You've Come a Long Way Baby

One I have fond memories of from my younger days. Still a good listen, although FiH is offputting quite quickly.

this album is so peak!! every song is a classic

7 - Fatboy Slim - You’ve Come a Long Way Baby - Rating = 4 Right Here, Right Now is a great opener / vibe setter if a little long/samey. Rockefeller Skank is classic and early Fatboy Slim. (Licensing issues causing it to be missing on the Apple Music album?) I can’t say I love the “Fatboy is Fucking in Heaven” riff that goes on for the first 30-seconds. Sort of a goofy jangle from there… but the one-lyric repeat is a no-for-me. Gangster Trippin’ is just a classic that’s still relevant almost 30 years later. Love that horn-riff. Build it Up is a cool riff, gets a little same-ish… a little long… some annoying moments… not so much. Kalifornia is sorta cool with the sitar and spacey keyboards - like the layer-like builds… He does tend to drag out his songs a little more than I’d like. I like the groove in Soul Surfing and the driving beat. You’re not from Brighton is a cool groove with some good breaks. Which builds into the album classic of Praise You - huge fan of this song. Love Island continues the dance party if getting a little too techno for me. Overall this was such a fresh album when it came out and has some classic songs. The songs do tend to get repetitive and same-ish. Most could be shortened by about two minutes and they’d be stronger. Still - this is a great album and definitely a big one of the time.

I did it

good classic EDM 4/5

Apparently I listened to the censored version initially - I didn't notice until I saw other people talk about Fucking In Heaven in their reviews. The explicit version is marginally less annoying than Illing In Heaven but it's still the weakest track on an otherwise great album. Praise You and The Rockafeller Skank are the standout tracks, no surprise there, but the whole album is fun and infectious. Some tracks rely a little too much on a single repetitive sample, a lot of it feels pretty dated almost 30 years later, etc, but I can't help but move to it. Acid 8000 was probably the best track I hadn't heard before. I would probably shuffle through a couple different favorite tracks if I sat with this album long enough.

master of cut and paste!!

Wow, this was a blast from the past. Can't believe this is nearly 30 years old. Came out when I was a 20 year old college student and soundtracked many parties and nights out. Electronic big beats, and some great tracks - Gangsta Trippin', Praise You, Rockafella Skank, Right Here Right Now. 4 out of 5 stars but admittedly that is probably a bit tinged with nostalgia.

Its a bit good.

Dman this is good 4/5

Right from the first track, this thing is nuts. "Right Here, Right Now" is one of the greatest dance cuts of all time. The sample-work is phenomenal and the beat that is crafted makes me wanna dance till I die. "Rockafella Skank" is also super fucking good. A masterclass in sampling and creating something incredible from something repetitive. The rest of the record is also very good, some of the deeper cuts aren't as memorable and it does go on for quite a while, but "Praise You" and "Acid 8000" are worth the wait as they round out the album rather nicely. This record may not be the most consistent or focused, but it's a damn good time.

Heard of fat boy slim but never listened. Not sure what to expect. This initial production is really cool. Exactly how an album should open. I’ve definitely heard this song before. This beat is so good. The Rockefeller skank is an all time classic. Remember hearing this when I was very young and loving it. Super cool fade in too. Just so catchy. In heaven is ok, definitely not as good as the first 2 but hard to live up to that. Love the horns on gangster tripping. I find myself bopping along to the whole thing. Build it up is forgettable. Just ok. I like kalifornia better. Feel like this album could be a lot better with real lyrics. Insane all of the different sounds that are put together to create great music. Really like soul surfing too. And has a beachy vibe, the name fits. You’re not from Brighton is fine, more of the same and nothing special. Praise you on the other hand is so good. Commercial song. Drums are so good. So is the bass line. Love island is somehow different but still the same. Really cool beat. And acid 8000 is pretty sweet too. This is definitely the best dance album I’ve heard on this list so far, I really enjoyed it and I am not a dance music fan. Like I said earlier, could’ve been even better with reply lyrics. Overall, really fun album. 3.5 stars.

I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. It has a lot of character. Very cool album. I wish I came up with it

Looooove some Fatboy Slim, and he's really starting on a high note with Right Here Right Now, rolling into the best song on the album Rockefeller Skank. The credit I'll give him and the album is there some real potential for this to get stale and repetitive, yet each song is different enough, and the substance of the song stays fresh that it doesn't get repetitive. Great samples and layered bits in each song. I hate hate hate Praise You but could hear it this time, only reason I hate it though is because I got it on repeat while working at a Coldstone

El loopmaster Genio total, se le hace difícil no hacer una mezcla pegajosa Muchos de estos beats ahora son escuchados de una forma u otra, la vigencia no se pierde por completo Gran álbum, digno de reescuchar las veces que sean

Very familiar with album. Love it already and get in moods to listen to it on repeat. Lots of great beats and simple lyric dance songs (not a place to come if wanting deep meaning). Handful of songs remind me of movies or tv that they've been used in. Pet peeve with this album is the skit intro to Rockefeller skank is the last part of right here, right now. So that track stand alone ends with that nonsense and ruins it for playlists. But it works for this album as a whole

A brilliant album. Not just in terms of genre defining but big big singles on this album. Videos are brilliant to the songs as well.

This album has four types of tracks: Big Banger Singles, dance tunes that could have been singles, tracks where ol' Norm isn't trying to make dance music, and boring dance tunes. That the fourth one is the smallest collection is all you need to know when sticking this one, because it's mostly great!

Fratboy Kim is Fucking the Devil

Reminded me a lot of Hideki Naganuma's Jet Set Radio OST... (Fat Boy Slim's album out came out before the game and ost though) It was a really cool/chill listen.

ok i never realized this was a white british dj….always just heard the name and assumed it was rap. this? slapped. would have been 5 stars but i did not care for the song about him fucking

Forgot how many bangers were on this album (or he had!) saw him live in a small venue recently and ‘meh’ which is clouding my judgement a touch but these are consistent GROOVES. Maybe a touch long at times and could finish sooner, but I get the sense he is just playing and if you’re going to do that, I guess the album (or live) is the place to. Drops a little bit after the solid opening 4 tracks or so. Not as engaged, but still groovin! Enjoyable listen and may come back to it. Nice work, Norm!

3.5⭐️/5 02.13.2026

Strong album, maybe not artsy and beautiful and deep but still creative and focused and dare I say kind of iconic. Praise You easy pick best song, Kalifornia sneaky second best song 8.3/10

8/10 heavy for its time

4 iconic songs on one album. The other 7 are fine and maybe the I'm just nostalgic about the other 4. 3.5/5. Raising to a 4.

One of the all-time great album covers. And the music's good! And Joe Walsh gets a songwriting credit!

