What makes the Beastie Boys such a unique force in hip-hop is their ability to effortlessly blend multiple genres into a cohesive whole. Nearly every album out they've gone for a different sound; the frat boy adolescence of Licensed To Ill, the sampling madness of Paul's Boutique, and their showmanship for live instrumentation on Check Your Head, being just a few examples of their wide range of sound. With that being said, on album number eight in a career that spans three-decades, you'd think three white boys now in their 40s would be showing signs of slowing down; Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 is the ultimate proof of the contrary.
There is a clear sense of hard electronics, robotics, and vocal processing happening throughout Hot Sauce that gives it a solid flow. Although, each track takes a different turn sonically. Opener "Make Some Noise" is a straight banger that boasts a hard funk, making for a qualified classic. That transitions oh so smoothly into "Nonstop Disco Powerpack", which is more laid-back than the title suggests, contributed by a mellow bass line and light vocal effects that phase in and out. Nasty Nas' guest spot on "Too Many Rappers" is certainly a highlight, one that makes for the best rapping Hot Sauce has to offer, and spotlights the Beastie's effortless ability to produce multiple lyrical spots.
Nonetheless it's an instrumental that takes the cake. "Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament" is so damn smooth, with a light funk line waving through thin air and subtle vocoders computing through the clouds, giving the song a beautiful haunt. Sonically it has me thinking of the down-tempo of "Namaste" from Check Your Head, although that was the closer to the album, something the Beastie's probably should have taken cue to.
"My rhymes age like wine as I get older", MCA boasts on "Make Some Noise". While that statement might not be completely true, most of the lyrical flow doesn't compare to their best days, it only causes a little hesitation to rank Hot Sauce up near their best work. Originally I had pinned "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win" as a song that really disrupted the flow of the album, but a few more listens revealed it as one of the finer moments on the album. Hot Sauce works like that; it's an album that reveals more each time through. That helped me notice even the short transitional tracks shouldn't be seen as individuals that shake the progress, but as part of the whole idea the Beastie Boys are trying to dish out. Like Paul's Boutique on the track "B-Boy Bouillabaisse", track length shouldn't necessarily be seen as left-field disruption.
This day in age, Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 should be seen as favorable territory for hip-hop. It's an exciting album; one that even dares to challenge and shake you around a bit with it's difficult to elaborate all-over-the-place, yet cohesive vibe. That's a vital point, considering most mainstream hip-hop is about conforming to trends made by people whose egos and bank accounts are more important than their ultimate statement to society. The Beastie Boys shine a light in that direction, allowing their peers to escape from the traps of trend, for a side of lyrically spun experimentation in an age when their own massive influence is more relevant than ever.
[Beastie Boys Website]
[Buy Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 from Capitol]
No comments:
Post a Comment