Mix-Up gaining terrible reviews.

[RoryMC]

http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/beastieboys/mixup

[NicRN77]

Screw 'em. :rolleyes:

[SugarInTheRaw]

I wonder how these people would review Aglio e Olio. Odds are, these people expect a Sabotage or Intergalactic. If I've learned one thing, it's stop with the expectations. I'm still learning, but hey, fuck you.

[DJ Pioneer]

We saw it coming. Any time a band tries something different, it's automatically labeled as bad by reviewers. From what I heard, this album isn't particularly my taste, but I'll buy it. I give them all the credit for trying so many different styles and pulling them off. It broadens my listening a little bit. I'm not going to complain.

[cotley]

Surprised there isn't more action on the boards today given it came out here in UK today.

Just had a proper listen, and yeah, it's OK, and I've glad I've bought it, but it's just a bit... minor. Not too fussed about it either way.

Unfortunately I think it'd be tough to be a real BB fan and feel really passionately for this album - it's not awful, and not brilliant, but ticks along nicely, which will do for me until another full-length vocal album.

The problem for me is that I'm not really convinced that it's an advancement or even equal to In Sound From Way Out compilations. Still, one for the car and when on the tube on the ipod.

Hopefully it'll grow on me a little more.

[skra75]

If this Rolling Stone Magazine review is any indication of what the general masses think, I think we are in good shape. That being said, I really disliked To the 5 B's alot.

Honestly, this guy sounds like a pretty big toolbox.

Ten years ago, when the Beastie Boys ruled the world, they let U2 appear on their Tibetan Freedom Concert album. It was poignant to hear U2 sound lost and confused, at their commercial and creative nadir, floundering through the vaguely anthemic "One." Poor old U2 had no clue how to connect with a Beastie-worshipping young mod world. But now, with U2 bigger than ever and vague anthems all the rage, the Beasties can be forgiven for sounding confused themselves, as they try to bring their Grand Royal chutzpah up to date. The Mix-Up is all-instrumental, digging into the familiar organ-heavy lounge funk of Check Your Head and Ill Communication. Yet it's poignant, because the Beasties play their old grooves like they realize how bad people miss them and how high their stock remains despite so many years away.

The Beasties could have knocked out all twelve jams in a lazy weekend in 1992, 2007 or anywhere in between, and the album isn't meant too seriously; Mike D still drums like Meg White's dad. But it's definitely fun to play loud on a sunny afternoon, especially the conga groove of "The Melee," the "See Emily Play"-style psychedelia of "14th St. Break," the stoner fuzak drones of "The Kangaroo Rat" and "Off the Grid." I was surprised to find the rest of the songs were not simply titled "Weedbreak, I-VIII." And despite the Beasties' New York roots, there's no punk or post-punk; if they've heard LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip, CSS or any of the young funkateers they keep inspiring all over the world, you can't tell from The Mix-Up. Hopefully, this is only a warm-up for their next big move.



ROB SHEFFIELD
(Posted: Jun 13, 2007)

[Nygel]

shit happens, its a cd of a jam session more than a album... i'll still buy, but its not because i want to.

[TAFKASB]

If this album had lyrics they would be screaming how fucking great it is. One of the reviews says that it sounds like a jam session they could have done in a weekend. So, any music minus lyrics is just a jam session eh? The sounds are great on this album. IMO it would have been a better album if it had lyrics, but it doesn't take away from the fact it is a solid album. Mike D said months ago they probably would upset a few fans with this album. I highly doubt they give a flying fuck what critics write. They have always come back and bitten the so called experts in the ass.

[roosta]

Ah..im gonna write a proper review soon, but to be fair, i like this record, but i kind of agree with alot of the sentiment in those reviews.

[Brother McDuff]

some of these guys raise good points, but some of them are also dildos. it's hard to really analyze your own opinion on a band who you love almost unconditionally, so these reviews definitely pointed some stuff out to me that i was kind of denying in the back of my head. i respect that one guy's statement that this album could have been knocked out in a long weekend circa 1992. given the arrangements of yore, this effort is really plain. whether they're lazy (as one guy put it) or if they consciously wanted the album to be slow moving (and at some times stand still), who knows. im biased cause i love the bboys, im aware of this, but at the same time i dont think TMU is a total bust, regardless of what a standard fan may opine.

fuck the new york times guy, though, he doesn't even know which adam plays what instrument. that guy should get a fork in the eye. that's some basic ass research their, boss; way to kill all credibility of your review right off the bat.

"the sound of a band tredding water". now there was an interesting one. though i have trouble finding a stance on this statement, i will say that the next record is really going to reveal once and for all if they've lost their edge. TMU and tt5b boroughs are both enjoyable listens, but obviously not up to the beastie potential. one more of these may signify the decline.

though i still enjoy the sounds coming from the beastie camp, i think it's pretty much confirmed that in dropping mario, the beasties have really taken a major musical hit.

sorry bout the long post.

why are you still reading this...

