Better Living Through Chemistry

Dull and dated. If I were being generous I'd say I'm sure a fully sober middle-aged woman listening to this at 7am is not the target audience, but I found it boring in 1995 too. Just makes me want to listen to the Beastie Boys.

You can almost feel where each song is going before it goes there. Haters may call this "predictable" but I call it a "goddamn good time". [Looks directly at camera to address Haters] Lighten up, Haters, this guy's name is Fatboy. He named himself Fatboy. Were you expecting restraint? Did you think Fatboy was gonna sit down at the control table and slowly, tastefully nibble and sample. This is a feast of repetition. A-

The title is a dead giveaway. This might be OK if you are full of E's but otherwise it's just someone messing about in the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Utter tripe.

Just beats and loops...

Repetitive.

Almost archetypal of Big Beat, Norman Cook proves himself an absolute master of yet another genre. This is the dude from The Housemartins who went on to score Number 1s as Beats International (dub be good to me) and Freak Power (Turn on, tune in, cop out) before defining a (rather large) subset of the 90s UK music scene. Yes - this is repetitive. It's big beat, it's supposed to be. The beats are supported by often near incomprehensible vocal samples. Inevitably in the mainstream club scene, people would attempt to sing along to these vocals, and there was honestly something genuinely lovely about watching towny lads in the 90s, clad in their uniform Ben Sherman shirts, chanting "Gay porn gay porn gay porn" as "Give the po' man a break" spun on the Techniks. It's not Cook's best ever work, but it sure is some of his most influential.

Fun upbeat dance music that isn't awful to listen to while doing other things.

One of my first ever Amazon.com purchases (back when they had first expanded to selling music in addition to books). I don't even know why I wanted it, but I did. Still slaps top to bottom.

Terrible. I can't believe not one but two fatboy slim albums are on this list. Terrible music and terrible album choice. May god have mercy on the person that decided to put fatboy slim on here.

Less annoyingly repetitive than his other album on the list, but still, at 71 minutes, it starts to feel like you’re banging your head against a wall.

I’m not chewing my face off in a club in the 90s, where this music fits in. It’s not really my bag in general and is very out of place in my ‘working from home on a wed morning’ playlist.

Nonsense music that I typically would not listen to but will gladly dance to.

Really enjoyed this. Made me feel like an extra in a rave scene. Good working music. Fun. Easy. Not my genre at all but it clicked with me today for some reason.

Fun! Catchy, energetic dance music. Good for working and staying energized.

Loved it

Sure, it's not the most sophisticated, or the most imaginative example of EDM music, but it won't be out of place in my Tidal library.

Absolutely loving the fuzz on The Weekend Starts Here. The beat on First Down also gets me groooooooooving. The whole album is just a fun groovefest.

I am not a huge electronic music fan but this album kills it. I think I like it better than other electronic music because there is a lot of guitar and other instruments involved. Just kind of seems like my ADHD brain created this music. Chaotic yet peaceful and catchy as well.

I should go back to Fatboy Slim more often. Really takes me back and reminds me of the Jet Set Radio soundtrack

Maybe the best DJ album ever? Not saying a lot cuz DJs are usually much better at producing singles than albums, but still, this is much more musically entertaining than your typical DJ album. I could totally see if from a certain place and time finding this to be the soundtrack of a delightfully misspent youth.

Listened to this like a cloth-eared dunce from my iPhone’s little speaker and that felt right. I’m not a murderer of joy, N Cock has a grasp on fun, and I can live with this and its grand beats for a day. Trois.

Pretty good. Fun beats

Yeah this one is actually listenable. The less aggressive (arrogant? I had the correct adjective in my head right up to the point I started to type) Fatboy Slim record. Enjoyable samples from odd places, the guitar riff in Santa Cruz feels like it should be from some US alternative rock band, it's actually the opening of Love Loves to Love by...Lulu? Going Out of My Head is still a banger, before you knew it Apollo 440 were sampling riffs left right and centre to ape it. Everybody Needs a 303 is funky as all get out. Yes it is nonsense music. Not really sure why I enjoyed this listen far more than the massive one, perhaps because it didn't get played to death at the time. A few slightly boring tracks at the end provided a nice reality check to stop me going wild with my rating, this is a high 3 let's be fair, perfectly enjoyable to listen to.

