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|Released = [[April 21]], [[1992]]
|Released = [[April 21]], [[1992]]
|Recorded = 1990 - 1992
|Recorded = 1990 - 1992
|Genre = [[Golden age hip hop]]<br>[[Alternative hip hop]]<br>[[Hardcore punk]]<!--Keep it tidy-->
|Genre = [[Alternative hip hop]]<br>[[Rock music|Rock]]<br>[[Jazz fusion]]<!--Keep it tidy-->
|Length = 53:29
|Length = 53:29
|Label = [[Capitol Records]]
|Label = [[Capitol Records]]

Revision as of 23:57, 9 June 2009

Untitled

Check Your Head is the third album by the Beastie Boys, released on April 21, 1992.

Three years elapsed between the release of the band's second album, Paul's Boutique and their recording of this album, which occurred at the G-Son Studios in Atwater Village, California in 1991. The album features the popular hits "So Whatcha Want" and "Pass the Mic"; the music videos for both songs are available on the Criterion Collection Beastie Boys Video Anthology DVD set. The album was re-released in 2009 in a number of formats and featured 16 b-sides and rarities as well as a commentary track.[1] The album is extensively broken down track-by-track by Mike D, MCA, Ad-Rock, Mario Caldato Jr., and Money Mark in Brian Coleman's book Check the Technique[2].

Background

In contrast to their previous album, Paul's Boutique, the Boys returned stylistically to their punk rock roots on Check Your Head, playing their own instruments for the first time on record since their early EPs (although they did provide live instrumentation on at least two songs on Paul's Boutique). Hence photographer Glen E. Friedman's idea to shoot photos with their instrument cases (one of which became the cover). The cover itself is a subtle depiction of the famous Three Wise Monkeys: "See No Evil," "Hear No Evil," and "Speak No Evil." (This theme is revisited in the lyrics of "Finger Lickin' Good.") The album was their first to be fully produced by Mario Caldato Jr. Caldato was an engineer on Paul's Boutique and was credited as producer on that album's track "Ask for Janice". The album also marks the first appearance of long time collaborator keyboardist Money Mark.

There's been some debate about the Dutch band Urban Dance Squad, who had toured the United States with Living Colour in early 1991, influencing the Beastie Boys to play live instruments again; as the Beastie's earlier hardcore style bears little resemblance to the style they play on Check Your Head. The Urban Dance Squad album, Life 'n Perspectives of a Genuine Crossover, was recorded at ICP, Brussels, in the spring of 1991 and released in the autumn; while the Beastie Boys recorded Check Your Head throughout 1991 and released it in spring 1992. This is of interest because the "Life 'N' Perspectives" interludes on the UDS album sample the same Jimi Hendrix song ("Happy Birthday") and overlay near identical live drums as the Beastie Boys would later use on the song "Jimmy James" from Check Your Head.

The Beastie Boys toured with the Rollins Band in the fall of 1992 to support Check Your Head.

Reception

Rolling Stone (6/25/92, p.41) - 3.5 Stars - Very Good - "...their most unconventional outing to date...Beneath the seeming chaos, the Beastie Boys have created a harmonious playground out of their musical fantasies..."

Spin (9/99, p.124) - Ranked #12 in Spin Magazine's "90 Greatest Albums of the '90s."

Spin (12/92, p.67) - Ranked #4 in Spin's list of the `20 Best Albums Of The Year'.

Alternative Press (7/95, p.81) - Ranked #23 in AP's list of the `Top 99 Of '85-'95'.

Village Voice (3/2/93, p.5) - Ranked #5 in the Village Voice's list of the 40 Best Albums Of 1992.

PitchforkMedia (11/7/03) - Ranked # 34 in Pitchfork Media's list of the 'Top 100 Albums of the 1990s'

Track listing

All tracks by Mike Diamond, Adam Horovitz and Adam Yauch, except as indicated.

