Fatboy Slim
Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars
Astralwerks
Halfway is an apt title of the newest Fatboy Slim release. The tracks range from the sublime “Sunset (Bird Of Prey),” featuring elements from the Doors song of the same name, to the Moby-esque, guitar-driven “Yamama,” to the utterly monotonous technodrivel of “Star 69.” Macy Gray lends her distinctive vocals to two tracks, the gospel-flavored “Demons” and the funkified “Love Life,” both of which she co-wrote. Another collaborator is Bootsy Collins, co-writing and playing on “Weapon Of Choice.”
Those looking for a “Praise You 2” will probably be disappointed, as nothing on the CD even remotely resembles the upbeat whimsy of that track. Another disappointment is the last track, “Song For Shelter,” an amalgam of samples and beats that is just squashed into a overproduced mess. Even so, Halfway is an interesting record, perhaps a bit schizophrenic. It’s hard to believe this guy was ever in the Housemartins.
Astralwerks, 104 W. 29th St., New York, NY 10001; http://www.astralwerks.com
