Earlier this week a group of French and Spanish scientists brought the Pyrenean ibex back from extinction through cloning.  The ibex, a species of Spanish mountain goat, had been declared officially extinct in 2000 after numbers had dwindled throughout the 90s.  In related news, the Beastie Boys have reissued Paul’s Boutique.

The Beastie Boys set the bar so high with Paul’s Boutique that they have yet to come close to topping it.  In their defence, however, one could argue that no one else has come close either.  Drawing vocals and instrumentation from 105 different songs (got more horns than a Pyrenean ibex?), the Dust Brother’s production on Paul’s was a revelation.  Sampling immediately became the status quo in hip hop production and ran rampant until Biz Markie got his ass sued in 1991 and screwed it up for everyone.  While modern rap music still relies heavily on sampling, it will never again be used as liberally or innovatively as it was on Paul’s Boutique.  This is no fault of the Beastie Boys.

The other reason the Beasties shouldn’t feel too bad about hitting their creative apex 20 years ago is that it kind of happened to everybody.  Late ‘80s/early ‘90s hip hop acts were notorious for making their best music on their first or second albums.  Tribe’s The Low End Theory, BDP’s Criminal Minded, Snoop’s Doggystyle – the list goes on with very few exceptions.  It’s an understandable phenomenon, and one not limited to hip hop.  Critical and financial success dampen the creative drive, and it’s downhill from there.  The Beastie Boys followed Paul’s Boutique with two excellent albums (Check Your Head and Ill Communication) but never regained the form and energy of their second release.

Yet while the album showcased a number of the Beasties best songs and was showered in critical praise for it’s pioneering production, it has held cult status in the 20 years since its release due to its relative commercial failure.  Hence the well-deserved reissue.  The cloned Pyrenean ibex died just seven minutes after being unnaturally belched back into the world, returning its kind to extinction.  Let’s hope Paul’s Boutique hangs around a little longer.