10 Most Frontloaded Albums In Rock History

10. Beastie Boys - Check Your Head

When the Beasties graduated from cartoonish frat boys to purveyors of the widest sound palette in hip hop, they celebrated their newfound freedom by filling their albums with every idea that popped into their heads. On 1989 masterpiece Paul’s Boutique, this worked wonders, a densely populated but tightly structured album that holds the listener’s attention from start to finish.

While 1992 follow up Check Your Head hits similar highs, it seems that less care is taken in the pacing of the piece. It starts with a sequence of tracks that demonstrate the Boys’ new interests, namely playing instruments harkening back to their hardcore days.

“Gratitude” is fully fledged stoner rock, while “So What’cha Want” and “Finger Lickin’ Good” is some of the least embarrassing rap/rock hybrid music you can ever hope to hear.

Towards the end, though, the Boys lose a little focus. The grooves are still there, but they’re solely grooves, rather than tight tracks built around charmingly loose musicianship. By MCA’s well meaning “Namaste”, the record’s energy has been squandered somewhat.