Hot Sauce Committee Part Two

Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
Studio album by Beastie Boys
Released April 27, 2011
Recorded 2008–2009
Genre Hip hop
Length 44:07
Label Capitol
Producer Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys chronology

The Mix-Up
(2007)		 Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
(2011)
Singles from Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
  1. "Lee Majors Come Again"
    Released: 2009
  2. "Too Many Rappers"
    Released: July 21, 2009
  3. "Make Some Noise"
    Released: April 11, 2011[1]
  4. "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win"
    Released: July 26, 2011

Hot Sauce Committee Part Two is the eighth and final studio album by the American hip hop band Beastie Boys, released on April 27, 2011.

The album was originally planned for release on September 15, 2009 under the title Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 1, as the first installment of a two-part set. The album was delayed after band member Adam "MCA" Yauch was diagnosed with cancer.[2] After a two-year delay, only one album has been released and it is not clear if the plan for a two-part album has been abandoned, especially in light of Yauch's death on May 4, 2012. Collaborators on the album include singer Santigold, who co-wrote and sang on the track "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win", and Nas, who raps on "Too Many Rappers".

Background

Cover of the unreleased Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 1.

The album was previously known by the working title Tadlock's Glasses,[3] which was stated to be a reference to a former bus driver named Tadlock, who used to drive for Elvis Presley's back-up singers. Presley once gave Tadlock a pair of glasses which he was proud of. It was later speculated that the Tadlock's Glasses story was simply a joke misinterpreted by the media.[4]

A large amount of material was recorded, and the plan was to release the album, now called Hot Sauce Committee, in two parts as the Beastie Boys revealed to Drowned in Sound.[5] Mike D also hinted that part two may be released via unusual means:

“ Pt. 2 is pretty much done. Basically we were making ...Pt 1, had too many songs, so we recorded some more songs. Which sounds bizarre but it actually worked out, because it made it clear to us which songs were going to be on ...Pt 1. Then we had this whole other album of songs: ...Pt 2. ...Pt 1’s going to be your regular CD in the stores and to download, but ...Pt 2 is going to be released in...we’re still figuring it out, but a different way. More of a 2009 style. ... You could get in the shower one day and, boom, all of a sudden you’re showered with MP3s. Or we might send people a seven-inch every few weeks, so you have a whole box set.[5] ”

Regarding the structure of the album, Yauch stated, "It’s a combination of playing and sampling stuff as we’re playing, and also sampling pretty obscure records. There are a lot of songs on the record and there are a lot of short songs and they kind of all run into each other."[6] A commentary track included with the Check Your Head re-release mentions that Bob Dylan will appear on the album.[7]

Part 1

The first part of the album was intended to be called Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 1 and was prepared for release, with artwork revealed and a planned release date of September 15, 2009.[4] In an interview the Beastie Boys stated that the album was completed and group also announced that they would tour the United Kingdom in support of the new record.[3]

This was delayed after Adam "MCA" Yauch was diagnosed with cancer.[2] On July 20, 2009, Yauch issued a video press release via YouTube (and via e-mail to fans on mailing list) stating that a form of cancer was found in his salivary gland and that some or all upcoming shows are canceled, with the release date of Hot Sauce Committee delayed. He added that the cancer is localized, and that he should be fine after surgery.[8] In October 2009, Adam Yauch announced that the band had not yet decided a new release date, but was quoted saying he was hoping to release it in the first half of 2010.[9]

Part 2

An email sent out on October 17, 2010, from the Beastie Boys announced: "Although we regret to inform you that Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 1 will continue to be delayed indefinitely, Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2 will be released on time as originally planned in Spring of 2011." An email sent the following week now clarified that Pt. 2 would be released with almost exactly the same tracklist as was announced for Pt. 1, excluding the track "Bundt Cake."[10] No date is set for Part 1.[11]

Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 1 was finally released in May 2011 under the title Hot Sauce Committee Part Two with a slightly altered track listing including a new version of "Too Many Rappers".[12] The material intended for part two may now be released as Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 1 at some point in the future.[12]

