Every Friday on my drive to work I listen to an album from my past, Flashback Friday. The selection process is as follows: 1)The album must have been on steady repeat at some point in my life; 2) The album must be over 10 years old; and 3)No skipping tracks.

Artist: The Beastie Boys

Album: Hello Nasty

Wow! This takes me right back to my teenage bedroom. The day Hello Nasty came out I was at the record store happily forking over my hard earned paycheck. That particular summer the paycheck was earned working as a maintenance man (maintenance boy would be more accurate) at an all girls school, but those stories are for another time. That time is never because stories about painting walls get real boring, real fast.

Right from the get go those familiar electric beats put a smile on my face. The obscure sounds and crazy samples have my synapses sparking; causing an offbeat head bob that can’t be stopped. It’s strange how something so ahead of it’s time in 1998 feels extremely dated today. I’m sure all the instruments, machines, and gadgets used to make these songs have all been replaced by a laptop.

What stands out even more than the music are the lyrics. It’s surprising that I can still remember so many of the words. However, one man in LA traffic cannot keep up with these three MC’s and one DJ. Even though I usually know what’s coming next, the words all mush together and I can’t help but become tongue tied. Regardless of how hard I try, the fast paced, high pitched style of the Beasties can’t be duplicated.

One thing I did forget is how long this album is. When an album has twenty two tracks not all of them can be bangers. While there are some lulls on Hello Nasty things never get too boring. The mediocre tracks still maintain the style and theme of the whole album, never straying too far from the path blazed by hits.

That path blazed by the hits is scorching. Super Disco Breakin’, Remote Control, Body Movin, Three MC’s and One DJ, and the biggest hit Intergalactic. All amazing. This batch of songs are all the hits for a reason. Each song brings a funky dance vibe mixed with smart lyrics over a killer beat. The witty rhyming of MCA, Ad-Rock, and Mike D paired with the turntable skills of Mix Master Mike combine to form a hip hop classic.

Hello Nasty my not have 80’s classics like License to Ill, it may not be critically acclaimed like Check Your Head, it may not have the timeless nostalgia of Paul’s Boutique, but it does have the vibe, style, and sound of classic Beastie Boys.