The BPA, I Think We’re Gonna Need A Bigger Boat
A silly concept hides what might be Norman Cook's best ever
The new vocal project from Norman Cook — aka Fatboy Slim — is a curious beast. The decision to come up with a half-realized spoof concept — the idea is that this album is the long-lost recording by an imaginary '70s supergroup called The Brighton Port Authority — seems somewhat misguided, as if the record has something to hide. The truth is that the silly concept (and awful title) distracts from the happy reality that this is possibly the best album that the veteran dance producer has ever made; a delightfully varied, tuneful and strictly irony-free selection of songs, co-produced by engineer and long-time Cook collaborator Simon Thornton, and featuring a host of star guest vocalists.
Top marks go to Iggy Pop's lugubrious, jangle-rock take on The Monochrome Set's post-punk classic "He's Frank," Jamie T's PiL-like "Local Town," and the gorgeous, electro-ballad tribute to America that is "Seattle," sung by exciting new Brit singer-songwriter Emmy The Great. "Spade" ably justifies its unlikely pairing of Martha Wainwright with dub reggae. And although the theoretically exciting idea of twinning David Byrne and Dizzee Rascal for the Afro-pop of "Toe Jam" doesn't work in practice, it's the only disappointment on an album dominated by dreamy, bittersweet sunshine pop gems. Fatboy aficionados might bemoan the complete absence of dancefloor bangers. But those who had Cook stereotyped as a sample-obsessed one-trick pony are in for a pleasant surprise.