[SugarInTheRaw]

If this album had lyrics they would be screaming how fucking great it is. One of the reviews says that it sounds like a jam session they could have done in a weekend. So, any music minus lyrics is just a jam session eh? The sounds are great on this album. IMO it would have been a better album if it had lyrics, but it doesn't take away from the fact it is a solid album. Mike D said months ago they probably would upset a few fans with this album. I highly doubt they give a flying fuck what critics write. They have always come back and bitten the so called experts in the ass.

Just to add, if I may show my long-time interest in this phenomena known as Beastie Boys and their music, I remember reviews of Check Your Head that had similar comments - "Made in a weekend, etc."

[canucklehead200]

good, maybe they'll realize that they should just do a few instrumental numbers per album, that way they'll have the best of the best (instrumental-wise) on each album rather than an album with a large portion of filler on it

[NicRN77]

I listened to half the CD so far...I don't dislike it. May take awhile to grow on me. I can definitely see this being played as background music though...I'm sure the BBoys will do it up live though.

[dave790]

Solid album. I'm liking it. Definitely subtle in places though. I personally quite enjoyed some of these reviews...it's pretty clear a lot of people weren't quite sure how to take it. It's opt an album that is gonna be critically acclaimed, but most seem to agree there's some fun to be had...and it's an interesting point at the end of the NY Post one...

'Despite its shortcomings, “The Mix-Up” raises a welcome question for these hip-hop dinosaurs: what’s next? '

[cookiepuss]

I take reviews with a grain of salt. I don't think I've ever liked any movie that I've seen that had "great reviews." So I don't even bother with music reviews. seeing as how the reviewers have no idea what I like, they can't possibly give me accurate info..unless they happen to be exactly like me.

[JUST-IN]

I say THANKS Beastie Boys for give us new music

(y)(y)(y)

Reviews with a personal taste suck

[ATX3000]

As for the reviews, as has been said: Who Cares and What do they (the reviews) meanto you any way ?

How lucky are we to be fans of artist who get to do what they want when they want regardless. I'm itchy so I can relate and think most people could. "This time I wanna do a crazy blend of techno-trip-hop-carribean spice blend. Next time: All hip hop on pro tools. After that? Stoned out fake jazz instrumentals lyricless. " Good for them for being true. That's pretty feckin' punk rock!

Plus they may have wanted to get behind their instruments & tour but wanted some new cuts to play w/ ass well. ;)

I'll buy the album at lunch and have more specifics on HOW I FEEL about the album. Very few albums are Paul's Boutique or Sgt Pepper's. Some are Keyboard Repair or Quality Control : just below the surface but still vital.

Like what you like, not what some funky robot says.

[abcdefz]

I haven't seen any terrible reviews. Even the worst have been lukewarm, but none are damning.

All Music Guide (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:dbfyxzy5ldae) gave it 3 1/2 out of 5:

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Hailed in some quarters as a back-to-basics masterstroke derided in others as flaccid and stale, it can be universally agreed that To the Five Boroughs performed the crucial task of lowering expectations for the Beastie Boys. Until then, it was expected that each of their new albums would be a radical step forward - or at least a virtuoso consolidation of strengths, a'la Ill Communication - but To The Five Boroughs was neither, it was a straight-up hip-hop album, not quite like anything they made before yet sounding undeniably familiar. Its modest success and mixed reviews had the unexpected effect of humanizing the Beastie Boys, which in turn meant they could do what they wanted without having to face the daunting expectations placed on them ever since Licensed to Ill- and The Mix Up, the 2007 follow-up to Boroughs, is certainly not an innovative record, but nor is it a retreat. It's the Beasties' first all-instrumental record, grounded in soul-jazz, a sound they've been mining since Check Your Head (arguably, even Paul's Boutique had elements of the sound in its samples), as they peppered their albums and B-sides with lazy, hazy funk jams. Most of these were gathered up on the 1996 compilation The In Sound From Way Out, which undoubtedly sounds similar to The Mix Up, but that's at heart an odds-n-sods collection, bearing the evidence that was patched together from different sources. The Mix Up was designed as a specific project, so it holds together better, and it's also decidedly less knowing in its references than the cleverly kitschy In Sound (its title and artwork borrowed from classic 60s LPs). This is a fusion of sounds - cool organs, elastic guitars, loping bass lines, rolling rhythms - where all of the elements are integrated together, turning into a style that's recognizable as uniquely, undeniably the Beastie Boys, even if they don't utter a word on this record. As always, they're more about feel than instrumental acumen, but they've sharpened as players, creating tighter, assured grooves and seamlessly blending their fasciations [sic] with funk, dub, soul and Latin rhythms. Even if the instrumental interplay is tighter, the overall atmosphere is alluringly warm and friendly: it's music that flows easily and it's a perfect soundtrack for a slow summer afternoon. Most of all, the Beasties sound relaxed and comfortable, enjoying the process of making this music and if you're on the same wavelength, it's hard not to get sucked into it too. The Mix Up is not a major statement, but that's the nice thing about the record: it's as personal and idiosyncratic as any old funky soul-jazz LP that you'd find deep in the crates of a second-hand record store. It's easy to enjoy and it's indelibly stamped with the personality of the group, which is not only no small thing, it's also a good, rewarding path for the Beasties Boys as they approach middle age.

