Tt5B: 2 Years Later

[chechina]

Two years ago when To the 5 Boroughs first came out, some of us found it a little... anti-climactic. Some sane people among us pointed out that with all the expections, anything short of perfect would have been a disappointment.

Well, now we've had two years to sit with it, has your opinion about the album changed at all? Stayed the same?

[Laver1969]

I've liked it from day one...and continue to hear new things.

[acamus]

Everyone agreed the beats are dope even some of the professional critics who didn't like the album. They caught a lot of shit for the lyics -- mailed in, a disaster, etc. I saw the lyrics from the beginning as simple and naive like children's nursery rhymes and thought that was an awesome move. It's funny how everybody in the whole damn world loves Bob Marley's stuff (I do too), but if you listen to his lyrics (or Tosh's or Lee Perry's) they're often simple and naive too.

[Chicka B]

The first time I listened to it I liked it a lot and listened to it all the time. But now I notice I don't listen to it as much as the other albums. Of course I still think it's great and it has a special place in my heart because it's the album that got me into the Beastie Boys. (y)

[dirtydan11]

Still wicked, just listened to it on my way home from toronto! will i see you at the edge or hmv chechina??? hahaha

[laurie_hammy]

Its still in my cde player 5 days a week. Beastie's are the only band I have ever not gotten Sick of. I could select any random Beastie song now and enjoy it.

[DipDipDive]

The "OMG THE BEASTIE BOYS RELEASED ANOTHER ALBUM! :D " afterglow has dulled immensely and I've come to the conclusion that this album basically sucks. The beats are mediocre at best and the lyrics are trite and meaningless. I defended it for about a year after its release, and I don't even know why. I guess just because it was made by the Beastie Boys. I still love them dearly, but this album is proof that they need to retire.

[ggirlballa]

, but this album is proof that they need to retire.


proof that they need to re-capture wut the other albums had again

not retire cuz that would send a message that all hip hoppers have to re-tire as soon as they turn 40.:(

[Nerd Fight]

I didn't like it much, the only song on there that I really like is Rhyme the Rhyme well, but the thing that bugs me is that the beastie boys are just ...... so ..... slow ....... at releasing albums!!

If they released an album like every one or two years it'd be like, well OK TT5B is a bit weak, but it's OK, let's wait for the next one, see where they go with it....

but the fact is they release albums like every six years now.... so even if I dig the *next* album, it'll be like 12 years of having no new beasties boys album that I enjoy.... which sucks!!

I think they need to rediscover the seat-of-the-pants DIY mindframe and just put some shit together! Quick ! And work with some other producers, aint no shame in it....look how it turned out for Paul's Boutique.

so what I'm basically saying: new album plz! (y)

[Justin]

If i didnt see them perform these songs LIVE I wouldn't like it so much.

Yes the pageant tour was great, but it was the TT5B songs that stood out during the concerts. You could tell they were really into them.

For example the 2004 vh1 hip hop honor show when they performed "right right now now"

Shit! every tv performance since 2004 using TT5B songs have been off the fucking hook!

As a fan, if you dont like the TT5B album....you should definately listen to a live concert from the pageant tour to get a REAL FEEL of these songs. If you dont have access to a live concert, let me know and i'll make sure you hear them!

[laurie_hammy]

If i didnt see them perform these songs LIVE I wouldn't like it so much.

Yes the pageant tour was great, but it was the TT5B songs that stood out during the concerts. You could tell they were really into them.

For example the 2004 vh1 hip hop honor show when they performed "right right now now"

Shit! every tv performance since 2004 using TT5B songs have been off the fucking hook!

As a fan, if you dont like the TT5B album....you should definately listen to a live concert from the pageant tour to get a REAL FEEL of these songs. If you dont have access to a live concert, let me know and i'll make sure you hear them!

