Categories : Music Reviews, Rap + Hip-Hop.
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Rating: 2/5 Released: June 15th, 2004 Reviewer: Jason Zalmanowitz |
Thomas Jefferson once said, “In matters of style, swim with the current… in matters of principle, stand like a rock.†The point? Wait, I’m being irrelevant (kind of like this disc is). I digress…
The point is that one must evaluate the current trends in the American society when listening to this disc. Two aspects of said society seem to rear their heads for this 45 minute piece of plastic. First and foremost, taking potshots at President George W. Bush is everyone’s favorite activity these days. Michael Moore (who’s “documentary†gets a shout out in ‘Right Right Now Now’), the Dixie Chicks, and every one else who doesn’t agree with “Operation Who’s Your Baghdaddy†have coaxed the Beastie Boys into expressing their distaste.
Secondly, proclaiming to the world that you are Jewish is now the cool thing to do. Madonna, Britney, Christina, Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, and Victoria Beckham have all embraced Kabbalah – also known as the mystical aspect of the Jewish Religion. Sites like www.jewcy.com and www.jdate.com are popping up and drawing huge amounts of traffic. The term “Metrodox†is being used to describe 20-something Jews who embrace their faith while embracing “metrosexual†style. The Beastie Boys, who were once tossed out of Hebrew School and ended up not paying any attention to their religion, are now ‘out’ to the world exclaiming that they are ‘Funky Ass Jews.’
Yes, they are swimming with the current. But what matters of principles to the three Boys bring to the table?
Well, the Beastie Boys are back once again after a five year wait – six if you don’t count ‘The Sounds of Science’ as a full release. Adam, Mike, Adam, and Mike – aka MCA, Mike D, King Adrock, and Mix Master Mike – have had to deal with their share of trials and tribulations over the past few years, especially with the shut down of the Boys’ Grand Royal label. But once again, they’re back to re-invent themselves. If we waited this long, we could have waited longer.
Some say that “absence makes the heart grow fonder,†while others say that it causes you to raise your expectations. Expectations aside, there are some large problems with this disc. ‘To The 5 Boroughs’ needs to be evaluated on three different levels – the lyrical level, the musical level, and as mentioned before, the political level.
Lyrically, the three schnooks who attest to being the emcees that constitute the Beastie Boys come back proving once again that they are more than competent masters of the English language. There are some awkward rhymes ever so often, but generally their performance is decent, at worst.
Musically, this disc is nowhere near as well done as ‘Hello, Nasty’ or ‘Ill Communication.’ The tracks are layered with different beats and effects, and while there are some fun samples inserted during different tracks, there is nothing that really sets this disc apart from any other hip-hop disc. Don’t expect a second single after ‘Ch-Ch-Check it Out.’
And politically, this isn’t the right forum to be discussed in. Potshots at the President of the United States of America, the state of American Society, and personal views on what should be done, hardly constitute a Left or Right political position. As such, the politics of this disc are better left to more competent pundits, such as the Dixie Chicks or Michael Moore.
Sitting in the car listening to this disc, it was commented by one of my compatriots that he wanted “some decent hip-hop†and didn’t care for the “contrived b.s. surrounding the politics of this disc.†While reluctant to agree at first, it slowly became apparent that if a disc is to be good, it needs to have some sort of message behind it. The most obvious reason to name this disc ‘To The 5 Boroughs’, and its one redeeming feature, is the twelfth track, ‘An Open Letter to NYC’. In this post apocalyptic 9/11 world, forgiving but never forgetting is an important pursuit. MCA, Adrock, and Mike D truly shine with their acknowledgement of how great the city and residents of New York are. “Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten, from the battery to the top of Manhattan, Asian, Middle Eastern, and Latin, Black, White… New York, you make it happen.â€
The six year wait for this LP to appear on store shelves was not worth it. While MCA may have proclaimed that they haven’t yet retired, the probably should have. This disc was a definite disappointment.
