Beastie Boys - 'The Sounds Of Science'

Repeat Prescriptions....The Top 100 Classic Albums Of All Time that you keep coming back to!

Like doing a university course as a mature student, I am returning to my musical education and filling in the gaps. I intend to revisit The 100 Best Albums Of All Time (see them all here) as recommended by Q Magazine back when the poll was last done in 2006. Some I will know and love, some I will have skimmed and some I will not even have given time of day. This will all change when I listen to every album in full as it was intended, from 100 to 1, and choose my favourite song from each.

Album Number 98: Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique - The Sounds Of Science (1989)

It's the first album I know I have heard before so was looking forward to revisiting it. After listening to a few tracks I realised how unfamiliar a lot of it was. Did I actually listen to the whole album before? I probably just skimmed through it to my favourite songs Hey Ladies and Barrel Of A Gun. I was a cheat! Listening to it a few times now and having to remind myself this was from back in 1989, it's easy to see why this is in the Top 100. As their tough second album after being nicknamed Frat rappers, they put to bed the idea they were just a commercial novelty act. These guys were for real and were here to stay. You can't deny the authentic old school hip hop sound with brilliant break beat and samples, it makes me feel like break dancing! The album is brimming with comical but clever quips and the chemistry between the group is infectious. And what's more, there isn't a line about guns, gang banging, bitches, hoes or money in sight!

It was a tough call to choose my favourite track. Do I go with a previous favourite which also happens to be a released single and more commercial track, Hey Ladies, or do I choose the track that I was unfamiliar with that came through the most. Well seeing as this is a voyage of discovery, its easy to decide. The Sounds Of Science is almost like two songs rolled into one. Firstly starting off slow and funny then rocking into a seriously fast and furious frenzy of tightly packed rhymes. I especially love when all three are rapping together simultaneously, now there's talent. Its got a good bit of scratching and a great guitar riff sample which sounds a bit like The Beatles, can anyone confirm? I think these guys proved themselves to the sceptics with this album and it will remain in the Top 100 for years, if not decades to come.

Shell Hunter's Seal Of Approval