2 albums into the 21st century.

[Kid Presentable]

What are your thoughts? Does this stuff stand up as genius? Is it better than anything they made beforehand? Why/Why Not? Did the same group come back from the hiatus?

[AceFace]

hmmm, good questions!

ok, the same group came back, LYRICALLY for "TT5B". they still have that funny, funky edge to their rhymes which makes me adore them. but not musically on that album. i take that album as sort of a "trying something different" thing. pushing outside their boundaries. i personally like it. i listen to that album a LOT.

as for "TMU". i think this is something they've been trying to do since "CYH" and haven't had the chance until now, so yes i do think that album represents their old school genius. i do not, however listen to that album a lot.

i hope one day they'll reunite with the dust bros and bring us all something amazing that we've never heard... again.

[Kid Presentable]

Even though it's not as ambitious, 5 Boroughs was kind of like Kid A in a way. Starting from scratch kind of thing. That probably won't sit well with other people, but I know what I'm thinking. I just can't explain it. More than any other of their albums, it makes me think they started with complete empty space, and went about filling it in an unusual way.

The Mix Up could have been like something they wanted to do circa CYH. Although they originally wanted CYH to be an all singing all playing record, not an instrumental one. I like half of it.

It's interesting that they show more common sense in their execution of live shows than in these albums, it seems. They resolutely please many with their current shows.

[luckydan#4130]

tt5b is their best lyrical offering since pb in my opinion ...that said, tt5b is also their weakest musical offering due to computers(i personally feel that sampling your own instrumentation is a better way to go)
tmu is what it is(personally, i would have tried a bunch of different styles and some drum triggers but i respect their choices for doin what they fuckin please)
a+ for effort
a- for stepping back and seeing it from other angles
a+ for execution
these grades are for both albums WORD

[gorilla]

Seriously, the 2 albums don't even scrape the genuis category.

They're just ok.

[Kid Presentable]

Seriously, the 2 albums don't even scrape the genuis category.

They're just ok.

Yeah, pretty much. They're competing with the Beastie Boys, after all.

[pm0ney]

I think every single one of the Beasties first five albums were brilliant (except Ill Communication, which was very dope regardless). TT5B was lyrically their best since Pauls Boutique, I agree, but musically it doesnt hold a candle to their others. Way way way too computer soundy. No tracks outside of Ch Check It Out had any sort of boom to it. It sounded more like someone fucking around on a computer program.

The Mix Up is decent, but nothing genious. I actually think it would be a much better album if it wasn't instrumental. But, what are ya gonna do?

So to answer the question, no, the two albums from the 21st century are not on the same level as the ones from the 80's and 90's.

[balohna]

I agree that TT5B and TMU are probably the weakest albums they've put out. Both of them feel incomplete to me. TMU would have been better if they did a bit of singing on some them. I don't care that they can't sing, it's worked in the past (Something's Got To Give, Lighten Up, I Don't Know, 20 Questions, Instant Death) and even though I like the album as it is it just doesn't have the same life as their other albums. TT5B all around needs an extra coat of polish. Fleshed out beats, more inventive lyrics (the verse about a sandwich was too much... just too much), etc.

[gorilla]

Yeah, pretty much. They're competing with the Beastie Boys, after all.

Yes, exactly.

[balohna]

hi.

Hello. Are you a lumberjack?