Well I dont have access to Madison Square Garden, so next concert there, how about a plane ticket :rolleyes:

[Friis gal]

me still likey... :)

[korn_phr33k]

The "OMG THE BEASTIE BOYS RELEASED ANOTHER ALBUM! :D " afterglow has dulled immensely and I've come to the conclusion that this album basically sucks. The beats are mediocre at best...

yeah i mostly agree with that statement. i just thought mostly the beats were just lacking oomph and style. and i do think check it out was probly the best track on there along with Thats it Thats All (IMO). the beats just sounded TOO "computer". not enough layers and grit, not enough personality (if that dosnt sound too weird). a good word would be "plain".

but 5 good albums out of 6 is still pretty good for any group.

[kleptomaniac]

Of course I still think it's great and it has a special place in my heart because it's the album that got me into the Beastie Boys. (y)

same here, sister ;)

i think i listen to it MORE now, actually. :D

it's got flavor....maybe sweet n' sour? i mean, some people say it sucks and it's not the beasties best work, but we say "so what?" it's just another dimension of their music we haven't heard yet. it takes some gettin' used to, but it's something you appreciate & learn to love, because it wasn't what you expected in the first place, so you didn't know what to think of it. like stepping into the tub quickly, but the water's boiling hot, so you immediately jump right out of it, but a little time & the water starts to cool...so then it's just right. :cool:

anyway, that's what i think. i let my metaphors do the talkin'...but like when i first got the cd, i listened to it some, then put it aside for a while and gradually got another and another (LTI was the last for me, which i think is why i was hooked immediately) so after all that, i came back to TT5B with an "understanding" & got right back into it. wouldn't change a thing. (y) (so it's not as if i love it more NOW, i've always loved it, but first it was more of a love for the beasties & eventually it became a love for the album itself...if that makes sense)

it's like a weird, beastiefied circle of life type situation. it's never ends...there i go with metaphors again. :S

i think this question is asked so much, i'm runnin' out!

[laurie_hammy]

Guarenteed To Bring Le Brouhaha

[ggirlballa]

hey is yauch's daughter in that song?^:confused:

[Chicka B]

Klepto I like your analogies! :D I know what you mean, it's what you make of the album. If people compare it to their other albums of course it'll seem like it doesn't have as many layers. But what people don't understand is that it's supposed to be that way, stripped down oldschool beats (with a newschool computer vibe), but you still get that oldschool vibe because it's 3 MCs and 1 DJ. It's the Beastie Boy's Hip Hop album which shows off how their MCing skills have approved so much and they can still rap. And they do flow very well on that album, probably more then on any of their albums. (y) Even though now I say I don't listen to it as much, I still sometimes get a craving for it. But it's like that with all their albums, I switch from one to another.

[Lo_Lyfe]

i was surprised that the lead-off single turned out to be one of the strongest songs on there.

[korn_phr33k]

it takes some gettin' used to...because it wasn't what you expected in the first place, so you didn't know what to think of it.

well i honestly didnt know what to expect in the first place because i had read and heard that it wasnt like their prior albums. i do understand what they were going for and im glad they're making new stuff, and trust me im all for changing styles and going in new directions with things, it just isnt my pick, not my style.

[ggirlballa]

i just bought it 2 months ago but have been lazy to actualy listen to it.
i'll have to make time for it later

[FunkyHiFi]

I feel about the same as I did after I first listened to it for about a month: don't like it that much. :(

I just could never get into TT5B's synth-heavy sound, and really miss the rock, jazz, punk, and other musical genres they mixed in with the hip-hop on their previous albums. There are only about four songs I like to listen to when I pull it out of my CD rack, then it goes back in for another month. :(

[Justin]

Well I dont have access to Madison Square Garden, so next concert there, how about a plane ticket :rolleyes:


You got it

[Thundercracker]

only 6 more years till the next album! :D

[acamus]

No, it's been two, so we only have four more to go.

[Thundercracker]

since CYH it's been taking them 2 years longer than the previous album to come out with a new one.

so it goes like this:

1992 - CYH
1994 - IC (2 years)
1998 - HN (4 years)
2004 - TT5B (6 years)
2012 - ??? (8 years)

[saml]

the production still sounds weak as fuck

[Lo_Lyfe]

the production still sounds weak as fuck
do you mean the beats, or the way its all mixed?

