After the apparent commercial failure of "Paul’s Boutique", the Beastie Boys promised the fans that they were going to play their instruments instead of using just samples. So, "Check Your Head" would be a masterful combination between amateurishly played instruments and infectious samples, promoting rap-inspired alternative rock. Even if the critics consider "Check Your Head" an undisputed masterpiece, I believe that the record is a bit too artificial due to some collisions between low-quality samples and authentic playing. Also, the songs could be more developed, instead of feeling like rock-inspired sketches of the gems from "Paul’s Boutique".
All the mistakes committed on "Check Your Head" will be straightened out by the following record, the truly outstanding "Ill Communication". The title alludes to the Beasties’ debut album, the party masterwork "Licensed to Ill." This signifies that the band returned to the hit single creed of their beginning, provocatively adding hardcore punk jams and vanguardist introductions that gave the release a mysterious aura.
If "Check Your Head" marked the assimilation of alternative rock motifs, "Licensed To Ill" evolves these stylistic elements and gives them a violent breath that raises them to the rank of classics. Tracks like "Sabotage" and "Sure Shot" are perfect party anthems, presenting that spark that was missing from the stiffy previous work. Along with these perfect singles, the album maximizes the experimental character adopted by the group at the beginning of the decade. It’s eclectic to its core, being the vehicle of a variety of soundscapes, masterfully organized in a voluptuous edifice.
Practically, it was impossible for a joke rap rock group to propose such a variety of sounds and tracks and to be taken seriously. With "Ill Communication" the Beastie Boys try the impossible, but with a hint of confidence that raises their music to the rank of true art.
From the beginning, represented by the explosive "Sure Shot", the sound is fully assumed, confident, and keeps a progressive approach to the rap structure. What’s appealing in the intro is the meticulously crafted fusion between the kung fu flute sample and the scratchy voices of the band. Like a hardcore punk moment expressed in an old-school rap style, the song hits hard, being a wake-up call to the conscience of a band lost in a labyrinthic maze formed by the rough interpretation and tuned to the sheer energy of the vocal delivery. "Though Guy" will give a voice to the hardcore atmosphere anticipated by "Sure Shot" and the message will be forever delivered: The Beasties not only gloriously returned to the blessed dynamism of "Licensed To Ill", but they made a huge step back, bringing tones from their neglected hardcore era. The Beastie Boys remind the listener that their power wasn’t gone, and, above all, they come to the rock’n’roll conscience that tended to be ignored in their last explorations.
Truly amazing, this comeback to their roots didn’t mean that they renounced the musical searches. "Flutterman’s Rule" is a brilliant instrumental interlude with a profound violin, and "Flute Loop" extends the instrumental challenges.
Finally, the listener meets an instant classic album and an ill-humored masterpiece. The combination of mysterious nuances, explosions, and nonsensical humor represents a hard-to-resist mix, connecting listeners from opposing fields. "Ill Communication" is that kind of record that will probably be enjoyed by both rap fans and punk or alternative rock buffs, even resonating in the progressive rock space, something that would have been unexpected from a less gifted band.