With Praise You alone this album almost gets 5 stars

Super fun, impressive for 98 it gives me newer vibes for sure

At the risk of completely tanking my credibility as a former EDM journalist, I'm going to admit that I had never actually listened to a Fatboy Slim album until today. To be fair, he put out a gimmicky single called "Eat Sleep Rave Repeat" around the time I was getting really into dance music and that was my only impression of him for several years – no one had ever recommended that I dig into his earlier work, so I had no reason to think I was missing out on anything when I eventually decided to educate myself on various electronic staples from the '90s (Daft Punk, the Prodigy, Aphex Twin, the Avalanches, Moby, etc.) and skipped over this one. Well, as they say, I'll be damned – You've Come a Long Way, Baby is a pretty frickin' good album. Not only is it chock-full of bops like “The Rockafeller Skank” and "Praise You," but it sits in a sonic space that doesn't really exist anymore and feels pretty timeless as a result. It's a bittersweet reminder of what dance music was before sample clearance became so complicated and synthesizing everything from scratch (or Splice, eventually) became the norm. There’s a special kind of magic that is created when you give talented producers the freedom to cut up the best funk/soul/hip-hop records and reassemble them into music for the club! All that said, this album has a similar issue as The Fat of the Land – the tracks are pretty long and very repetitive, so things can get grating really quick if you’re not feeling a particular loop. For example, I can see something like “F**king in Heaven” putting a lot of listeners off before it even hits the 10-second mark. Most of the tracks worked for me, but I can completely understand how the album isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea. At the end of the day, I’m glad it landed a spot in the 1001 Albums book and am looking forward to eventually checking out Better Living Through Chemistry! Highlights: Right Here Right Now, The Rockafeller Skank, Gangster Trippin, Built It Up Tear It Down, Kalifornia, You're Not from Brighton, Praise You, Acid 8000

Not very deep, but very very fun. Surprised that I like it this much cuz I'm not a huge big-beat fan!

Had only heard the hits, but the rest of the album is just as good as the hits if you ask me.

Surprisingly good. Of course the first song is a classic, but I thought the rest would feel too long, and actually I liked most of the songs. Maybe it's not something I would listen to anyday, but the music produced by FBS is really cool. 3,75/5.

had no idea what this was, yet recognized most of the songs. I guess an argument could be made for it's ranking on this list after all.

Clearly meant to be on drugs and at a club while listening so not really what I’m doing but it’s well made

...

2nd best fbs album.

a fun dj album that had me bumping the whole time and feeling like a 2000s main character 8/10

90s fuuun aber auch low key anstrengend haha

Spacca, che sound cattivo

So fun and danceable, esp love “in heaven”

Learning today that "Funk Soul Brother" is not the name of the song, it's "The Rockafeller Skank". On a good little run

I feel like I lost brain cells listening to this, but it definitely took me back to my high school years.

Good.

Now that was cool Balloon approved 🎈

I was considering giving this 5* because it caused a monumental shift in how the UK music scene operated, but having listened through and considered it's global appeal I don't think that's right. It's a mega album, and 4* feels fair

Some absolute classics of my youth

I only know the one Fatboy Slim song and always enjoyed it. When I started the album, I thought it was going to be annoying hearing the same lyrics repeated over and over, but as it went along I started to enjoy it more and more. It was a great listen for my Sunday morning errands.

Total bangers. Don't feel the need for rhythm drops in every song. Fred set me right on that.

[Host] WBCN, and who’s this? [Caller] Hey, this is Brad, this is Brad, this is … [Host] Now uh, who's your, who’s your favorite artist, who do you wanna hear? [Caller] Well, uh, my favorite artist right now is Fatboy Slim, that guy kicks ass! [Host] How tremendous is Fatboy Slim? [Caller] The band of the nineties, if you wanna call it a band, because it’s a one man name. [Host] Wow … Fatboy, and you wanna hear that new Fatboy song? [Caller] Absolutely! [Host] Which one? [Caller] The umm … it’s "funk soul brother, check it out!"

Right here, right now

I thought I didn’t know any of these songs but I was just unaware that I actually did - very well aware of the hits!! This was upbeat dancey fun I liked it way more than I thought i would !!

In the late 90s, Norman Cook was everywhere. He was all over the charts, with radio stations playing his music on repeat. And not just songs released under the Fatboy Slim moniker either: if there was a song dominating the charts around that time, chances were that he had something to do with it. He transformed Cornershop's "Brimful of Asha" into a hit, he made Wildchild's "Renegade Master" 1000 times better (and what a tune that is!), and even elevated The Shadows' "Apache" to something that's arguably better than the original. Everything he touched turned to gold, thanks to his frenzied, magical remixing and sampling. And those samples are the key to what made everything so fresh and brilliant. Bringing 60s and 70s soul, funk and gospel samples to big beats was an inspired move, and a big reason why it was such a novel sound. He was one of the firsts to do it, but more importantly he did it so damn well. People were going around chanting "Check it out now, the funk soul brother" as a mantra for a while when this first came out. The "Rockafeller Skank" started all of this for Cook. He gave "Sliced Tomatoes", a 70s surf rock tune by the Just Brothers, the big beat treatment, and played it in sweaty underground clubs, quickly realising that it struck a chord with the ravers. It was a genius move. But what really makes Fatboy so great, is that he doesn't ever just leave it there. He can strike gold, but always brings his songs to weird and interesting places along the way. Things never get boring on this album. The "Rockafeller Skank" slows down before changing gears, "Gangster Trippin" swaps between melodies while keeping the vocals consistent. Breaking songs apart before building them back up again. It's a DJ at the top of his game. "Right Here, Right Now" kicks things off calmly with a building synth. But once that beat kicks in, the album doesn't let up. Every song on the album is top class, but the first four song run is the stuff of legend. After "Right Here, Right Now" and "The Rockafeller Skank", "Fucking in Heaven" takes over. It's as juvenile as it is brilliant. What a tune. And then we go straight into "Gangster Trippin", arguably the best song on the album. I can't decide which of the interchanging melodies is my favourite. It's an inspired soup of samples making something completely unique. "Soul Surfing" deserves a mention too. It's one of the most unhinged yet fantastic songs you'll hear, and it somehow slipped under the mainstream radar. "Shakato, Shabbo" indeed (I don't care what the actual lyrics are). It's crazy and amazing at the same time, like someone having great craic during a mental breakdown. Then there's "Praise You". As great as the song itself is, it'll forever be linked to the amazingly creative Spike Jonze music video. The Torrance Community Dance Group "flash mob" dancing around outside an L.A. cinema, with no permission, has become one of the most iconic music videos of all time, and it reportedly cost only $800 to make. There's just something so great about seeing Jonze and crew dance about like loons to the music, and it fits the song so well. "You've Come a Long Way Baby" is a masterclass in sampling and mixing. Cook was at his peak here. This is big beats done to perfection, and still one of the most fun albums of the decade. 4.5 stars.

Instant classic on release. Some songs, like In Heaven, have become dated since

I liked this album quite a bit, the hits like the opener and Praise You are classics but the others are also extremely memorable, amazing production all over this. Just a great album.

Had this CD growing up. Never really thought of it as a top album because of the massive success of Praise You. Nice to go back and listen to the other tracks in full outside of the big singles. Forgot about Right here Right now, Kalifornia, Soul Surfing, and You're Not from Brighton. I used to play with You're Not From Brighton on a DJ mixing website with 2 little turn tables. Realized that Soul Surfing is often stuck in my head whatever that lyric is.

