Beastie Boys Album: “The Mix-Up”
 Description :
Additional personnel: Adam Horovitz (guitars); Mark Nishita (Clavinet); Adam Yauch (bass guitar); Michael Diamond (drums); Alfredo Ortiz (percussion).
<p>With six highly celebrated official hip-hop albums under their belts, Adam Horowitz, Adam Yauch, and Michael Diamond have little left to prove to rap fans, except perhaps that they can still rock their instruments like they once did. With this in mind, THE MIX-UP brings listeners a full-length, jazz-funk jam-band exercise in a similar vein to the 1996 release, THE IN-SOUND FROM WAY-OUT, or the instrumental cuts on ILL COMMUNICATION.
<p>None of the Beasties go anywhere near the mic on THE MIX-UP (except for the odd whistle), but thankfully, and as the thorough tracklist proves positive, all three can still hold their own in a jam session. Most cuts rely on a Hammond organ groove and funky wah-guitar, with "4th Street Break" and "The Rat Cage" proving especially tight. True students of the post-modern pilfer approach to music-making that they are, one can even hear traces of Lips Inc.'s "Funky Town" creeping into the Beastie's guitar riffs of "Freaky Hijiki."
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Track Listing :
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Album Information :
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UPC:094639408528
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Format:CD
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Type:Performer
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Genre:R&B - Underground/Alt Rap
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Artist:Beastie Boys
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Producer:Beastie Boys
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Label:Capitol/EMI Records
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Distributed:EMI Music Distribution
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Release Date:2007/06/26
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Original Release Year:2007
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Discs:1
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Length:42:25
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Mono / Stereo:Stereo
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Studio / Live:Studio
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23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
- The bad reviews are WRONG!
Wow, I can't believe the number of people that don't "get" this CD nor do I understand why people insist on saying that music is bad just because it wasn't what they expected. Then there are the people that compare one thing to something else just because it has a few similarities.
Maybe the Beasties weren't trying to sound like Medeski, Martin & Wood. Maybe they were just doing their own thing. Expanding on a sound and style they had already established if only hinted at on previous albums. And maybe you could write better music yourself right chief? I highly doubt it.
This is a great album and a natural progression from a band that has long since earned the right to do whatever they want to do. I hope this becomes a trend and we see more instrumental releases from them.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
- Sometimes you just want jams and beats!!
This is a sweet mix,beats and jams----no talking/rapping.
Sometimes you just want to hear music with a beat and jam minus the rapping,yapping and talking...you get all of this in this cd and than some.
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
- Throw It All In And Mix It Up {4 Stars}
On what should be considered an EP, The Beastie Boys drop what I'd like to call a short but sweet instrumental album. There isn't much too it. It's just 12 tracks and clocks in at 42 minutes and 30 seconds. The sound is pretty light on substance, but they're quite melodic and easy to get into. There are a lot of different influences that can be heard, but they wrap them all together to make their own particular groovy goodness.
I can't think of any flaws on this album. I could complain about its length, or lack thereof, but that would be nitpicking. I did find "The Rat Race" and "Dramastically Different" to be sort of boring though. Everything else seems to flow very well. If you were expecting a 100% hip hop release, you may be in for a bit of a surprise. I found the diversity of the tracks to be quite enjoyable.
The Mix-Up isn't a bad album at all. Despite what others might say, I found it to be an enjoyable listen. The Beastie Boys rarely ever disappoint me and I don't think Beastie enthusiasts will be let down by this release either. I recommend adding this album to your music library
Standout Tracks: The Kangaroo Rat, The Melee, Electric Worm (My Favorite), 14th St. Break, The Gala Event, B For My Name, and Off the Grid
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
- Mixin It Up
This was a great idea. Its all instruments, and no lyrics.
It is totally fun to sing along and add your own free-style lyrics to the songs. Have your buddy add in the beat-box, or grab a spare instrument and add those sounds in.
This album has at least the best 4 instrumental tracks the B-Boys have ever made. There is stuff on it that sounds nothing like anything I've ever heard before. This thing cranks out new dance moves.....big time.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
- Actually my favorite album
I have been listening to these guys since I was a kid, and I have enjoyed it for the most part. I am finally glad to hear them play some nice grooves. This is not a "Rock" album like all of the editorial reviews have been saying. I would put this more as funky acid jazz. If you have ever listened to Medeski Martin and Wood or Bela Fleck this is more of what that is. It is not as technically challenging as the music made by the two other bands I just mentioned but, it is nice to hear them sound fresh. I enjoy listening to every track on this recording. If you are wanting or looking for old school Beastie Boys, you won't find it here. This is all nice funky grooves that you can sit back and just enjoy listening to. |
