Reviews (page 4 of 7)
I will not include the bonus tracks from the US Astralwerks release in this review. It had been some time since I listened to Fatboy Slim, after getting You've Come a Long Way Baby as album #46 on my journey. I figured going back to his debut album would elicit an understanding of the sonic direction he would take his big beat music, without being as strong or compelling as his international breakthrough. Turns out that was the right expectation to set for Better Living Through Chemistry. To be fair, there are a couple of genuine bops on this record, particularly the run from "Going Out of My Head" through "Give the Po' Man a Break", where the eclectic sampling and electronic instrumentation are cleverly blended and make for an engaging listen. However, my interest admittedly started to wane with the warbly synths on "10th and Crenshaw", saved towards the end with the Kraftwerk-esque vocalization against the breakbeats on "Punk to Funk" and the filtered guitar rollick playing through "The Sound of Milwaukee". There are some good ideas to be found here, and I can hear how Fatboy Slim would become the creative force he's known to be in the electronic landscape. It's a fine record, even if it doesn't feel like their most enticing output.
Good production, the songs here are more interesting than most other things I've heard from this genre.
While not quite in my usual musical lane, this turned out to be a surprisingly enjoyable listen. What really hooked me was the clever use of samples—spotting Black Sabbath’s “The Wizard” and The Who’s “Can’t Explain” added an extra layer of fun and appreciation. It’s a record that feels both chaotic and calculated, with infectious grooves and a cheeky sense of rhythm. Not something I’d listen to again, but I’m glad it came up.
Ok I suppose, never gonna listen to it again though.
Is this repetitive? Yes, but it's repeating something fun!
More music I never got to but finally could have a listen. Good fun, but couldn't really make it stick.
"The Weekend Starts Here" and "Song For Lindy" are really awesome so far. "Everbody needs a 303", "Give The Po' Man a Break" also good. Overall a 3 though for me.
just a fun listen to groove to while working
This album is like the time a couple of girls invite you and your mates over to one of their houses to watch DVDs. One of your mates chooses the movie 'SWAT'. It's not memorable. Yes, it has action scenes and a big budget, but you couldn't quote a line now or remember who exactly was in it (was Terry Crewes in there?). But it's an exciting romp. Predictable and not difficult to listen to you. One of the girls wants to snuggle up close to you (I know?! I'm just as surpised) and you ignore the movie for ten minutes. But who cares? You know how it is going to go! The movie finishes, you forget it. The girl never texts back despite the texts you end with 'tb'. You'll do the same again next week with Ben Stiller in 'Starsky and Hutch'. 3 Stars. Imitation in the highest for of flattery.
3.5
Goes to get the cardboard I keep in the back of my car for just this occasion. Finally, a Breakdance battle in the Walmart parking lot ... Hit it DJ!
A whole album of this is too much for me. I guess it was cool in its day but now it's rather tedious. 3/5
Way fewer irritating vocal samples than the other album so a lot easier going, he actually allows the moods and vibes of the beats to breathe, settle, and come through a lot more. Extremely 90s UK mix of dub, house, baggy, trip hop and DnB sounds. Mostly big beat brash bangers that are joyously stupid dance floor fillers, but a few chilled out mellow melancholy numbers to cool off. Still, a lot of songs for really trying to convince yourself your having a good time - no wonder this has become the default inoffensive sound of high energy optimistic advertising for package holidays, sales at the electronics megastore, exciting new biscuits, and 2 for 1 pizza delivery.
***An ok album
first part was magical
Somewhat dated, but still fun and energetic.
Within this genre, this is pretty good - I didn't feel like a film was about to start or an elevator door was about to close.
The soundtrack to an endless chase scene in a modestly budgeted 90s movie.
Song for Lindy - 4/5 Santa Cruz - 3/5 Going Out of My Head - 5/5 The Weekend Starts Here - 3/5 Everybody Needs a 303 - 4/5 Give the Po'Man a Break - 4/5 10th and Crenshaw - 3/5 First Down - 5/5 Punk to Funk - 3/5 The Sound of Milwaukee - 3/5 Average score: 3.7/5 (rounding down) some tracks were alright. i just found this average at best for the most part
Another goat when it comes to grinding bosses I just don’t know if it’s the kind of thing I’d replay
I really enjoyed this. Part way through the album it occurred to me that this sounded familiar. It reminded me of that music video where Christopher Walken dances. What do you know it's the same artist. I listened to this while working and it was great for that because there aren't any lyrics and it's pretty vibey.
Give me a pair of wire framed sunglasses, a trench coat, a wardrobe with a suspicious amount of latex in it, a pair of calf length jack-boots, and jack my ass into the matrix baby. Then turn on this album, and let me stop some bullets and punch some agent smiths, and you’ve got a great Saturday night right there.
This is fun. Like eating a feast ice lolly. It's a quick pick-me-up, to elevate your day. It's over quickly and doesn't leave a lingering unpleasant taste. But it's not something thats going to change your perspective on life. And if you ate this all day every day it might do some serious damage to your internal organs.
Not exactly sure why two Fatboy Slim albums made this list but this was certainly a fun listen.
Benn - idk Luke - 7
Fatboy Slim loves to name his albums after advertising campaign slogans. The first half of this album is much stronger than the second half of the album. I think "You've Come a Long Way Baby" is the most consistently album but this is the better album. The highs are higher, even if the lowers are lower. The first 4-5 songs are really good and I didn't even know how much I knew Going out of my Head. This album still reeks of Brooklyn hipster (see my review for You've Come a Long Way Baby) but there is more on here that I like compared to the album after this one. My favorite tracks are: Santa Cruz The Weekend Starts Here (I really liked this one and don't know why) Going Out of My Head Everybody Needs a 303 First Down Punk to Funk (mostly the horns)
Not as iconic as We Have Come A Long Way Baby. But I enjoyed this, I like big beat grooves it seems, and the record settled nicely into the background. Still, not sure if this list needed 2 albums by Fatboy Slim.
i'm not huge on electronic music in general, but at the very least, fatboy slim seems to make some of the most fun to listen to stuff i've heard out of this project. the songs are upbeat and the beats here are enjoyable to listen to. the unfortunate thing is that i have a bit of a short fuse when it comes to electronic music, so the runtime for me was the real killer here. if it was 20 minutes shorter, i probably would have liked this a lot more.