Nice music to jam and clean to. Weird that Rockafeller Skank was unavailable on YT music.

She's All That taught me to like Fat Boy Slim. I can't drop the hack-ee-sack!

Most of these songs could be less repetitive and at most 2/3s in length. Or perhaps SHOULD be. Regardless, the album is filled with bangers that I can't help but like a lot.

I feel like "mind-numbing" is a good word to describe this album, just in that good turn-your-brain-off kind of EDM way. Really interesting sample work from this album, especially in the first half. I'm definitely gonna have more than half of the hooks stuck in my head for a while. I've been singing "California is druggy-druggy-druggy-druggy" over and over again while writing this. I'm sure the fine specimen on the cover would agree with me saying that this is a great album.

So I’ve heard of the name Fatboy Slim probably in passing or in media but I never knew what he was actually about or what kind of music he made. In listening I found out that it is electronic dance music and the song “Rockefeller Skank” is actually recognizable probably to anyone, as it is a very popular EDM anthem. The rest of his music is very catchy and I could see myself jamming to it. I could almost imagine him in the studio absolutely just jamming saying “oh yeah this cooks” LOL. Why did I almost get a feeling of MJ influence from the baseline in Soul Surfing? And I thought Gangster Trippin went absolutely crazy. Overall I really enjoyed this album and can see how it must’ve heavily influenced the EDM game.

I LOVE BIG BEAT, I LOVE JET SET, GIMME 3.9

4.1

Youreallt can hear the influence on jamie and fred. FO!

Almost halfway there...

So many memories. It’s so fun, I wouldn’t say it’s class the whole way through, but it makes you want to dance. Best song: right here right now

The first half of the album are all bangers but there is some filler on the second half

one of the best to ever do it

This was a favourite when I was but a babe, and it still holds up pretty well even if it's not quite a favourite anymore. I used to think the guy in the cover was Fatboy Slim as well. Solid dance music with some classics, important 90's stuff.

This album is like eating junk food. You know you're going to feel bad if you eat the whole bag. But you eat the whole bag because it tastes so good. I ate the whole bag and I'd do it again ⭐⭐⭐⭐

фетбой навалил годноты

Will now be featured during every Bills game

This was a really fun listen and definitely a classic. The use of samples is really innovative and still holds up to this day, and the songs themselves are really infectious and entertaining. It's not quite a five star album for me, but I can totally see why it would be for someone else. 4/5

The Wikipedia article called his style "sloganistic" vocals which I thought was pretty interesting. Feels pretty modern in a lot of ways. I liked you're not from Brighton, Kalifornia, and Praise you.

4.5/5 + I've listened to The Rockafella Skank what feels like a thousand times in my lifetime, it still slaps + I always wanted to listen to this album and never took the time, so thank you 1001G + Love the artwork + so much energy + the highs are so high (and Praise You is basically just a collection of highs) + I had a great time - it's very repetitive, when it works, it's hypnotic and very kinetic, when it doesn't work it gets extremely annoying - some songs are a lot longer than they need to be Fav: Praise You, The Rockafella Skank, Gangster Trippin, Soul Surfing Least Fav: Fucking in Heaven

One of the better 90s dance records. Some catchy stuff. The videos spike jonze directed are classics. This is the best of this genre I’ve heard.

fun album with lots of notable hits

Good, although slightly repetitive

fatboy slim, el disco de rockafeller skank, un poco pesado pero bien para tener de fondo cuando apetece

Listened to this so much in college (00s) that I didn't even need to listen to it this time. Excellent big beat, uh, beats, and memorable vocals (one that comes to mind I probably shouldn't type here ;P).

Not what I was expecting at first. Interesting dj beats. A tad repetitive at times. Dumb lyrics are funny at first but lose their appeal quickly

Great album, excellent sampling.

An iconic entry in the genre and excellent music for background noise.

You've Come a Long Way, Baby is one of those albums that captures a very specific moment in late 90s dance music, and it still feels ridiculously fun. The beats hit hard, the samples are clever without being precious about it, and there is this big, messy enthusiasm running through the whole record that keeps everything moving. It is music built for motion, full of swagger and cheek, but with enough craft behind it to hold up long after the big beat era faded. The big tracks like “Right Here, Right Now” and “Praise You” are still irresistible, partly because of their hooks and partly because they walk that perfect line between sincerity and playfulness. Even the deeper cuts, the ones that lean heavier into breakbeats and looped vocals, have a scruffy charm to them. The production is chunky and loud but never overly glossy, which gives the album a personality a lot of modern electronic records end up missing. If the album has a flaw, it is simply that the formula becomes a bit predictable by the end. The same tricks repeat, the same structures appear, and the energy dips slightly in the final stretch. But even then, it is hard not to enjoy it. You've Come a Long Way, Baby is a celebration of excess, rhythm, and sheer confidence. It may not reinvent anything now, but it still knows exactly how to make a room move.

That was a lot of fun, very nostalgic, and really close to a 5. But, ultimately, I was kind of glad it was over and will almost certainly never listen to it again, so I think a 4 is appropriate.

love that he's been trying to find the guy on the album cover and hasn't as of 2025, apparently. this is an all timer, it never gets boring, only slightly grating at times

I think "The Rockafeller Skank" is really stand-out compared to the rest, but the rest isn't bad either.

A while ago I wrote that this project can have The Chemical Brothers, Moby, The Prodigy, and Fatboy Slim as the techno representation, so I'm happy to see this album. The songs on this album were placed in movies, tv shows, and commercials, so there is a lot of familiarity and general ear worminess to it. But the songs were chosen for those purposes for a reason. Electronica that rocks a little. Influence 3. Quality 4. Intangibles 4. Hits 4. Right here, right now 5.

Das Album lief damals zum Erbrechen rauf und runter. In meiner Single von Right here, right now habe ich eine kleine Kugelschreiber-Liebesbotschaft meiner damaligen Freundin gefunden :) made my day! Beim Rockafeller skank direkt fifa-98-Flashbacks … Matthias Sammer in der Halle… „er ist sein Gewicht in Gold wert!“ Bittersweet nostalgia ..

The hits are amazing - "Right Here, Right Now," "Rockafeller Skank," Gangster Tripping," and "Praise You" are all great. "In Heaven" is fun. Some of the tracks just feel like pure filler. "Build It Up, Tear It Down" is barely worth the 5 minutes it takes to listen to it. "Kalifornia" is better. "Soul Surfing" is also a lot more fun. "You're Not From Brighton" is a fun title since Fatboy Slim is from there, but the song itself is forgettable. "Love Island" is pretty good as the penultimate track, if a little tired, and the closer "Acid8000" is most likely the least interesting track on the whole album. Overall, a solid effort and definitely part of the zeitgeist of the late 90s club culture in Britain and elsewhere.

