Hello Nasty

It's more timeless than previous Beastie Boys albums. That's how my friend Zack described Hello Nasty, and I really couldn't come up with a more fitting description than that. Timeless in the sense that there are no songs that refer to oppression by parents or anyone's right to party, but timeless also in the sense that half of the 22 tracks on this album could have easily been released eight years ago and will probably still sound fresh eight years from now. Don't believe me? Throw License to Ill on your turntable. Still sounds good, right? How many other records released in 1986 can you listen to today without embarrassing yourself? Stylistically, the album sounds like a combination of 1980's New York hip-hop combined with 90's style techno/dance rhythms, plus some avant-garde stuff thrown in for good measure. Police sirens blare in "Super Disco Breakin'", robots sing the chorus of "Intergalactic" and a laid-back, pastel Miami Vice-ish soundscape is the central focus of "Song for Junior". As good as the music is though, the words are even better. Example: "We're all connected like a Lego set One equaling one together like a croquette" from "Putting Shame in Your Game". Another neat trend here is the BBoy's creative utilization of the talents of guest musicians. Miho Hatori (who's band, Buffalo Daughter is on the Grand Royal label) lends her vocal talents to "I Don't Know", while dub pioneer Lee "Scratch" Perry sings about Jesus and marijuana on "Dr. Lee, PhD", and Mark Nishita (aka Money Mark) plays keyboards on "Sneakin' Out the Hospital". Is the album worthy of all the hype it has generated? Probably not. But it comes so close it really doesn't matter. Anyway, hype doesn't sell a million albums (unless you're Master P or Puff Daddy, but that's a different story...) good songs are what sell albums, and Hello Nasty has 22 of them.

--Aram