Not quite there yet, but his release sround '00 is a 5/5
All my homies love fatboy slim, banging album.
Good album to listen to while working, but not interesting enough to listen on its own.
Relentless, raw Fatboy with vintage drums and sometimes guitars. Lots of interesting bits peppered throughout.
Started listening at 2:46 PM - it’s a lyricless album so idk how much I’ll genuinely connect to it but Ykw, I’ll see. The beats seem to be cooking thus far so I’m not complaining - I still don’t get why any electronica album is a must listen but I’m genuinely not mad I spent my 51 minutes on it - Give the Po‘ man a break cooks
Taitavaa mutta ei todellista sielua
it's giving the 2001 TV spy drama Alias starring Jennifer Garner
Coincidence that the song The Weekend Starts Here features a sample of the intro to Black Sabbath's song The Wizard, and I had this album literally the day after Ozzy's death. RIP Ozzy Favorite songs: Give the Po' Man a Break, The Weekend Starts Here, Song for Lindy, Everybody Needs a 303 Least favorite songs: 10th and Crenshaw 3/5
This is our second Fatboy Slim album, and I'm excited. The last album we listened to was his sophomore project, and this is his debut. I've never listened to this one front to back either. "Going Out of My Head" is a banger filled with classic Fatboy Slim sound effects. "Everybody needs a 303" is funky. I like "First Down" a lot. I didn't enjoy this album as much as his second. It was definitely not bad, but a lot of the songs were single-tone and the album ran way too long. This was surely pioneering work back in the day, but EDM has come a long way and it makes this album feel a little empty. I think I'd enjoy it a lot more if I was dancing somewhere. It was fun, but it was mostly background music. 6/10
It's nothing wild now, but I could see this going hard in a club if you've never heard anything like it.
It’s me. I’m the funk soul brother.
First time hearing this after years of constantly bumping “You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby”. Love it even though it’s too long and rendered redundant by its successor. Prob closer to a 3.5
I was in my early 20s when this came out in 1996, which meant if it wasn't metal it was crap. I outgrew that attitude, thankfully, and grew to like some dance music, like Daft Punk, Justice, Royksopp and Robyn. Fatboy Slim's BLTC is good, and it has some tasty grooves, but as a whole, I doubt I'll listen to it again. Highlights for me were Song for Lindy, Going Out of My Head (the one song I'd heard before) and my fave song The Weekend Starts Here with a tasty sample of Black Sabbath's The Wizard.
Sorry this might not be a fully popular opinion but my favourite thing with norman cook on it is the housemartins hull 4 london 0
me enjoy
Fun listen, a bit flat, but I enjoyed it 3
It's 90s electronic and it still sounds good in 2025. Maybe even better than some of the new stuff with the extremely obnoxious samples.
Not bad instrumental album
Not my kind of thing but quite enjoyed. Some catchy beats and although it has the genre's usual repetition I didn't get as bored as with some other EDM
I always thought Fatboy Slim was a rapper?? The weekend starts here contains a sample of Sabbath's "The Wizard"
Haven’t heard this in a while but it was fun to revisit.
This is the British bias coming out. This album is alright but not even close to Come Along Way Baby. About a 3.5 but Im taking it to a 3.
-idk this was a liiittle bland by acid house standards to me. i adore electronic music but it was sorta hard to get into at first -i definitely warmed to it a bit by the end and it barely made 3 stars for me -there are definitely worse albums out there. it was a fun vibe for sure i’ll give it that -Favorites are Going Out Of My Head and 10th and Crenshaw
Put your hands in the air like you just don't care.
Not really into DJ music. I felt like these songs could easily have lyrics which is not something I usually find in DJ music.
I like the "hits" of Fatboy Slim: "Weapon of Choice," "Praise You," and whatever. But maybe because I heard the single edits, I expected the songs to be shorter. Sadly, they are not. Every song FEELS too long, even the ones that are well under 5 minutes. And repetitive. The build in each song just... bores me after a while. It's all A-A-A, and no B or even a C to vary it up. But that's how I've always felt about electronica, but I will give him one or two of the songs, they were a bit catchy. Top tracks: "Song for Lindy," "Going Out Of My Head," "10th & Crenshaw," "The Weekend Starts Here"
My first thought was the Rockafeller Skank needs two albums on the 1,001 list? His sophomore album with that hit should be it. But I think I might like this one better. He's groovy and really blends his real instrument and electronica samples well on this album. He was talented from the get-go. I didn't love everything and I don't think I can quite hit a 4 with this album, but I did really enjoy Santa Cruz, Going Out of My Head, Give the Po Man a Break, and Michael Jackson (technically a bonus track).
It is what it is Not sure I ever want to listen to it again in its entirety but Going Out Of My Head goes on the gym playlist Let’s be kind and say 3 if you’re smashed in a club
a little bit cooler than the last You’ve Come A Long Way Baby but still nothing crazy crazy. like if this album came out today i don’t think anyone would care
Fun background music. It's not really what I think of when I think of DJ music but this is probably what DJs sounded like in the 90s. It ain't bad, it ain't good either. Should've been "You've Come A Long Way Baby", and if that is in this list, this should have been omitted. In a list of 1001 albums, do we really need 2 Fatboy Slim albums? Maybe i'm underestimating how much 1001 albums really is...
Started chill, good beats and loops, good background, inspired
Nice one
A bit dull, surprisingly.
I was surprised by this, in a good way. I'd always know FBS as a pop focused big beat producer, but this had some lovely rough edges and is based on a more underground/rave culture sound. Like early chemical brothers, with lots of early ibiza house touches. It ran out of ideas quickly and the second half dragged, but enjoyed the first half
Remember when DVDs included previews before the main menu? This sounds like something you’d hear for a mid budget 2000s action movie.