[steve-onpoint]

I've always appreciated the thematic aspect I found that runs through their discography. I'm thankful to have had so much offered to me from just one group. They kept me thinking through the years and, I feel, even more importantly - feeling.

I like the lyrics of TT5B.

[acamus]

I've always appreciated the thematic aspect I found that runs through their discography. I'm thankful to have had so much offered to me from just one group. They kept me thinking through the years and, I feel, even more importantly - feeling.

I like the lyrics of TT5B.

I'm widge you here. It's like David Byrne said, "Music hits the body before it hits the head." Whatever the hell I said before, what I mean is that when I turn off the critical/intellectual response and just listen to TT5B, I smile and want to dance. As far as the lyrics, hell yeah. They're bubbly, simple and adolescent -- all compliments here. There are songs that don't resonate with me and there are others that are electric shocks.

I noticed when I introduced it to my students at the beginning of last school year they cringed. It dips back into an earlier sound (old music was once new music) that at the time was only on the cusp of comming back. By the end of the year, they were totally into it and we ended up performing "Sucka MCs" together at a talent show. (Talk about basic old-school beats and lyrics.) The Bboys' image also changed. It doesn't fit with the current trend toward 70s rock (or the parody of 70s rock as Wolf Mother recently said of The Darkness (and themselves) in a recent interview). CYH and IC were instantly more accessible to them at first because of their rock sounds and tough guy persona.

Bottom line is, you like it or not. It's what the Bboys liked, what they wanted to do and Adrock's right. It's hard to imagine that the same people who like LTI or PB or CYH/IC or HN would like TT5B. You have the potential for several audiences here.

[steve-onpoint]

It's like David Byrne said, "Music hits the body before it hits the head."

Smart man. I must keep this in mind. ;)

when I introduced it to my students

(y) :D (y)

The Bboys' image also changed. It doesn't fit with the current trend toward 70s rock (or the parody of 70s rock). Yeah, Beastie Boys set that bar about 16 years ago. Ha!

It's hard to imagine that the same people who like LTI or PB or CYH/IC or HN would like TT5B.

I appreciate the reinvention.

[korn_phr33k]

do you mean the beats, or the way its all mixed?

for me its the beats, the mix and levels were fine to me. like i said earlier it just wasnt for me really, i like a little more grit and feeling i guess.

[laurie_hammy]

You got it

:eek: ;)

[TAFKASB]

I remember when I first got it and put in my car cd player driving back from the store. My first thoughts were...hmmmm..aint sure. I think the main problem being is we all had to wait so long for an album to drop, so we all probably expected crazy things from it, plus Ch Ch Check It Out was a damn good track to release before the album. It took me maybe a month of listening to really get into it. I know it aint the best stuff they have done, but it's still pretty damn good. My only gripe is the album is too short, could have done with maybe 4 or 5 more tracks on it, but that said, we did have the b sides to listen to. If I had to mark each of their albums out of 10 it would go

LTI 8/10
PB 10/10
CHY 8/10
IC 9/10
HN 10/10
TT5B 7/10

[discopants]

I like it but the bottom line is I don't listen to it as much as the others. Then again, I've been neglecting all their stuff cos I'm obsessed with post punk at the moment so you know.

[chechina]

Still wicked, just listened to it on my way home from toronto! will i see you at the edge or hmv chechina??? hahaha

I wish, but no. All my friends are working, so I have nobody to take me into town and keep me company. (I really need to make friends with someone as Beastie-crazed as I am.)

But if you go, dirtydan, get twice as crazy in my place.

[laurie_hammy]

People used to say that TT5B doesnt have a HIT song on it. Like a "So Whatcha Want" or a "Sure Shot" aka a song you can listen to over an over. I think most songs on TT5B have that effect, for me anyway. Ch-Check It Out I have never gotten SiK off. Played it 4 or 5 times today easily.

[dave790]

it's a fairly straight foward and solid album, and i love it as quality beasties record number 6.

[laurie_hammy]

it's a fairly straight foward and solid album, and i love it as quality beasties record number 6.

