notes say that Rubber Soul marked the period when he discovered“ that love was the answer.” He also describes the album as the turning point when the band had fully assimilated its source material and truly come into its own as original artists. He writes that the album was“ the first album where we took over control completely.” It’ s worth noting the band members’ ages at the time. Lennon and Starr were 25, McCartney was 23, and Harrison was 22. Beyond the band’ s assimilated musical influences, Lennon also says,“ Rubber Soul was the pot album, and Revolver was the acid.”
McCartney also contributes a new introductory essay, writing about the band’ s pride in making the album.“ To this day I feel that the record we made was a strong advance on what had gone before,” he writes. He also describes naming the album and finding the perfect cover art by a happy accident. The book also includes many revealing quotes from Harrison and Starr. Rubber Soul not only paved the way for Revolver, but also inspired Brian Wilson to craft the Beach Boys’ landmark Pet Sounds album, which in turn sparked McCartney to spearhead Sgt. Pepper’ s Lonely Hearts Club Band. This album is a must, and this Super Deluxe set gives Rubber Soul and its fans the due they deserve.
– Jeff Elbel
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MIKE D Thank You( Capitol Records)
When Beastie Boys co-founder Adam Yauch left the earth in 2012, he took with him part of the carefree experimentation of the 1990s. The Beastie Boys were there at the dawn of hardcore punk rock, and a few years later they were seduced by the sounds of New York City. The minimal, abrasive sounds of hip hop called to these three Jewish teenagers, and they quickly changed out their torn blue jeans for Adidas sweatsuits and gold chains. For the next 25 years, the boys would never settle on a single sound. From the psychedelic hip-hop masterpiece Paul ' s Boutique to the Los Angeles-based skate punk of Check Your Head, to the live jazz jams of Ill Communication, and culminating in the multicultural smorgasbord of Hello Nasty,
there was never a dull moment for Beastie Boys fans. When Adam Yauch, aka MCA, passed away from parotid gland cancer, the Beasties decided to completely cease operations. Sure Mike D and Ad-Rock could’ ve kept it going with a replacement or a group of guest musicians, but that wasn’ t in the cards. Adam Yauch was too embedded in the group ' s marrow; one could argue it would be like Van Halen continuing with a new guitarist. Instead, the guys released a tell-all book and a documentary, but neither quite satisfied those who wanted something fresh. Nearly 15 years passed until Mike D announced this new solo project, Thank You. If you set aside expectations of a new Beastie Boys album, the fascinatingly innovative Thank You should delight anyone interested in glitchy electronic punk rock. The album also has a warm familiarity throughout, making“ What We Got” sound both futuristic and like it could have appeared on a skateboarding compilation VHS tape from the early 90s. Joined by his two sons Davis and Skyler as part of the backing band“ 5D”, the guys create a litany of electro jams that constantly morph from one feeling to another many times during a single song. Mike’ s high-pitched vocals haven’ t changed much since Licensed To Ill, though on Thank You he would rather yell his thoughts through a bullhorn. While the encyclopedic pop-culture references that populated many Beastie Boys lyrics are sorely missed here, Mike sounds more content with the simplicity of early hardcore punk records, usually casting an“ Us vs Them” theme amongst these new lyrics. The main draw of Thank You is the schizophrenic production. While most of the album is dense party jams, the hitmaker in Mike D’ s past gets a little introspective on the quasi-ballads“ I Don’ t Care” and“ Back To Start.”“ It’ s Time” is a simple, old-school hip-hop jam propelled by a tribal beat that wouldn’ t sound out of place on an earlyaughts Missy Elliot album.“ True Colors” flirts with dark, droning psych rock, sounding like a mix of King Crimson and Run DMC. Guitars are strewn throughout the record, but they add more texture than power-chord crunch.
It is nice to see that Capitol Records, the home of the Beastie Boys since 1989, takes a gamble on this unique slab of electronic weirdness. Hopefully Ad-Rock hears Thank You and is inspired to forge his own path after the Beastie Boys.
-Andy Derer 8
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18 illinoisentertainer. com november 2026