It's tough to be an electronica artist in America these days. Groups like the Chemical Brothers and the Crystal Method have had some success on the radio waves in recent years, but have failed to make a significant impact on the musical landscape. That said, it is all the more remarkable that Fatboy Slim became a household name in 1999 with his hits "Rockefeller Skank" and "Praise You."
Fatboy Slim knows how to give the people what they want. With the decline of big beat in his native England, "Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars" presents the electronica aficionados of the world with another trendy album, the result of his latest stylistic rebirth. Picking up where he left off with "Praise You," Fatboy incorporates a sizeable amount of gospel, funk and R&B that makes musical sense, but still presents listeners with a surprising listen.
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The album is remarkably varied and thoroughly unpredictable. The layout of the playlist is similar to Moby's "Play" in how it easily enables listeners to forget each song is indeed by the same artist. Although Fatboy is no Moby, "Halfway" takes a refreshing step in that direction before deviating into its own entity.
Very few songs on the album, however, are 100 percent Fatboy. Macy Gray, the R&B diva-in-training of the moment, makes two significant appearances in the funky "Lovelife" and gospel-inspired "Demons." Gray contributes the vocal highpoints of the album; her distinctive voice complements the eccentricity of the underlying musical strands. "Halfway" also is inundated by vocal samples ranging from Jim Morrison ("Sunset") to an actual reverend ("Drop the Hate"). Although vocal samples constitute a major part of electronic music, the selection of vocalists is particularly narrow when compared to the range of the album as a whole.
The 11-song album kicks off with the highly poetic "Talking Bout My Baby," a piece with flowing blues vocals. Initially sedate, the final minute picks up a heavy bass line in hopes of transferring smoothly into "Star 69," a mechanical token house track. "Ya Mama" and "Mad Flava" fare better, as they were intended to be two of the more danceable tracks, conjuring up memories of more traditional techno with classic looped, big beat rhythms and fervent keyboards. There is nothing particularly innovative or memorable about either song, but both are nevertheless quality compositions. "Retox" also offers Old School techno, but the wobbling synth bass line quickly loses its appeal.
Perhaps one of the most notable songs is the first single, "Sunset (Bird of Prey)." Morrison's vocals give the piece an inspiring, nearly reverent start, and an elegant phrase of "flying high" sends the percussive line into motion and the subtle synth soaring. "Bird" continues to push upward for an epic seven minutes, only to tragically fall on its face and choppily jump to "Lovelife."
Let that serve as a metaphor for the entire album. Fatboy Slim's style has morphed convincingly from that of his previous album, presenting the listener with a record as upbeat as his previous work but with a far more soulful approach. Slim shows staggering potential to surpass simply being the "Funk Soul Brotha" with his collaborations with Gray and moments of brilliance. The sheer catchiness of most tracks proves the man has the knowledge of the public to compose a truly revolutionary album. "Halfway" is a step in the right direction. He's halfway there.
Grade: C+
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