Quality Beastie Record Number 7 Soon ;)

I dnt care if this next album isnt released for 3 years. Its the fact that they are working on it and loving it. Saying its gonna be there best an shit (y)

[acamus]

Quality Beastie Record Number 7 Soon ;)

I dnt care if this next album isnt released for 3 years. Its the fact that they are working on it and loving it. Saying its gonna be there best an shit (y)

I hear you. I'm hoping that it's true. I'm sure something will eventually drop, but this is Adrock's kinda standard joke. Like, "this is a hot, hot cut", etc. He delivers his jokes fairly deadpan and never really pumps their stuff up except in an ironic way.

[discopants]

I think people forget that its still an achievement for middle age rappers to take 6 years out and still make a solid album.

[korn_phr33k]

yeah i read a review when it first came out and somewhere in the article it said "40 year old white rappers who dont suck." and yes thats true but my respect for their longevity goes way beyound that. how many popular rap groups of the 80's do you see around today. even if we just said 80's bands in general thats still only a handfull of groups. i just love their talent and creativity, im sure most of us here can agree. (dont mean to speak for everyone)

[Jmoney77]

I love it actually

[laurie_hammy]

I think people forget that its still an achievement for middle age rappers to take 6 years out and still make a solid album.

SOLID ? More like Solid GOLD ;) haha

[discopants]

SOLID ? More like Solid GOLD ;) haha

All the way my friend.

[pesto pizza]

name a better hip hop that has come out in the last six years than tt5b.there all shit these days,yeah its not there best album but ill communication and hello nasty on the whole are not as good, even though those two albums have some real jems on them.

[BombsAway!]

I voted that I still don't like it 'cuz it's the only one close to how I feel. It's an OK album, but so bland, and two years later I feel the same way. The Dead Boys sample was really the only thing I got into out of the whole album.

Come to think of it, I'm not really into Hello Nasty all that much either.

Really, my favorite Beastie album since "Ill Communication" has been the DJ Green Lantern mixtape.

[beastiegrrl23]

I loved it, but I have to say that Hello Nasty is more of my taste, its very mellow. TT5B was very hip hop and frankly I don't like today's hip hop music, its too stupid for me. But if they make hip hop songs or show that they like the music then I will too, I guess i'm a sheep.

[Randetica]

half of the album is excusable and the rest is history

[acamus]

[QUOTE=korn_phr33k]how many popular rap groups of the 80's do you see around today. even if we just said 80's bands in general thats still only a handfull of groups.QUOTE]

I've never thought of them as an 80s band. I know that's when LTI dropped and PB came out in '89, but the majority of their career was in the 90s and even PB feels more 90s to me.

[Lo_Lyfe]

thing bout this album is its like a live performance in some ways. there's little distance i guess in the mics. thats a cool thing.

[Lo_Lyfe]

its ok , pretty basic for guys that have been i the game for 20 plus years.

good for BBoy fans but made no impact outside their fan base

the outfits and trucker hats wernt a good move either.

i like half the record .

:D
outfits? shit, at least it wasn't fubu and doo-rags.

[acamus]

its ok , pretty basic for guys that have been i the game for 20 plus years.

good for BBoy fans but made no impact outside their fan base

the outfits and trucker hats wernt a good move either.

i like half the record .

:D

What's your beef with the outfits? Have you noticed how much that move influenced current fashion (or rode the wave of it, whatever)? Okay, it's coolin' off now, but ... The story behind trucker hats itself is interesting. What's the difference between the Abercrombie and Fitch crowd wearing them and those who wore them with a message in mind? That's the best question to track an answer down to. Try it; you'll like it. (Not perfect grammar ...)

[laurie_hammy]

TT5B for me is an album that I can play the whole way through an love it from start to finish.

