Groove Terminator - Road Kill

MINE

More Big Beat!  And this time I'd say it's good - but not great.  There are similarities to the sounds of Fatboy Slim and Prodigy, and given the release date of 2000, I'm thinking more than a little of the jumping-on-a-bandwagon sound.

It makes me yearn for my Prodigy Presents: CD (that came home as a case with no CD inside from some party or other) but I'm quite happy to show this album the door.  I only really like Here Comes Another One and One More Time anyway.

Side note: I like One More Time because it features the chorus to Let The Sunshine In from the musical Hair.  I was part of the chorus for that musical in an amateur production in Canberra when I was 19, along with one or two other people who may read this blog from time to time...

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

YOURZ

Road Kill from Groove Terminator came out some time after Fatboy Slim's mega-seller, You've Come A Long Way, Baby.  For all intents and purposes, GT could be looked at as the antipodean version of Norman 'Fatboy' Cook except Simon 'Groove Terminator' Lewicki hasn't had the huge success, hits or continued career that Norman has.

As I've said before, I'm partial to Big Beat but most of this, really, should probably be correctly called 'Mediocre Beat', because it's cliched and an obvious cash in on the popularity of the Big Beat sound at the time.

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

For more information: http://www.gtworld.com.au/

Fatboy Slim - Better Living Through Chemistry

YOURZ

Ah, there's just no mistaking the sound.  I think I could recognise a Fatboy Slim song in 30 seconds.  I might not be able to tell you the name of the song but really, when it comes down to it, who cares?  He's the ultimate Big Beat musician/composer/producer and also the last of one of the great party kings.

His music has inspired many late nights cavorting with mind-altering substances while dancing around like I just don't care.  And I seriously didn't.  The best thing about Fatboy Slim is he brings out the best at any party and the essence of a great party is its carefree-ness. 

Unfortunately, my love of Norman's work starts with and pretty much ends with the followup album to this - You've Come A Long Way, Baby.  In fact, apart from a few cursory listens prior to having to review Better Living Through Chemistry, I've pretty much ignored this album.  It certainly has Fatboy Slim's trademark big beat sound but it also lacks the inclusion of hooky vocals.  He obviously learnt his lesson for the next one.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

MINE

Stormin' Norman!  My relationship with Mr Cook goes right back to his time with The Housemartins (loved Caravan of Love) and then to Beats International.  I only have an EP of theirs, which features a great dub version of Madonna's Crazy For You.

But of course it's his work as Fatboy Slim that's garnered him the most acclaim and I am a firm fan.  This album, however, isn't what I'd call the pinnacle of his career.  Largely instrumental, I'm fond of Michael Jackson and Going Out Of My Head, but the rest of it isn't as good.  He really came into his own with the next two albums, You've Come A Long Way, Baby and Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars.

I've seen him DJ once, at The Dome in Sydney's Moore Park.  My friend Sharon and I went on a very hot summer night, where Sydney did one of its famous 10 minute tropical cloudbursts so it was sticky, too.  The DJs who were the support acts were frankly pretty dreary, but it was worth the wait for him.  I recall it was so hot, condensation was dripping off the roof onto the dancers.  A great night.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN the next two albums are better

For more information: http://fatboyslim.net/

In our collection, we also have: You've Come A Long Way, Baby and Halfway Between The Gutter And The Stars

Clinton - Disco & The Halfway To Discontent

MINE

A side project of Cornershop, whose Brimful of Asha (Fatboy Slim Remix) remains one of my favourite songs ever, Clinton's album has some great moments - especailly the opening number, People Power in the Disco Hour.  But some of the rest of it is patchy, and GT Road is downright disturbing, reminding me of the soundtrack to a Bollywood porno.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

YOURZ

Wow, this is ten years old now and I probably haven't heard Clinton for at least half of those.  As Mine mentioned, this is a side-project of Cornershop and nowhere near as good.

Some of the songs honestly sounded like they'd been cobbled together really late at night while definitely doing illicit substances.  The problem with most music made like this is it sounds really good to those recording it at the time but in the harsh daylight of sobriety, usually sounds shit.

