This was the album that had me worried. In the wake of the commercial failure of “Paul’s Boutique,” would the Beasties try to rehash “Licensed to Ill?” I heard from a buddy it was going to be more like a rehash of “Pollywog Stew,” as they had decided to pick up their instruments again. But the same buddy got a leaked track from another buddy, a song called “Professor Booty.” Good news for me:
They were still M.C.’s.
The full album opens with a “Cheap Trick” vocal sample, “This next one…is the first song…on our newwwwwww albummmm”, and then goes right into a Jimi Hendrix sample. “Check Your Head” is a sonic masterpiece (in my opinion, anti-sampling crowd), mixing hardcore punk and hip hop, with some funky instrumentals thrown in. The album was a success; the Beasties were back, at least with the college crowd. It’s unfair to say that the lyrics had lost something, they were still very funny guys, referencing everything from Walt “Clyde” Frazier’s autobiography, to Vic the Cleaner from Luc Besson’s “La Femme Nikita.” In the wake of Licensed to Ill, gone out and bought their hardcore stuff, “Pollywog Stew,” and even found a copy of “Cookie Puss.” Even on these crappy recordings, you could sense the fun they were having. Having grown to love punk music as well, partially because of “Pollywog Stew,” I remain a fan of that side of “Check Your Head.”
The album marks the appearance of something new from the Beasties: cynicism. Not that it’s a downer. It’s a non-stop party, but one laced with lyrics such as: “I’m not sure what it takes to be hip. A lot of people making music that to me ain’t shit.” Clearly, this was a response to the backlash against them, which culminated in lukewarm sales for “Paul’s Boutique.” On the aforementioned “Professor Booty,” Yauch gets personal. Though the source of his venom has never been officially “outed,” his verse in the song is pretty obviously aimed at 3rd Bass, and MC Serch specifically. This is what is known in the hip hop world as a diss track, and it was a first for the Beasties.
The reviews were wildly mixed. Rolling Stone slipped off the bandwagon only a little bit, but Entertainment Weekly, acting as though “Paul’s Boutique” never happened, rather prematurely declared “Licensed to Ill will have to stand as the Beastie Boys’ shining hour.” The album gathered steam, and the Beasties released several singles. The “Check Your Head” b-sides represent some of their finest work. The “So What’cha Want?” b-side featured a remix with Cypress Hill – their street cred was slowly creeping back to them. It also featured a track on which they again have a brush with politics, “Skills to Pay the Bills.” Mike D. raps, “It’s 1992 and still no one to vote for.” Not very clever, but I remember loving that they didn’t endorse anyone. The videos that accompanied the singles were entertaining, though they had yet to team with a certain bratty director of skateboard videos to achieve total video greatness.
They toured. Small at first, nothing like the over-excess of their Licensed to Ill Tour, they played little theatres around the country. I missed them on the first leg, at Center Stage Theatre in Atlanta. But they came back, this time to the Georgia State University gymnasium. I didn’t even know Georgia State had a basketball team, but I was down. I’m pretty sure my girlfriend bought the tickets, and as we drove down to Atlanta, I was more excited than I had ever been to see a concert.
Since the tenth grade, I was down to see just about any band live. My concert-going experience had run the gamut from what could be considered cool (U2, R.E.M. Violent Femmes), to square (Don’t make me say it. Okay. Fine. Debbie Gibson. There. I said it.), to the hip to be square (Huey Lewis and the News). I had seen Pearl Jam in a field, and Nirvana at the 40 Watt, when I was too dorky to know who they were. Never had I been so excited to see a band perform than I was for B.E.A.S.T.I.E. (what up, Mike D.?).
I’m not impartial on this. It’s like asking Michael Moore for an unfiltered unbiased critique of health care and doughnuts. They blew my mind. It was a small gym, no reserved seating, and it was amazing. A quibble, the Beastie Boys think waaaaay too much of their funky instrumentals. This is a weakness that would mar not only their live shows, but subsequent albums as well. Actually, I put up with it on “Check Your Head,” because of the novelty. But I quickly lost my taste for them when my girlfriend told me to.
I don’t think at the time anyone would call “Check Your Head” a huge success, more of a slow build. LL Cool J would certainly advise against calling it a comeback, but it was an announcement of sorts. The Beasties would not fall off the radar again. Next week, I’ll devote some bandwidth to “Ill Communication,” the album which saw the Beastie Boys solidify their foothold in 1990’s pop culture.
Check Your Head: 1992
Best Songs: Jimmy James, So What’cha Want?, Professor Booty, Time for Livin’, Finger Lickin’ Good, Skills to Pay the Bills (B-side, So What’cha Want)
Cool Samples: Cheap Trick, Bob Dylan, EPMD, Ted Nugent
Political references: One, that I remember, on a B-side (wait…does the inclusion of a Ted Nugent sample count?)
Cam’s Rating: In 1992, 5 stars. In 2010, 5 stars.
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