Halfway Between The Gutter And The Stars

Halfway Between The Gutter And The Stars has been described as the Fatboy’s come-down record. Don’t believe the hype.

While it doesn’t contain the ‘Rockerfeller Skank’, nor even the ‘Trump Tango’ or the ‘Gates Waltz’, it still manages to mix ‘n’ match more musical styles than your average double-CD compilation, with enough raw energy for a tribal hoolie in all corners of the globe.

Current single, ‘Sunset (Bird Of Prey)’ isn’t exactly an accurate barometer by which to judge the entire album. The latest episode of the Norman Cook report starts with our hero travelling in through the out Doors, sampling Big Jimbo Morrison in one of his acid-poet trips over a mellow chill-out backbeat – “flying high” is right. Some ‘serious’ dance fans have suggested that the former Housemartin should be left out to roost, having mellowed since setting up nest with Zoe, but that’s just over-precious griping. The latest collection from the (clown) prince of the turntable has something for all tastes.

On the one hand, there’s the mellow piano-driven soul of ‘Talking Bout My Baby’, with hilarious lyrics about red hotpants, yellow high-heels and purple afro wigs. But then you also have the deep squelchy dub liquidity of ‘Star 69’, which doesn’t so much blast as ooze from your speakers.

The sonic maelstrom of ‘Ya Mama’ raises the BPM count to dangerously addictive levels, while the superb scratchy soul evangelism of ‘Drop The Hate’ jumps through loops to career around your cranium.

Norman doesn’t wear every hat himself this time round, recruiting some celebrity mates to add more exotic spices to his already heady cocktail. Bootsy Collins mambos into the room for the neo-Cuban flavours of ‘Weapon Of Choice’, while Macy Gray lends a cheese-grater tonsil or two to a brace of tracks – the best of which is the magnificent ‘Demons’, which drags garage gospel kicking and screaming through the post-millennial grinder before Macy is let loose to deliver possibly her most memorable vocal performance to date.

Cook is the archetypal dance/pop superstar of the new millennium. Relaxed enough not to take everything too seriously, serious enough not to be a joke, and knowledgeable enough to know who’s hip to skip and hot to sample. It’s happy hour again…