously fun. Who doesn’t remember “Brass Monkey”?
Paul’s Botique is when the guys were a slightly more musically mature, but not old yet, so it’s a lot more skilled and layered but it’s not boring at all. It’s eclectic with a lot of different styles - switches from a mellow jazzy “For All the Girls” straight into jammin Brooklyn rap “Shake Your Rump.”
Hello Nasty is too pop for me, but it still isn’t bad.
I wouldn’t recommend Check Your Head, I just couldn’t get into the very bare sound of it after being spoiled with Paul’s Botique.
I actually haven’t heard Ill Communication except for the title track which was played on MTV, so I can’t say about that.
-Ben
Licensed to Ill by far. Back when they were young punks with something to prove; every song a winner.
Paul’s Boutique did nothing for me.
All of them.
I generally can’t stand the Beastie Boys. I can’t get enough of The In Sound From Way Out!.
-Apoptosis
I have trouble recommending any single Beastie Boys album, or even two. I can only say that I listen to Check Your Head and Hello Nasty less than the rest, but I still consider them essential.
Licensed to Ill* is the ultimate party album. Paul’s Boutique is the answer to anyone who disses sampling wholesale based on what Puff Daddy/P. Diddy/whatthefuckever does. Ill Communication teems with solid groove, most notably “Root Down”, and is responsible for my personal favorite video from the 80’s with “Sabotage”.
Just buy 'em all. I seem to see them used more often than I’d expect to.
Dr. J
I’ve gotta go with Paul’s Boutique. It’s fun like Licensed to Ill (Is your name Michael Diamond? Naaw, mine’s Clarence) but it has simply amazing work with sound and samples in particular.
Despite that, Hello Nasty is good if you want a general overview of their career, since it’s got pretty much all of it (though no hardcore), and you also just have to get Licensed to Ill. It’s not their best album, but it’s just so bratty and fun that you have to love it.
God bless Amazon’s used CD sellers – I’ve just ordered five (5) Beastie Boys albums based on your recommendations (I couldn’t pick just one!):
[ul][li]Paul’s Boutique[/li][li]Check Your Head[/li][li]Ill Communication[/li][li]The In Sound from Way Out[/li][li]Hello Nasty[/li][/ul] …And the whole order came to less than $30. Nice.
I didn’t get Licensed to Ill because one of my local radio stations plays “Girls,” “Brass Monkey,” and “Fight for Your Right” all the time, and they drive me nuts.
In turn, I’m recommending the double DVD to all of y’all – it’s really fun, and it’s very well put together. Hey, you can get a used copy for $15.98!
Check Your Head is my personal favorite. I became very intimate with it after listening to it through headphones after a primo spliff.
Of course, Paul’s Boutique is a masterpeice. Nothing beats following along with the punctuation-less lyric sheet.
I have the DVD set already, I’ve also got the Sounds of Science 2-disc anthology, which is a pretty nice collection of music from the entire history of the Beasties, including a couple songs from their early punk days, though as much of the songs included are already on the discs you’ve ordered gallows I can’t really reccomend, though as a long time Beastie fan I love it.