Online leaks and album promotion

On April 6, 2011, "Make Some Noise" was leaked online five days ahead of its release date and subsequently made available via their blog.[13] It was released on time as a digital download and as a limited edition 7" vinyl single for Record Store Day five days later with a Passion Pit remix of the track as a b-side.[14] To promote the album, the Beastie Boys released clips of two songs: "Lee Majors Come Again" features hardcore punk, while the "B-Boys in the Cut" is an a capella piece. The tracks were previously released with a select few copies of the Check Your Head vinyl edition package.[4]

Both "Lee Majors Come Again" and "Here's a Little Something for Ya" are featured in remixed form on the Activision video game, DJ Hero.[14] A clean version of "Pop Your Balloon" was released on the soundtrack to NBA Live 10 in mid-2009.[14] The album was launched on April 23, 2011 by live-streaming the album online via boombox inside Madison Square Garden; two days later, they streamed the explicit album version via Soundcloud to combat the leaking of the clean promo version over the previous weekend.[14] The online launch had been announced with the cryptic message "This Sat, 10:35 a.m. EST - Just listen, listen, listen to the beat box" sent by email on April 22, 2011.[14]

Singles

"Lee Majors Come Again" was released as the album's first single in 2009.[15] It was released as a 7" single, and some of these singles were distributed with select copies of a reissue box set of the group's third studio album Check Your Head[1] A version of the song "Too Many Rappers", featuring Nas, was released as the album's second single in July 2009.[16] It peaked at #93 on the Billboard Hot 100 making it the Beastie Boys' first single in five years to chart on the Hot 100; the last time being "Ch-Check It Out" in 2004 that peaked at #68.[17] "Too Many Rappers" has also been nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.[17] This may not be regarded as belonging to this album as at the time it was intended for and promoted as part of the (never released) Hot Sauce Committee Pt 1 album.[17] A revised version of "Too Many Rappers" was included on the Hot Sauce Committee Pt 2 album.[17]

The next single, "Make Some Noise" was released as a download on April 11, 2011 and five days later as 7" vinyl single for Record Store Day.[1] "Make Some Noise" reached at #7 in Alternative Songs chart, #15 in Rock Songs, #18 in Japan Hot 100 and #76 in Canadian Hot 100.[18] On July 26, 2011, "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win" was released as the fourth single.[19] It debuted at #80 on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart making it the group's first appearance on the chart in 24 years; their last single to do so was "Brass Monkey" in 1987 which peaked at #83.[19]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic 83/100[20]
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [21]
Clash 8/10[22]
Robert Christgau A−[23]
Entertainment Weekly A−[24]
The Guardian [25]
Los Angeles Times [26]
Pitchfork Media 7.0/10[27]
PopMatters 9/10[28]
Rolling Stone [29]
Slant Magazine [30]

Upon its release, the album received positive reviews from most music critics.[20] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 83, based on 42 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim".[20] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic gave the album four and a half stars out of five, saying "Last time around, the Beasties weighed themselves down by creating retro-tribute to N.Y.C., taking everything just a little bit too seriously, but here they’re free of any expectations and are back to doing what they do best: cracking wise and acting so stupid they camouflage how kinetic, inventive, and rich their music is. And, make no mistake, The Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 2 does find the Beastie Boys at their best. Perhaps they’re no longer setting the style, but it takes master musicians to continually find new wrinkles within a signature sound, which is precisely what the Beasties do here."[21] Crispin Kott of PopMatters gave the album a nine out of ten, saying "Make no mistake, this is a contemporary album by a contemporary Beastie Boys. Sure, they’re still hilarious and juvenile, which is great because I’m only a few years younger than them myself, and I’m a complete doofus. But even when they’re in classic call/response hip-hop territory, it’s still bakery fresh. Well, for the most part, anyway."[28] Dave Simpson of The Guardian gave the album four out of five stars, saying "Now in their fourth decade of working together, the Beasties' eighth studio album revisits their old-skool roots. The tracks urge us to Make Some Noise, threaten to "rock da house" and even suggest a "party on the left." However, their wit and invention transforms such tired cliches into their freshest offering in years. A tapestry-cum-rollercoaster of sound, the confusingly titled album (Part One remains unreleased) mixes obscure samples, live playing, electronic squiggles and hardcore thrash."[25]

Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone gave the album four out of five stars, saying "Beastie Boys were already old-school back when they were young-school, hyping an early-Eighties hip-hop revival on Paul's Boutique before the Eighties were even over. So it's no surprise that on Hot Sauce Committee Part Two they make no effort to accommodate or even acknowledge any of the latest hip-hop trends. Instead, we get the sound of master musicians in their comfort zone, doing everything their own way. Nobody would want to hear the Beasties try anything else."[29] Huw Jones of Slant Magazine gave the album four out of five stars, saying "Gracefully light on the cynicism that's plagued numerous rappers entering the twilight of their career, and shamelessly heavy on the comical musings that have come to define the Beastie Boys, Hot Sauce Committee is an irresistibly fun record. Think of it as a trip down memory lane en route to the retirement home, though hopefully we can expect a few more detours before these New York veterans reach their destination."[30] Timmhotep Aku of XXL gave the album an L, saying "Yes, they’re the Beastie Boys, and of course fans would expect them to be eclectic and kooky, but reliable and predictable aren’t the same thing. And while HSC2 is a solid and enjoyable album, we hope that our favorite scientists will tinker with a slightly different, more exciting formula moving forward."[31]

Matt Diehl of the Los Angeles Times gave the album four out of four stars, saying "This is vintage Beasties, all exuberant pass-the-mike battle rhymes and gritty break-beats so funky, it’s near impossible not to head-bob through the entire record -- or slam dance, as the hard-core thump on “Lee Majors Come Again” so inspires. These aesthetics prove not so much dated as timeless: The Beasties don’t sound as if they’re repeating themselves as much as creating fresh grooves with a sensibility that’s proved enduring."[26] Mark Richardson of Pitchfork Media gave the album a 7.0 out of 10, saying "Taken together, these 16 songs, which seem to touch on just about everything the Beastie Boys have said and done, may not add up to something amazing, but they do the job. And listening to Hot Sauce Committee, it's hard not to reflect on how long the Beastie Boys have been together and how, unusually, their musical partnership still seems grounded in friendship rather than just business. There's still something inspiring in the idea of the Beastie Boys that transcends any single release. So while this may not be a great album or even a top-tier Beastie Boys album-- I'd place it somewhere between Hello Nasty and the inferior 5 Boroughs, neither of which can touch those first four-- anyone who cares about these guys will be glad it exists."[27] Kyle Anderson of Entertainment Weekly gave the album a A−, saying "Hot Sauce is a lot like Daniel Craig's übercool James Bond — another stripped-down return to a franchise's best virtues after a decade or so of wandering the desert. It took a little time, but the Boys are back with a license to ill."[24]

Commercial performance

Hot Sauce Committee Part Two debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200, selling 128,000 copies in its first week.[32]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Beastie Boys; additional lyrics on "Too Many Rappers" by Nasir Jones and "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win" by Santi White. 

No. Title Length
1. "Make Some Noise"   3:30
2. "Nonstop Disco Powerpack"   4:09
3. "OK"   2:49
4. "Too Many Rappers [New Reactionaries Version]" (featuring Nas) 4:51
5. "Say It"   3:25
6. "The Bill Harper Collection"   0:24
7. "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win" (featuring Santigold) 4:11
8. "Long Burn the Fire"   3:33
9. "Funky Donkey"   1:56
10. "The Larry Routine"   0:30
11. "Tadlock's Glasses"   2:19
12. "Lee Majors Come Again"   3:43
13. "Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament"   2:54
14. "Here's a Little Something for Ya"   3:08
15. "Crazy Ass Shit"   1:56
16. "The Lisa Lisa/Full Force Routine"   0:49

NOTE: The bonus 7" has tracks 17 and 18 reversed.

