Search - Fatboy Slim :: Palookaville

Force Centrifugal Reaching up to Your Pinnacle

My Uncle Stu | Boston | 11/30/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Whenever I have a strong opinion, I'm usually wrong. And it's my loss. Being opinionated only gets in the way of a good time. I guess I'm Amazon-confessing this because there was a period in my life where I was a hard-core jazz and blues fan, and I looked down upon techno, or trance or house or however you choose to label it. My bias was towards live music.



I liked improvisation, still do, and I had the preconceived notion that the highest form of musical art was spontaneous musical communication. Techno is on the other end of spectrum, the music is mapped out, planned, composed. But, when the music takes hold of you, it ultimately doesn't matter how it was created. The sounds matters, and how you respond to it matters.



I learned that driving up Boulder Canyon in the summer of '97 and hearing the Rockafeller Skank for the first time. I liked it five seconds into it, I cranked it up, and I couldn't deny the ecstasy. My mountain drive instantly converted into a rapturous video game. I know this isn't cool, but I can admit to you, since we're friends, the only other time I liked a song that quickly was Billy Joel's We Didn't Start the Fire. Let's be fair, it may be hard to imagine now, that was the winter of 1989, I had grown up in the suburbs, and everybody was a Billy Joel fan back then. Anyway, my point is, I've been a Fat Boy Slim fan ever since I heard that famous Rockafeller hook, and it nudged me on my way to overcoming my knee-jerk musical snobbery.



The beats vibrate a certain part of my consciousness, I can slip into a hypnotic state, but then things change up, vibrating a different part of my consciousness. Then Fat Boy turns up the intensity, the two regions start bouncing energy back and forth, the humming and tug-of-war snaps opens those doors, the old clichéd doors, you know what I'm talking about. Consciousness is expanded. Catecholimines flow. Chi courses through meridians. Shakras ignite. The reaction is real, it can't be repressed, it can't be denied, and once you've had a taste, you can't be deprived.



Palookaville isn't classic Fat Boy Slim. As others have commented in these reviews, it is more hip-hop than techno, and it's great. Who can argue the simplistic brilliance of the libretto:



Girl I want it you got it

Your body's like a narcotic

The thought is auto-erotic



Pure Id. Not even a dewdrop of Ego or Superego on display. And it feels good. Live improvised music is still great, the very fact of your presence makes you a participant, Ohm-Ohm-mMm-ing and collaborating in the act of Creation creating. And it doesn't diminish that experience one bit to enjoy studio music composed with painstaking precision. Futhermore, electronic music is not encumbered by the limits of having to use the sounds one person can get out of one instrument at one moment in time. But I don't have to tell you this, you already know. I'm the idiot, right? But it's a good reminder because we all do this in all different ways throughout our lives. Once we've attached to our identities, there is a constant entropy of the consciousness, a momentum to narrow, to fine-tune and refine our own plane through the collective consciousness, oblivious to the richness of the dimensions above and below.



Anytime we view things in the context of a genre or label, whether we're talking about music, movies, books, people, clans, states, or nations, we're betraying a lack of sophistication in our tastes, or a lack of developmental maturity in our intellect. Was that a little heavy-handed? Was that a little off the point?



In a nutshell: Thumbs up, buy this album. Can be enjoyed straight but also goes well with tranquilizers or stimulants (but please, please, always consult a doctor before abusing substances). Thank you for listening, bye bye.

"

Loving my stay in Palookaville...

pezzalini | SoCal | 09/18/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...okay, this is my first review on Amazon. I've read tons of them, and own quite a bit of music, covering many genres. So, why was I compelled to write a review of this album? Because this is not a 3-star album.....no, I'm gonna call it 4.5....not quite a 5 (which equates to a classic in my book)....I think every track should be stellar for an album to be rated 5 stars, but this one is close.



First of all, keep in mind that electronic/dance/whicheverofthe50namesinthegenreyouprefer is not my main preference in music. However, I do appreciate good beats and phat bass lines.....and really dig this kind of music when it gets creative, melodic, and funky. And that's what the slim fatboy does here. You're not gonna get a formulaic album of club /rave songs. Which is probably why I like it so much.



What you will get is a slightly eclectic mix of great songs, with plenty of danceable beats, but this is more of a party album....you know.....a nod your head, shake your booty a bit with a drink in your hand and a smile on your face kind of groove. As opposed to dance yourself sweaty in big room with a light show while you ride the E train kind of groove. A lot of the beats lean towards hip hop, and all are accompanied by catchy samples, loops, vocals, and riffs that will stay in your mind and have you nodding to the music in your head hours after a listen. Exactly what I would hope for in a Fatboy Slim album.



I won't get into every track, but will call out some of my favorites - "Put it Back Together" and "The Journey" both feature guest vocalists and guitar riffs and slower hip hop beats....excellent songs, including the lyrics; probably my two favorites. "Don't Let the Man" is a great start to the album.....trademark Fatboy bass line, cowbells, and a repeating sample from the song "Signs" (Five Man Electrical Band?). "The Joker" is a funky remix version of the familiar classic - you gotta love Bootsy Collins' "shizzle my nizzle dizzle"..."Wonderful Night" is an upbeat gem, I dig Lateef on both tracks...not familiar with him, but I will be. "Push and Shove" has a nice guitar lick and driving bass line, but I think an edgier vocal would be a better match, especially when the reverb kicks in. I love the refrain on "Long Way From Home", just would like to get to it a little sooner.



Bottom line, Mr. Cook his given us another GEM.....easily stands next to "You've Come A Long Way, Baby".....different, but every bit as good. If you appreciate creativity, originality, musicianship and hooks....then get this album, you'll love it. If you prefer the type of songs or mixes you expect to hear at a rave, check out some samples first, then mix with ice and your beverage of choice, and enjoy."

Palookaville !

Lil' Rowlands | Detroit Lakes, MN | 06/09/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After its growing popularity, with tracks such as Wonderful Night, Slash Dot Dash, & The Joker, Palookaville has made a magnificent accomplishment after his previous album. This album would definitely be the type you'd hear on the beaches of Florida or in the big cities, again, making its accomplishment world wide. It starts off with a nice easy track (Don't Let The Man Get You Down) and instead of ending with The Joker, you get two bonus tracks (What They're Looking For & Close To Home) which are a great listen. The Bonus CD is a treasure as it contains remixes for Wonderful Night and Slash Dot Dash. Also contains a remix for Jin Go Lo Ba and The Joker, plus the Accoustic version of Push and Shove. Not only do you have the Limited Edition version of Palookaville, but you also don't have to buy the Wonderful Night single or Slash Dot Dash single as it's all right in this version of the album. Five stars."