Beastie Boys – To The 5 Boroughs
(Capitol)

The Beastie Boys have been making records for a long time now and while they’re not quite over the hill, they’re certainly seeming more and more like the 3 white wise men of hip-hop these days. With the lengthy waits between albums, every time they release a new one it almost seems to mark a new era. No matter what the current trends are, their music always seems to integrate smoothly into the public consciousness. Whether it be the 80’s excess and decadence in Licensed To Ill, the start of social and political awareness on Check Your Head, or the sci-fi futuristic undertones of Hello Nasty, there has always been a feeling of progression to their music. And with all the pop culture references they drop in their lyrics, each album manages to capture the essence of a particular time period. To The 5 Boroughs is clearly a tribute to New York City and a commentary on the Bush administration, but more than anything it feels like they’re officially putting the 9/11 era to rest and urging everyone to move on.

Musically this album has the most in common with Paul’s Boutique, widely held by hip-hop purists as their finest release but commercially their least successful. To The 5 Boroughs is not as sample-crazy however, and is noticeably more mature in both content and style. Still, although the Beastie Boys have gotten more politically active over the years, they haven’t necessarily gotten more uptight. This is a fun party album with a high body movin’ factor, and there are still plenty of expletives being thrown around throughout their rapping. Let’s face it, hip-hop just sounds that much cooler when you are swearing. The song “Hey Fuck You” is sure to become a fan favourite, with its series of humourous insults and the anthemic chorus, “And if you don’t like it then hey fuck you!”

There are still some serious messages here though too, such as the anti-George W. “It Takes Time To Build” and the album’s optimistic closer “We Got The”. The most resonant track is definitely “An Open Letter To NYC”. It’s a simple song about the strength and diversity of their hometown, built up over a sample from the Dead Boys’ “Sonic Reducer”, and it feels like the album’s peak when Mike D raps “Dear New York, I know a lot has changed. 2 towers down but you’re still in the game. Home to the many, rejecting no one, accepting people of all places, wherever they’re from.”

The return to a stripped down old school sound is seemingly inspired in part by the unforeseen popularity of their back-to-basics track, “Three MC’s And One DJ” from Hello Nasty. This is the most straightforward album they’ve done in a long time, lacking any of the funky instrumentals, short punk rock scorchers or weird pop experiments we’ve heard in the past. This record is focused with a unity of purpose and sound, and although it’s supposedly been in the works for years, it feels like it all could have been written in the span of a few weeks.

At times, the simple beats and lack of experimentation make the album feel repetitive and generic, but there are plenty of surprises to be found upon closer inspection. On “Crawlspace” for example, Adrock tries rapping without the nasally tone he is known for, and comes across sounding like a totally different guest rapper. Above all the album showcases the strength and wit of their rhyming. Who else could pull off lyrics like “Hey could you please pass me the peas? And let me get a tissue if you think you’re gonna sneeze. I’m the player and the coach. I’m no roach. I bought my grandma a brand new brooch.”? Browsing through the lyrics in the liner notes is also fun just because of the little “footnotes” and editor’s messages scattered throughout.

It may have been a long wait, but To The 5 Boroughs was worth it. It’s their 6th full length album and they’re still going strong. Unlike just about every other band out there, the quality of their output is not dropping off as they get older. Of course, it probably helps when you have your own recording studio, unlimited money, and 3 or 4 year breaks in between albums, but you’ve gotta give them credit for delivering the goods. And if you don’t like like it then hey… — Sean