Hold it Now, Hit it

NUMBER THREE


Ill Communication / Beastie Boys
1994 / 20 Tracks

After breaking onto the scene with their debut back in 1986, they started breaking
their persona with albums like Paul's Boutique and Check Your Head, the B-Boys from
Brooklyn dropped this album that took everything that they had done so far, and
took a GIANT leap forward - melding funk, trip-hop, 70's film soundtrack, hardcore samples,
great guests like Biz Markie & Q-Tip, and old-school rap and rhymes, mixed flawlessly.

They played all their own instruments on the album (which they still do live as well).
A very mature album from a very young (at heart) band.

Starting with the dog bark at the beginning of "Sure Shot", the album jumps into a
jazz flute and some big beats, kicks right into "Tough Guy" and the return of the
B-Boys punk roots. It makes me want to get into the pit!

"B-Boys makin' with the Freak Freak" has one of the BEST samples EVER -
"If this is gonna be that kind of party, I'm gonna stick my dick in the mashed potatoes"...

and "Bobo on the Corner" is a great instrumental that leads right into "Root Down",
a super funky piece of rap. I can hear the loop in my head right now.

Cue the lights, start up the grainy film projector and roll the 70's cop movie, adding in "Sabotage"
for the soundtrack and you have a hit on your hands. The rock, funk, and turntable scratches
blend into a wall of noise that works. This along with MC's bass line in the middle of the song
brings it down, the song just explodes back into your face! The song still holds up today.

The boys bring it down and dirty with "Sambrosa" along with the help of Q-Tip.
"Ma Bell got the ILL COMMUNICATION..."

"The Update" gives a nice mellow break, running like a smooth jazz club set,
leading into "Futterman's Rule".

"Alright Hear This", another banging song with big beats and funky rhymes,
and back to "Eugene's Lament" and a slow, melodic track.

"Flute Loop", another one of my favorite tracks, is so funky with great beats,
makes me wanna move, move, move. Taking you directly into "Do it".... "We got the Funk"

"Ricky's Theme", another jazz-inspired track takes you into the 2nd hardcore punk song
"Heart Attack Man" .

The album wraps with "Shambala", "Bodhisatta Vow" (an ode to Buddhist teachings)
and "Transistions".

So many great memories with this album and the Beastie Boys in general. I've see them
a BUNCH of times including the Tibetian Freedom Concert in San Francisco (with Choppy
& Bill Barnes) [PIXS] that featured the Beasties and this CD. Also caught them at the
Greek Theater in LA,[PIXS] which was the best show I saw that year (beating out TWO FF shows).

9.5 / 10