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2011)[34] Peak
position
U.S. Billboard 200 2
U.S. Billboard Alternative Albums 1
U.S. Billboard Rock Albums 1
U.S. Billboard Digital Albums 1
U.S. Billboard Rap Albums 1
U.S. Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 1
U.S. Billboard Tastemaker Albums 2
Canadian Albums Chart 3
German Albums Chart 3
Swiss Albums Top 100[35] 3
UK Albums Chart 9

Year-end charts

Chart (2011) Peak
position
Swiss Albums Top 100[36] 91

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Lee Majors 7" U.S. Promo". Beastiemania.com. March 30, 2011. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch diagnosed with cancer". NME. July 20, 2009. Retrieved September 20, 2009.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Jones, Damian (February 23, 2009). "Beasties promise 'strange' record". BBC News. Retrieved February 23, 2009.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Rya Backer (May 26, 2009). "Beastie Boys Make Fans Hungry For Hot Sauce Committee, Due In September". MTV News. Retrieved September 20, 2009.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Adam Anonymous (June 28, 2009). "Boys will be boys: Beastie Boys talk Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 1". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved September 20, 2009.
  6. ↑ Beastie Boys announce new album ‘Hot Sauce Committee’, due in September
  7. ↑ Beastie Boys "Check your Head" Commentary, at about the 16:30 mark.
  8. ↑ Beastie Boys' MCA Announces He Has Cancer, Group Pushes Back Hot Sauce Committee Part 1
  9. ↑ "Beastie Boy 'hopeful' over cancer". BBC News. October 8, 2009. Retrieved October 12, 2009.
  10. ↑ Murray, Robin (October 25, 2010). "Beastie Boys re-jig "Hot Sauce Committee"". Clash. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
  11. ↑ Beastie Boys Announce Hot Sauce Committee Release Date, Music News, IGN.com
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Beastie Boys Reveal Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 Track List". IGN. 2010-11-15. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  13. ↑ "Make some noise".
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 Kuperstein, Slava (2011-04-25). "Beastie Boys' "Hot Sauce Committee Part Two" Available For Free Stream | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales". HipHop DX. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  15. ↑ Raul Pollicino. "Discography". Beastiemania.com. Retrieved 2011-05-24.
  16. ↑ Breihan, Tom (July 21, 2009). "Listen: Beastie Boys: "Too Many Rappers [ft. Nas]"". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved September 20, 2009.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 "iTunes - Music - Too Many Rappers (feat. Nas) - Single by Beastie Boys". Itunes.apple.com. 2009-07-21. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  18. ↑ "iTunes - Music Videos - Make Some Noise by Beastie Boys". Itunes.apple.com. 2011-05-10. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "iTunes - Music - Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win (Remixes) [feat. Santigold] - EP by Beastie Boys". Itunes.apple.com. 2011-08-12. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Hot Sauce Committee Part Two Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic. Metacritic. Retrieved on May 3, 2011.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Stephen Thomas Erlewine (2011-05-03). "Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 2 - Beastie Boys | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  22. ↑ "Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two | Reviews | Clash Magazine". Clashmusic.com. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  23. ↑ "Raphael Saadiq/Beastie Boys". Social.entertainment.msn.com. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Kyle Anderson (2011-04-27). "Hot Sauce Committee Part Two review - The Beastie Boys | Music | EW.com Review | Music Reviews and News". EW.com. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Dave Simpson (April 28, 2011). "Beastie Boys: Hot Sauce Committee Part Two - review | Music". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 "Album review: Beastie Boys' 'Hot Sauce Committee Part Two' - latimes.com". Latimesblogs.latimes.com. 2011-05-02. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 "Beastie Boys: Hot Sauce Committee Part Two | Album Reviews". Pitchfork. 2011-05-04. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Kott, Crispin. "Beastie Boys: Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 2". PopMatters. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Rob Sheffield (2011-04-26). "Hot Sauce Committee Part Two | Album Reviews". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 "Beastie Boys: Hot Sauce Committee Part Two | Music Review". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  31. ↑ "Beastie Boys, Hot Sauce Committee Part Two - XXL". Xxlmag.com. 2011-05-11. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  32. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (May 11, 2011). "Beastie Boys Score No. 2 Debut on Billboard 200, Adele Holds at No. 1". Billboard. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  33. ↑ BBS FORUM
  34. ↑ "Beastie Boys Album & Song Chart History". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2012-10-05.
  35. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two". swisscharts.com. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  36. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2011". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 2013-09-09.