Undeniably good stuff, not my favorite genre but a classic

Feels like a parody of everything late 90s. Not meant to be taken seriously. I feel like it could be a bit shorter, but the whole thing is still really fun. Kinda reminds me of Moby's album Play, but with humor

I like this album a lot

THE FUNK SOUL BROTHA'

- eu gosto muito do estilo do fatboy slim, é menos energético que seus conterrâneos do big beat, mas ainda vibrante - acho que ele refinou a forma de recortar beat e sample do que já havia sido feito com prodigy e a galera do jungle - além disso, trouxe as raizes da música eletrônica de volta com a reaproximação do funk e rap

Right Here, Right Now - 5/5 The Rockafeller Skank - 5/5 In Heaven - 3/5 Gangster Tripping - 4/5 Build It Up - Tear It Down - 3/5 Kalifornia - 3/5 Soul Surfing - 4/5 You're Not From Brighton - 4/5 Praise You - 5/5 Love Island - 4/5 Acid 8000 - 4/5 Average score: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Levy vei omaan nuoruuteeni ja hyvinhän se potkii edelleen. Silloin nuorena levy ei tuntunut toistavan itseään mutta nyt toistoa oli havaittavissa. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oli kyllä kova. Hyvää sämpläystä!

Although I always found "the funk soul brother" repetitiveness of "The Rockafeller Skank" annoying, I was surprised by how much I liked this, particularly the closing three songs, "Praise You" (another big hit), "Love Island," and "Acid 8000." They aren't necessarily songs I'd put on just to listen to music, but they're excellent additions to my running playlist. (Currently 193 songs, 11:45.)

actually enjoyed this more than i thought i did. chorus is repeated a bit excessively but fun. very interesting and captivating listen. some of the sounds on here are dirtyyyy but in a good way

Fat boy slim is fucking in heaven.

Solid dance moves with half of an all time 90’s playlist right at the top. No it’s not anything amazing but it will make you wanna shake your ass and that is worth it alone.

Clearly some great roots to dance

Crazy album tbh, loved the sounds

A classic

Thirty years on it's still got it.

Rv/g

Yeah this is pretty much a 5 out of 5, it's one of the most iconic of its genre and makes me happy, this was in the background to my youth being played everywhere and I almost forgot how great it is, still stand up as one of the best. In Heaven is a bit repetitive/annoying though.

I liked it, 1 or 2 duds

Very fun electronic music

Iconic album. Completion nostalgic for me. I remember when this came out on cassette and my mum dropped me at a friends house. My friend and I listened to it with one headphone each ontop of a stack of hay bails on a really sunny evening- that was way before the world went to shit. Fun album!

A surprisingly enjoyable listen—I haven't listened to much electronic music, but I tend to enjoy the genre, and this is a fantastic example of it. It does drag a little long, though; a few of the longer songs could stand to be shorter.

Solid classic dance album

Pretty decent for it's genre

Fun

It’s repetitive in the best way.

Fatboy Slim be definitely fucking in heaven.

I'm not going to lie, just fast, banging memories come flashing back. The build of the intro to right here, right now is up there with the best. Cook has a real skill of resurrecting songs that were not on the average person's radar & turned them into globally recognizable tunes. Album doesn’t flow terribly well and a bit full on but I’m always teleported back to a warm summer Saturday night under a giant spider at Glastonbury when I hear Praise You

Is this what I needed on a rainy, blustery horrible day in the UK? Hell yeah! Are there better dance pop acts around? Oh yes of course, but this seems to hit the spot today. But definitely something to be in the mood for. If I was in a grumpy, pretentious mood, I'd be less up for this. The absolute hits Praise you, Rockafeller Skank and Right here, Right now are incredible. I've seen him live a few times and it's always been a great party. So thank you Norman!

A love letter to chaos, caffeine, and clunky tech. A monster built in a bedroom and defined a decade. Best enjoyed while chugging Code Red and pretending Gran Turismo is your real job….repetition as religion.

one of the most emblematic DJ's that brought the genre to the mainstream in the 90's

own

I already knew i was going to like this. Mad start, could give or take the middle album tracks, then the highlight is Praise You. Sweet.

If you’re looking for upbeat, feel good theme music for your day, then look no further. “The Rockafeller Skank” and “Praise You” were to the two global hits, but every song has a certain foot tapping beat to it.

Best one so far, fun and digestible and catchy

premier album électro que j’écoute entièrement et sans interruption, l’expérience d’écoute a été vraiment surprenante. après une première écoute en voiture, où les sons étaient franchement déroutants (surtout la répétitivité et les layers de samples), j’ai décidé de stopper avant le son 4 pour réécouter l’album entier une fois plus posée. en le réécoutant au calme le dimanche matin, ça a fait clic : boucles hypnotiques, drum runs intéressants, effets de glissement… Kalifornia et Fucking in Heaven font maintenant partie intégrante de ma playlist. je pense aussi que le fait d’avoir vu les clips de certains sons, surtout celui de Right here, right now, m’ont encore plus fait kiffer la vibe du projet. en bref, pas un album évident à la première écoute (surtout si c’est une écoute limite passive), mais une appréciation qui vient au fur et à mesure des réécoutes.

There are some classics in there that are timeless, but once you get past them there’s nothing spectacular but still remains enjoyable throughout.

I didn’t love every song but there are some certified bangers on this one! Fast paced and so stupid you sometimes don’t want to admit it’s also kind of genius.

Good for sampling. Good vibes. Would be type of album you would put in the background for the entrance of a character.

Groovy throughout! Classic body of work

Great fun some of these songs are classics too

Groovy. Lots of funky classics

Actually quite liked this one. Quite a cool and unique electronic sound. Considering adding it to my personal library, but would probably have to give it another listen or two.

A lot of nostalgia with this one. As a teen, it was on heavy rotation during our weekend parties!

3.5/5

I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I know I comment on repetitiveness a lot and I definitely want to dock this one for that, but it somehow manages to remain interesting. I also happened to recognize some songs that I haven't heard since I was a kid on this album. Fun experience!

 Завжди любив фетбой сліма, це один з найкращих його альбомів, з хітами які звучали з кожної праски. Вчора переслухав з задоволенням.

не найкращий альбом фетбой сліма, але як завжди дуже гарний вайб, люблю його

Good example of something I’d rather listen to. But it's not as good as Madvillainy.

Honestly, love the vibes. and is it just me or is this giving tv girl??

GOATed

I'm glad to see the tracks I loved as a kid are just as great as I remember (Praise You, Rockafeller Skank, Gangster Tripping, Right Here Right Now). The rest are just fine, and not as terrible as I remember. Overall it's a lot of fun but its biggest flaws are that it's inconsistent and most of the songs are a bit too long.

So baller. Really enjoyed this. Classic after classic

Club beats

Great album. This and Halfway between the gutter and the stars are the peak of Fatboy Slims sampling powers.

Some proper banging tracks on this one

I know of this artist and some of their music and most of it actually off this record. I know that his stuff is good and groovy.

Grooving on my morning hike the whole time this played.

Always liked Rockefeller Skank, but the rest of the album is enjoyable too.