Don't really have any real expectations heading into this. I know of this artist, and I've heard a few songs, but not enough to leave an impression. Song For Lindy A pretty catchy and dancable piece of electronic music with a persistant bassline and an infectious piano riff. Doesn't have the most personality. Feels a bit cold. Fine. 3/5 Santa Cruz Opens pretty interestingly with a very spacey and distant intro. The main "riff" is a bit irritating, really gets on my nerves after a few minutes. The calmer more ambient moments to bring in a slightly psychedelic atmosphere to the track which is honestly really soothing. When the main riff comes back it's almost a welcome presence along with the rhythmic drums. Decent. 3.5/5 The Weekend Starts Here Opens with a lot of atmosphere. I kinda like the robotic vocals, and the glitchy synths. Really like those smooth keys for a contrast against the otherwise very harsh sounding synths. Love the spoken word sample. Gets a bit repetitive, perhaps because it goes on for too long. Decent. 3.5/5 Going Out of My Head Decently catchy with a lot of energy. Sort of uses up all its tricks early causing it to drag a bit. Has some interesting synths here and there, but doesn't offer anything that's too exciting outside of that. Fine. 3/5 Everybody Needs A 303 Thick bass. I like the energy of the track. The repetitive motifs take a lot of time to evolve into something different, which makes the pacing or the track a bit off. Has a solid final quarter. Fine. 3/5 Give the Po' Man a Break Has some fun rhythm to it. I like the vocal sample. Definitely a danceable track. Cool buildup to the break. Would've loved if there was a bit of a melodic element in there to contrast against the very heavy rhythms. Decent. 3.5/5 10th and Crenshaw Sparse sounding, has some experimental features that sort of work. I kinda like the drawn out high pitched synths. The panning is executed a bit awkwardly. Falls a bit flat, doesn't end up sounding all that coherent in the end. Average. 2.5/5 First Down Has a moody energy to it. Really like the drums. Don't love the swing elements, with the horns. Does evolve into a slightly larger more atmospheric sound at one point which really works. Annoying, but definitely not entirely bad. Average. 2.5/5 Punk to Funk Really weird until the drums come in. Feels a bit empty. The vocal sample isn't interesting enough to carry the sparse drum beat. When the melodic elements come in the track has already gotten stale. That being said, the final minute or so really works. Average. 2.5/5 The Sound of Milwaukee Kinda weak intro sample if I'm being honest. I like the whimsy of the track quite a bit. It's fun, but not exactly something that hits you in any particular way. Drags a bit. Fine. 3/5 Not particularly impressive by any means, but it is a good time nonetheless. It has alright rhythms, fun beats and some solid sample work that keeps it for the most part entertaining throughout. You won't exactly get anything that boggles the mind, but it ends up serving its purpose as something uncomplocated you'd put on while doing something else. It's got some danceability, a few soothing ambient moments and even some experimental stuff that while dated is at least an alright piece of history. Suffers from a fair bit of repetitiveness, especially as tracks tend to follow a really similar structure. And while they do tend to build up to something in the end, some of the tracks do sort of get a bit boring before reaching an interesting climax. It's fine in the background, but doesn't really have the legs to keep you imvested as the main piece during a more active listening session. 3/5
I listened to this while working yesterday. I’ve no doubt that this wasn’t the intended environment to listen to this album, but it was quite pleasant, to be fair. It isn’t listed as a genre here, but this had some very strong parallels with drum and bass, sounded quite similar to The Prodigy at times - just less moody. It still isn’t a genre I’m likely to go searching out for more, but this made for a nice enough soundtrack for me.
enjoyed it, started better than it ended
Songs are good but all of them outstay their welcome
Sounds just like all the fatboy slim albums I have heard
I like that this album laid the framework for his other more famous stuff like “You've Come A Long Way Baby“. I particularly liked “Michael Jackson”.
Enjoyed.
I enjoyed it. It was repetitive though. I had to check if I had actually finished the album because every song sounds very similar.
Never heard of this, but it's 10 long songs that add up to 58 minutes. Let's seeeeeeee. I'll be honest, with a name like that, I was not expecting the first song to sound like this. That being said, love this beginning. Kinda reminds me of the Futurama theme song (compliment). Alright, after finishing that first track I know what to expect, some quirky fun electronics. So far so good. This second song is both longer and more "aggressive". There are some moments that I like, the ending, where multiple elements that have been built-up come together in a great way, but overall I do have my qualms with this. Still good though! I like The Weekend Starts Here, despite its weird start. My favourite part is definitely the percussion and synths that mostly stay the same while other elements are added. The fourth and fifth track kinda blended into each other for me, but I liked both. Nº 4 contained the return of the futurama vibes so I'm happy for that. Give the Po'Man a Break is possibly my favourite so far. Not much else to say, I liked it immensely. Next track has some fun moments but brings nothing new to the table. In fact, while the album is still fun, so far there seems to be no need for it to be so long. I take back what I just said, the record does need to be this long if it means that First Down gets to exist in its full 6 minute glory. Punk to Funk is fun, but at this point some songs sound too much alike. And even though I like the climax of the closer, and it does manage to sum-up the sound of the album, it doesn't stand out too much on its own. Overall, while this was fun and all, I don't know if I'll be coming back to it besides one or two tracks. It is too long, and some of the songs feel redundant. But, I still enjoyed my time. Is this an essential, must-listen record? Maybe not, but it might be worth your time. Bye
It's fine. It's no Daft Punk...but it's no Roni Size. Middle of the road electronic music for me.
I never listened this album before and I enjoy it. The loops are nice with melodies and it's not yet "right here, right now" its best album. I am patient for the next album.
The Amen Break and its consequences. I will say that I was refilling some spice jars while listening to this and it made me feel like I was cooking meth
In albums like this, it only takes about three minutes to get the point across. Why does every single techno artist feel like they need double that? There’s good stuff here, but this would be a shitload better if every song was 2 minutes shorter.
I feel the groove and it feels good to kind of space out and vibe. I like the UK version better that leaves the last 2 songs off the album. I still don’t get albums with different versions. It confuses any ability to discuss album music with others.
Just too repetitive for me. Each track gets on a cool groove but then runs it until I’m sick of it and skip to the next.
Lolleren elektronisk, fedt nok for sin tid
For some reason I'd never listened to this before. It sounds fresher than the follow up album, mainly because of lack of familiarity I guess. The breakbeat and 303 combos sound great, but it is resolutely one-trick so by the end of it you'll be ready for something different
Decent dance music, though I find the progression on the tracks struggle to keep me engaged for their whole lengths.
