Check Your Head
| Check Your Head | ||||
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| Studio album by The Beastie Boys | ||||
| Released | April 21, 1992 | |||
| Recorded | G-son Studios Atwater Village California, 1991-92 | |||
| Genre | Alternative hip hop, rap rock, hardcore punk, rapcore, jazz-funk | |||
| Length | 53:29 | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Producer | Mario Caldato, Jr. | |||
| The Beastie Boys chronology | ||||
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Check Your Head is the third studio album by the Beastie Boys, released on April 21, 1992.
Three years elapsed between the release of Paul's Boutique (the band's second album) and their recording of this album. Check Your Head was recorded at the G-Son Studios in Atwater Village, California in 1991. 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]
Contents |
Background [edit]
In contrast to their previous album, Paul's Boutique, the Beastie Boys returned somewhat 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). Supposedly, a trading card with Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr. from a set of Desert Storm trading cards was the inspiration for the title.[3]
The album was their first to be fully co-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 longtime collaborator keyboardist Money Mark.
The Beastie Boys toured with the Rollins Band and Cypress Hill in early 1992 to support Check Your Head.
Reception [edit]
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |  [4] |
| Drowned in Sound | 8/10[5] |
| Entertainment Weekly (1992) | D[6] |
| Entertainment Weekly (2009) | A[7] |
| IGN | 7.8/10[8] |
| Pitchfork Media | 6.7/10[9] |
| PopMatters | 9/10[10] |
| Q | [11] |
| RapReviews | 7.5/10[12] |
| Robert Christgau |  [13] |
| Rolling Stone (1992) |   [14] |
| Rolling Stone (2008) | [15] |
Rolling Stone - 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."[14]
Spin - Ranked #12 in Spin Magazine's "90 Greatest Albums of the '90s".[16]
Spin - Ranked #4 in Spin's list of the "20 Best Albums Of The Year".[17]
Alternative Press - Ranked #23 in AP's list of the "Top 99 Of '85-'95".[18]
The Village Voice - Ranked #5 in the Village Voice's list of the 40 Best Albums Of 1992.[19]
PitchforkMedia - Ranked # 34 in Pitchfork Media's list of the Top 100 Albums of the 1990s.[20]
Track listing [edit]
All tracks by Michael Diamond, Adam Horovitz and Adam Yauch, except as indicated.
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Personnel [edit]
Beastie Boys:
Other:
- Marcel Hall - Vocals on "The Biz Vs. The Nuge"
- James Bradley, Jr. – Percussion
- Drew Lawrence – Percussion
- Money Mark – Organ, synthesizer, keyboards, clavinet, wurlitzer
- Art Oliva – Percussion
- Juanito Vazquez – Percussion, conga, cuica
Technical personnel [edit]
- Tom Baker – Mastering
- Beastie Boys – Producer
- Mario Caldato, Jr. – Producer, engineer
- Glen E. Friedman – Photography
Partial list of samples [edit]
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. (May 2007) |
The following lists some songs and sounds sampled for Check Your Head.