[skra75]

after listening to album, I can with honesty say that these fucking dorks who diss this album can shut their pie-holes. the shit is brilliant. I'm in a foggy, old-fart haze listening to this stuff and I love it.

[Kid Presentable]

I like the review a-z posted. It doesn't bear a lot of thinking about; it doesn't take over a room like their other stuff. But it's still good listening in spite of/because of it.

Fuck a review, though. I mean seriously. No 20 year-old intern journalist is going to swing me either way. Let it be.

[MidwestPain]

after listening to album, I can with honesty say that these fucking dorks who diss this album can shut their pie-holes. the shit is brilliant. I'm in a foggy, old-fart haze listening to this stuff and I love it.

I am with you there. Listening to it at work right now and absolutely loving it. Almost 36 years old and this is going to be a great kick back...light up a cigarette and sink back into a nice plushy recliner kind of CD. Fans of only hip hop will hate it...but that should be obvious....if you did'nt enjoy this kind of music before the Beastie Boys did it....you probably wont enjoy it now. Or better yet...give it a chance...listen to it a few times...chill out and maybe just maybe you will develop an appreciation for something different.

[CHECKHEAD2004]

The album got a C+ in entertainment weekly

: (

[Jitters]

I just got through listening to the album and while it isn't mindblowing it is nice and from my impression so far, a solid effort.

It's going to take time to see how well it holds up but I think it's safe to say I definitely enjoyed it more than TT5B.

[The Ron]

this is going to be a great kick back...light up a cigarette and sink back kind of CD

Couldn't have said it better myself...you just need to add a drink and a little somethin' somethin'.
No, but honestly I'm listening to this CD at work right now too and I love it!!!! The Beasties have impressed me once again with this shit and it is gonna be on repeat all day long. I honestly like all 12 tracks...the one that stuck out the first time through was The Gala Event.

My 2 cents...
If you like it than you like it...who gives a shit what someone else's review might say.

[MidwestPain]

I am going to have to say "Electric Worm" is my stand out song on my first listen. Once I get away from the distractions at work, that may change.

[JohnnyChavello]

4.6 out of 10 in Pitchfork: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/43830-the-mix-up

"It's every instrumental rock record's responsibility to come off as more than just a collection of studio jam sessions, and that's where The Mix-Up ultimately fails. Beastie Boys lore is that they warm up for each record by improvising like-so, but the 12 songs here don't suggest that the results of those exercises are worth more than raw sampling material.... True, there are few overtly embarrassing moments here, though the fake-sitar of "Dramastically Different" comes close. And very occasionally, the band hits upon something new (for them), like the refreshingly bold (if a wee bit jambandy) guitar riffs that slice through the noodle-funk plod of "Off the Grid" and "The Rat Cage". But the spic-span production keeps the occasional nugget from proving itself as a potential grade-A break, with no obvious loops jumping out of the speakers like the itchy thud of "So Whatcha Want" or the fuzz-punk of "Gratitude."

Sounds about right to me. Here's something else from another article in Pitchfork: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/36517-column-resonant-frequency-37

"Once the Grand Royal brand got on the rails the Beastie Boys seemed infallible. Yeah, the record label released a lot of junk, but the magazine was a perfect extension of the music-- poorly edited and full of in-jokes and endless hip posturing cut with self-deprecating humor. Every issue, when it would come (which was a couple times a year at its peak), would be filled with enormous articles on things the Beastie Boys thought were cool. They were reliable curators.

There are two ways to understand the Beastie Boys as curators during this period. The cynical view is that they were perfecting the idea of arcane culture as lifestyle accessory, pointing out the cool music and retro sneakers that you could keep around to remind observers of your exquisite (second-hand) taste. What did this give us? The soul-crushing sinkhole that is Urban Outfitters and Vice magazine and little else.

Considering the dramatic shift in my interest in all things Beastie Boys circa 1995, and then my feeling by the time they got around to releasing Hello Nasty, you'd think I had some sort of brush with death or life-altering epiphany in between. Somehow they'd lost all relevance to me, and it was apparent from listening to the record once. I don't know if they'd "lost it" or if I moved on and I still don't, but I spent some more time with that record and later with To the 5 Boroughs and both strike me as pretty awful. The rhymes seemed stiff and forced. When they focused on old-school pop culture it sounded like someone else had reminded them of it. When they tried for something more serious it was a disaster. After "Bodhisattva Vow" there was no turning back.

