Live on Brighton Beach

by John BushNot just the second live mix album from Brighton's favorite son, but his second actually recorded in the city that's taken him under its wing, Live on Brighton Beach concentrates less on the funk nuggets that made his inland mix, On the Floor at the Boutique. Despite his recent pop crossovers on the production front (or perhaps, as a result of them), Norman Cook is still one of the best party DJs in the world, unafraid to spin the big hits (Underworld's "Born Slippy Nuxx," Basement Jaxx's "Where's Your Head At," his own "Right Here Right Now") for big reactions. Still, Cook also drops some amazing obscurities, like the disco burner "Southern Thing" by Scanty and "The Talk" by underrated Chicago house producer Harrison Crump. Regardless of whether it's a familiar track or a newer dubplate, Live on Brighton Beach gets everyone down in fine fashion, and makes for a much better listen than most of Fatboy Slim's production works.