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We've reached a funny old time in music. Established artists, that were once radical and different, are now performing alongside artists they have influenced. Ideas that were once pushing at the boundaries are now accepted as the norm, and these artists that were formerly at the fringes are now accepted as part of the mainstream. Some of these artists are still carrying on in the way they begun over 20 years ago, so it is no surprise that the latest Beastie Boys album sounds like all their previous works.
However one of the minor problems of the aging process is that it is now embarrasing to listen to a group of 40 year olds, pretending they are still young and rebellious. They even, shock, horror, swear, even with a song title that contains a swearword! How radical!
There is the name check for NYC and 9/11 that is now compulsory for any act from the city. However heartfelt An Open Letter to NYC is, it is just a shame that it comes across as a piece of bad sixth form poetry.
Even though this is nowhere near the quality of the definitive Beastie Boys albums (like Ill Communication and Hello Nasty) there are a few tracks that can stand up to those classics. One of them is Triple Trouble, although it does use the far too frequently sampled Rappers Delight (another Hip Hop cliche completed), and features a poor cockney accent at the beginning, it is the first track on the album that gels together. Another is Oh Word? although it does sound like the sort of music that CBBC would use as the theme to its programs.
Ultimately it is disappointing that it's been 4 years since their last album, and the band could only come up of an album that consists mainly of filler tracks. This is only a tiny worry to the band. There is a bigger problem facing them now. They are turning into that embarrasing uncle at the wedding, trying to remain 'down with the kids'. While everyone is catching up with them, and maybe even overtaking them in terms of creativity, do they just keep trying to do what they are good at? Or do they reach out to regain that groundbreakting title they once had?