Fatboy Slim – Palookaville

Of all the albums from Fatboy Slim, "Palookaville" is the weakest one.

The first two tracks are remarkable. "Slash Dot Dash" has that moving electric guitar playing to it. It's the shortest track, at 2 minutes and 53 seconds. But most of these tracks are relatively average. "Wonderful Night" isn't a thumbs down. But I've heard much better hits from Norman Cook himself. "Put It Back Together" may have Damon Albarn from Gorillaz. But it still doesn't save it from being a slightly weak song. But there are some tracks that are a thumbs up to me. And they are "Mi Bebé Masoquista" and "Jin Go Lo Ba".

As for the final track, which is "The Joker" with Bootsy Collins singing it. I prefer the Steve Miller version over that one! C+

Fatboy Slim released "Palookaville" in 2004. And to this day, it remains his latest studio album. Although he's made several songs in recent years, such as "Eat Sleep Rave Repeat" in 2013 and "Sunset 303" in 2020 (I think the lyrics in "Sunset 303" have to do with the COVID-19 pandemic), it seems that he's been long done with making studio albums.

Slash, Dot, Dash, Dot, Dash, Dot, Com!

Here we move onto Album Four! "Palookaville" follows the same ecclectic formula, that his previous album "Halway Between The Gutter And The Stars", but with a few exceptions, wipes the entire classic "Fatboy" sound for good.

While songs, such as "Slash Dot Dash", "El Bebe Masoquista", and "Jin Go Lo Ba" (a cover of Jingo), would not feel out of place of the previous LP's, Norm explores even more genres from Hip-Hop with Lateef the Truthspeaker ("Wonderful Night" and "The Journey"), Indie/Alternative Rock "Long Way From Home", "Put It Back Together" (with the fantastic Damon Album from Blur and Gorillaz), and "Push and Shove", and many more, and a return apperance of Bootsy Collins "The Joker".

The best tracks on album four (in my opinion) is the John Martyn sampling "North West Three" (classic!), and the laid-back "Song For Chesh", that takes him on a more trip-hop direction.

It may not be "Better Living Though Chemistry" or "You've Come A Long Way, Baby", but it is still a good listen. Rock on!