I think this is more of a 3.8 out of 5 pretty enjoyable.
Ninguna canción de este disco está entre las más escuchadas de él en Spotify. La reconversión del bajista de The Housemartins siempre me pareció una locura y creo que fue en parte por él que me aficioné a la música electrónica. Me gustan más sus trabajos posteriores, no sé si están incluidos en la lista, me he guardado "Going out of my head".
I generally like electronica. This is not bad; it has nice beats, but it is still a bit generic, and there is nothing really outstanding.
I listened to this a fair amount back in high school when this sound was novel. I'm not sure it holds up very well three decades later, but there are still some fun grooves and moments here and there. Essential listening? Nah.
Quite a trip down memory lane for me! I haven’t listened to Fatboy Slim much since high school but still enjoyed this. It’s sort of fun to listen to pre-“Weapon of Choice”, maximalist Fatboy Slim, it feels a bit more restrained in a way that makes it more enjoyable to sort of just put on in the background. Saving this to come back to. 3 stars.
Not bad at all. It’s really cute. Definitely 90s. Nice, energetic, upbeat. Good for background music while working out, cleaning or studying.
Das Album „Better Living Through Chemistry“ wurde hauptsächlich in den Miloco Studios in London aufgenommen. Fatboy Slim, bürgerlich Norman Cook, stammt aus Großbritannien. Stilistisch bewegt sich das Werk im Bereich Big Beat und Electronica. Zu den bekannteren Stücken zählen „Everybody Needs a 303“, „Going Out of My Head“ und „The Weekend Starts Here“, die sich durch eine Mischung aus Samples, Breakbeats und eingängigen Grooves auszeichnen. Insgesamt markiert das Album den Beginn von Fatboy Slims internationaler Karriere und präsentiert eine vielseitige Auswahl an Tracks, die den Sound der späten 1990er Jahre im elektronischen Bereich mitprägten.
A weird one but undoubtedly fun, It feels more all over the place than I imagine later stuff by FS is going to be but I mean, there's not a dull moment here in all it's mixing of samples and textures to make songs that are the kinda mid 90s big beat thing I wanna have more of, my only issue is that I don't think I feel like listening to something like this currently but I don't mind either way.
Listening to Fatboy Slim is like eating chips: taste great at first, and you kind of binge for a little while. But then you start to feel like you've had too much. And if you try to finish the whole bag, well... you might not want to come back for a while when it's over.
decent
about 20 minutes is fine, thanks...
Fun dance music Rating: 3.3
Enjoyable dance bops, good for listening while exercising or doing chores.
If you've heard one Fatboy Slim album, you've heard them all. And this is the second one on this list I've listened to. I don't think there needs to be more than one. 3/5
Didn't enjoy this one as much as "You've come a long way" but not awful.
Not really my style, but I did enjoy Going Out of My Head, First Down, and Michael Jackson.
This was a fun record. There was a good flow from track to track. Songs were engaging. Samples were all over the place. Overall good listen!
I tend to like electronica and generally like Fatboy Slim. I like the album art but the album itself, although it has glimmers of promise, doesn't quite do it for me. Best track: Going Out of My Head.
Not really my style, but I did enjoy Going Out of My Head, First Down, and Michael Jackson.
A decent portion of songs felt like they went on just a bit too long. Started to feel monotonous. But that is the nature of this kind of music and it is less suited for casual listening. Regardless, a lot of it was quite catchy 3.5
Ravish
I'd probably rate this 2.5, but I'll round up. It definitely is improved by listening to it loudly and with headphones, otherwise a lot of the nuances get lost. Of course, it would probably be best in a big group with everyone bouncing about.
I wanted to dance but it was not safe in the car
A dry run for You Come A long Way... - basically BLTC is the big beats without the pop-leaning vocal samples, much more of an album to get mixed into a club night. Still works as a home listen.
Ein sehr gutes überwiegendes Instrumental Album, das nicht zum still sitzen geeignet ist. Sehr gut produziert. Aber auf Dauer nicht meine Musik.
His debut. Fun samples, he has a very distinct style. Cool beats, chill. Some hits. Solid electronica.
3 - I really like fatboy slim, but I just think some of it was super repetitive
He's not even fat 2.6/5
Okay background music
While Fatboy Slim is one of the great players of the Big Beat genere in the UK scene of the 90's/2000s. But, I feel like this album does not feel like an essential release to be on the 1001 list. There are some bangers, but nothing on the level of future albums (You've Come a Long Way, Baby or Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars). Favorite tracks: Going out of My Head, Everybody Needs a 303, The Sound of Milwaukee. The guitar riffs of Santa Cruz sounds like something U2 would do on their 90s albums 7/10 My least favorite moment the slowed down sample of Punk to Funk without anything to cover the fact that it was slowed down. Like nails to chalkboard.
Fatboy Slim’s got some cracking albums under his belt, but Better Living Through Chemistry? It’s just… whatever to me. There are moments where I can see the brilliance he’d go on to refine, but as a full listen, it’s hit-and-miss. There’s no denying the man knows how to craft a groove. Some of the tracks here have that signature Fatboy Slim energy – big beats, funky samples, and a general sense of chaos that somehow works. Tracks like Everybody Needs a 303 and Punk to Funk stand out with their infectious rhythms and gritty textures, and you can tell he was onto something special. The production is raw but still punchy, giving it an underground, DIY electronic feel that makes some moments really land. That said, much of the album feels like it’s missing that extra spark that makes his other work stand out. A number of tracks come off as utterly bland—no real innovation or character that grabs me and holds on tight. It’s like the tunes just go through the motions, without delivering that punch or cheeky charm I’m used to from Fatboy Slim. There’s a few moments where the chemistry just isn’t there, leaving me feeling rather underwhelmed. Better Living Through Chemistry has its moments, but as an album, it doesn’t do much for me. Fatboy Slim’s got far better records that showcase his talent in full force, and this one just feels like a stepping stone rather than a defining piece of work. It’s got a few gems, but too many forgettable tracks for my taste. 3.3/5 stars.
