CD Review

Writing a review of the Beastie Boys Solid Gold Hits compilation is probably one of the easier writing assignments I’ve ever had. This greatest hits album is a party mix of familiar favorites ready to go. From "Sabotage," and "No Sleep till Brooklyn," to "Hey Ladies" and even "Intergalactic," these hits recount more than twenty years of the Boys rockin’ the mic.

It's hard to get nostalgic about a band that still has youth on their side, but after the countless hours of brilliance they've awarded us through their extensive catalogue, you're forced to reflect on their past accomplishments in awe. It's a walk down memory lane from the birth and early adolescence of rap and hip-hop, to the modern mind-melting compositions that are quickly becoming staples of iPod playlists.

It's a curious release since their anthology, The Beastie Boys: The Sounds of Science is already comfortable on most cd shelves, and their incredible instrumentation is well documented on '96's The In Sounds from the Way Out. With those two already covering a majority of their career, it's no surprise this concise greatest hits collection drops so close to the holidays. For a stocking stuffer, it's great filler for Beastie Boys completists and a good starting point for those younger siblings late to the game.