Fatboy Slim (a.k.a. Norman Cook) released You've Come A Long Way Baby in late 1998 which was a follow up to his now platinum album released in late 1996 called Better Living Through Chemistry. The album immediately started out great due to the single "The Rockafeller Skank", an addictive song. This album is now the highest selling techno/electronica album of all time, selling more than 7 million copies worldwide.
Trach #1: Right Here, Right Now, 4.5/5. The album starts off with a great song that is a perfect song to open an album. Sure, it does song annoying with the kid going like "right here, right now" but it is still a great song with a great beat with a violin sound. It is pretty lengthy however and gets more boring and boring listening to the same chorus over and over. The skit at the end of the song however is pretty funny listening to Brad say "funksoul brother" in a weird voice. The skit is a good introduction to the next song.
Track #2: The Rockafeller Skank, 5/5. A great and classic electronic song, possibly the most famous electronic song ever. This song is exciting and never gets boring even when he says the same thing over and over "Right about now, the funksoul brother". I also like how he goes from one different beat to another then at the end of the same mixes them all together with the guitar, clock, etc. Its a really good song in my opinion I don't understand why loyal music fans dislike it. A good song for a bad year of music (1998 year of R&B). The music video is also fantastic but lets talk about the album instead.
Track #3: In Heaven 2.5/5. Its the shortest song on this album but also one of the worst. The beat is fine but the vocals are not in my opinion. It gets really boring listening to him say the f word over and over. And then at the end he finally jumps to the conclusion saying "please don't play this for anybody I don't normally do this". I guess its a half decent song.
Track #4: Gangster Tripping 4/5. Fantastic song I like the beat and the mixed sound of vocals where he says "f with your woman I f with your woman" or something like that. The vocals are hard to interpret because of the amazing sound. And the beats are awesome as well. This is definitely a good song and perfect for spoof gangster films.
Track #5: Build It Up- Tear It Down 3.5/5. Its a decent song. It sort of sounds like a song from his other album Better Living Through Chemistry with the weird sound of drums at the beginning. But I like it when it goes slow with the bee buzzing sound and then to the chorus. The chorus is the best part of this song. I guess a decent song, its worth listening to for Fatboy Slim fans.
Track #6: Kalifornia 1.5/5. Definitely the worst song on the album. Its so boring and raw. Plus the sound is terrible for a Fatboy Slim song. Basically 6 minutes of nothing. Whenever I listen to the album I skip it because it is boring, untalented. I think Norman made this song when he was board and couldn't think of another song to make. Plus the vocals and sound don't relate to California in any way.
Track #7: Soul Surfing 4/5. Everytime I go to a Los Angeles Dodger game I hear this song. Its a great song. I like the fast voice of the guy at the beginning with a whistle. Then it goes funky with the beats in it. My main favourite part of the song is the chorus. I would give this song a 5 but then as the song anticipates a weird and idiotic voice comes in a ruins it basically. I don't understand what its saying but it sounds like an owl. And its terrible. But the rest of the song is great in my opinion.
Track #8: You're Not From Brighton 3/5. A decent song. Its pretty funk sounding but then once he starts to say "You're Not From Brighton" really slow the song gets boring. He could have made this song 2 minutes if it went the same pace as The Rockafeller Skank but he wanted to make the album more lengthy I guess. A decent song just a bit too boring.
Track #9: Praise You 5/5. Definitely a great song one of the best on this album. The piano matches well with the depressing vocals. And once the xylephone and maracas come in it makes it more of a happy song. Its a great dance song. I also like it in the middle of the song where hes like "I have to Praise You" but I can't interpret what type of beat/instrument it is I'm guessing a trumpet or something like that. Its my favourite part of the song. A great song from start to finish no doubt. Plus the most talented song on this album in my opinion.
Track #10: Love Island 2/5. A terrible song. I don't like it at all. It sounds pretty bad and its boring. The beginning makes the song sound like its going to be exciting and fast but then it turns out to be half the hype. A boring song, untalented, just like Kalifornia. Fatboy made this song to make the album more lengthy. Except its a bit more shorter than Kalifornia.
Track #11: Acid 8000 4.5/5. A great closing song that makes you forget about the terrible Love Island song. It has a great beat and it makes him sound like more of a DJ then pop singer. The last minute of the album is nothing though just sort of like The Rockafeller Skank to make it more lengthy. But it is one of the best closing songs on a electronic album in my opinion. Just a bit too lengthy.
After this album Fatboy Slim began to fall down hill. He released a follow up album which was popular in a way with "Push The Tempo" and "Weapon Of Choice" but after that he went completely downhill. Palookaville was a money making bomb and after he couldn't make much money he released a greatest hit album. Fatboy Slim will always be known for this classic electronic album.
