Beastie Boys to release “Ill Communication” reissue on July 14th

The latest installment of this summer’s deluxe remastered Beastie Boys series has been confirmed: Ill Communication will get the multi-format reissue treatment on July 14 on Capitol Records. Beastieboys.com will be taking preorders as of July 6 for versions ranging from a digital download of the full album and bonus b-sides/rarities disc to an ultra-deluxe 3 LP 180HQ vinyl version packaged with a lenticular hardcover coffee table book case and limited to 1500 copies.

Debuting at #1 upon its May 1994 release, Beastie Boys’ fourth album would quickly become an unstoppable force of nature, pervading every aspect of pop culture and public consciousness. Its charge to the top of the charts was led by “Sabotage” and its legendary Spike Jonze/Nathanial Hornblower helmed tribute to ’70s TV police dramas, as ROLLING STONE dubbed Ill Communication 1994’s “soundtrack for summer.” Crowds and critics alike were equally and instantly floored by hip hop highlights like the opening “Sure Shot,” the classic Jimmy Smith homage “Root Down” and the Q-Tip collaboration “Get It Together,” as a VIBE (RIP) cover story–the magazine’s first on a white artist–hailed Beastie Boys as “perhaps the most consistently innovative musicians to emerge out of hip hop.” It was a claim that Ill Communication would justify for years to come, as everything from the household name hits to instrumental favorites “Sabrosa” and “Ricky’s Theme” to hardcore punk workouts “Tough Guy” and “Heart Attack Man” remain B Boys staples to this day. And back then as now, Ill Communication’s impact and momentum showed no signs of abating.1995 saw Beastie Boys instantly sell out the Quadrophonic Joystick Tour, marking the band’s return to arena-headlining status. They continued to circle the globe as the record went multi-platinum, finally taking a break after the historic first Tibetan Freedom Concert drew 100,000 attendees over two days at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park in June 1996.

The full list of Ill Communication deluxe remastered configurations is as follows:

Digital Download (album and b-sides)
Deluxe Digital Download (album, b-sides, videos, video director commentary)
Deluxe, limited collector’s vinyl + Digital Download
Standard double vinyl + Digital Download
Ecopack double CD + Digital Download
Shirt combos:
Digital + shirt:
Standard Vinyl + shirt:
CD + shirt:
Deluxe, limited collector’s vinyl + shirt

The full track list:
Disc 1
Sure Shot
Tough Guy
B-Boys Makin’ With The Freak Freak
Bobo on the Corner
Root Down
Sabotage
Get It Together
Sabrosa
The Update
Futterman’s Rule
Alright Hear This
Eugene’s Lament
Flute Loop
Do It
Ricky’s Theme
Heart Attack Man
The Scoop
Shambala
Bodhisattva Vow
Transitions

Disc 2
Root Down (Free Zone Mix) (Remixed By The Prunes)
Resolution Time
Get It Together (Buck-Wild Remix)
Dope Little Song
Sure Shot (European B-Boy Mix) (Remixed by the Prunes)
Heart Attack Man (Unplugged) (Previously Unreleased)
The Vibes
Atwater Basketball Association File No.172-C
Heart Attack Man (Live)
The Maestro (Live)
Mullet Head
Sure Shot (European B-Boy Instrumental) (Remixed By The Prunes)

The retail release date of all physical editions other than the 3xLP version will be July 14. The ultra deluxe will be released shortly thereafter.

Beastie Boys’ all new Hot Sauce Committee Part 1 will be released September 15.