Search - Beastie Boys :: Paul's Boutique

Get Funky

Evan Streb | 02/12/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Yes, Paul's Boutique is the best Beastie Boy Album. Yes, the Beasties would be hard pressed to ever top it. Yes, it is one of the greatest albums of all time. Yes, every music critic is willing to give it's the recognition it deserves now. The question becomes: WHY DID IT FLOP IN 1989? As an owner & worshiper of the album, since the day it was released, I'll go back in time to explain it's "failure". A misconception is that people didn't understand it back then, but Rolling Stone magazine gave it a 4 Star rating, and Spin gave it an equally flattering review. The first problem was that Licensed to Ill was a wonderful, hilarious album which happened to upset a lot of squares. Paul's B received an angry backlash by the mob who hated LTI. Second problem: as rich and as textured as the sample smorgasbord of Paul's B. was, a few months earlier, De La Soul, debuted the first sample smorgasbord, "3 Feet High & Rising". So "Paul's B." wasn't the ground breaker. (Note: If you're a Beastie fan of "Paul's B.", you owe it to yourself to go buy "3 Feet High & Rising".) Third problem: In 1986-1989, there was only one rap dynasty: Def Jam Records. Home of LL Cool J, Public Enemy, etc., the Def Jam label gave the `white' Beastie Boys street credibility. LTI had a large black audience. But the Beasties had left, and Def Jam pres. Russell Simmons started ripping the Beasties, saying he `created' them. They were seen as fakes, and they lost their large urban fan base. They would never regain them. In some ways, the Beasties had to become `alternative', because the rap world had disowned them.Fourth problem: Having lost their urban fan base, the Beasties would lose their white "metal head" fan base because `Paul's B.' wasn't LTI 2. There was no rock slamming of "No Sleep till Brooklyn". The fans that the Beasties had left, we white kids who liked rap & understood the humor of LTI, were able to purchase 500,000 copies. A generation didn't "shake their rumps" or laugh with the brilliant "Egg Man". Oh well, hindsight is 20/20."

Paul's Boutique...one of the greatest of all-time

Andrew | Columbus, Ohio USA | 08/11/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Paul's Boutique is possibly the most ground breaking hip-hop album of all time. It and De La Soul's Three feet high and rising were the first rap albums to use mass sampling. Who new it would come from 3 jewish white kids from NYC...heres some information about the tracks.1. To All the Girls- good ..but not great opening samples "Loran Dance"2. Shake your Rump- Starts with an explosive drum roll. samples everything from Led Zepplin to the Sugarhill Gang to Funky 4+1 "it's the joint!"3. Johnny Ryall- Song about an NYC bum. The Blues guitar licks are from David Bromberg's "Sharon." The beats r from Paul McCartney's "Momma Miss America"4. Eggman- Gangsta rappers rap about drive by shootings....the Beasties rhyme about drive-by eggings. The bass is Curtis Mayfield's "superfly." Public Enemy is also sampled.5. High Plains Drifter- Mostly from the Eagles "those shoes" The Ramones r sampled too.6. Sounds of Science- Listen to the whole song...starts out slow but speeds up with the Beatles guitar part from "the end." BDP offers the line "right up to your face and dissed u"7. 3 minute rule- Badass song.... the drums are from Steve Millers "Take the Money and run"8. Hey Ladies- Only mainstream song on album. tells about the B-boys and the opposite sex. Afrika Bambaattaa and James Brown are sampled.9. 5-piece chicken dinner- This song is country..background music is from a song called "shuckin the corn"10. Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun- another badass song by the Beastie Boys This one is a little Metal.11. Car Thief- A great track which is pretty funky... "Hurdy Gurdy Man" and a song by Funkadelic are sampled.12. What Comes around- The begining drums are from Led Zepplin's "Moby Dick" The piano is from Gene Harris. This is a good song.13. Shadrach- A bouncy track featuring Lyric's about biblical figures and samples from Rose Royces "Do your Dance" The end Drums r from James Brown's "Funky Drummer"14. Ask For Janice- Not really a song...Pauls Boutique was not a real place...if u didnt know15 B-Boy Boullabaisse- A crazy mix of many songs and unique samples..the last words sum up the album.."Its a trip, its got a funky beat, and i can bug out to it."......by the album"

Just Really Fricking Great

J. Lieberman | Los Angeles, CA United States | 04/06/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Being a huge fan of Liscensed To Ill, I was about 14, July 25th 1989 was a big day for me. I had been waiting for years for the Beasties follow up record. I had managed to track down the Cookie Puss EP on tape and couldn't believe how different it was from L. To Ill. When I finally got Paul's Boutique, the first CD I ever bought, I couldn't understand what I was listening to. There were no anthems, no poppy top 40s. This was very different and very new. Little did I know that 12 years later, it would still be in my top five list of records. And I don't listen to other Beasties stuff at all anymore. But this...I think there is very little question that this is the best album by far the Beastie Boys have ever done. The incidences of coincidences - all the variables - that were at play when this puppy got tracked would be very hard to duplicate. A bunch of superstar, super-rich genre breaking Jewish rappers move from New York City to Los Angeles, get a briefcase full of cash from from Capitol Records, hook up with the brilliant Dust Brother and do drugs. Lots of drugs.This is a perfectly conceived and executed album. It is a rollercoaster, covering all the bases. With an appeal unlike any other record. I remember Charlie Benante, the drumer for Anthrax, saying that it was his favorite album. That was from an interview about ten years ago. If you like music, you will love this album. I am sure anyone reading this, already knows. Tell your friends that Paul's Boutique is one of the greatest pieces of work ever to be put on record."