Listen Up: Beastie Boys' 'The Mix Up'

"The Mix Up" (Capitol)

New York's Beastie Boys couldn't have asked for a better title for their new album, "The Mix Up," because mixing things up is exactly what the trio of adulterated former brat rappers do here.

Drummer Mike D., bass player MCA (Adam Yauch) and guitarist Ad Rock (Adam Horovitz) trade in their microphones and turntables for an all-instrumental album. The results work surprisingly well with each song's vibe allowing the music to speak for itself without words needed.

"Off the Grid," which appears midway through, takes enough funky twists and turns to make your ears queasy while giving your head something to bob to and feet something to groove with. "The Rat Cage" and "The Gala Event" showcase a darker sound while "14th St. Break" and "Electric Worm" are downright infectious.

Still, the choice for these usually political rappers to write a record without words is a curious one.

"I don't know if you can put politics into just instrumentation," Horovitz said about the record during a news conference before its release. "It's an interesting time to not say something."

Influences from dub, jazz and punk can be heard on "The Mix Up," making it tough not to like, especially if you're a fan of the Beasties' 1996 release "The In Sound From Way Out!"

The mashing of styles creates some funk-flavored, soul-filled Muzak suited for a dentist's office where Bootsy Collins is the receptionist and James Brown is the man working on your molars. DOWNLOAD: "Off the Grid"

-- Travis Hay