The reality of Disco & The Halfway To Discontent is it probably wasn't recorded this way.  It was most probably recorded in a proper studio over time, which kind of makes all that much sadder.  The only songs that had anything remotely appealing about them are the one Mine mentioned and the last track, the oddly-titles Welcome To Tokyo, Otis Clay.  The rest is pretty much filler.

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

For more information: http://www.cornershop.com/

The Chemical Brothers - Exit Planet Dust

MINE

Ech, the debut album?  Not Surrender?  Sometimes the pointy stick is so cruel.  Exit Planet Dust is OK, but doesn't have the oh-so-fine tunes the Chems came out with later in their career.  I've seen them live a few times, at festivals and on their own, and I have to say Tom and Ed never fail to put on a great show.  With or without, er, enhancement.

It's weird to think that this album came out 15 years ago.  I spent a lot of time before and after then dancing my ass off in clubs to music of this ilk - and going to see artists like the Chems, Fatboy Slim, Paul Oakenfold and others whip dancefloors into a frenzy.  It was a simpler time... when I often wouldn't really sleep from breakfast time on Friday to late Sunday afternoon.  I'm healthier now, because I don't smoke any more, but I'm reasonably certain I was fitter then, as I could dance for six to eight hours with only short breaks.

OK, this isn't reviewing the album.  Only for completists, not as good as Dig Your Own Hole or Surrender.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

YOURZ

Well this is interesting.  Here's me expecting Mine to wax about this album, being as it is a Big Beat classic and the album that introduced the world to The Chemical Brothers.  But she doesn't like it so much.  Man, there's just no predicting her (which is cool by me because I love surprises).  Of all the 'dance' genres, the one I can stand to listen to with any regularity is Big Beat, mainly because it has some great, erm, big beats.  And The Chemical Brothers are one of the best, without a doubt.

I've seen The Chems a number of times now, mostly at festivals.  But the one time I saw them at a headline show, I was straight and sober.  It didn't make any difference to the show.  It was spectacularly massive, with a huge surround sound setup (imagine their huge sounds booming around over head and you get a small idea of it) and a light show unlike anything I'd ever seen before.

Less reliant on vocals and more on beats, Exit Planet Dust established the duo as a force to be reckoned with both in their own country and around the world and included the Big Beat classics Chemical Beats and Song To The Siren (which sampled This Mortal Coil's song of the same name) as well as Alive Alone (featuring vocals by Beth Orton) and Life Is Sweet (featuring vocals by Tim Burgess from The Charlatans). 

This is the start of it all.  And the rest, as they (historians, I'm thinking) say, is history.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.thechemicalbrothers.com/

In our collection we also have Surrender and Come With Us

The Beautiful South - Carry On Up The Charts

YOURZ

Well here's a first.  Despite this being a greatest hits collection, I don't know a single song on it (with the exception of their cover of Everybody's Talkin').  Okay, maybe I'm being a little bit hard on myself, given how much music is in the world.  But I know the name of the band quite well as they were around for nearly 20 years and in all that time, I never heard a single song of theirs I could recall.

On top of this, they were formed by a couple of the guys from The Housemartins, Paul Heaton and Dave Hemingway (another of the Housemartins was Norman Cook, better known to all as Fatboy Slim).

So, where's all this going.  Having listened to this collection, I think that even if I had heard some of their tracks over the years, I probably would have forgotten them almost straight away.  While I appreciate Mine's love of this, it's nice, pretty, safe music that will remain forgettable, as far as I'm concerned.

(Mine says: The LYRICS, dude!  Seriously, do you dismiss something just because it SOUNDS pretty?  I guess you prefer hard edgy rawk that rhymes moon and spoon!) (YourZ sez: I think this is a bit of say 'pot, meet kettle' - its not like Kylie or Abba or Madoona are known for their lyrics, right?) (Mine says: and I'd never object to you dissing Madge et al because they produce disposable pop.  Which this isn't, it contains damn fine lyrics and you're throwing out the baby with the bathwater when you do. hmph)

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

MINE

There's one song on this album that's guaranteed to have me smiling and crying at the same time - and dammit I think I need to add it to my list of funeral songs.  It's Good As Gold - "I want my love, my joy, my laugh, my smile, my needs/ Not in the star signs/ Or the palm that she reads/ I want my sun-drenched, wind-swept Ingrid Bergman kiss/ Not in the next life/ I want it in this/ I want it in this."

