Beasties Back With “Boroughs”
The Beastie Boys will break a six-year silence with the release of To the 5 Boroughs this summer.
The Beasties began writing material in late 2001 and did most of the recording last year in their new New York City studio, producing the record themselves. After using live instrumentation on much of their last three records Mike Diamond (drums), Adam Horovitz (guitar) and Adam Yauch (bass), have largely abandoned the approach on Boroughs, going for a more classic hip-hop vibe.
“I am sure that we will get back into playing instruments again in the near future,” MCA said on the band’s Web site. “But for now, we are just going to do hip-hop shows, turntables and mics. It’s kind of nice to keep it simple for a minute. There are some live instruments here and there, but most of it is programmed.”
Though the album features a number of pointed political references, the Beasties’ condemnation of the war in Iraq, “In a World Gone Mad,” which was put on the band’s site last year for download, won’t be among the fifteen tracks.
Since touring behind 1997’s Hello Nasty, the Beasties have only made sporadic appearances, including the New Yorkers Against Violence concert in the fall of 2001 and a benefit for Jam Master Jay’s family in 2003. The trio plans to tour in support of the record, though the only show lined up so far is the Summer Sonic Festival in Japan in August.
In other news, Yauch is producing the next record by Washington, D.C., hardcore legends Bad Brains, at his New York studio.