As often happens with bands that I love, the Beastie Boys got older and started making bad records and somehow remained as popular as ever. Plenty of people who are now 21 probably like the two most recent records best. All I can remember now from Hello Nasty is a rhyme from Ad-Rock about Boggle. Five years earlier it might have been funny, but in 1997 it just sounded sad. What changed? Had people my age gone over our little pop culture history with such detail at that point that there was nothing left to say?"

[Johnny Railroad]

reviews sucks !

[skra75]

"Once the Grand Royal brand got on the rails the Beastie Boys seemed infallible. Yeah, the record label released a lot of junk, but the magazine was a perfect extension of the music-- poorly edited and full of in-jokes and endless hip posturing cut with self-deprecating humor. Every issue, when it would come (which was a couple times a year at its peak), would be filled with enormous articles on things the Beastie Boys thought were cool. They were reliable curators.

There are two ways to understand the Beastie Boys as curators during this period. The cynical view is that they were perfecting the idea of arcane culture as lifestyle accessory, pointing out the cool music and retro sneakers that you could keep around to remind observers of your exquisite (second-hand) taste. What did this give us? The soul-crushing sinkhole that is Urban Outfitters and Vice magazine and little else.

Considering the dramatic shift in my interest in all things Beastie Boys circa 1995, and then my feeling by the time they got around to releasing Hello Nasty, you'd think I had some sort of brush with death or life-altering epiphany in between. Somehow they'd lost all relevance to me, and it was apparent from listening to the record once. I don't know if they'd "lost it" or if I moved on and I still don't, but I spent some more time with that record and later with To the 5 Boroughs and both strike me as pretty awful. The rhymes seemed stiff and forced. When they focused on old-school pop culture it sounded like someone else had reminded them of it. When they tried for something more serious it was a disaster. After "Bodhisattva Vow" there was no turning back.

As often happens with bands that I love, the Beastie Boys got older and started making bad records and somehow remained as popular as ever. Plenty of people who are now 21 probably like the two most recent records best. All I can remember now from Hello Nasty is a rhyme from Ad-Rock about Boggle. Five years earlier it might have been funny, but in 1997 it just sounded sad. What changed? Had people my age gone over our little pop culture history with such detail at that point that there was nothing left to say?"


great sentimanet here. I tend to agree with this dude mostly. Hello Nasty and TT5B were pretty forced sounding, like the bboys forgot the honesty that made them fresh in the first place. I see this album as a return to places where the band should be.

[abcdefz]

Most days, I think Hello Nasty is the best thing they've ever done. Paul's Boutique is probably technically better -- it wears its genius on its sleeve -- but HN is the one I play most often. It's probably more mature because it has less to prove. It doesn't need the kitchen sink to show everyone they're artists.

[Mookie Blaylock]

Most days, I think Hello Nasty is the best thing they've ever done. Paul's Boutique is probably technically better -- it wears its genius on its sleeve -- but HN is the one I play most often. It's probably more mature because it has less to prove. It doesn't need the kitchen sink to show everyone they're artists.

I listen to HN the most as well - I love the instrumentals on it. "Song For the Man" is one of the best things the Boys have ever done, IMO.

Just got the new album - I think the All Music Guide review hit it pretty close. Bottom line is this album isn't a masterpiece, or groundbreaking, but it's damn cool. On an A to F scale, I'll give it a B-.

[cypressphil]

Who needs music reviews in 2007 anyway?!?! You can listen to snippets/previews of tracks & whole albums on the internet easily & make up your own mind with out it first being poisoned by some pretentious self proclaimed suedo-intellectual music journo rat fuck son of a bitch!! Most of the music press here in the UK just talk up flavour of the month bands/its cool to say you like them bands and then a while down the line slag them off.

I like this record, period.

[senbei]

I think this review really sums it up honestly:
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/42628/beastie-boys-the-mix-up/

[JohnnyChavello]

This review, from the Onion AV Club (at: http://www.avclub.com/content/music/beastie_boys), isn't raving, but it's pretty favorable. I also like the suggestion that some combination of Aglio e Oglio, To the 5 Boroughs and The Mix Up could result in an Ill Communication or Check Your Head worthy album, although I'm not 100% convinced. Here's the review:

"Extended instrumental interludes play an important role in Beastie Boys concerts, letting fans relieve beer-engorged bladders without worrying about missing anything too exciting. The increasingly graying Boys cook up more in sounds from way out on The Mix-Up, delivering 12 greasy funk instrumentals saturated with '70s blaxploitation atmospherics, fuzzy Eastern undertones, and garage-band Farfisa courtesy of the invaluable "Money" Mark Nishita, who also handles Rhodes and Clavinet duty. The result is destined to serve as chic background music for countless dorm parties thrown by people who'd never think of picking up a Meters or Booker T. & The MGs album. Combine this with the punk EP Aglio E Olio and the Boys' uncharacteristically straightforward, non-eclectic, curiously underrated 2004 hip-hop album To The 5 Boroughs, and you have a satisfyingly uneven, agreeably overreaching hodgepodge of sounds and styles à la Hello Nasty or Ill Communication. Besides, The Mix-Up really seems designed as an excuse for touring, and anything that gets one of hip-hop's best live acts on the road again is performing a valuable public service."

