NOW SPINNING
CHECK YOUR HEAD
Beastie Boys
HIP-HOP | PUNK | FUNK • 1992 • CAPITOL / GRAND ROYAL
‘Paul's Boutique’ was a masterpiece, but the world wasn’t ready for it in 1989. Radio play, and sales, were disappointing and Capitol, the Beastie Boys’ label, wasn’t particularly happy with the performance either.
But, instead of going back to the bawdy, juvenile rap-rock of their massive debut ‘Licensed to Ill,’ and catering to the market (and the label), they built their own studio in Atwater Village, recording in LA, and away from New York.
For the first time since their early punk EPs, they played live instruments on record, and what came out was maybe funk, maybe punk, maybe hip-hop, but, for sure, sounded like nothing else.
For us, hanging around on the Lower East Side back then, it sounded like New York.
Despite being cut in LA, ‘Check Your Head’ is like a bus ride through the Five Boroughs on a sultry July afternoon, with all the different sounds—hip hop, punk, jazz, rock, funk, dub—that make New York into New York blaring from boomboxes and street corners.
Make sure your subwoofer is on, and play this as loud as you can stand.
LISTEN & BUY
If at all possible, buy it at your local record store.