Sidebar: in case you're interested, the list of my funeral songs is currently (and in that order): Tender by Blur, Movin' on Up by Primal Scream, and Dancing Queen by Abba.  Anyone else plan their memorial soundtracks?  I've been doing it since I was 16, and past songs have included Total Control by the Motels and Let the Sunshine In from the musical Hair (which I performed in at the tender age of 19 and yes I went nude).  (YourZ sez: now you got me thinking - definitely want Jeff Buckley's version of Hallelujah and something by QOTSA and, erm...)

This is another one of those albums that I have to turn up and SING to.  The songs range from the poetic (I'll Sail This Ship Alone) to the acerbic (A Little Time) to the downright funny (36D).  It's all about the lyrics.  I know this compilation's from fairly early on in their career, and they sold a bunch of records afterwards, but I love this album.  I love the fact that despite blokes wrote the songs, I can find a whole lot to relate to as a woman.  I can understand why they split up after so long together - and I can understand why they've re-formed - because what they do is just so GOOD.

And YourZ, sometime when I'm not around you can play Prettiest Eyes and see why it makes me cry.  "You can't have too many good times, children/ You can't have too many lines/ Take a good look at these crows feet/ Sitting on the prettiest eyes."

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.newbeautifulsouth.co.uk/

The Beastie Boys - The Sounds Of Science

YOURZ

Ah, the Beastie Boys...  What can I say about this trio without sounding too sycophantic? I suppose I could say listening and getting into this band was my first foray into what was then the new world of rap and/or hip hop (the definition is still elusive to me - if anyone can give me a good one, I'd be mighty pleased).

I suppose I could also say they inspired me to look beyond my guitar rock leanings to a whole world of great music.  I suppose I could also say they helped inhibit, and then rid me of the idea that good music should be made by real instruments and not with turntables and samples.

They did all those things.  But primarily, for me, they opened doors for me to become involved.  As a musician, my past is littered with memories of bad bands, average bands and one or two really good bands.  But the best band I was ever in was a hip hop band, as a guitarist/writer/producer because it allowed me to explore all the styles of music I love without inhibition, something no other band enabled me to do.  I love The Beastie Boys for this.

The Sounds of Science is the best starter kit for anyone who doesn't know this band.  For the fan, it's brilliant to have so many of the Beasties best songs gathered in one place.  It's a bit like seeing them live, where they mix it up between a straightup hip hop show (3 MCS and 1 DJ) to their live band mode.  Personally, I never tire of hearing songs like Sabotage, Sure Shot, Root Down or Hey Ladies.  Yeah, there's a good dose of misogynism and schoolboy humour, but they're also guaranteed to Shake Your Rump.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP, B-Boy



MINE

Mmmph.  Ergh. *sigh*.  My reaction on finding out I had to listen to not one, but TWO Beastie Boys CDs.  Because while I quite like them, the thought of getting all the way through this promised me a headache.  My brain's wired for music, and a lot of what rap artists do is just yell at you.  For hours.

That said, there are a bunch of tunes I love on this best-of collection. And there's no doubt I enjoyed the band live when I saw them with YourZ in 2005 at a festival where we also caught the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and the Chemical Brothers.  The Fatboy Slim remix of Body Movin' is a favourite - and I'm sure we all have to Fight for Your Right. 

There are others, but for me the joy of a Beasties song is when it's dropped into the mix by a consummate DJ.  If you don't believe me, check out The Dirtchamber Sessions released by the Prodigy.  Damn, must buy that one again.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP, no TURN IT DOWN, no OH I DON'T KNOW

For more information: http://www.beastieboys.com/

In our collection, we also have Licensed To Ill, Paul's Boutique, Check Your Head, Ill Communication, Hello Nasty and To The 5 Boroughs