[Fink]

I hate to say it, but I didn't like this record. It's a bit ploddy. Yes, I said it... ploddy. I'm not afraid to use that word when describing music.

Hopefully this is just a stop gap before the next big one form these guys. Keep the faith!

[Documad]

I haven't heard the album yet, and it may be sometime before I can, so I can't comment on the accuracy of the reviews.

Remember that these reviews are meant to give information to someone who is mildly interested in music and might be wanting to buy a new CD this week. Should I buy the Feist or the Kelly Clarkson? If you were trying to turn a friend on to the Beasties, this is unlikely to be the album you give him.

I've always thought it idiotic to assign numbers or stars to albums.

[ThatGuy]

I like it, but I need a couple of new doo-doo rhymes...

[Brother McDuff]

I think this review really sums it up honestly:
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/42628/beastie-boys-the-mix-up/

i like this one. it doesn't bash, nor does it gush. the songs are good fun, but not memorable. a pretty solid opinion, i think.

[Justin]

I am just very happy that they decided to go in another direction. I didn't want TT5B #2! and I even like TT5B

[BBboy20]

Musical reviews were always confusing to me.

[hawkt311]

I like this description in the IGN review:

"To wit, the grooves are slinky, the rhythms are snappy, and the flow is smooth and sticky, just like good funk/soul/R&B/blues/reggae/dub music should be.....Good, dirty skunked up funk romps for the soulfully minded? You betcha!"

[silence7]

It's just that when you hear the name Beastie Boys, you instantly think, Fun rhymes, crazy beats, and in your head you can already imagine yourself doing the best you can rhyming along with them in the car at the top of your lungs, while other drivers wonder what the hell is wrong with you, windows down, flying down the freeway.

I love this album, but it will have it's place for me, for when I'm at home, working (usually at the computer) and having a beer. Shoes off, and not wanting to be distracted by myself trying to keep up with rhyming to the Beasties. (I can't keep up).

Great album on it's own, but I really can't wait to hear some new rhyming.

Silence7

[DJ_Skrilla]

The Beasties could have knocked out all twelve jams in a lazy weekend in 1992, 2007 or anywhere in between.

Pretty much sums up the album. Not that I dont like it.

It sounds like jams my friend and I would do, when we skipped last period, and went to his house to smoke a joint and jam. Myself on the drums and him on the guitar. Occasionally his brother on the bass.

So maybe thats why its great? I love it, its a mix up.

[Dutch Disaster]

I say what better way to follow up an all-rap album is an all-instrumental album. tt5b and the mix up would make a great Beasties album together and seperated it is only better. In a week or so we can have a real discussion about the album, when we 'heard' the songs and not only listened to it.

[Kid Presentable]

it is a good way to mix up tt5b though. these songs mixed in with those actually sounds really good. just both albums mixed up on the one playlist or something

[cotley]

quite funny how everyone is saying how 'reviews are pointless'. Everyone here is reviewing the album. Reviews in newspapers sell copies. OK obviously they're not going to put off anyone on these boards, but plenty of others might be - especially when an average UK album new costs about £12 ie $25.

I've had another couple of listens since monday, and had it on while i've been teaching in the background. It's OK. Quite cool. BBQ music. It won't get much repeat listens though.

[baltogrl71]

fucking amazing! I don't care what anyone says!!! I like what I like and I LOVE it! Playin in my office right now! Much thanks to the boys for once again sharing their amazing talent with the world!!!

[Bernard Goetz]

Great, looks like I've got another few years of defending a great Beastie Boys album against those who don't get it. Yay.
This album is the shit.

[DiscoJP1]

the mix-up is probably getting bad reviews because it is not good. Honestly speaking, if a band called Jimmy and the Super Fly Snukas released this album, no one would buy it. Seriously though, would you really buy this album if that band made it? Come on.

The Beasties aren't selling based on their quality, they are selling based on their brand image to their fans. I won't buy the album and yes I own every other album, including In Sounds From Way Out.

I came to a conclusion: the Beasties think that their fans always buy their albums because they like them as people. You always hear them say "mystifies me why people buy our albums, we were just making an inside joke into our music." That's not true. We buy their albums because they make good music and they are cool, but this album just won't get me to buy it, and with some of their less than impressive rhymes on TT5B, I wonder, I really wonder about their direction. And you can say they don't care, they do what they want, and if I don't like it, well tough, move on. That's true, very true, but then do they want to get rid of their fans? True fans don't buy whatever a band puts out; true fans buy good music and are open to different styles, as long as it is quality.

