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Beastie Boys: Ill Communication (Capitol/Grand Royal EFP222 9)

Stephen Dalton, Vox, July 1994

BEARING A blatant allusion to their monstrous 1986 debut Licensed To Ill and a clutch of guitar-mayhem tracks recorded back in their native NYC, the Beavis and two Butt-heads of rap have almost come full circle for this, their fourth long player. The fuzzy, spliffed-up, Garage-jam vibe of 1992's L.A.-made Check Your Head still lingers, but it's sprinkled with the kind of spring-loaded, quick-change somersaults that made its predecessor Paul's Boutique such an inspired, idea-stuffed masterpiece.

Total word count of piece: 218

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