[acamus]

Damn. Alls I can say is hell no! I plan to be vampin' when I'm 97 with some hot shit that "don't suit me". My dad's 87 and he loves posin' in the pretty clothes. Come on now there's nothing to it; vogue! Only good looks! :D

[Lo_Lyfe]

Im not sayin Fubu and that ether...but I'll be honest alot people werent feelin those ugly green jumpsuits.

the trucker hats suit Mike D.

they older dudes now , some shit wont suit them like it did if they were 25

:D
nah, thats narrow minded shit. im sure theyre losing sleep over people not feeling they outfits. rofl.

[Jitters]

I got a quick little story to tell..... around 2001 or 2002 I became a Beastie Boys fan, I got all their albums pretty quickly and for the most part found something to like about all of them with PB and Hello Nasty being my favorites. Around the time that I started to get into them even more there was a rumor going around that they would not be making any more albums. I thought this was probably true seeing as how much time had passed from Hello Nasty and the fact that they had just been in the game so long and maybe it was quiting time. Then the news dropped that a new album was coming out and I heard Ch-Check it Out, my jaw hit the floor, I had never really seen any of their videos, I thought it was hilarious and the song was great, I go get the album THE DAY IT CAME OUT. I loved it, it was their first release within the time that I had heard of them and I could not stop listening to it. Over time though I slowly realised something, the weren't really saying anything (other than a few exceptions) and the so-so beats weren't helping the lyrics, it was like they had nothing to say and it took them around 45 minutes to say it. When I first got it I listened to it everyday for almost a year, now I rarely even look at the CD. I'm hoping the next record makes up for it. I think the major problem was the fact that they produced it with no one else. It made it so they could do WHATEVER they wanted without a third party saying "Hey, let's try this instead". This is just my thoughts though, why do all of you think the album is so good/bad in your own opinons?

[Justin]

I got a quick little story to tell..... around 2001 or 2002 I became a Beastie Boys fan, I got all their albums pretty quickly and for the most part found something to like about all of them with PB and Hello Nasty being my favorites. Around the time that I started to get into them even more there was a rumor going around that they would not be making any more albums. I thought this was probably true seeing as how much time had passed from Hello Nasty and the fact that they had just been in the game so long and maybe it was quiting time. Then the news dropped that a new album was coming out and I heard Ch-Check it Out, my jaw hit the floor, I had never really seen any of their videos, I thought it was hilarious and the song was great, I go get the album THE DAY IT CAME OUT. I loved it, it was their first release within the time that I had heard of them and I could not stop listening to it. Over time though I slowly released something, the weren't really saying anything (other than a few exceptions) and the so-so beats weren't helping the lyrics, it was like they had nothing to say and it took them around 45 minutes to say it. When I first got it I listened to it everyday for almost a year, now I rarely even look at the CD. I'm hoping the next record makes up for it. I think the major problem was the fact that they produced it with no one else. It made it so they could do WHATEVER they wanted without a third party saying "Hey, let's try this instead". This is just my thoughts though, why do all of you think the album is so good/bad in your own opinons?


I believe most of the criticism comes from fans comparing TT5B to the other albums. The beasties set such a high standard and I believe if they put out a better album than PB or CYH, fans would still find a way to say that "pb or cyh is better."

That criticism comes mostly from the older fans (and i do understand there thoughts). I became a HUGE beastie fan after seeing the alive video in the summer of 99, so i had to live 5 years before a album dropped. I was so happy in 2004 when TT5B came out because i would have the opportunity to feel like all those fans did when pb, cyh, ic, and hn dropped.

When the video for ch-check it out came out the first thing i noticed was not the music, I noticed how much fun they were having. Which got me very excited for the pageant tour.

I believe everyone looks at TT5B diffrently, even the beasties. I believe it was adrock that said something like "we were just trying to crack each other up during the making of this album."

I look at TT5B as a fun album. It makes me smile when listening to it because i know the beasties still love what they are doing.

You could also tell how much they were into the new songs during the concert. Yes, the beasties are always great but you could notice a little extra enthusiasm during songs like ch check it out and right right now now. (the 2004 vh1 hip hop honors show for example, they tore it up!)

Thinking of TT5B and the Pageant tour only one word comes to mind...


"WOW!"

[laurie_hammy]

TT5B = Thats a Record