The Beasties return to the Old School (not that they ever left their roots) in more ways than one.  Their rhymes come from the standard end-rhyme street-style they and Run DMC pioneered back in the day.  They also look to early eighties' Electro for their beats, and just about everywhere else except the normal for their samples.  Similar in feel to the Dust Brothers-produced "Paul's Boutique," this album falls short of that recording's consistency and show-stopping technique.  One good thing is that they've dropped the punk jams and the distorted-vocal raps.  The bad thing is that the whiny B-Boy shtick wears a bit thin.  I'd love to have an instrumental version of this album with Mixmaster Mike given free reign, or perhaps a Mad Professor remix.  Still, the album rocks the house, and for a party album, that's all that matters. 

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