[pshabi]

the mix-up is probably getting bad reviews because it is not good. Honestly speaking, if a band called Jimmy and the Super Fly Snukas released this album, no one would buy it. Seriously though, would you really buy this album if that band made it? Come on.

The Beasties aren't selling based on their quality, they are selling based on their brand image to their fans. I won't buy the album and yes I own every other album, including In Sounds From Way Out.

I came to a conclusion: the Beasties think that their fans always buy their albums because they like them as people. You always hear them say "mystifies me why people buy our albums, we were just making an inside joke into our music." That's not true. We buy their albums because they make good music and they are cool, but this album just won't get me to buy it, and with some of their less than impressive rhymes on TT5B, I wonder, I really wonder about their direction. And you can say they don't care, they do what they want, and if I don't like it, well tough, move on. That's true, very true, but then do they want to get rid of their fans? True fans don't buy whatever a band puts out; true fans buy good music and are open to different styles, as long as it is quality.

KTHXBYE

[Rock]

It sounds like jams my friend and I would do.......

So maybe thats why its great?

I had the same thought.

Either way...I like it waaay better than To the 5 Burroughs.

[paul jones]

i just bought it but havent listened yet but will later but all reviewrs are benders anyway

[mathcart]

I listen to HN the most as well - I love the instrumentals on it. "Song For the Man" is one of the best things the Boys have ever done, IMO.

Just got the new album - I think the All Music Guide review hit it pretty close. Bottom line is this album isn't a masterpiece, or groundbreaking, but it's damn cool. On an A to F scale, I'll give it a B-.

Most days, I think Hello Nasty is the best thing they've ever done. Paul's Boutique is probably technically better -- it wears its genius on its sleeve -- but HN is the one I play most often. It's probably more mature because it has less to prove. It doesn't need the kitchen sink to show everyone they're artists.


"the sound of a band tredding water". now there was an interesting one. though i have trouble finding a stance on this statement, i will say that the next record is really going to reveal once and for all if they've lost their edge. TMU and tt5b boroughs are both enjoyable listens, but obviously not up to the beastie potential. one more of these may signify the decline.

though i still enjoy the sounds coming from the beastie camp, i think it's pretty much confirmed that in dropping mario, the beasties have really taken a major musical hit.


I'm right there with all of you. I'm into my 3rd listen this morning and I am digging it, but in the same way that it took me SEVERAL listens to really get behind TT5B and dig it because the first listen didn't knock me on my ass, as LTI, PB, CYH and especially IC and HN did- probably more so then the ones before it did- I think this really speaks to the brothers point about Mario C. It's a little sad that that isn't happening anymore for me with the boys albums, but I recognize thats a rediculous expectataion to have and I really enjoy TMU- its a solid album with some great cuts. Off the Grid is one of my favorite instrumentals I've ever heard (Beastie or otherwise) and I'm really digging cousin of death the first few listens. The thing about treading water is you survive to rock another day... but you don't go anywhere new. Not a bad thing necessarily but if your a world class explorer used to bringing people to incredible new places showing them the same cool place a few times is hard to sell. On another note off the grid just started and I instantly smilled and felt better (the same thing would happen when ch-check it out would come on TT5B).

[ATX3000]

I'm really feelin' the album, but i like this "kind of stuff". Love In Sound, all of Money Marks non vocally stuff, Meters, MMW, hell even BNH.

I think this is what they'll still be doing in 20 years. I remember thinking, when I first heard the insturmental tracks of CYH: "This is what they will do when they "retire". " They can't grab their crotches and scream "Brooklyn!" forever. They will become a smaller funk/fake jazz act, and make music they enjoy.

The could put out Mix up every June and I'd be cool w/ it.

That being said, I still listen to TT5B daily. :)

[cookiepuss]

Honestly speaking, if a band called Jimmy and the Super Fly Snukas released this album, no one would buy it. Seriously though, would you really buy this album if that band made it? Come on.

The Beasties aren't selling based on their quality, they are selling based on their brand image to their fans. I won't buy the album and yes I own every other album, including In Sounds From Way Out.



that's fine dude, but the same argument can be made for ANY well known band that releases a new album, whether it be the Red Hot Chilli peppers, Metallica or whatever. Every successful band out there is selling a brand. Look at Kiss, they've taken the branding above and beyond. that's the nature of the business. So I certainly wouldn't fault the beasties for marketing thier brand to thier fans.

I would buy this album if it were by Jimmy and the Super Fly Snukas. unfortunately I might not hear about Jimmy and his band if he were not properly marketed/branded to me.

