April 29, 2020 Playlist

15th Anniversary Special!

    

"Check Your Head" by Beastie Boys (1992)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Beastie Boys "Check Your Head"  1992 (USA)
This may not be the best Beastie Boys album, but it was the pivotal album that redefined their career and changed the perception of them from a one-hit-wonder novelty into "an iconic group that defined a generation." The group started out as a hardcore punk band in the early 80's, but by the time of their 1986 debut album they had turned into a rap group. The vocal style on that first album is definitely "rapping" with a large dose of punk snottiness and energy, but musically they based most of their tunes on classic rock riffs from the 70's (their breakout hit "Fight For Your Right To Party" sounds like a cousin of "Smoke On The Water" and "Kick Out The Jams".) For the follow up, their second album was much more in line with where hip hop music was heading, in fact the densely-layered production put them squarely on the cutting edge of the rap scene - however, that record was a commercial dud and only came to be viewed as a classic much later. Thus their third album, Check Your Head, was make-or-break for the band. Combining rock and rap was already a trite idea by that point (in fact the first national rap hit was Run DMC's cover of an Aerosmith song back in 1985). But because Beasties began as a rock band, they were able to fuse the two style much more seemlessly than a rock band (with mediocre rapping) or a rap band (with sample-based fake-rock). Ad Rock got out his guitar, MCA picked up the bass, and Mike D got back behind his drum kit. They jammed out some "grunge funk" riffs and rapped over the result, and it was a perfect match for 1992: this album was released a few months after Nirvana's breakout and a few months before Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg took hardcore rap from the underground to the multiplatinum mainstream.
Meanwhile in Japan, KPP has resurfaced with her first new song in over a year, and I notice her Youtube channel has been putting up dozens and dozens of klassik Kyary koncert klips. Could there be a new album on the horizon?
(N) = New Release
   
Artist Song Album Year Country
Maximum The HormoneMaximum The Hormone IIKorekara No Menkata Cottelee No Hanashi Wo Shiyou EP
("Let's Talk About The Future" EP)		2018Japan
Dempagumi.incDemParade JapanWorld Wide Dempa2013Japan
BABYMETAL4 No Uta ("Song of 4")BABYMETAL2014Japan
DAOKOGRYThank You Blue2017Japan
Haru Nemuri Umi Ni Natte ("Becoming The Sea")Lovetheism EP (N)2020 (TO3S)Japan
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu Kamaitachi ("Candy")single (N)2020 (Warner Japan)Japan
 
 
Stephen Malkmus & The JicksIt KillsFace The Truth2005USA
Ariel Pink's Haunted GraffitiHigher And HigherHouse Arrest2006USA
DeerhoofChoco FlightFriend Opportunity2007USA/Japan
LiarsMr. Your On Fire Mr.They Threw Us All In A Trench And Stuck A Monument On Top2001USA/Australia
Comets On FireHoly TeethAvatar2006USA
The Black AngelsNever/EverDirections To See A Ghost2008USA
   
 
Beastie BoysJimmy JamesCheck Your Head
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1992USA
Beastie BoysPass The MicCheck Your Head
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1992USA
Beastie BoysSomething's Got To GiveCheck Your Head
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1992USA
Beastie BoysShambalaIll Communication1994USA
Dr. Octagon
(Kool Keith, Automator & DJ Qbert)		Blue Flowers RevisitedDr. Octagonecologyst1996USA
De La SoulI Am I BeBuhloone Mindstate1993USA
Public EnemyParty For Your Right To FightIt Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back1988USA
   
 
FunkadelicLet's Make It LastCosmic Slop1973USA
Blue Oyster CultE.T.I. (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence)Agents Of Fortune1975USA
CanOne More NightEge Bamyasi1972Germany/Japan
Van der Graaf GeneratorLemmings (Including COG)Pawn Hearts1971UK
CaravanIf I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over YouIf I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You1970UK
David BowieStarmanThe Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars1972UK
Steely DanBodhisattvaCountdown To Ecstasy1973USA
   
 
The Jimi Hendrix ExperienceFireAre You Experienced?1967USA/UK
MC5Looking At You (original version)single1968USA
The Amboy DukesDown On Phillip's EscalatorThe Amboy Dukes1967USA
The WhoMagic Bus (extended version)Meaty Beaty Big & Bouncy (compilation)rec. 1968UK
The 13th Floor ElevatorsLivin' OnBull Of The Woods1968USA
SpiritNature's Way
   / Animal Zoo		Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus1970USA
LoveYou Set The SceneForever Changes1967USA
   
 
Miles DavisAll BluesKind Of Blue1959USA
             
Back to playlists         Back to main