The Beastie's 'Hot Sauce, Part Two'

The Beastie Boys have been dealing with a lot of morbid topics in recent years, from the post-9/11 concerns of 2004's "To the 5 Boroughs" to Adam "MCA" Yauch's cancer diagnosis in 2009 that delayed their album until now. But "Hot Sauce Committee Part Two" (Capitol) is all about the party, a kindred spirit to 1998's "Hello Nasty." Its familiar grooves, expected goofs and sharp rhymes show the Beasties can still compete with anyone on hip-hop's stage. "Oh, my God, just look at me, Grandpa been rapping since '83," declares Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz in "Too Many Rappers." Good thing "Grandpa" and his pals still got it going on.

Beastie Boys

"Hot Sauce Committee Part Two"

GRADE A-

BOTTOM LINE Unabashedly old-school without sounding old