Check Your Head

Some albums define an era, a place, a certain time in one's life; they exist as soundtracks for our memories, bringing that extra scent of poignancy to them. CHECK YOUR HEAD practically defined the summer of 1992 for those who were wary of the mainstreaming of rap and somewhat bored by the insurgency of grunge. By holding their heads firmly outside of any particular musical genre, MCA, Adrock & Mike D. created their own space; distorted, fuzzy, peppered with the swagger of punk and the rootsy earthiness of early-'70s soul-jazz, and layered with ten years of hip-hop know-how. more...

From the opening chords of "Jimmy James", it's clear that the Beastie Boys would have a chance to permanently shed the label of "fratboy rappers" that LICENSED TO ILL had forced upon them. Lo-fi, garagy, guitar-riff-loaded tracks like "Pass Da Mic" and "Gratitude" made it clear that the Beastie Boys could be taken as serious musical forces, even innovators. Yet they could still call back on their silly selves for romps like "Professor Booty" and "Funky Boss". One of the best albums of the 90's, CHECK YOUR HEAD is a turning point for a band and the genesis of a new musical hybrid.

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' - "...after the critically acclaimed yet commercially distraught PAUL'S BOUTIQUE, who knew the Beaties would come back samplin', riffin', dissin', and jammin' on instruments they decided to play themsleves..."

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

Alternative Press (7/95, p.81)
- Ranked #23 in AP's list of the `Top 99 Of '85-'95' - "...reinvented rap, sampling, and hip-hop's parameters, incorporating their posse as near-equals, picking up instruments themselves, and...making an album that's hard to turn off....That's the true mark of a classic..."

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 (5/92, p.76)
- Highly Recommended - "...Thick, deep, textured and varied....an aural joyride..."

Option (July-Aug/92, p.89)
- "...a deft blend of samples, noise and live instrumentation...stoopid, fun, loud...the Beasties know exactly what they're doing..."