6/10 It’s nice, you don’t need to listen to anymore Fatboy Slim before you die. just take like 5 vicodin and listen to Rockefeller Skank on repeat.
This was a fun DJ album for sure. Tons of samples and well put together for that vibe. I didn't even know that Fatboy Slim was a DJ, I just knew their hits.
3 estrelas não é o álbum mais legal do FBS mas tem umas batidas groovadas e tal. Ah, é um disco de dj
Thinking about all the important albums omitted from this list, I’m baffled to find that Fatboy Slim has got not one but two albums on here. This is not as good as his second album - it’s still fun nonetheless.
dopamine hits, short-lived
You probably had to be there to fully enjoy this to the max
Better than the other one for sure. Still more enjoyable edm to be had!
I dunno, this is fine, but if I had to pick a Fatboy Slim album to listen to before I died, it'd have to be You’ve Come A Long Way, Baby.
Mit solcher Musik kann man nicht viel falsch machen, aber auch nicht viel richtig. Gut für nebenbei
Melhor música: Everybody needs a 303 parece quase drum n bass bons samples um bocado stock music
Ol
Good at a rave in the 90’s.
This guy really likes this dude. It's our second album. Don't get me wrong, he's the master at what he does, but this isn't the most amazing type of music in my mind.
Apparently I forgot to rate this when I listened to it before. It's fine.
Some tracks are pretty decent and get you nodding your head and tapping your foot, but much of it is more typical 90s electronica.
Inte riktigt lika najs som förra Tjockpojke Smal, men ändå tillräckligt småputtrigt att ha i lurarna när man jobbar. Ett enda mischmasch förvisso, men helt ok!
Även om förra skivan vi lyssnade på innehöll fler hits så gillar jag nog denna mer som helhet. Tycker det är ett skönt flyt genom hela plattan och trivsam lyssning rakt igenom. Stark trea.
Not quite as bombastic as the follow up album, part of this is surprisingly trippy/tranquil compared to his usual big beat style.
More "big beat" .Wonder why this was chosen instead of the second one with all the hits...? Fine I guess.
Очень большой альбом, но другие альбомы мне нравились больше. Хотя тут есть тоже прикольные треки
Dapa dupa one man trance
Fatboy Slim just does not do much that excites me. 2.5/5
It's instrumental music. Not much to say about it.
A refresher back to the Fatboy Slim era of life.
Don’t think I’m on the correct drugs to appreciate this
Lovely instrumental. Thought it would be a rap
Going places
There were some really cool sounds in there, but the repetitiveness really put me off. I did enjoy the fusion of various instruments and styles, I think he does it way better than most artists in the genre. He also has a good ear for creating catchy hooks/melodies. Tracks I did like: "The weekend starts here", "Going out of my head", "First down" 2.5 stars, I'm gonna round it up to 3 because he's undeniably a talented musician.
Listenable album but Chemical Brothers do it better. A lot of the beats etc sound very similar. It’s ok but not near his best.
Je m'attendais à vraiment plus du gros mince garçon, considérant l'épique You've Come A Long Way Baby sortie 2 ans plus tard
I enjoyed 90s dance, electro, and industrial, but Fatboy Slim was never one of them. I find his mixes to be generally way too ordinary. This was okay for a very brief period of time in the 90s before groups like The Prodigy, and The Chemical Brothers showed that you could more than this and expand the dance format in so many interesting ways.
Mit solcher Musik kann man nicht viel falsch machen, aber auch nicht viel richtig. Gut für nebenbei
Sabbathsampling!
buon sottofondo
One thing this list has done for me so far is appreciate the art of making an album feels tight and complete. Feels like in the majority 35-45 minutes seems perfect. Every album so far I've gotten over an hour has felt over and hour and too long. This album is included in this list. Better than I thought because I knew I didn't like Praise You but its fortunately not on this album. But its just okay for me overall.
I like him but here's a little boring
Det funkar men man lyssnar ju på det här lite på flipp. Inte för att det är asbra.
I've never been a huge fan of a lot of these sample-based electronic albums from the mid-'90s - I find the sound it inherently builds upon can risk coming off as tacky or dated. Obviously, there are many exceptions - 'Endtroducing' exists and I'd say various releases by Massive Attack and the Chemical Brothers also hold their own. While I've heard of Fatboy Slim before, I've neglected to check out his work for this exact reason. After listening to this though, maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. I mean you still have a song like 'The Weekend Starts Here' which I never want to listen to again, but there's also the incredible 'Santa Cruz' which coasts gorgeously into that guitar section in its more ambient-leaning closing minutes. I'd say my biggest issue here, odd musical choices aside, is it just doesn't have any sort of distinctive musical identity. Not always a bad thing... after all, part of the the appeal of this genre is feeling like you're sifting through hundreds of records at a time, looking for one particular phrase to loop. But here everything feels particularly bland - there's no overarching mood established. The samples are here but they're almost always paired with these dated electronic sounds that can be borderline irritating. Also, the music sounds "big beat", but doesn't really feel big beat; the impeccable 'Dig Your Own Hole' by the Chemical Brothers would be released only a year later, and that's an album more committed to hammering that punchy, aggressive sound into the listener. I'd even say the song 'Everybody Needs a 303' off of this record sort of predicts the opening track of that CB album but the punch just isn't there. When it's not annoying me to bits, it's a perfectly fine album in this vein. I'm willing to be a bit more generous on this album because there ARE some genuinely cool moments here; aside from 'Santa Cruz' I liked 'First Down' and 'The Sound of Milwaukee' a fair bit. Plus I was never one to be dismissive of genuine creativity, even when it's occasionally surrounded by stuff I find just okay.
Upbeat, mindless background music. Not bad for what it is.
Good, had enough by the end tho
I actually like Fat Boy Slim, but the album is really boring due to the lack of vocals. But it's cleanly mixed.
Conocida Going Out of My Head. Me ralla un poco el disco. Guay Sunset 303.
Lemppari: Song for Lindy Vähiten lemppari: 10th and Crenshaw
Enjoyable yet tiresome. I prefer CNC music factory.
