BEASTIE BOYS

The Mix-Up

2007-07-23

The “Beastie Boys” need a pseudonym. Since the 80s they’ve been putting out groundbreaking material, record after record, yet they’ve always been an easy target to critics for one reason or another. Since Check Your Head, they’ve been playing around with funky instrumental tracks on albums and during live performances, but this is the first all-instrumental album put out by the ‘Boys (not including a compilation of previously-released instrumental tracks released in the mid-90s). The Mix Up is an enjoyable listen from start to finish, and although the music doesn’t necessarily challenge the listener by pushing major boundaries, it doesn’t have to. The Beastie Boys have crafted a recognizable sound that makes a statement all by itself. They’ve owned this sound for over a decade, and now with this record, they claim it. -Pete