Back in the day I had a roommate with a 25 CD boombox. 10 of the slots were filled with Dave Matthews Band, the 11th was this album, the rest were empty. Fatboy Slim was a breath of fresh air whenever that came on the random playlist. Still just a great album.

sick

So obnoxious it somehow reverts back to just being incredibly fun. I don't know how it works, but it sure as hell does, and it's made many a gym session simply fly by.

Good good 8.3

A very good album, but it could be 5% shorter with a lot of repetition removed. Overuse of repetition is my single biggest issue with the release, which is a small thing but it seems to hit in every track. Sometimes not having a creative editor is artistic freedom, other times you get this. Still above average and a fun, fun listen ...albeit with some skipping forward. :) Gonna have a good time!

This album is undeniably great fun (Bon and I just spilled coffee all over the kitchen floor boogying around to Rockefeller skank 😂) I don't know if maybe it's been a victim of its own success and all of the advertising it's been used in (or copied for) has taken the sheen off, but it does sound incredibly dated and dare I say it, daggy. There's still a lot to like here though, aggressively boogy-inducing beats, deep sample cuts, filthy synths. It's silly, enthusiastic and doesn't take itself seriously. A joy if you allow it to be

Fun record. Would put on for background music, more than likely. I’m not super into this type of EDM, but I love the sample work. Definitely a good party band/album.

Very reminiscent of late 90’s movie soundtracks. I liked it but a lot of the songs have the same beat.

Monster album. Everything is great.

Really enjoyed - not my chosen genre, but really good tunes

Great if you like repetitive dance! Works for me while working.

I reviewed Fatboy Slim’s Better Living Through Chemistry about a year and a half ago, and I thought it was good (I gave it four stars). However, I’ve been looking forward to this one quite a bit, because I know three of the songs off of it, and all three of them are incredibly fun. I’ll stop my introduction here, because I’m ready to jump into this one! The three songs that I know off of this album still hold up really well: “Right Here, Right Now,” “Rockafeller Skank,” and “Praise You.” The rest of the album ran the gamut from really good (“Soul Surfing” and “Love Island”) to good (“Gangster Trippin”) to grating (“In Heaven”). Overall, I found You’ve Come A Long Way Baby to be good album, with a lot of enjoyable songs and a fun sound. The samples and beats sounded great, and I really enjoyed how all of the musical elements came together. I love the darker and more serious tone of “Right Here, Right Now.” The synthesizers had such a sweeping sound that I really loved, and the beats punched up the overall sound really well. “Rockefeller Skank” is incredibly goofy, but I always find it really fun. The vocal refrain is excellent (unlike on “In Heaven”), and I love that guitar sound that repeats throughout the song before the cymbals crash. The fake slowdown and fade out halfway through the song is perfect. It gives the song a chance to change and evolve in a really unique way. But the gem of this album is easily “Praise You.” I love that keyboard melody, and the bright sound is incredibly fun. The pulsing and scratching on the vocals are awesome, and the drum machine beats and bass give it just enough punch while allowing the keyboards to drive the melody. There were other songs that I enjoyed, but nothing on this album is nearly as memorable as the three songs I highlighted. This isn’t the type of thing I listen to often, but I really enjoyed getting to listen to another album from Fatboy Slim.

Turned my brain off and vibed

Reminds me of Jez from peep show

J’ai moins d’inspiration qu’hier mais très bon album j’aime beaucoup gros classique bien sûr même si c’est compliqué à écouter seul je trouve c’est plus de la musique de club. Solide 4/5 GG fat boy slim

J’ai kiffé ça m’a donné envie de danser

« My favorite artist right now is FATboy slim, that guy kicks ASS » : transition de fou entre le "Right here, right now" et "The Rockafeller skank" Les 3 premiers morceaux = du génie. Le milieu s’essouffle un peu, il réussi à répéter sur toute une chanson «California is druggy, druggy, druggy, druggy» (5min53 quand même !) avec une autotune qui ferait pâlir Daft Punk (et la phrase est par ailleurs un sample d'une animatrice TV, qui, petite digression, donne cette dédicace dans les crédits de son album : This album is dedicated only to the people who have bought it retail and not the SOB's who are listening to it for free at their friend's house, SOB signifiant Son of a b****... relativement agressif comme phrase hahaha) Les trois morceaux de fin sont aussi des masterclass. Donne globalement envie de taper du pied mais peut être un peu répétitif, ça reste quand même une dinguerie de sampling (avec environ 10 samples par morceaux >:0 (avec des samples allant de David Bowie à Jay-Z en passant par Giorgio Moroder) Fun fact : L'interview radiophonique de la fin du premier morceau est bien réelle, et Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim) est ensuite devenu pote et "drinking buddy" avec le fan en question

Pro: I still love the way this sounds. It’s fun and interesting. Cons: songs can drone on a bit and wear out their welcome.

If this don't make your booty move your booty must be dead.

Great album. Always enjoy listening to this one.

Que beats tan hptas

8/10

Right in that big beat center of electronic dance (acid house), hip-hop, and rock/pop. Consistently solid groove throughout, though a little more chill (or less extreme) than some of their contemporaries. Not much I dislike here other than some repetition, but it l doesn’t find the hit high peaks necessary to make this album truly top level. Still fun though.

THE consensus album of the late last millennium. no matter which scene or music genre you identified with - this album everybody seemed to like. I hadn’t listened to it in more than 25 years and was grateful for the nostalgia. Not sure how good this is objectively but I spun it four times yesterday and enjoyed it more on each return

This album is definitely mood dependent listening. If I was chilling on a Sunday I would not put this record on out of choice, however I got it on a Saturday after a gym session. Very fitting, although no song is quite short and sweet.

Esta cosas es funky por mucho tiempo que pase. Super divertido y repleto de hits. Mis 4 estrellas. Es mi tercer album y me alegro el viaje al trabajo rememorando tiempos pasados.

Often quite delightful.

This is a wormhole that directly transports me to the late 90s. Specifically that girl who thought the lyric was "I want to praise you like a shoe" (well, it rhymes). This was the soundtrack of many social gatherings and stores and car stereos as we headed into the new millennium. A pleasant artefact.

It's perfect from start to finish, where you never get bored, a masterpiece of sampling.

I don't enjoy most styles of electronica, but there are exceptions. Large parts of this album belonged to the enjoyable exceptions category. Some good stuff. Some slightly annoying parts too, but more of the good stuff. 3.5 rounded up.

Great album. The whole thing feels like I’m in a 90s house party. I’ll never forget “Right Here Right Now” in the 2002 hit Big Fat Liar. Overall, good songs but some get a little drawn out at times.

Enjoyed this way more than expected. I've always enjoyed "Praise You" for some reason. The rest of this was decently good house music compared to a lot of other house I hear. I can't really pinpoint why.

Ultra cool

Artistic/original and commercially viable. Uses vocal samples almost as rhythmic drum beats. Some of the build ups not translate outside of the club and some beats have not aged well. Overall: great!

A couple of the songs were certified bangers but the album as a whole was enjoyable!