Norman Cook er cool. Mjög skemmtilegt sánd sem hann átti svo eftir að negla algjörlega á næstu plötu. 3,5
Synes den er lidt easy listening i forhold til sådan noget som prodigy og chemical brothers, lyder meget godt men heller ikke noget jeg iler for at sætte på
Some bangers. A lot of production work went into putting things in either right or left ear 😅
Listened Before? N I'm not big on electronic music (especially instrumentals) but this one was really good! Easy to listen to, and the structures make sense. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Song For Lindy
Not bad - great mix of genres.
very good, enjoyed that. 3.5
I see this album as a preparation for his next album, so this one is ok, but the next one is much much better.
I loved *You've Come a Long Way, Baby* in my teens, but have not really listened to anything else by Fatboy Slim before. Was fun to broaden my horizons, but didn't find any *Praise You* on this album.
Not what I expected (hip-hop/rap) but I like it better than I would have thought if I knew what I was getting into. Probably not likely to crack my heavy rotation but it’s interesting sonically.
It’s ok. Not my thing.
Bit like the previous Fatboy Slim album but whitout the hits to keep you interested
Subpar compared to the subsequent album You've Come a Long Way Baby. Both albums shouldn't be on the 1001 album list. This one is more rudimentary.
Mid excerpt Going Out of my Head 3.1
Joyful, exuberant dance music. Loads of fun samples and catchy hooks. There are some cooler, more mellow songs mixed in too. “Santa Cruz” is actually pretty soulful. I found it kind of calming.
Solid 90s EDM with great builds, drops, and fun. Maybe it's because of the music videos, but I always think of Fatboy Slim as "fun". There's always so much going on and it's for the most part inoffensive music that does it's thing. Sampling is really cool on this one. You can tell he takes a lot of care with integrating them into his music and the results speak for themselves. Solid 3.4/5.
Pre-commercial success Norman here. It's extremely hardcore dance, isn't it. You can feel the rave influence, and you can imagine it might be great fun sweating away to it in the discotheque.
I like it :)
Enjoyed this on in the background.
At its best it’s chill and pleasant and a nice sound to hangout to, but too often strays into annoying synths or too aggressive for my taste. 5/10
Yeah, this was okay. I see what it did but I don’t have to keep thinking it’s the best. VERY VERY VERY repetitive.
Easy listen at the office. Found myself bopping along to beats.
Love it. Reminded me of Chemical brothers more than I expected.
Bangin
3.5 easily best electronica album so far
Some good stuff, not sure I need a whole album of this.
74% Best: Going Out Of My Mind, The Weekend Starts Here Must-Hear? No
Mixed feelings: I like the music, but it all begins to sound the same after a while.
Blind album, know the artist from one of my favorite discoveries from this project. I definitely did not connect with this album like the other, and that is okay. It was still good but did not have a lot of notable songs or tracks like the other.
A fatboy slim album with no hits. Actually, not bad.
Chemical Brothers and Prodigy are better but I don't mind this.
I don't remember hearing of the songs before. The good parts are not as good as his other record, but the filler is a lot better. Favorite song: everybody needs a 303
Less gimmicky and more consistent than "You've Come Along Way", but the highlights are less special. In my memory, Better Living through Chemistry" was the better album, but now I would say: 3 stars for both albums.
I like the sound and catchy phrases but the tracks are too long and predictable overall.
Decent listen.
I'm not really a fan of instrumental dance records like this one, but it was fun to have on in the background for a change. I can't say I dislike it.
Id give it a fair 3.5 stars if I could. I really appreciate fatboy slim’s grooves and feel. This album was just too much of the same repeated. On the bright side, I loved song for lindy (amazing guitar slide) and the weekend starts here. First down, Michael Jackson and next to nothing were my other notable likes
I like this one alright. Was good to work with this on in the background. I'd never heard these songs before. I became familiar with Fatboy with "You've Come A Long Way Baby" when he was everywhere especially all over MTV. I'll have to pick this one up again and give it another listen.
Good stuff but not as good as you've come along way baby
the acceptable facet of the 90s
A really solid and promising electronic debut, with Going Out of My Head and Everybody Needs a 303 both sounding huge, but it doesn’t quite reach the heights of its behemoth of a follow-up
It becomes tiring after like 6 songs
Everybody needs a 303. That’s a statement I can firmly get behind. Can I say it’s my favourite instrument? It’s certainly one of my very favourite noises. The more tortured sounding the better. The album is OK. Better than most 90s dance albums. It’s full of half ideas and DJ tools, but Norm is better than most at those things. It’s not a great album, but a good snapshot of a time, noting the direction for Fat Boy Slim and delivering more finished thoughts in the very near future.
It's like the proto Daft Punk. Actually quite enjoyed having this play in the background while I was working. There were some deliciously familiar melodies that I was picking up, which I would say shows just how influential this album was. I did think that the album didn't really flow well, it just seemed like a collection of singles that were haphazardly thrown together without any real care. Individual songs ranged from fine to great. Overall I would give this album a 3/5.
More Brit techno pop. I enjoyed some of this. Good background music
I recall there was another Fatboy Slim album on this list, which makes 2 too many. I don't hate this album or the other one, but they hover outside my preferred genre or music in general, so for me they aren't essential. I will say, I enjoyed the beats and the heavily instrumental tracks, kind of a charged up soundtrack to play in the background. Overall, I didn't mind it, but I'll probably be happy if there isn't any more Fatboy Slim.
I’d ideally give it a 3.5 because I did like it, but I felt like it got weaker as it went on. But generally good background listening.
it’s good, intermittently interesting, probably better heard very loud at a rave or on some kind of substance. i think he has more interesting stuff he’s released later on, but this one doesn’t really hold up to other big beat stuff like the prodigy or basement jaxx.
I don't have much to say, but I liked it. Pretty cool
Cool
Decent enough for getting some work done. Definitely repetitive in a bad way at certain parts. I feel like some house/electronic artists don't know when to walk away from using the same sample over and over again.
Best served with ecstasy
3.5
Usually have a hard time with these just sitting around listening to electronic music, but this one I didn’t mind. 3.5/5 Might listen again (maybe at a party or something)
I’m not sure how to rate this one. I like electronic…sometimes. But a whole album? I don’t take MDMA, so I’m not sure it’s for me. Some of it might work well for background music when I’m working. It’s a tough call.
