Instead of repeating ol’-man rapping mistakes of To the 5 Boroughs, Beastie Boys have gone all-instrumental on this release. As a guitar/bass/drums trio, the twelve tunes explore funky dub that isn’t far off from Check Your Head back-half tracks like “Groove Holmes”. As an act made famous with call/response rhymes and heavy sampling (now copyright lawsuit fodder mostly thanks to them), going in this direction feels a bit like leaving prime Melrose Place to make a movie with Carrot Top. But it’s better than making the same album over and over.

Instead of deep hip-hop grooves, these are laid-back studio jams barely extend beyond four minutes each. It’s loose and inoffensive background music for an unmade film and when a Wah pedal periodically appears, the moment teeters on the edge of porn muzak. Track 8 “The Rat Cage” is the highlight for me with its reggae and psychedelic touches earning appreciative head nods.

The inclusion of guest musicians Money Mark (keys) and Alfredo Ortiz (percussion) is meant to be complimentary but their flourishes turn them into featured players. The core band’s playing can feel perfunctory while the additional cast provides stereo candy that at least makes this experiment worth a few listens.