I did roughly know what to expect from a Fatboy Slim record, but had never listened to a whole album. I was in for a treat here: Energizing and directly into the legs (great while cooking, although I don‘t know if it added any spice to the yellow curry tonight ;) ). I am not familiar with the genre, but the use of the break beats must be bold. The well-known singles are probably the best tracks, but the album is a great listen overall - also with its fun use of samples and interludes. Highlights: „Right here, right now“ and „The Rockafeller Skank“ certainly give the album a kick-start. But also the next three songs keep the pace up. Almost all gas, no brakes!

Favourites: Right Here, Right Now; The Rockafeller Skank; Gangster Trippin; Kalifornia; You're Not from Brighton; Praise You

Good one. Will listen more.

Starts off with a bang, but not my favourite ever - big beat is definitely an acquired taste, and one can't deny this album pioneered the genre. Still enough bangers to be an enjoyable listen.

Good - very much sounds like it was made in late 90s

Its good and ill come back to it as its a bit too long

A bit too lengthy and repetitive. The radio edit version of this album would be a certified banger.

4- Wow what a surprise. Had absolutely 0 expectations and thought it would be kinda lame. Overall though thoroughly enjoyed it

7 pour les 2 premières chansons, +1 pour la nostalgie parce qu'on l'a poncé ce putain d'album.

Very good!

This was damn good. Tight mixes and just excellent DJ work. Every sample works near perfectly.

What a pleasant surprise! I didn't pay much attention to this album when it came out because I didn't really like Praise You. I still don't really like Praise You, but listening to it now, overall I really like the album as a whole. It doesn't take itself too seriously like other electronic artists of that era like The Prodigy. It is just really fun, interesting sounding music. I usually approach skits on albums with deserved trepidation...they nailed the one before Rockefeller Skank, though.

Technically, this album shows it's age. It's clear that the samplers and editors used aren't nearly as capable as what's available now. But it still sounds great and there's really no better example of Big Beat.

Fun, danceable, a bit of a time capsule to the 90s. Personally could have gone without "... in heaven" but the rest is more than solide with a few real standouts.

Cool, too long

Norman at his best. I remember growing up with this album in the 90s and being at college. I was into Rock, pop, hip hop and unfortunately happy hardcore. This and Moby really changed the landscape of dance music. The mixing an sampling is fantastic and even when he writes a song like Praise you with it's awesome video it just rocks. Build it up tear it down at the beginning of Human Traffic really showed how influential Fatboy slim is to the dance culture. A fantastic album.

You hear this album and wonder why anybody wasted their time with The Chemical Brothers. FBS is just at another level.

Classic album, great for getting that head down and getting lost in something.

some classic bangers on this one some tracks do overstay their welcome (when streaming which isn’t their ideal/intended listening situation tbf) Praise You is still amazing. Love Island is another fave

Late 90s Electronica. His breakthrough. So many bangers. But also quite a bit of filler.

Apart from the "Right Here, Right Now", I've never heard any other songs from this album, or indeed, any other Fatboy Slim songs at all. They're pretty good. I think I've heard "Praise You" before as well, that's another good one.

Not a style I listen to regularly, but is very entertaining!

Truly #1, but outside the greats album sometimes sounded repetitive

This may be the first album that has come up that I was honestly surprised that I enjoyed as much as I did. Sure, there have been some, like Jeru The Damaja's "The Sun Rises In The East", that I had never heard. But anyone around in the late '90s has probably heard Praise You and Rockafeller Skank. So to put this on and enjoy it start to finish, color me surprised for the first time in 139 albums. Not earth shattering. Not groundbreaking. But solid. Will listen to again.

Three cracking singles. Album tracks get a little repetitive sometimes but this is a masterclass in sampling songs that, if not obscure, are at least off radar for most

Gear: Dunu SA6 Artwork: 🫃🏻🥇😎 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🎛️💪🫨 Rating: 🥤🍔🍗🍟(🥓)/5

A decent album but there is something unrelentingly obvious about the whole "big beat" sound. 3.5*

Entre Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 et Les Zinzins de l'espace

Sampling all this stuff must have taken forever. Incredible work. Some might find this repetitive, but don't hear or appreciate the details. Still, this is just party music, with nothing deep to it, just to have as much fun as possible.

Has not aged a second, for some weird reason.

A repetitive tho not exactly redundant electronic record, You've Come A Long Way, Baby goes a long way in realizing a 'big beat' album abounding in small touches and lasting flourishes. Clearly, Fatboy Slim doesn't take himself seriously, but he does his art. I'm no expert in electronic, sample-based music, but this feels like something between DJ Shadow and Daft Punk: it has the studio-atmosphere of the former, the club-atmosphere of the latter. Not every track is worth your time, particularly the irritating 'In Heaven,' but at his best, Slim spawns an imaginative aura that demands our attention - and our bodies. The four or five masterstrokes are not only addictively upbeat and golden, they're in my head whilst in my toes.

This is party music. It's not meant to be listened to and critiqued like this generator requires. You're supposed to be jumping with your arms in the air, bumping in to the people you just met 10 minutes ago, who are now your dance floor best friends. He's a legend, and I didn't appreciate Fat Boy Slim when I was a child in the 90's like I do as an adult who loves a good DJ set. So many DJs are influenced by him, Girl Talk specifically came to mind as I listened. This man exclusively DJs barefoot, so while he's not taking anything too seriously, neither should his listeners.

As a lad from the UK might say, this album has more bangers than a sausage factory.

Yas

Good album, I’ve never listened through this one before but familiar with most of the songs

So creative and the transitions are so smooth

4/5

Good memories of a few tracks from this album - a few party anthems from my high school years - this album was everywhere! Its not a genre I listen to heaps, but enjoyed the spin today (mostly anyway, there are a few tracks I'd skip on a second listen through!). Fatboy Slim has some awesome music videos! Ya Mama (Push the tempo) - a long time fave.

4/5 repetitive, mindless fun. this album took me back to playing Jet Set Radio when i was a kid. could each track be 2 minutes shorter? yes; but that wouldn't be very funk soul of you, brotha fav tracks: Right Here Right Now Rockafeller Skank Praise You Gangster Trippin Build It Up, Tear It Down In Heaven

Definitely some huge highlights here in the hits. "Rockefeller Skank" is an amazing single. "Praise You" is great too. I like how Fatboy Slim uses and distorts samples. The only thing I have to complain about on this album is that most of the time its every other song that are great. Makes it seem it would have just worked better as a shorter album, like 35-40 minutes range

Great record - lyrics are excellent!

This was really fun. Good to know I still like the songs I knew, and the rest of the album's pretty solid. Sure, the repetitive sections go on long enough to almost start to be annoying, but there's always release when the beat finally drops again. Fatboy Slim created an amusing musical universe to just hang out in for awhile, and I enjoyed my time there.

A name I've heard, but never before listened to. Good stuff.

Pues hay música en este disco, la verdad. Mucho mejor de lo que esperaba.

fun album with some bangers on it, really enjoyed it

Delightful suprise, a big hype album

Quite good. Probably 3.5. I was going to give it a 4 but I think it’s maybe just a slight bit dated.