Fatboy Slim, one of the big 3 of big beat, was never quite on par with his contemporaries. Sure, he could sample pretty well from a diverse selection, but is beats felt lacking in terms of pushing through to bigger and better songs. Truthfully, Better Living is at its best when leaning more into acid styles because that's when its forced to do more interesting things with the rest of the music; structuring itself around an inherently abrasive squelching loop requires pushing the song forward through the tension and build of the high-pass. When it lacks that acid synthline, it becomes complacent and lazy. Regardless, this album plays a lot better than its more popular brother You've Come a Long Way, so I would recommend this over that.
This oozes the 90s, and I can appreciate the nostalgia. It's just too loop-y for me.
Ok for a Friday morning beat I guess
OK
Bit ravey
Ikävä sanoa, mutta vähän tylsää. Ajattelin pitäväni tästä enemmän. Tietenkin tiettyyn tilanteeseen sopivaa, mutta yleisesti taustamusiikkia. Sitä perus Fatboy Slimin perus instrumentaali break beattia. Paras ehkä The Sound Of Milwaukee
"Better Living Through Chemistry" is the debut studio album by English electronic music producer Fatboy Slim. The listed genre is big beat. That sounds about right....lots of samples too. The album title is a play on the advertising slogan of Du Pont "Better Things for Better Living...Through Chemistry." The album had generally positive reviews and, commercially, hit #69 in the UK. Whirling, space synths sounds open "Song for Lindy." The beats start with a sample of Steve Winwood's "I'm a Man." The melody comes in - a piano sample of Jimi Polo's "Better Days." The third single released "Going Out of My Head" samples extensively the Who's "I Can't Explain" both the beat and melody. Traffic noises begin the song. There's always some different noise intros to these songs. He also throws in samples of Zeppelin's "The Crunge." The first single released "Everbody Needs a 303" actually hit the US charts...well, at #193. This one has a deep bass groove and beat. I like this. A Edwin Starr sample. In "Punk to Funk," he lays down a hard and repetitive drum and bass beat. A robotic "Punk to Funk" vocal repeats. Various noise samples throughout. This album was alright. The songs made me work too hard to figure out what and where the samples he was using were coming from. The use was fairly creative in that, besides everything being big beat, he took the songs into ambient, chill, bluesy and club areas. I didn't find the samples "Paul's Boutique" creative though and, if you want, the downtempo, which he sometimes goes to, check out DJ Shadow. But, if you want the club beat circa 1996, this is all you. His next album "You've Come a Long Way, Baby" is much better.
This was a lot less energetic, less reliant on samples, and a lot more house than the other fanboy slim stuff I’ve listened to. This also makes it not quite as fun as those other records. The weekend starts here was fun though.
I know Fatboy Slim. never sat and listened to one of their albums. I know what they're about and really look forward to listening to this. Pretty cool. Not as intense as I thought this album would be. I do like this album. It's good. Fun.
I actually liked this a lot better than I thought I would. I'm not into the genre, but it was good music to listen to while working. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5
High 3. Enjoyable music to work to
i enjoyed this! good background music, repetitive but that's the point. Would be fun to listen to in a different context. 3.5!
Banging ! High 3, low 4* ?
Hmm. While I didn't dislike this one, I have to question its inclusion on this list as it's the second Fatboy Slim I've gotten (in my first 100 no less) and in my opinion, the lesser of the two. It's fine but I probably won't listen to it again.
Precursor to something great.
I feel pretty neutral towards this album. My one-year-old, however, absolutely loved it.
Son debut album, j'avais bien aimé celui de lui que j'ai déjà écouté. Électro instrumental. Bien par moments malgré certaines chansons gossantes. Les chansons sont longues, un 3 pour l'originalité!
No vocals. Didn’t hate it. Didn’t love it.
If you’ve ever wondered what the concept of coolness would sound like, then look no further.
Good
This isn’t the album with all the hits and Spike Jones videos. Not bad at all. It’s really cute. Definitely 90s. Nice, energetic, upbeat. Good for background music while working out, cleaning or studying.
3.5 really. fun record
3-4
Good
Didn’t know what to expect as I haven’t always been as bid a fan as others. But was an interesting mix.
OK. More repetitive and less melodic than I was expecting. Good for the morning commute but I won't plan to come back to this. I'm giving this a modest 3 for it's influence.
I like me some Fat Boy Slim…. But I don’t know any of these songs! Best tracks: Going Out of my Head, Punk to Funk 3.5
First 2 songs were very good
The songs are repetitive and go on for too long. If they were more focused and didn’t take so long to build, it’d be way better. “Going out of my head” is the standout.
Top-tier beeps and boops. I think it's excellent dance music. Is it brilliant from a song-writing or musicianship perspective? Nope.
A popular one from my childhood and one of the best examples of the Big Beat subgenre. Is it a great album? Maybe not. It's all surface level repetitive dance music without much substance. But it sure is fun to listen to.
very very repetitive but overall not tooo bad
When I seen this albums my initial thought was we didn’t need another fat boy slim album on the list. But actually enjoyed listening to this today, pretty good album, will I come back to it, probably not but glad it’s on the list.
Another surprisingly good one. Some of the songs are very similar, but the entire album was a good groove.
probably a great album to do drugs at the club too
Fun at times but thought I would enjoy it more.
Man this hits hard, can’t imagine being in a rave when this landed in 95’ I can only imagine. If you’re into 90’s house this is it. 3.4
It reminds me of those old WB commercials, the ones with the dancing frog with a cane. In fact, I think Going Out Of My Mind may have been the song… Anyway, great production, fun beats, and dance-inducing songs. It is only slightly dated, but this music, EDM, has evolved so much that this is now a relic.
Gave it a listen. Good electronica, but electronica isn’t my favorite thing. 3/5, but I want to note that this is my favorite Fatboy Slim album.
Had its moments.
this was a lot more subdued than the fatboy slim i am familiar with. not mad about it, will probably stick this whole album on a background noise playlist for future workin'
It's fun and well made, but it just isn't my vibe.
