RECORDINGS Quick Spins

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

DESIRE

Pharoahe Monch

You won't hear rapper Pharoahe Monch's stellar new album on the radio. Why? It's certainly not for lack of superb songwriting, bumping beats and shrewd rhymes. Songs like the title track and "Hold On," the latter featuring a cameo from Erykah Badu, could easily stack up to anything on the urban airwaves today. No, it's because of who Monch is: a 15-year denizen of "backpack rap," hip-hop's ghetto for the esoteric and eclectic. That's a shame. "Desire" is a full, robust statement from an artist in an era when most rappers can't complete a single original thought.

Alas, here's what everyone will be missing: Pharoahe Monch blasting out of the gate with the rock-infused "Free"; galloping on to metaphors galore, as he "dies laughing like John Ritter" and "lays in the cut like Neosporin"; channeling Chuck D. in a full-fledged cover of Public Enemy's "Welcome to the Terrordome"; and ditching hip-hop for other rhythms whenever he feels like it.

Monch's desire for perfection is upstaged only by his quest for justice. Even on an album of abundant riches, two arresting tracks stand out. On "When the Gun Draws," Monch decries gun violence in a novel way: He inhabits not the character of the shooter nor the victim, but the bullet. And on the finale, "Trilogy," Monch opens a three-episode "Rashomon"-style window on one incident of domestic violence, refusing to fill in the blanks for the lazy listener.

Add to these virtual tragedies a real misfortune: that most people won't be listening to one of the few hip-hop artists with something to say.

DOWNLOAD THESE: "Desire," "When the Gun Draws," "Welcome to the Terrordome"

-- Dan Charnas

THE MIX-UP

Beastie Boys

Is there much demand for an all-instrumentals collection from the Beastie Boys? If so, "The Mix-Up" should leave only die-hards wanting more.

The Beasties have gone this route in the past, but "The Mix-Up" is the trio's first full-length CD consisting of newly released instrumentals, devoid of vocals, samples and programmed beats. Like "The In Sound From Way Out!," the band's 1996 all-instrumentals compilation, this fresh batch of tunes certainly has its goofy charms.

After all, it's hard not to be amused by the Beasties' groove-smitten, stiff-wristed take on funk, jazz and psychedelic sonics. Sure, Medeski, Martin & Wood can play this stuff blindfolded, to say nothing of the great jazz organ combos. But there's something to be said for the Beasties' determination to wallow without pretense -- or apparently much practice -- in wave after wave of loungey atmospherics. Obviously, drummer Mike D, guitarist Adam Horovitz and bassist Adam Yauch have too much studio time on their hands -- the trio gets a big assist here from keyboardist Money Mark and percussionist Alfredo Ortiz -- but at least they're having fun.

And so are we -- up to a point. Alas, it isn't long before the trippy evocations ("B for My Name") and subverted funk jams ("Electric Worm") are followed by grooves and drones that aren't nearly as appealing. A smattering of applause can be heard following a take now and then. It's not much of a response, but it seems about right for this vocal-less -- and often aimless -- diversion.

DOWNLOAD THESE: "B for My Name," "Electric Worm"

-- Mike Joyce

The Beastie Boys are scheduled to perform Aug. 4 at the Virgin Festival at Pimilico Race Course in Baltimore.