I definitely appreciate getting two Fatboy Slim albums in this collection, although I'm not sure this is one of his best albums (but it *was* his debut album, which likely explains its inclusion). And I bought this CD a long time ago, so it's equally nice to revisit an album I've enjoyed over the years (even if I haven't listened to it all that much recently). My favorites are the single "Going out of my mind" (with a fun accompanying video), "Give the po'man a break", and one of my all-time favorite Fatboy Slim tracks "Michael Jackson" (which I still find myself humming at times); and a nod to the interesting video to "Everybody needs a 303". A solid debut, but he definitely got more interesting and varied over the course of his future albums.

"I'm really into Fatboy Slim but, like, his *early* stuff" Anyone? Thought not

Fantastic. My ears love picking these sounds apart, and this was a great soundtrack to my Borderlands The Pre Sequel grinding

I can remember buying this album on release because the guy in the record shop told me it was by the 'talented one' from Beats International. An absolutely amazing album, there were only a few artists creating music like this at this time, and even after 30 years it sounds fantastic.

While it might be as famous as his later work, this is still some damn good big beat. 4.5 bumped up to 5.

I’m at a 5. The last time we got Fatboy Slim was 474 days ago; I gave that album a 5 and called it a masterclass in how to make repetition sound compelling. 474 days later, I feel like that is a weirdly dismissive statement that undermines just how fucking tough this style of music is & how impressively this album comes together. This is a masterclass not in repetition, but in how to mesh samples together in a coherent, exciting, and constantly entertaining way. Yes, this is occasionally a repetitive album, but to point that out while you're listening to it leaves a sort of impression that you’re a bystander to the groove as opposed to immersing yourself in it, and that makes you kind of a square. Time is supposed to fly when you’re having fun, and damn it, I had a LOT of fun here. I’m not sure if this is better than “You’ve Come a Long Way Baby”, given that it has been 474 days, but I’ll damned if I don’t feel just as good after listening to this one. When this album is rolling at its highest points, it feels like listening to a DJ having the set of their fucking life. Of course, this album isn’t immune to criticism; this is Fatboy Slim’s first album, after all, so a lot of the tighter refinements that he’d make by that second album just aren’t here. There are points where intros go a little long in a way that tests the patience at points (specifically the first 1:20 or so of “10th & Crenshaw”), or some tracks that go a little long in a way that stalls some of the album’s momentum (namely “The Weekend Starts Here”), at least one track that’s a little too basic (“Punk to Funk”), & one track that just doesn’t have a great sense of progression (“The Sound of Milwaukee"). If I had listened to just the original UK tracklist, this would be a 4.5 that would still be bumped up to a 5. Thank goodness then for the two extra tracks included on the U.S. version of the album; “Michael Jackson” & “Next to Nothing” really bring the energy back after the original last two tracks pull the vibes down just a bit. The punchier, techno-inspired percussion in the former really makes the track, & the vague chaos of all the synths flying around in the latter really works for me, especially as it makes for a more compelling album closer. Granted, those tracks make the album go from 57 minutes to 70 minutes, but I think the trade-off for a more satisfying ending is worth it. There’s not a track I’d cut or replace from the original UK version, even with some of its flaws. I can acknowledge that electronica / plunderphonics stuff isn’t for everyone, so I guess I’m not that surprised by the 2.99 on the site (even if it is a little baffling to me). For my tastes, it’s just really easy to pop headphones in and fully get immersed into this sort of thing. As always, there’s some level of VGM influence that makes this easier to digest for my ears, and I guess that helps far more than I can ever realize. This album is a damn good 5, and subconsciously, it was probably always going to be a 5 the second it popped up. I highly recommend it, and I’m glad it’s on the list.

I already listened, that's good.

I can definitely see why people wouldn't really like this. I loved it front to back.

Fatboy slim really has a penchant for fabricating these punchy tunes that just get me pumped. Everything just seems like such a breakthrough for the time it was created.

Heel vet album. Nog wat ruiger dan zijn latere werk!

Fatboy Slim falls squarely into the epicenter of my musical world. There is no "this is great" or this is OK... it is canon for my music taste universe. Several bands fall within this bandwidth and form the foundation of my inner circle that expands and takes in every other band and style thereafter. It all starts here and everything evolves from it. Thus, there is really no point in candy coating it. For me this is the cats meow.