  1. "Jimmy James" – 3:14
  2. "Funky Boss" – 1:35
  3. "Pass the Mic" – 4:17
  4. "Gratitude" – 2:45
  5. "Lighten Up" – 2:41
  6. "Finger Lickin' Good" – 3:39
  7. "So What'cha Want" – 3:37
  8. "The Biz vs. The Nuge" – :33
  9. "Time for Livin'" – 1:48
  10. "Something's Got to Give" – 3:28
  11. "The Blue Nun" – 0:32
  12. "Stand Together"– 2:47
  13. "POW" – 2:13
  14. "The Maestro" – 2:52
  15. "Groove Holmes" – 2:33
  16. "Live At P.J.'s" – 3:18
  17. "Mark on the Bus" – 1:05
  18. "Professor Booty" – 4:13
  19. "In 3's" – 2:23
  20. "Namasté" – 4:01

Japanese bonus tracks

  1. "Dub The Mic (Instrumental)"
  2. "Drunken Praying Mantis Style"
  3. "Skills to Pay the Bills (Pass the Mic, Pt. 2)"
  4. "Netty's Girl"

2009 Remastered Edition Bonus Tracks

  1. "Dub The Mic (Instrumental)"
  2. "Pass The Mic (Pt2, Skills To Pay The Bills)"
  3. "Drunken Praying Mantis Style"
  4. "Netty's Girl"
  5. "The Skills To Pay The Bills (Original Version)"
  6. "So What'cha Want (Soul Assasins Remix Version)"
  7. "So What'cha Want (Butt Naked Version)"
  8. "Groove Holmes (Live vs The Biz)"
  9. "So What'cha Want (All The Way Live Freestyle Version)"
  10. "Stand Together (Live at French's Tavern, Sydney Australia)"
  11. "Finger Lickin' Good (Government Cheese Remix)"
  12. "Gratitude (Live at Budokan 9-16-92)"
  13. "Honky Rink"
  14. "Jimmy James (Original Original Version)"
  15. "Boomin' Granny"
  16. "Drinkin' Wine"

Personnel

  • Ad-Rock – Guitar
  • Tom Baker – Mastering
  • Beastie Boys – Producer
  • James Bradley, Jr. – Percussion
  • Mario Caldato, Jr. – Producer, Engineer
  • Mike D – Drums
  • Glen E. Friedman – Photography
  • Drew Lawrence – Percussion
  • MCA – Bass
  • Money Mark – Organ, Synthesizer, Keyboards, Clavinet, Wurlitzer
  • Art Oliva – Percussion
  • Juanito Vazquez – Percussion, Conga, Cuica

Partial list of samples

The following lists some songs and sounds sampled for Check Your Head.

Jimmy James

Funky Boss

Pass The Mic

Finger Lickin' Good

So What'cha Want

The Biz vs. The Nuge

The Blue Nun

Stand Together

Live At P.J.'s

Mark On The Bus

Professor Booty

Chart positions

Album

Year Chart Position
1992 The Billboard 200 10
1992 Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 37

Singles

Year Single Chart Position
1992 So What'cha Want The Billboard Hot 100 93
1992 So What'cha Want Hot Dance Music/Max-Singles Sales 26
1992 So What'cha Want Hot Rap Singles 18
1992 So What'cha Want Modern Rock Tracks 22
1992 Pass The Mic Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales 38
1992 Jimmy James
1992 Gratitude

Footnotes

  1. ^ "Punknews.org". Retrieved 2009-04-10. {{cite web}}: Text "Beastie Boys' Check Your Head "special features" posted" ignored (help)
  2. ^ Coleman, Brian, 2007, Check The Technique: Liner Notes For Hip-Hop Junkies, Villard, Random House.
  3. ^ "Seven hundred bucks, but he asked for two thousand dollars. I thought it was kind of fly that he asked for $2000.00, and I bartered Bob Dylan down. That's my proudest sampling deal." "BeastieMania.com - Song Spotlight: Finger Lickin' Good". Retrieved 2007-02-14. This site has cited Boston Rock, June 1992, Issue 123 as the original source.
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