[aa ninja]

its not medeski martin and wood, but it's for beastie boys fans. remember when "in a world gone mad" came out, and everyone hated it, and then everyone liked tt5b. everyone liked the jams on their old stuff, and the fans love to hear more. it's a great album anyway.

[acamus]

the mix-up is probably getting bad reviews because it is not good. Honestly speaking, if a band called Jimmy and the Super Fly Snukas released this album, no one would buy it. Seriously though, would you really buy this album if that band made it? Come on.

The Beasties aren't selling based on their quality, they are selling based on their brand image to their fans. I won't buy the album and yes I own every other album, including In Sounds From Way Out.

I came to a conclusion: the Beasties think that their fans always buy their albums because they like them as people. You always hear them say "mystifies me why people buy our albums, we were just making an inside joke into our music." That's not true. We buy their albums because they make good music and they are cool, but this album just won't get me to buy it, and with some of their less than impressive rhymes on TT5B, I wonder, I really wonder about their direction. And you can say they don't care, they do what they want, and if I don't like it, well tough, move on. That's true, very true, but then do they want to get rid of their fans? True fans don't buy whatever a band puts out; true fans buy good music and are open to different styles, as long as it is quality.

Another way to look at this is the way one looks at any artist. A student of art will want to see Picasso's drawings or clay even if they aren't the ground breaking work he's known for because it shows a process, etc. TMU isn't ground breaking, but it's a snapshot of where the Beatles of Generation X are. What I'm keeping in mind is what's to come. I loved TT5B. But TT5B can be seen from a larger context. Instead of thinking of it simply as an album which played with "found sounds" or cliche lyrics, you can look at the larger picture like their involvement with Creative Commons (poster boys), the Adidas line (and other fashions that came of it), the inclusion in NBA street, the videos, the MTV videomods, etc. Miles Davis changed jazz four times, the Beasties changed music atleast three. What could they possibly do at this point that would rock the world of music? I'm not sure. It seems that the music is incidental to the other stuff that they do with it -- video, LiveEarth and whatever's to come. Can't wait.

[cypressphil]

if a band called Jimmy and the Super Fly Snukas released this album, no one would buy it.

What?! I love Jimmy and the Super Fly Snukas!!

[Ralzey]

IMO and IMHO and critiques from the critics is just like vapors in the wind, y'all. So, stick an IMO in your ass and a couple IMHOs in your ears and see how lit you get... Then, compare it to not listening to all that garbage and tell me to shut the hell up and just groove to the sounds... Paul's Boutique didn't sound like the album with the plane crashing on it [Licensed to Ill, dummee!]. I bet the critics in '89 thought they had it all figured out. Here's a sample from my 1989 review of Paul's Boutique:
"It's a sloppy mess. Gone are the Led Zeppelin samples and frat anthems.. don't waste your time unless you want to hear rhymes about throwing eggs.." Boy, did I stick my foot in my mouth! The point is... "[Freaky Hijiki is] the joint!
Put down your cassette copy of LL's Walking With A Panther, already! Something better has finally arrived!
Yes! Thank you Beatsies for the new music! My dick is in the mashers for sure tonight! Mama's all sore at me! Ah, She's just jealous . . . (you know the rest) . . .

[Ralzey]

it is a good way to mix up tt5b though. these songs mixed in with those actually sounds really good. just both albums mixed up on the one playlist or something

Now that's a thought... it will be quite a different experience.. for sure.
It won't flow like CYH or IC, but I think you got something there. . . .

[ILLMIX]

Now that's a thought... it will be quite a different experience.. for sure.
It won't flow like CYH or IC, but I think you got something there. . . .

It's funny how we don't consider TT5B and TMU 'proper' albums because they only have 1 kind of music on them. But we think if they were mixed together then they'd be a proper 'full' album.

Seems like the expectation we have from the BBoys is that they should always make albums like Check Your Head, Ill Communications and Hello Nasty.

[Brother McDuff]

It sounds like jams my friend and I would do, when we skipped last period, and went to his house to smoke a joint and jam.So maybe thats why its great? I love it.


I love this statement right here. It's the truth. Whenever i hear the beasties, and especially on TMU, i think, "Damn, me and my friends can do this! Our jams sound like this at times!" They're not super technical zombies, just some fly guys doin what they can with some instruments, samplers, record players, etc., relying on their ears and feel. People who play instruments and/or produce music at all levels of skill can relate to this, and to the beasties in general, simply because they realize that "hey, all i need is a good ear, some inside jokes with my bandmates, and a DYI attitude and i can do this. i relate to this."

[Laver1969]

"hey, all i need is a good ear, some inside jokes with my bandmates, and a DYI attitude and i can do this. i relate to this."

This could actually be a quote from the PolyWog Stew era. (y)

[DiscoJP1]

its not medeski martin and wood, but it's for beastie boys fans. remember when "in a world gone mad" came out, and everyone hated it, and then everyone liked tt5b. everyone liked the jams on their old stuff, and the fans love to hear more. it's a great album anyway.


