Big Beach Boutique II
For a few hours one scorching July day, Brighton Beach became the venue for theBig Beach Boutique II, one of the biggest parties the UK has ever seen. Thanks to the city's star resident, one Mr. Cook (a.k.a. Fatboy Slim), 250,000 revelers were able to forget a decade of shindig-stifling legislation and party for free while perfecting that great move "the pebble shuffle." Predictably, a wave of negative press followed, but for anyone who was there, it was one of the most memorable events since the sun set on the Summer of Love. It's nearly impossible to bottle that kind of atmosphere, butBig Beach Boutique IIis a good attempt to bring the sun to your speakers. While excerpts from support DJ sets such asGroove Armada's midpaced "Superstylin'" and theLo Fidelity Allstars' feisty "Tied to the Mast" create a carnival feel, it's only when Cook kicks off with Tim Deluxe's "It Just Won't Do (dub)" that things really get going. If not the most eclectic mix album ever made, it has enough superb moments, like Cook's magnificent mix of X Press 2's "Lazy," to makeBBB IIa great slice of nostalgia.--Christopher Barrett