In 1987 these raucous New Yorkers unleashed pure mayhem on the music world with Licensed to Ill – a gem of seventies and eighties hard rock laden rap tracks full of juvenile bravado. A couple years later, the Beasties moved to Capitol Records and enlisted the Dust Brothers to release a very different work of art – this time heavily funky adventure, often darker in tone – called Paul’s Boutique. Capitol and the Beastie Boys decided to remix, re-master and reissue Paul’s Boutique earlier this year, and now they’ve quickly followed up with Check Your Head. So then, what’s the significance? Well, CYH would be both their third full-length album and, more importantly, their return to playing the instruments themselves, just as they did when a fledgling punk band pre-Licensed to Ill. Yes, the Beastie Boys each can and do play genuine musical instruments, and did so with eclectic magic on the original release of this album that further pushed the boundaries of the trio’s creativity. This was rap-rock before the term even existed. Now however, the album sounds even better, plus there is a second disc packed with remixes, bonus material and live versions of various tracks. In short… it’s an incredible release whether you have the original album or this being the first time around. “Funky Boss” and “Gratitude” offer the thumping drive so unique to Beasties, while “Pass the Mic” and “So Whatcha Want” are the essential anthems of the original – the latter being remixed in several new manners on disc two. All in all, there are thirty-six tracks included, so it’s certainly a must for fans… period.
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