Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Track Listings
| 1. Song For Lindy |
| 2. Santa Cruz |
| 3. Going Out Of My Head |
| 4. The Weekend Starts Here |
| 5. Everybody Needs A 303 |
| 6. Give The Po' Man A Break |
| 7. 10th & Crenshaw |
| 8. First Down |
| 9. Punk To Funk |
| 10. The Sound Of Milwaukee |
| 11. Michael Jackson |
| 12. Next To Nothing |
Product Description
Review
To some, it seemed a peculiar moment during the Olympic closing ceremony when Norman Cook popped out of a bus in a giant inflatable octopus, bringing his giddy rave action to proceedings. He belonged there, though. Fellow performers the Spice Girls and Liam Gallagher may’ve sold more in the 90s; but you’d be a fool to forget Norman’s role as the go-to party-starter from the latter half of the decade.
After a second coming with chart-toppers Beats International followed his stint in The Housemartins, Cook had an acid house epiphany. He got into making tunes under names like Pizzaman and Mighty Dub Katz, as well as co-founding Freak Power. But it was as Fatboy Slim that he captured the good-time zeitgeist and eventually became one of the late-90s’ formidable superstar DJs.
His debut, Better Living Through Chemistry, is more of a compilation than a proper album per se. Much of it had already been released, either as singles or via Skint’s Brassic Beats series.
Indeed, along with Skint, he helped spearhead an array of chiefly Brighton-based bangingness at the Big Beat Boutique club night (a sort of south coast response to London’s Heavenly Social). This paved the way for the likes of Midfield General, Lo-Fidelity Allstars, Bentley Rhythm Ace and X-Press 2 to follow.
The blueprint was already there: the beats were big, the house was mostly acid; the funkier end of crate-dug breaks prevailed, and there were cheeky lifts and samples ahoy. Santa Cruz borrows Lulu’s tremendous Love Loves to Love Love, Going Out of My Head batters I Can’t Explain, and Punk to Funk masterfully deploys Keith Mansfield’s Young Scene.
The key track, however, was Everybody Needs a 303: a champion acid monster of a tune, it encapsulates the Fatboy ethos in just under six minutes.
Sixteen years on, Better Living Through Chemistry stands tall as the sound of abandon and messiness, a joyous soundtrack to an era of caning it and the third (or fourth… or fifth?) Summer of Love. Though you’ll probably have to ask your parents what that thing on the cover is.
--John Aizlewood
Find more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
About the Artist
Originally recorded in less than a week, the fun and moxie will hit you with every beat of 'Better Living Through Chemistry'. Released in 1996, this is the first full-length album Norman Cook was to release under his successful moniker of Fatboy Slim. Fuelled by his signature Big Beats that would come to dominate the '90s dance scene, sprinkled with Acid House bleeps and squeaks and heavily sample-laced,'Better Living Through Chemistry' proved to be just the tip of Cook's proverbial iceberg. After this release he quickly went on to make hit singles 'Rockafeller Skank' and 'Praise You', but on this album we find classics such as 'Everybody Needs A 303' and 'Going Out Of My Head', where both Acid House and Triphop influences prevail. 'Better Living Through Chemistry' isn't just a promise of more to come, it is the starting point of a journey, and we're all invited along for the ride.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD
I bought this after hearing the "Funk Soul Brother" tune on the radio! (Though it ain't on this album). It must be said that the best tunes here are growers, but grow they most definitely do. Song for Lindy and Santa Cruz, as well as Sound of Milwaukee are my favourites, but it's all quality one way or another. In my opinion it's this masterpiece, rather than his recent albums, that shows him for the genius that he obviously is. The quick tempo stuff rocks, and the slow stuff is really hauntingly beautiful.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD
I only bought this album because I am a completist and I had the other two but it is probably the best album I own. I don't believe until I bought this I had ever enjoyed every song on an album before but I did this time. In my opinion it's defintely Norman's finest. Smooth beats, funky choons, even overplayed (and I have) it sounds fantastic. 'Out Of Your Head' is the best by far-it's a famous song-it's just that no one realises it! Brilliant! Inexpensive! BUY IT NOW!!!!!!
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD
If you're a fan of Fatboy Slim and haven't yet laid your hands on this masterpiece then get your act together. Better Living Thru Chemistry, the first of Norman Cook's (aka Fatboy Slim) major albums is a must not only for die-hard fans but anybody fond of dance music. The album is typical of the later releases with groovy bass lines and jazzy synthesised samples. There is a mixture of "get up and dance" songs such as Everybody needs a 303 (my personal favourite) and songs to "chill out to" such as The weekend starts here. Other brilliant tracks are Going out of my head and Give the po'man a break. Many of the tracks are essentially the foundation of some tracks on the 2nd album, "You've come a long way baby" so if you liked that album then this album is a must-buy for you. The biggest surprise is the fact that when you first listen to the album, you'll have heard the songs before but won't know where. A significant number have popped up in various TV ads across the world, such is their appeal. The best thing about the album in my opinion is the fact that you never get tired of it. Every listen reveals some new element which adds to the freshness of the music even after a year in my case. Unlike other dance albums, this one certainly merits a place on your cd-stack. Remember, a Fatboy Slim album is "not just for Christmas, it's for life".
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 60 reviews
4.4 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Look past the name
I Know!!....I Know!!!........Fatboy Slim and GOOD dance don`t normally go together but, this album is VERY good. Read more
Published on 15 Oct 2010 by Mild Dill Hotpot
4.0 out of 5 stars
House music innovator
Under the monicker Fatboy Slim, Norman Cook came to be recognized as one of the innovators of house music. Read more
Published on 13 Sep 2010 by Daniel Margrain
4.0 out of 5 stars
Slamming breakbeats from the orginal Big Beater
Having lived in Brighton for three years, I am required to revere Norman Cook as some sort of deity. And I do. Read more
Published on 14 Aug 2009 by Ash
4.0 out of 5 stars
"The Weekend Starts Here"
Back in 1997, Fatboy Slim, aka Norman Cook was one of the first to pioneer the "big beat" sound that battered dancefloors up and down the country, and abroad, and their mixture of... Read more
Published on 29 May 2009 by DL Productions UK
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best....ever
I'd go as far to say that this album is probably one of the best dance music (certainly, one of the best Big Beat) albums ever made. Grand claims indeed! Read more
Published on 7 Mar 2005
5.0 out of 5 stars
Cool Album
I couldn't resist writing a review for this album, after seeing the two above reviews, first of all, this album IS the best album he has ever releaced. Read more
Published on 27 Jan 2001
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastically fatboy
If you're a fan of Fatboy Slim and haven't yet laid your hands on this masterpiece then get your act together. Read more
Published on 31 Dec 2000
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best albums by Mr Norman Cook.,
This is a classic album. Although not commercially successful it mixes the best of acid, punk, house and funk with the biggest brassic beats around. Read more
Published on 14 Sep 2000 by C. J. Huggett
3.0 out of 5 stars
Hmmm, interesting...
Not the best dance album ever. But then again not the worst. Most of the songs drag and they all seem to be very similar. But then again they are very catchy and enjoyable. Read more
Published on 28 July 2000
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
