Basement Jaxx - Crazy Itch Radio (XL) Released 04/09/06

Post-greatest hits albums are a tricky business. The concept of squishing all the best bits from a career in one place was originally dreamed up by record labels in order to squeeze the last dollars from a doddering cash cow, but people are a bit a bit greedier now than they were in the 50s and so we get greatest hits albums after two years, or, brilliantly as in Goldie Lookin’ Chain’s case, two minutes.

The fact that today’s acts are raring on with new albums after the acknowledged top bits of their oeuvre have already been nailed into place is weird. Sort of like grandpa going to swinging parties.

 

Basement Jaxx have reacted brilliantly to being eternally (and ill-advisedly) shoved into a generic ‘dance’ category by both headlining Glastonbury and releasing their greatest hits album last year after a mere three albums. Showing absolutely no signs of being doddery or aged (Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe are sprightly boys in their early 30s), their new album takes as much of a pick ‘n’ mix attitude with sounds as the previous three.

Opening with a great slab from Verdi’s Requiem, ‘Crazy Itch Radio’ has just as much of an ADHD attitude to influences as its name suggests. There’s no let up on how clever the boys have been this time – possibly to make up for their swallowing considerable amounts of pride and touring with Robbie Williams.

Buxton, who last year released an album of gypsy music he compiled with Future World Funk’s Russ Jones, has brought a load of Balkan folk to ‘Hey U’, while elsewhere grime singer Lady Marga brings her skills to taking the piss out of boys with mirror obsessions on ‘Run 4 Cover’. There’s even a banjo on ‘Take Me Back To Your House’, which, tellingly, is the only new track they’re playing on tour.

 

While they’ve managed to shove in all sorts of new goodies, what are missing are the instant floor fillers we’ve been spoiled with before. There’s no ‘Romeo’ or ‘Where’s Your Head At’, nothing that makes you go “Coo blimey, so that’s what my feet are for” which, considering Basement Jaxx’s usual ability to make you think just that, is a bit of a shame.

 

Still, let’s not think the best bits are behind them. Best put it down to Grandpa spending too much time in the shed.