This is such a classic album, and testament to the quality that many of the songs are still sampled in ads etc. some 30 odd years on.

Long time fan, gets me moving. Let’s go!

the music gets a 4. “praise you” is an actual banger and rockefeller stank gets stuck in my head 😅

Iconic. It did not felt like it was an hour long endeavor like most albums that were released on the CD era where they filled the album because they had the space to do so, to the detrimental of the quality of the project. Praise you still sounds as vital as it was when I first heard it back in the day. https://youtube.com/shorts/RpmFhr0dlSA https://youtube.com/shorts/LVx0u22Dnbs https://youtube.com/shorts/OOUficQth0k https://youtu.be/MaaQyVRndMA I should probably stop here 😂

8/10 check it out now the fuck soul brother

A nostalgic album for me as I had it on CD back in the 90's, when I was just a wee teen. Not an album I would normally sit down and just listen to, but I still think it's full of bangers. Praise You is literally one of my favorite songs of all time.

really solid. while being a repetitive it was such a fun listen and really unique compared to anything i’ve heard before. great record!

Good album

Zuhause, Heidenheim, Deutschland Ultra viele Banger!

Perfect album for doing work to.

Just some good time tunes. Praise you is an all timer.

Pretty good instrumental album Big since I left you vibes

Great album … but probably overplayed. Felt a bit like an extended advert.

It reminds me of my youth, which was a super cool and totally not cringe time. I would probably give a 4.5 actually but I can't do that dammit.

Nú veit ég ekki alveg hvernig ég á að flokka þessa tónlistarstefnu en ég veit samt hversu mikið ég hlustaði á Fatboy Slim og sérstaklega þessa plötu hans í gamla daga. Mér finnst þetta enn gott stöff og skil ekki af hverju ég hlusta ekki meira á plöturnar hans. Dansidansi.

absolute king of the game. everytime I listen I envy the people who were able to attend the free concert at Brighton in 2002.

Oh yes! This made it onto the list…. The intro to Right Here Right Now is like a time portal back to the late 90s. What Normon Cook did with his Atari ST is just astonishing looking back. No library of samples, just a stack of floppy disks he’d amassed with samples he’d created. Sometimes the greatest innovations are driven by the technology being just good enough for a genius to take it to another level (a bit like the Beatles and a 4 track recorder in the 60s). There - I said it….genius! Having said that, the singles are the majority of the standout tracks on the album. Having said that, the rest is far from filler and it’s fascinating to hear the singles surrounded by the rest of the album (often is). Solid 4.

Bra grejer! Gangsta var bästa låten.

While it certainly sounds “of its time” I think it does a great job perfectly encapsulating the creative pioneering that the confluence of technology and 90’s “anything goes” ethos, and in that respect, it holds up. For what it is, I can’t give it a 3, though it’s a 3.5. 4 stars it is.

Esta guapo instrumentales interesantes

Probably giving this more than it deserves on the whole but my day was spent in mad dash work mode and this is a. Incredible soundtrack for crossing items off of a list.

7,09

His second album. Electronic / Dance. Right Here, Right Now and The Rockafeller Skank are two quintessential 90s electro tracks. Love the sleeve on this album too. Gangster Trippin is also a good track. A masterpiece of repetition, samples and beats to move to. Praise You, what a banger. This track also has one of the great videos!

Extremely fun, some of the biggest bangers around. I distinctly remember being sat in the back of the car on the way home from school after hearing this for the first time trying to explain to my parents what "Fatboy Slim is fucking in heaven" was called without cursing. It didn't go well.

Very interesting. I believe that they have a very good foundation to produce intricate and serious music, but they chose heavy beats and the most straightforward way to present themselves. This makes them different from other DJs, as they are making brainwashing big beats by their artistic choice not because they could only do loud basslines. I do like praise you, love island. Very fun to listen. Also it’s realised in 1998, very impressive.

The hits sure do hit don’t they. It feels like a lot of this album is him just messing around and having fun because I don’t think anyone makes “In Heaven” in the hopes that it gets radio play. It’s a DJ with some songs that get pretty repetitive, to the point I was almost starting to sour on the style. But “Praise You” brings it all back around. Rockefeller Skank is great and iconic, but Praise You just has such uplift to it. Highly recommended checking out the source material, Praise You by Carmille Yarborough. I think the pacing of the album with the hits positioned as they were gave the rest of the album time to make a nice background music, that was begging for some soul, just in time for Praise You to hit.

This album slaps. I really enjoyed listening to it and it’s a pretty good summer time jam. Might even bump this up to a five star - as the story itself is so cool.

Bangers

Right about now The funk soul brother Check it out now The funk soul brother Right about now The funk soul brother Check it out now The funk soul brother Right about now The funk soul brother Check it out now The funk soul brother Right about now The funk soul brother Right about now The funk soul brother Check it out now The funk soul brother Right about now The funk soul brother Check it out now The funk soul brother Right about now The funk soul brother Check it out now The funk soul brother Right about now The funk soul brother Check it out now The funk soul brother

I'd consider myself a "big beat" fan. I remember how huge this album was when it came out, and it has some great tunes for sure. "Right Here Right Now", "The Rockafeller Skank", "Gangster Trippin", and "Praise You" are the standout tracks. While looped beats are a trademark of the style, I do think it gets a little too repetitive a few times, when not enough has been added to keep the sounds "evolving" so-to-speak. All-in-all, great album though.

It falls JUST short of a 5, though it could easily be one if the later songs start to stick with me. This album is such an ancestor of so much modern music I like, or even just a lot of internet content I like.

Extremely fun! Great, catchy, funky breakbeat goodness made for nothing more than getting stuck in your head and getting your booty in gear on the club floor.

Fatboy Slim is one of those iconic and just plain fun dj mix club, techno, pick a "hop" bands that I don't understand people wouldn't like. This is one of those bands that plays their hearts and minds to their audiences and everyone just grooves. Sometimes silly, sometimes weird, but always fun and always accessible, I have always liked Fatboy Slim. It is so easy to just slip into their groove that I listened as my youtube auto play just kept going with them for hours. Why not? It is just "yeah, it's all good, chill baby."

Great

Banger after banger after banger after banger. When you like electronic music as much as I do : this is a absolute classic. Yes it's repetitive but so much thing is happening in the background and that makes each track incredibly rich and generous. 8/10 fav songs : The Rockafeller Skank & You're not from Brighton

I was surprised to enjoy this EDM as much as did.

Pop 90's EDM. Gets the endorphins flowing. Thanks Mr. Slim.

Lots of fun. "If this don't move your booty, your booty must be dead."

Obviously knew the hits, but unexpectedly enjoyed the rest of it too.

I understand the importance of Fatboy Slim for the electronic music scene. The beats and the constructions are incredible! But some mixes make some songs a little tiring to listen to at the end. But I understand that it is an aesthetic of the time, many DJs used it in their songs. Good album.

