Is the Beastie Boys’ latest album a laid-back, lightweight funk gem, or the first below-average album of their career? I’ve been spinning this record pretty regularly over the last couple of months, and – depending on the day of the week I’m listening – think that each of those assessments has merit. What do you think?
THUMBS UP: The Beastie Boys have always made bold artistic leaps instead of just turning out the same album over and over again, so it’s hardly surprising that they would follow their most serious album (2004′s To The 5 Boroughs) with perhaps their lightest. This funky instrumental album has been savaged by reviewers, but mainly (and pretty obviously) because it doesn’t fit the critics’ expectations of what a Beasties’ album should sound like. If this music had been released as a reissue by an obscure 70′s funk outfit, chances are those same reviewers would be falling all over themselves to praise these churning, three minute chunks of funky goodness. Nobody will ever confuse this with the Beasties’ best work, but taken on its own merits, this is a fine album and a pretty good time.
THUMBS DOWN: The Mix Up isn’t terrible, but it’s pretty clearly the least exciting album of the group’s storied career. It’s full of pleasant songs that get locked into simple grooves and don’t really go anywhere. On its surface, this isn’t a serious issue, except that there are bands out there that do a much better job with this type of music (Galactic being one example). But more to the point, there’s a whole bunch of funk out there that is the real deal. Most kids who buy The Mix Up have probably never heard (or heard of) a band like The Bar-Kays, whose music absolutely eviscerates this album and makes it sound like bad elevator music made by white boys. And that’s the crux of the problem: the Beasties are near the top of the heap in hip-hop, but when it comes to funk, these guys are just playing around.
[It's time to share your opinion. The internet is pretty good for this sort of thing, so don't make me come to your front door just to hear what you think...]
