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...

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.

Repetitive.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

This is shake your booty music. These days, most of my booty shaking is done while pushing a vacuum cleaner or a lawn mower. Or exercising. Today, I listened to this album while riding a bike to nowhere. It was perfect for that. The beat at a perfect cadence for a long, steady climb. I’ll definitely dial this album up again.

maaaaan - if you didn't have fun listening to this, then I dunno what to tell you I think you might be depressed. Big Norm is all energy. 9 / 10 Best track/s: Everybody Needs A 303, Santa Cruz, Punk To Funk, Song For Lindy,

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.

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.

This is good stuff to listen to while working or getting stuff done around the house. 3/5.

Better Living Through Chemistry Although it doesn’t have the pop excellence of the big singles from the next album, or the complexity, eclecticism and depth of Dig Your Own Hole from the following year, this is a completely fine mid to late 90s dance album, with all that entails - some highlights, some dated parts and some songs that are a bit long. I really liked the feel of The Weekend Starts here with the organ, melodica and claviolline giving it a loungey, snaking, louche 70s New York soundtrack feel, a little like a David Holmes track. And the riff from Yvonne Ellison’s version of Can’t Explain works really well with The Crunge in Going out of My Head, a great big-beat track. Everybody Needs a 303 is a similarly fun track, completing a nice triptych with the previous two tracks. I enjoyed Punk to Funk too, that has nice synth line and more of a breakbeat drum pattern. Not much outside those that particularly stands out, although it's all decent big beat/dance fun, with bits of rave and house, although I did really dislike First Down - electroswing is definitely one of my least favourite types of music. It’s a decent dance album that delivers exactly what you’d expect, without ever ascending to the pop heights of his next album, or the more interesting albums some of his contemporaries were doing. I’ll go 3. 🧪🧪🧪 Playlist submission: Going Out of My Head

Decently less annoying than most edm. My ADHD grandson liked it.

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.

At the end of the day I just don’t believe in dj music

Why did anyone think this was the future of music?

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

First track, I thought "hey I'm going to enjoy this more than that last electronic album that came up." Slowly gets worse until three tracks later some "baddassss" voice is repeating "The Weekend Starts HERE" over and over, and I realize, no, this is just not. at. all. for me. Next track, "Everybody Needs a 303" descends even lower. I swore to myself I'd listen to every album served up all the way through, and this is my first real challenge. When I started this 1001 albums thing, doubted that there would be any album I hated, but I was absolutely wrong about that.

Nothing here for me. Record 12 notes that have a slight hook, then repeat for 6 minutes, with different levels of reverb here or there. Ridiculously boring drum patterns. Just boring and horrible.

Repetitive, repetitive, badum badum badum, repetitive, repetitive...

I love this album. I like Chemical Bros, but this is what they really aspire to be.

30 years on still a fun album.

the debut of fatboy slim! this one's a doozy. fatboy slim is the undisputed father of big beat music; even with his humble beginnings, his sound is trademark. big, looping beat samples from records people have forgotten about mixed with other similarly repeating acoustic and electronic instruments. it may not be full of those breakaway hits like praise you and the funk soul brother but this album is still extraordinary in the field of electronic records. it's absolutely mad.

Not his best work but a damn good album

Literally half the songs were top tier I cannot choose just 3 I love house music so much man

Favorites: The Weeknd starts here Everybody needs a 303

I love so much this sound. Very cool dj with a vibe that i just wanna get up a do sht!

Terrific album! Really enjoyed it! Made me want to dance my ass off!

Excited to see Fatboy Slim today - I always forget I like him.

Todella hyvä levy ja mielettömiä biittejä! Pisti jalan vipattamaan ja tätä tulee varmasti kuunneltua vastedes. Fatboy Slimin toka levy löytyy hyllystä ja sitä on tullut kuunneltua.

i see why the derry girls were so hyped for his concert

Fattest and slimmest.

i didn't listen to it...

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Love Fatboy

A pure blinder even today.

What a great record! Maybe not as good as You‘ve Come A Long Way Baby but it’s still a masterpiece.

I can't hate this fat beats.

From the band's name, I assumed they were a totally different genre and had never listened to them before... Their music is right up my alley though and I love it!

Sehr sehr gut

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.

Да все супер качово, очень классные есть треки отдельные Очень сильно колеблюсь между 4 и 5, но пусть будет 5 исходя из того что другому альбому поставил 4 Алкоальбом: что-то из коктейля в hotline miami

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.