Loved that breakbeat vibe

Chill vibes beats

Always happy to listen to 90s electronica!

It seems I like this.

I liked this much more than I expected to.

Solid stuff

I'm a bit fan of this nonsense, it gets me moving. I'm sure it's not everyone's cup of tea though.

So so good

The production is great. This is a very fun listen.

Genius, and one of his best eras of geniushood

Fun and simple. Maybe not ideal for morning commute, but works in the evening. Im gonna give 5 because throwing a party at Brighton beach is an unmatched vibe, respect.

Chill and groovy electro, good for working

It's always 3am somewhere and the party is just getting started. This memory brings back fond memories of hearing tracks from this album, not knowing who they were by. I remember being completely blown away when I first heard "Going Out Of My Head" Less drugs and more like copious amounts of alcohol fuelled those times for me. To me this album is still exciting 28 years

Great Album!

Right off the bat I like these beats.

Probably the best edm album I've had so far. Not one that is rightly influential yet bland in itself, but one that actually had me bopping the whole way through. A proper feel-good, Bri'ish club night in while home sick after Christmas

Excellent album for studying or working. Chill, expressive vibe throughout the first three tracks.

love this..takes me right back to my clubbing days

Kult!

As much as I enjoy Fatboy Slim and was more than happy to listen to this album (which I have listened to a time or two before), I think that this may be another artist that is overrepresented on the list when there are so many other artist that are absent from it. For my money, just give me You've Come Along Way, Baby as the one that I must hear before I die.

Very fun, very groovy. Any need for this AND You've Come a Long Way on this list? I don't think so but I had a good time.

When I saw this I wondered what new things another Fatboy Slim would bring to the table after having already had the hit-packed “You’ve Come A Long Way Baby” from a few years after this. I’m not sure if there was anything new or not, but the infectious melodies quickly dispersed by desire to judge and I just really enjoyed the music. Terrific!

It's not as banger filled as other fatboy slim but I think this is undeniably a fantastic album. I really enjoyed having it on at work.

Just awesome. Not his most famous work but full of life and energy.

I hadn't heard much of Fatboy Slim's earlier stuff but this album is a cracker. Loving the retro album art too (although it wouldn't have been retro in the 90s obvs)

Michael Jackson Tina Turner Michael Jackson look what you've done I love this album. Literally every track is fantastic. 5/5

9/10, love the style and bopped to every single beat on the album.

I've always kind of liked "Better Living..." better than "You've Come a Long Way..." by Fatboy Slim. It is more straightforward in what it is doing, electronic music-wise, but that makes it feel more consistent, even though the tracks were recorded at different times. It doesn't feel quite as exciting this many years out, for me, but I still think it is really great and has a lot of really great tracks and is also still very much a view into that time when electronic music really started to take over, and we got so much in the following 5-6 years...

Drive a la techno Infectious you best dance beats Samples, sounds, on point

Ta hype

It must have had something to do with the circumstance but I found this to be an effective way to shake off some cobwebs. By this point, Fatboy Slim's deft touch of the materials at hand resulted in some of the more enjoyable and all around effortless songs in his catalog, especially with the one-two-three punch of Punk to Funk, The Sound of Milwaukee and Michael Jackson towards the end. Is it better living through chemistry? In my experience, I best believe.

cool

Excellent little Tuesday morning rinse up. First Down gives me big Jungle Love 2017 feelings

Not his biggest, yet still excellent

Simply excellent. Maintains energy without falling into incomprehensibility. Wish I had discovered this album earlier. Five stars.

Loved it

matias if you ever see this i am very dissapointed

Good post club album I would think - I think this edges the Nightmares on Wax one. Though from Going out of my head onwards (including the 303 Josh Wink bit) the vibe for those trying to chill is killed. Lots going on which makes it an interesting listen after many years of not listening to this. Have to hand it to Norman - this is a good one.

Listening to this on a Thursday morning makes me wish it was a Friday night and I was about 20 years younger and I could get my hands on the naughties I used to... and my body wouldn't take 3 days to recover if I decided to imbibe in a little bit of vice-like partaking. Anyway, big beats and best; get high all the time. Best Tracks: Song for Lindy; Going Out of my Head; Everybody Needs a 303;

Need to give this a second and third listen. 4/5

Rv

idk how “good” of an album this is in a pretentious Anthony fantano way but it was pretty sick. The bass and a lot of the samples are cool and I’m kind of biased towards the sound of electronica. Idk if I’d sit down and listen to this but I would def play it as cool background music. It sounds like the party music in requiem for a dream. Fav songs: Santa Cruz, everybody needs a 303, first down.

