BEASTIE BOYS
The Mix-Up
Capitol

I just want to start off and say to all you Beastie Boys fans you are going to LOVE this CD. If you are a truly hardcore Beastie Boys fan (like myself), you will be amazed and surprised to hear what this CD has and does not have.

First of all, it is an “all instrumental” album, not the typical CD you would think of when you hear “instrumental” and the Beastie Boys in the same sentence. On The Mix-Up, the Beastie Boys go back somewhat to their roots and to playing their instruments again. YES, they know how to play instruments, they knew and could play for years, and if you are a true Beastie Boys fan you already know this.

On their latest release, there is very little scratching and little over dubbing or sampling for these guys. It is truly a instrumental album, but don’t be scared away from the word “instrumental” and think it is going to be boring. Again, this is the Beastie Boys we are talking about. They put their own spin on it and make it work and make it work well.

From track 1 “B For My Name” to track 12 “The Kangaroo Rat,” this CD is smooth and very enjoyable to listen to. Each track flows well from one to another with a smooth feel to them and makes you want to hear the next track. Each track can stand alone, but when put together with the rest of them it just seems to be a perfect harmony. The album reminds me of a little of Pink Floyd and Santana, with some jazz thrown in. To me this shows what great talent these guys have and a great ear for producing a masterful CD with this composition. It seems that they’ve finally gotten to produce a CD that they always wanted to do — there was a rumor a while back that they wanted to put out an album with all their jams while they were in the studio. It seems they finally were able to do it and to do it the way they wanted to.

This CD to me brings the Beastie Boys into a whole new level of music and pushes them further in the music industries and raises the level of their legend in the music industry. It shows off their talent and shows off that they are just not some “white guys” who rap. They show off their talent and prove to skeptics that they are true musicians and will always be, no matter what they do or produce. The Beastie Boys reinvent themselves again and keep pushing their music to a new height and a new level of coolness.

I recommend you go out and buy this CD and listen to it. I have and I have not taken it out of my CD player since I put it in, it is amazing and well worth it. I was hooked the first time I heard it, it is not one of those CDs that you have to listen a couple of times to get it or like it. You will enjoy it the first time and the 20th time you listen to it. So go out and pick up this CD and show your Beastie Boys loyalty.