Whether it's from Christopher Walken videos, FIFA soundtracks or some other organic reason I've always had a soft spot for Fatboy Slim. This is my first exposure to BLTC and I enjoyed it. Despite doing nothing I would consider groundbreaking Fatboy Slim has a uniquely identifiable sounds. Something about it works for me. I'm not sure this album belongs on the list. I would have deferred to their 2nd release which includes their larger and more identifiable hits. 2.6 stars
This is a rather solid album that. It embodies the sound of 90s electronic music and the Fatboy Slim sound. I think Fatboy Slim's next album is way more iconic, but this album is still good.
Fatboy Slim is consistent. Can see why he's had a career spanning the decades. Respect.
Eins og hefur komið fram áður, þá er ég í big beat liðinu og Fatboy Slim þykir mér skemmtilegur. Hér er hann aftur á móti ekki kominn alveg á flug. Lögin helst mikil clúbbamúsík fyrir minn smekk og ekki eins eftirminnileg og það sem síðar átti eftir að koma út. Fínt samt.
I love some Big Beat. This is not quite as good as Fatboy Slim's later offerings though. Standouts: Going Out Of My Head, Michael Jackson. A high 3, close to a 4.
Lucky to be a three star as it was a bit too trance for me. Favourite track: The Weekend Starts Here.
i want to like it more than i do but there’s something embarrassing about it
Abwechslungsreiches Techno-Album des Projektes, dass sein Geschichte im Indie Genre nicht vergessen hat. Man merkt dem Album noch die Experimentierphase der Jungs an, so dass insgesamt noch recht unrund wirkt und auch noch keinen Top-Song vorweist … aber das Cover ist Klasse .. es leben die 3,5 Zoll.
Great background noise!
I feel like this is one of the better examples of what this is but it does not hold my attention for very long. There are better albums.
If this project has taught me anything, it's that I don't care much for electronic music. There is only so much looping I can take before I go mad. That said, this is one of the more fun albums of that genre that we've had. The beats are fun, and slightly more fleshed out than just noise. But yeah, this is intended to be rave music. It doesn't serve much of a purpose outside of that environment.
Great techno-type sound, very little lyrics. Good for movie soundtracks, exercise workouts, dance clubs.
I might put it on in the background or listen to a couple tracks on the treadmill.
War nie ein großer Fan, 2-3 Songs sind ok, ansonsten eher langweilige ewig lange Loops
I like Fat Boy Slim well enough, but this isn't my favorite album of his. It's okay at best. Favorite Song: Going Out of My Head.
Mjög chillað, gott i roadtrip
Some danceable funky beats in here, i liked it. Dont think it needs to be 58 min long tho
90s Big Beat fun
Cool
Why not
Morro 90-talls boom boom musikk
Interesting.
Liked Santa Cruz, the rest really blended together
All the ingredients of Fatboy Slim are there, but not yet refined into the slick, radio friendly, mass appeal package that was his next album. Obviously abides by the Big Beat Manifesto: "Big Beats are the best. Get high all the time". At the time it felt like a much more all encompassing philosophy. Rating: 2.5/5 Playlist track: Going Out of My Head Date listened: 04/02/24
Decent enough, liked the one that sampled The Who
Good background music, very nineties.
Enjoyable but was expecting more oomph.
I find this instrumental album extremely relaxing. I can hear how it was integral to the DJ scene. It definitely carries the essence of the 90s with it, but in the best way possible. It makes me feel very nostalgic to hear music like this. Enjoyable but exhausting for a single listening period.
This album was sort of hit or miss for me. Some tracks were very fun, some were a slog to get through. When a track managed to avoid using the same 2 drum patterns and 4 electronic effects that kept popping up throughout I really enjoyed it. I'm also not a huge fan of how a lot of hip-hop and electronic music overuses vocal samples as part of the rhythm of a song and there's a lot of that so it just wasn't my style. Great producing and clearly ahead of its time. I can see what makes it great and why people love it, but it just isn't my favorite.
Fine for club music. Hard to listen to all the way through
Kinda meh. Really repetitive and without the soul that You've Come A Long Way Baby has. Some of the songs are ok, but overall the albums doesn't really stand out to me much. 6/10
Definitely "of it's time" but plenty of tracks still hold up.
Not nearly as bad as a lot of the other albums in this genre that I've heard. I can spot it a 3 I suppose. I'm not planning on returning to it but I didn't despise it. The bar is set low for electronica for these ears.
Do you think his good friends call him Fatboy, or do they call him Slim? Regardless, this isn't really my thing. I don't mind it, but I don't really dig it either. Kind of like muzak, it's pleasant enough but doesn't really connect with me in any meaningful way. A couple of the songs were absolutely annoying. The last song was quite pleasant, along with the Who song. 3 stars.
Definitely a bit more tolerable than the last Fatboy Slim album. The dance tracks find their groove without being too outlandish... unfortunately we start diving into the ibiza-crazed techno alien sounds with repeating lyrics later into the album that seriously temper my enthusiasm. Interesting; barely a pass.
Liked his next album more.
Some hits,.some misses. Doesn't work as well as 90s Fatboy Slim does.
Sehr markanter und einzigartiger Sound. Finde dieses Album aber ehrlicherweise relativ repetitiv und langweilig. 5/10
I feel fairly indifferent to this. I've expressed my admittedly retrograde skepticism of remix culture before. I can't fully escape the feeling that the real creators are just getting mined, catchy though these beats may be.
I guess this is probably good. I mean I didn't hate listening to it by any means. But it's just really not for me.
ans von die besseren elektronischen alben da
Eltrapeze survend toujours les albums sans intérêt.
Fat Boy Slim revient nous fracasser la tête de ses sonorités ultra violentes.
enjoyable 3.5
Too drum and bass heavy for my taste. I feel like the second half shows more of his style that is more to my liking, I liked going out of my mind, but the rest was pretty meh.
I wasn’t familiar with any of these songs. Some of them had the same kind of 60’s groove that I recognize from his other songs, and like. But a good portion is techno-monotonous and best suited for the dance floor, less so for background listening.
Fine. I probably would have given one of his next 2 albums a 4 star rating, but this lacks the stand out tracks that push it beyond drum and bass background music.
Mediocre, but sometimes catchy.