Fatboy Slim - You've Come A Long Way, Baby
Fun Lovin' Criminals - 100% Colombian


You've Come A Long Way, Baby
- Fatboy Slim


Fatboy Slim is just one of the many guises of Norman Cook, who has had hits as Beats International and Freakpower to name but two. Not only has Cook had hits under at least a dozen different pseudonyms, he is also one of the most sought after producers in the music world. You've Come A Long Way, Baby is the second album Cook has released as Fatboy Slim and its going to take over the world, literally.

It really is that good, from the first beat of Right Here, Right Now on, this is the way dance music should sound. The fattest beats, the funkiest bass and the sexiest samples imaginable. If The Rockafeller Skank doesn't get you skanking around the room, then Gangster Tripping with its thumping bass and ska rhythm has to get you shuffling your feet. Then just when you thought the bass lines couldn't get any funkier, Build It Up, Tear It Down kicks you in the head.

Kalifornia, with its not so startling observation about California, takes the bpm down a notch but the bass is as insistent as ever, as it is on Soul Surfing, another guaranteed dance floor filler. You're Not From Brighton just plods along, but any fears of a lapse toward the end are soon allayed by the sublime Praise You with its majestic conga drums. Love Island kicks so hard it should come with a health warning for your speakers.

The final track, Acid 8000 sums up the album perfectly with the line "If this don't make your booty move, your booty must be dead." Never a truer word was said. If your stereo doesn't make the room vibrate at top volume then this album will make you wish it did. The best dance album ever, turn it up and annoy the neighbours.

Rating : 9 / 10

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100% Colombian
- Fun Lovin' Criminals


The Fun Lovin' Criminals are back with their second album 100% Colombian, the follow up to their impressive debut, Come Find Yourself. That 100% Colombian was written while touring is hardly surprising. Many of the tracks sound like a band trying different styles to try alleviating the boredom of sound checks. Some of the songs shouldn't have made any further than a sound check, but the chopping and changing between styles keeps you on your toes if nothing else.

You'll either love or hate Love Unlimited, FLC's odd homage to Barry White. Korean Bodega sees FLC deliver their take on Bo Diddley's guitar riff, helped along by large slices of bass. FLC also try on some heavy metal guitars for size in the shape of Southside & 10th Street, with disappointing results. All My Time Is Gone grafts some jazz onto their usual funky bass lines and Mini Bar Blues has a country feel, not unlike Wilco on Being There.

100% Colombian won't disappoint those who come looking for more of FLC's laid back, slices of funk. Up On The Hill, All For Self, Big Night Out & Back On The Block are among the tracks displaying funky bass lines and Huey delivering his inimitable, New York accented, highly questionable lyrics. Unfortunately, try as they might none of these tracks have the immediacy or staying power of songs like Scooby Snacks or King Of New York.

Unfortunately for Fun Lovin' Criminals, they seem to have suffered 'difficult second album' syndrome. 100% Colombian is by no means a disaster. In fact were it not for the expectation built by their prodigious debut this would be a very impressive album but it just doesn't live up to its predecessor's high standard. Sadly not quite 100% Colombian.

Rating : 7 / 10

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