The Mix-Up

Infobox Album
Name = The Mix-Up
Type = studio
Artist = Beastie Boys


Released = June 26, 2007
Recorded = 2006–2007 at Oscilloscope Laboratories, New York City, New York
Genre = Post-rock, instrumental rock, post-punk, jazz-funk
Length = 42:43
Label = Capitol
Producer = Beastie Boys
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:dbfyxzy5ldae link]
*The A.V. Club (B) [http://www.avclub.com/content/music/beastie_boys link]
*"Entertainment Weekly" (C+) [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20043358,00.html link]
*IGN (9.4/10) [http://music.ign.com/articles/796/796503p1.html link]
*"NME" (4/10) [http://www.nme.com/reviews/8684 link]
*Pitchfork Media (4.6/10) [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/43830-the-mix-up link]
*PopMatters (6/10) [http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/42628/beastie-boys-the-mix-up link]
*Rockfeedback Rating|3|5 [http://www.rockfeedback.com/article.asp?nObjectID=4945 link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|3|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/15055053/review/15085427/the_mix_up?source=album_reviews_rssfeed link]
Last album = "Solid Gold Hits" (2005)
This album = "The Mix-Up"
(2007)
Next album =

"The Mix-Up" is the seventh studio album by the Beastie Boys, released on June 26, 2007. It consists entirely of instrumental performances and won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album.

Background

On May 1, 2007, an e-mail sent to those on the Beastie Boys' mailing list revealed the album is all instrumental.

On June 21, 2007, a legal stream of the entire album was released on BrooklynVegan.com. [ [http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2007/06/stream_the_new_10.html BrooklynVegan.com] ] Snippets of all the songs on the album can be found on [http://www.beastieboys.com BeastieBoys.Com] along with the video for one of the songs, "Off the Grid". The video for "The Rat Cage" has also been released.

Band member Michael Diamond said that "even though "The Mix-Up" is a 'post-punk instrumental' album, the Beasties have no plans to ditch vocals for good. In fact, they are currently planning another version of the album that will feature collaborations with 'a pretty wide array' of 'mostly newer' vocalists." [ [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/42694-mike-d-talks-new-beastie-boys-instrumental-album Mike D. Talks New Beastie Boys Instrumental Album] ]

Two singers speculated to be featured on the vocal version were Jarvis Cocker and M.I.A., [ [http://www.bigcheesemagazine.com//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=449&Itemid=57 Bizarre Beastie Boys Update - Second Edition of new Album "The Mix-Up" to feature vocals and remixes] ] with Mark Ronson somehow also involved. The idea for this version of the album has since been abandoned.

Reception

The album debuted at number 15 on the U.S. Billboard 200, selling about 44,000 copies in its first week. [Jonathan Cohen, [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003607217 "Cyrus Sidesteps Clarkson To Debut At No. 1"] , Billboard.com, July 4, 2007.] As of April 27, 2008, the album has sold 258,000 copies worldwide [ [http://www.ukmix.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=46325 Billboard Top 200] ] In Australia, the album debuted at number 42. In the UK, the album debuted at number 79. It is by far their lowest charting album in the UK so far, the highest being "Hello Nasty", which debuted at number 1. [ [http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/070707cluk.txt UK chart log] ]

According to BallerStatus.com, "The Mix-Up" was the highest selling "hip hop album" of that week. On September 15, the Beastie Boys sent a newsletter listing the last of the shows associated with "The Mix-Up"; within the newsletter it was joked "The Mix-Up" was a platinum record.

"Uncut" magazine gave it four stars out of five, saying "The Mix-Up" is the best record collection ever thoroughly digested and re-imagined by a bunch of guys in love with sound."

"The Mix-Up" won a Grammy in the Best Pop Instrumental category. [http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/50th_show/list.aspx Grammy Winners List] ]

Track listing

#"B for My Name" – 3:31
#"14th St. Break" – 3:34
#"Suco de Tangerina" – 3:17
#"The Gala Event" – 3:47
#"Electric Worm" – 3:15
#"Freaky Hijiki" – 3:05
#"Off the Grid" – 4:36
#"The Rat Cage" – 3:37
#"The Melee" – 3:10
#"Dramastically Different" – 3:57
#"The Cousin of Death" – 3:06
#"The Kangaroo Rat" – 3:28

Bonus tracks

#"The Mix-Up" (exclusive to Japanese release)
#"Fibonacci Sequence" (exclusive to Japanese release)
#"Biscuits and Butter" (iTunes exclusive) – 4:19

Personnel

* Michael Diamond - drums
* Adam Horovitz - guitars
* Adam Yauch - horizontal and upright basses
* Mark Nishita - Clavinet, Rhodes, Farfisa
* Alfredo Ortiz - cussions
* Beastie Boys - producer, engineer, art direction
* Jon Weiner - engineer
* Greg Calbi - mastering
* Bill McMullen - illustration, package design

References