|
by Adam Bryson
 Whilst many of his contemporaries in the world of electronic and dance
music fave faded in and out of favour with the masses, Norman ‘Fatboy
Slim’ Cook has somehow managed to remain popular throughout a decade of
pushing his big beat wares.
To celebrate, the former Housemartin releases ‘Why Try Harder’, a
greatest hits package of memorable, quality moments of musical mayhem
and madness.
Kicking the disc off is the track that kicked off ‘Slim’s career and
arguably one of his most memorable tracks, ‘Rockerfeller Skank’. All
huge beats and surf-rock guitar licks, the radio cut featured here from
1998’s ‘You’ve Come Along Way Baby’, this massive stomper sees old
Northern Soul track ‘Sliced Tomatoes’ lovingly beaten by a plethora of
samples and is still one of Cook’s defining moments.
Less frenzied, yet equally as impressive comes a second cut from ‘You’ve
Come Along Way…’, ‘Praise You’, a track that received perhaps more
attention for its mad video, featuring a bunch of eccentric dancers
prancing about in an American mall, than the song itself. However, it
should be judged on its own merit as a great slice of pop music.
Though Cornershop never quite received the level of attention you might
expect after receiving the Fatboy Slim treatment, Cook’s remix of their
‘Brimful of Asha’ remains a monumental mid-90s party track.
A familiar trait with Fatboy Slim is that often the videos accompanying
his work often get more attention than the tunes themselves.
That was the case with the daft dancing in ‘Praise You’, the fat bloke
from ‘Right Here, Right Now’ (which also features on this CD) and, most
notably, with actor Christopher Walkden dancing through the air in
‘Weapon of Choice’.
Yet though the videos do deserve credit on their own merit, the tunes
themselves are equally as unique and worthy of praise. From the early
big beat stuff like ‘Gangsta Trippin’ to the more inflective tracks such
as the posthumous collaboration with the late Doors singer, Jim Morrison
on ‘Bird of Prey’.
Later work such as ‘Slash Dot Dash’ or ‘Santz Cruz’ are less noted than
their earlier counterparts, but are just as good and fit will in this
career-spanning, genre-bending collection of top tunes.
Recommended Links:
www.fatboyslim.net – Fatboy Slim’s Official website
►
Return to
Album Reviews
|
