 BEASTIE
BOYS
>> TO THE 5 BOROUGHS.
CAPITOL 2004
This is what we've all been waiting for. The original snot-nosed, foul-mouthed, givin'-it-straight Beastie Boys are back. No Euro-techno mumbo-jumbo, no whack ass Japanese animatronics, no Intergalactic planetary exploration, no So-Cal tofu burrito bullshit. MCA, King Ad-Rock, and Mike D are back in the stone cold New Yawk groove--and, as always, putting the "F-U" back in fun. The
knowledge the
Boys drop
on To
The 5 Boroughs
(named after the boroughs of Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten
Island, and Queens that comprise New York City's red-hot melting pot)
is real, focused and accessible. The record does have its share of protest
songs: "Right Right, Now, Now" brings up the point of how bankers ask
your race when applying for a loan while "Time to Build" calls for the
impeachment of "Tex," referencing his destroy-rather-than-build mentality.
They
haven't been this hip-hop since Paul's
Boutique,
and their three-way rapid-fire delivery is automatic, retro, and brand-new.
They sample "Rapper's Delight" on "Trouble, Trouble," which harkens
back to the pre-crack infestation of early-'80s NYC, when Whodini and
Grandmaster Flash ruled the block. "Crawl Space" has overtones about
a white rapper who's made it big since the Beasties
put out
their last record. "Hey, Fuck You" is funny, and the line "put a quarter
in your ass/ 'cause you just played yourself" is priceless. "That's
It, That's All" is a time warp with elements of Run DMC's "Rock Box"
thrown in, and "All Lifestyles" calls for more inclusive stylings with
"more New Wave, less O.G." in the rap game. The standout song is "Open
Letter to NYC," which will go down as the most heroic tune ever written
about the Big Apple. It especially hits home to those born and raised
in the tri-state and praises the collective will of all of those trying
to have fun in troubled times.
The
Beasties
may be getting gray around the temples and trading in the 40 oz. for
nutritional supplements, but the fun they give on To
The 5 Boroughs reestablishes
them as originators and protectors of the throne. By
Tim Donnelly
|
|
Eargasm |