Now this is what I call perfect party music. Unlike much of the shallow, formulaic dance music that dominated the ‘90s, this album feels both reflective and forward-thinking. It’s not just about “The Rockafeller Skank,” “Soul Surfing,” or “Praise You”—although the latter is my favorite track. It’s more than just an anthem; it captures the very essence of the late ’90s. Norman Cook has always been on my radar—not only because of his work with The Housemartins (and the spinoff, The Beautiful South, which I listened to a lot in the early 2000s—hello Closer Than Most)—but because of his unique ability to blend energy, wit, and depth. So yes—thank you, Norman.

I read all the reviews that complained about the repetition and thought to myself “hah, normies.” But by the end of this album it does begin to seem like it could’ve done more with each track’s ingredients. Not all of them - “Praise You” still rules all the way through - but enough. Still, I want to celebrate everything from this list that isn’t basic-ass rock music, and honestly it’s a fun album to throw on in the background and you’ll be tapping your feet. So yeah. 4 stars it’s great. Not a must-listen though.

I throughly enjoyed, even though I didn’t think I would. It’s a fun record and would listen again. Although it felt like it kind of fell off towards the end.

Very solid album. Lie it the more I think about it. Some absolute classics on there Specific rating - 4.0 Fav song- gangster trippin’ Least fav- kalifornia

Take back what I said before about repetitive music... turns out sometimes I really like it! Just really fun. Favourite: The Rockafeller Skank Least: Fucking in Heaven

I am a fan of electronic music, and remember well when this record came out. I haven't thought a lot about since the almost 30 years since it came out. The key with electronic music is how well it ages. Nowadays, anyone can make an album on their home computer with the right software. But let's take a moment to appreciate that Norman Cook created this album in his home studio, in 1998, on an Atari ST computer, Creator software, and floppy disks. So the question is, does this album stand the test of time, especially the song Praise You, which I heard so much when it came out. I think it does. Other favorites, Rockefeller Skank, Kalifornia, and Acid 8000.

This is a super cool album I probably wouldn’t have checked out otherwise. You’ve Come A Long Way Baby kind of secretly has its fingers in a lot of different pies. The aesthetic base here is Big Beat/UK techno, but on a few levels, it delves into some really interesting spaces. You have some clear hip hop influence, as well as jungle, which all still kind of slots nicely together, however the way this album incorporates sampling has a really unique effect. Some of the sampled passages on here are in-tact enough that they can kind of be enjoyed as they would have been in their original context. This results in moments across this album that I can enjoy like (for example)a funk, psych or surf rock song, in a way that almost reminds me of plunderphonics. This is all incorporated into some super fun, groovy songs that are consistent across the project. I think I see how something like this could be seen as repetitive, but while the arcs of the songs are kind of repetitive, they transform subtly in a way that rewards close listening. Not to mention how dense and detailed this is on a moment to moment basis, so I didn’t think this was too repetitive at all. In Heaven is maybe a little annoying if you aren’t that into vox, but I think that even that song has a strong core. Ultimately, this was a really fun, exciting and rewarding listen.

Great album. Norm Cook came a ‘long way’ from the Housemartins.

Great album for running!

Hell yeah! Fat boy slim came through with ear worm after ear worm of infectious songs. 8/10 Favorite songs: Rockefeller skank, praise you, in heaven, kalifornia

First of all, let me talk about the album art. It's so funny, instant 10/10. For the actual review, 2 English Club music legends in a row is crazy. I'm just coming off of Depeche Mode and straight into Fatboy Slim, the "Band of the 90's, if you wanna call it a band, because it's a one man name." I actually have no idea how to rate this album objectively. On vibes alone and how much I personally enjoy it, it's probably a 4/5, like Depeche Mode. Yes, it's very repetitive, but with club music you're kind of going to get that. You either love it or hate it, and I definitely love it. However, is it as good as Depeche Mode? I don't know if it is. The double edged sword of Fatboy Slim is that the entire album is just sound, therefore not very memorable until you replay it, but the sound is all super good. So do I give it, as an album, a 3? Or do I go off of vibes and personal enjoyment and give it a 4? I really don't know. The transition from "Right Here Right Now" into "The Rockafeller Skank" is smooth as butter though, really really cool. Also easily the 2 best songs on the album for sure. The funk soul brother check it out now!! The funk soul brother right about now!!

Encapsulating the DJ sound of the late 90s early aughts. Permeated the cultural landscape through TV, Movies, Ads, Clubs, everywhere. Catchy and pervasive, I think it would be hard to find someone who has not heard and would recognize that they had heard Rockafeller Skank, Right Here RIght Now, and Praise You...even though they would probably have no idea who Fatboy Slim is.

Thoroughly enjoyable. Dance and grooved.

Oh what a banger record - the sound of the late 90s - each track a memory of a constant soundtrack everywhere you’d go - and yet it never did and does overstay its welcome. Had so much fun listening to this - even though I never really knew it as an album.

Two recent(ish) songs immediately spring to mind. Houdini by Eminem and I'm Good by Bebe Rexha - there are many more. It's 2000-and-20-something, you can pretty much sample and manipulate existing sounds in ways you could not have dreamt possible 20 years ago. And yet here we are, just lifting an existing piece of music wholesale and not even bothering to change any of the melodic or rhythmic content to "create" and new composition - nope, just alter a couple of the words and were done. Rewind a couple of decades or so, and Norman Cook is laboriously building up a library of samples and musical snippets of interest from obscure sources on FLOPPY FUCKING DISCS which he would eventually use to assemble musical tapestries that at least have the decency to distance themselves from those sources by several degrees of creativity. A bit cheesy and of-its-time this album may be, but this is how - if you are going to take existing work and craft it into something new - it is supposed to be done.

Definitely Fatboy Slim's seminal album, for those familiar. About as mainstream as it gets for this big beat era, as you've got smash hits such as "Right Here, Right Now", "The Rockafeller Skank", and "Praise You". Inspired use of sampling and not too heavy/overbearing in the "beat" aspect of it all. One of the more accessible big beat works, if we're being honest.

So good

This rocks for what it is, can't really imagine better. But if Rust Never Sleeps is a 5...

Never listened to the whole album before. I can dig it!

Love the classic 90’s style but I find it gets a tad monotonous

I’ve enjoyed FBS hits since hearing on the radio as a kid. Didn’t know most were from this album! Rest of the songs were fun too.

Dated technically, but contemporary in beats and samples. Rockafeller Skank was a jam and still is.

I’ve always preferred Prodigy and to a lesser extent Chemical Brothers as far as late 90s electronic hit acts go. This one is cool too, but the repetition of the samples does wear on one eventually.

Some great tunes, some not so great, but the album is an absolute classic.

Had it's moments. Cool tone sweep followed by metric modulation.

Truly great. Criticizing repeated lyrics here is like criticizing rock music for having riffs. It's the style, it works perfectly, and does exactly what it's supposed to do Edit Apr 15 2026: 5 --> 4. I have a lot of nostalgia for it, but I don't feel it enough for a 5/5 here

Right Here, Right Now The Rockafeller Skank Gangster Tripping Praise You

Shocked at how much I truly enjoyed this. Would not listen often, but definitely would work on occasion.

This album fucks.