Nice to bring up "in a world gone mad," but actually I love that song. It's great, the beat is nice, very nice rhyming, I still listen to that song regularly. Who doesn't love the line "not a damn one so what's the deal?" :D

And, yes, people often buy new albums by a band that they like just because they like that band, but this album, so far, does not match up. I know that TT5B is not as good as Paul's Boutique or Check Your Head, but it has some great songs on there, whereas The Mix-Up does nothing for me. I'm not telling you how to think, I'm just telling you how I think, and if the Beasties read this, maybe they'll know. Did you know that I have been a fan since 10th grade (1995) and used to live in NYC? Also, not only did I attend the concert at the Garden in 2004 that was filmed for Awesome I Shot That, but I also showed up at their guest appearance at the movie premiere and Q&A where all three boys showed up and answered questions from the audience. So I'm a very hardcore fan of theirs, and it just seems like this album is a 6.5 on a 1-10 scale.

[aa ninja]

oh word i like that song too. i lost the single pretty soon after it came out but i would be glad to hear it again. i know where you were coming from. the album is noodly and at moments can sound like a high school jam band, but after getting used to it, you (or at least i) can't deny those hooks. as long as they still want to do something, they'll probably be able to do a pretty darn good job. for the fans at least.

[Ralzey]

It's funny how we don't consider TT5B and TMU 'proper' albums because they only have 1 kind of music on them. But we think if they were mixed together then they'd be a proper 'full' album.

Seems like the expectation we have from the BBoys is that they should always make albums like Check Your Head, Ill Communications and Hello Nasty.

Well, it's not that funny. Not like the one time I didn't consider Hello Nasty to be a proper album because I was on some really good acid. Well, it was hilarious until I looked in the mirror and saw my face melting... I then laid on my back watching the fan blades stretch and contract as "Hello Brooklyyyyn!" was playing on and on and on and I called my friend and woke up his momz at like 4 in the morning.

Okay, okay, not considering To The 5 Boroughs to be a proper album is funnier... Yeah, cuz that night was kinda tragic. My best friend lost his jeep.

[kaiser soze]

Just picked The Mix Up for $11.99 at Best Buy and I gotta admit, it's a refreshing album. I really enjoy jammin', mellow, instrumental music (not to be confused with Jam Band music). More on the tip of Explosions in the Sky and Maserati, Garage a Trois, Critter's Buggin.

Anyways, people complained that TT5B was strictly hiphop, no rock, no jams...so the Beasties have delivered. We must realize the Beasties are exceptionally versatile, why let some of that talent go to waste? If they have jam music to share, then so be it...it's new, it's original, it's background, it's for the headphones, it's puffin' a fatty type of music.

True Beasties fans will see this through and appreciate the variety and respite

It'll be a nice touch to the room when I have friends over for drinks and dinner.

Maybe this is a taste of where they're planning on going with their next album?

TT5B was very inorganic, so maybe next stop will be some jam raps?

[Cap'n Crunch]

another review


"There’s very little about The Mix-Up not to like, yet there’s also very little that will be remembered in five months when the best-of-the-year lists start coming out. Still, if this is what it takes for these guys to get up off the floor and feel motivated enough to blow us out of the water in a few more years, it’ll all be worth it. Until then, we’ve got hope to get us through, and a decent little instrumental set to keep us company for the summer, making the mundane moments of our own everyday lives seem just a little bit less so."



I'm a huge fan but I'll wait on this one...or maybe not..I dunno..depends what mood im in this weekend.

[canucklehead200]

I listen to HN the most as well - I love the instrumentals on it. "Song For the Man" is one of the best things the Boys have ever done, IMO.

Just got the new album - I think the All Music Guide review hit it pretty close. Bottom line is this album isn't a masterpiece, or groundbreaking, but it's damn cool. On an A to F scale, I'll give it a B-.


hello nasty is my favourite and will always be, it's truly ahead of its time, and is mindblowingly good as far as the background beats n music etc.

[DJ Pioneer]

I'm really impressed with Yauch on this album. I remember Adrock being interviewed back in the day and saying they like to let the bass and drums drive a song, with guitar for accents in the background. Seems true on this record, especially Yauch's bass. He's gotten pretty good over the years.

[TAFKASB]

The only reviews I ever take notice of are reviews by fans. I think this album is great, and judging by what most fans on here are saying, they think the same. I personally think us fans on here have given this a better review than TT5B, which is kinda funny really as most people were pissed at hearing it was only going to be instrumental, me included! The critics and reviewers of music mags and such like aren't Beastie Boys fans like we are on here, so they really have no feel for what is done by the boys. If I want a review of a new cd by a band, I shall seek out a fan, get an honest review (y)

[ThatGuy]

I've been listening to this album honestly for at least three times a day since it came out and I like it more and more....