4/5 deserves to be on this list I had so much fun listening to this! Wednesday at 3 pm probably wasn’t the setting it was made for, but I totally enjoyed it. Drum loops and squelchy 303 bass is a pretty classic combo for good reason. The samples were also interesting (especially on First Down). I think a lot of people would say that this kind of music hasn’t aged very well, but at least to my ears it's starting to feel more current. As someone who likes playing electronic music, this album is fun to pick apart as I listen. There’s definitely some songs that are worse than others, and it's usually caused by more annoying samples (the Sound of Milwaukee). Overall, probably not what anyone would consider a truly great album or whatever, but it’s just so fun. Would be probably even better in the right setting. Standout Tracks: Going Out My Head, Everybody Needs a 303, First Down

Great album.

I very much enjoyed this one

Whatever else this album may be it's amazing music to get yardwork done to?

My first 4! I'm not exactly sure I'd call it music, but it was a lot of pleasing noises in my ears.

Finally some good electronic music, great use of samples and looping and overall all of the production

With the 90s house music kick I've been on, I'm amazed this is my first time listening to this album. Loved it front to back, fun sampling recognition, tasty breakbeats, earwig vocal samples. Gonna have to really dig into Fatboy Slim now.

More synths, more computers, more songs that sound like they’re in a 1996 Olympics/Nike commercial….but somehow works beautifully. These songs really pop on decent speakers…also a lot of the classic rock samples (Sabbath, The Who, etc) are so recognizable that they almost sound like covers, but he still made something interesting and original out of them. Idk why every album on this list seems to be 75 minutes tho, that’s a turn off for me. But i dig it

I knew before I opened this one that it would be a longer album but I actually didn't end up minding the length. I liked this record quite a bit. Yeah, it's repetitive but that's the point for this genre. The repetitive nature lets you get in the groove and get lost a little bit in the music. Then you notice little nuances in the repetitions and that makes it more rewarding. I understand repetitive music isn't for everyone but it really works well for my brain. It's why I like krautrock and krautrock influenced music so much.

Pretty good.

3.6 2x not sure i've heard this album but it's solid and fun

Perfect grunge while staying modern. 4.

Understandably their most unpolished and raw album, but damn if it doesn't satisfy. I am a massive sucker for 90s electronica.

I like this one a bit more than their other record on here. It’s a bit chiller.

Happy to see another Fatboy Sim album after the last one. 10th and Crenshaw vocals sounds like RFK Jr. Without relistening to We've Come A Long Way I would say this one is slightly less hit oriented, but all of those same techniques are there to make a truly head bopping album.

Just Fatboy Slim putting out the most elite background noise songs of all time on this album. Was perfect for exactly what I was doing during the time. No knock on it at all, this was great.

As with most Fatboy Slim, I would 10000% meet up with my friend Molly and dance to this in a warehouse. Not as good as the last album we had by him but still this was excellent while working and doing some chores around the house. Low 4. James I will be blasting "THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE" tomorrow afternoon so be ready for that.

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would, was good music to work to. Feels a lot more like a mixtape than the other album we had with seemed to more track/hit focused. Sort of sounds halfway between chemical brothers and Mr scruff, mostly it's quite rocky and drum led but it's got an undercurrent of being quirky and relaxed. Reluctant to say it's great because I don't feel the need to hear it again, though it'd be perfectly happy if I did there's nothing that made me specifically want to come back.

Big beat is not a favourite of mine, always loved Santa Cruz though. Listening today, oddly still sounds pretty fresh. Nice bit of variety on the sounds, but ends weakly. 3.5 rounded up Heard before? A couple of tracks Owned: No: 22/1001, 22/93 (23%) Will I get? Maybe

Is us listening to an album like this now kind of like if a yuppie in the ‘90s was listening to psychedelic music? Is this album now music for old people? This old guy says 4 stars. *wheeze*cough*hack*

Really feel like doing a lil Guy Ritchie style heist to this. Fun

Fatboy slim siempre rompiéndola

8/10 - great first album from Fatboy Slim, I'm gonna be honest and say I've never heard any of these songs before but I'm all for it