No love from the Village Voice

[Rich Cheney]

not happy with spinning the wheel (http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0426/caramanica.php)

[Bernard Goetz]

Well argued, but I'm really glad I don't hear the same album they did.

[King Schmaltz]

I don't even find it all that well argued. It's crap. Reviewer seems to have set out to prove that the BB's are slipping -- regardless of the album's quality on it's own merit.

Besides, did this guy even LISTEN to the album? In the first paragraph he writes, "They get to grow old, all the while pretending time isn't passing them by." That they are no longer young is referenced all over the place; they're not pretending to be kids anymore.

Lame. I used to expect more from the VV reviews...

PS: btw, Cheney, my bad on the O.J. clips. Was passing along info from a friend (who's clearly out to shame me). I'm interested to hear more Joe Frank.

[Liu Yixi]

I just read the Village Voice review online and jumped over here to see how people reacted to it. Based on the point of view put forth by the reviewer nothing short of a reinvention of the Beastie sound would have satisfied him. Personally, I'm happy to have a stripped down old school album as opposed to something "risky" like an album of Bossa Nova songs or too many jazzy instrumentals. If that means they're too nostalgic or backwards looking then so be it, but I think this album is what fans who have been with them since the beginning want right now. Especially given the state of hip-hop today what with the gloss and the negativity.

[blAHchYd]

well said, Liu! Awesome is the word for this new record. I've been liking them for as long as they've been around. A lot of peeps never kept em that pop throughout the years, after Fight For Your Right and No Sleep came out, that was pretty much all you heard until Check Your Head, then a pop impact was in full effect, but that was the same way, with the few songs that spurted onto radio from that album. Pretty much the same goes for the rest of their albums....except the pop support dipped a lil lower....to me, it seemed.

It's all good though, I doubt everyone was a fan of the Sphinx when it was first built, after time, that shit stuck like 1980's haircuts....look at all the fans nowadays!

[NatuBlonde]

Cheney we meet again. I like that I see you all over- What was your take on the review- (we still listen for ourselves?) Reviews from who, consider the source. The VV should take a look in the mirror.

[Liu Yixi]

That last reply was very sharp, and from a real NYer! I've only been there one time *sigh* but liked it very much. I must not know enough of what is happening there, but I would expect that the Village Voice would appreciate the tone of this record...I remember being very sad after the 9/11 because New York is where hip-hop comes from, and think this album would have good emotional content for people there.