"Jimmy James"
- "Rockin' It" by Fearless Four
- "Fresh Is the Word" by Mantronix
- "Beat Bop" by Rammelzee vs. K Rob
- "Surrender" by Cheap Trick (Live version from Cheap Trick at Budokan)
- "I'm Chief Kamanawanalea (We're the Royal Macadamia Nuts)" by The Turtles
- "3rd Stone from the Sun", "Foxy Lady", "Happy Birthday", and "Still Raining, Still Dreaming" by Jimi Hendrix
"Funky Boss"
- "Funky Worm" by Ohio Players
- "Under Mi Sensi" by Barrington Levy
- "Anywhere But Nowhere" by K.C. White
- "Acid" and "Bicentennial Nigger" by Richard Pryor
- "Duppy Conqueror" by Bob Marley & the Wailers
"Pass the Mic"
- "Choir" by James Newton
- "The Black Prince Has Arrived" by Jimmie Walker
- "Big Take Over" by Bad Brains
- "So Wat Cha Sayin'" by EPMD
- "Big Sur Suite" by Johnny "Hammond" Smith
- "I Walk on Guilded Splinters" by Johnny Jenkins
- "I Wanna Know If It's Good to You" by Funkadelic
- "Fatal Impact" by Dead Can Dance
"Finger Lickin' Good"
- "Aquarius" by The 5th Dimension
- "Breakout" by Johnny "Hammond" Smith
- "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" by Bob Dylan[21]
- "Dance to the Music" by Sly & the Family Stone
- "Freaks for the Festival" by Rahsaan Roland Kirk
"So What'cha Want"
- "When The Levee Breaks" by Led Zeppelin
- "Just Rhymin' With Biz" by Big Daddy Kane featuring Biz Markie
- "I've Been Watching You" by Southside Movement
"The Biz vs. The Nuge"
- "Homebound" by Ted Nugent
"The Blue Nun"
- "On Wine: How To Select and Serve" by Peter M. F. Sichel and Sondra Bianca
- "Hector" by The Village Callers
"Stand Together"
- "Slivadiv" by Back Door
- "Be Black Baby" by Grady Tate
- "Kissing My Love" by Cold Blood
"Live at P.J.'s"
- "Change Le Beat" by Fab Five Freddy featuring Beeside
"Mark on the Bus"
- Dialogue from the film Wild Style
- "Mr. Roberts #1" from National Lampoon's That's Not Funny, That's Sick! (1977)
- Dialogue from a bootleg recording of pioneering black metal band Venom's 1986 performance at City gardens, New Jersey
"Professor Booty"
- Dialogue from Wild Style
- "Give It Up" by Kool & the Gang
- "Loose Booty" by Funkadelic
- "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More, Babe" by Jimmy Smith
Chart positions [edit]
Album [edit]
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | The Billboard 200 | 10 |
| 1992 | Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums | 37 |
Singles [edit]
| 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 |
References [edit]
- "Beastie Boys - Check Your Head CD". CDUniverse.com. Product Detail. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
Footnotes [edit]
- ^ "Beastie Boys' Check Your Head "special features" posted". Punknews.org. 7 April 2009. Retrieved 10 April 2009.
- ^ Coleman, Brian (2007). Check The Technique: Liner Notes For Hip-Hop Junkies. New York: Villard. ISBN 978-0-8129-7775-2.
- ^ Coleman, Brian (2007). Check the technique: liner notes for hip-hop junkies. Random House. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-8129-7775-2. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Beastie Boys: Check Your Head > Review" at Allmusic. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
- ^ Slater, Luke (17 April 2009). "Beastie Boys: Check Your Head". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
- ^ "Music Review: Check Your Head, by Beastie Boys". Entertainment Weekly. 1992-05-01.
- ^ "Music Review: Check Your Head (Remastered Edition), by Beastie Boys". Entertainment Weekly. 2009-04-01.
- ^ "Beastie Boys- Check Your Head (Deluxe Reissue) Review - IGN". Uk.music.ign.com. 2009-04-15. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
- ^ Patrin, Nate (14 April 2009). "Beastie Boys - Check Your Head: Deluxe Edition". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
- ^ Murphy, Sean (30 April 2009). "Beastie Boys: Check Your Head". Yesterday's Jukebox. PopMatters. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
- ^ "Beastie Boys - Check Your Head CD Album". Cduniverse.com. 1992-04-21. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
- ^ Juon, Steve 'Flash' (6 July 2004). "Beastie Boys :: Check Your Head". Back to the Lab. RapReviews.com. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
- ^ Christgau, Robert. "The Beastie Boys: Check Your Head". Consumer Guide Album. RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
- ^ a b Powell, Kevin (1996-12-11). "Beastie Boys: Check Your Head". Rolling Stone. ISSN 0035-791X. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
- ^ By Jody Rosen (2008-04-28). "Check Your Head Remastered Edition | Album Reviews". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
- ^ "90 Greatest Albums of the '90s". Spin. September 1999. p. 124.
- ^ "20 Best Albums of the Year". Spin. December 1992. p. 67.
- ^ "Top 99 of '85-'95". Alternative Press: 81. July 1995.
- ^ "The 40 Best Albums of 1992". The Village Voice (New York). 2 March 1993. p. 5.
- ^ "The Top 100 Albums of the 1990s". PitchforkMedia. 7 November 2003.
- ^ Diamond, Michael (June 1992). "Finger Lickin' Good". Boston Rock (123). "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."
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