Best of the Housemartins

This collection presents the finest songs by the U.K. alternative-pop group the Housemartins, which featured bassist Norman Cook (better known as Fatboy Slim).
Recording information: 11/04/1987.
Photographer: Derek Ridgers.
Although best known as the springboard act for Fatboy Slim and the Beautiful South, the Housemartins were a fine band in their own right, cheerily leaning to the lighter, poppier side of the mid-1980s British college-rock scene. This concise, well-selected 2004 compilation presents the Hull-based ensemble's finest moments, most notably the U.K. hit singles "Happy Hour" and "Caravan of Love," as well as other excellent tracks such as the R&B-tinged "Bow Down." While THE BEST OF THE HOUSEMARTINS will naturally be of greater interest to fans of the Beautiful South (featuring former Martins vocalist Paul Heaton and drummer Dave Hemingway), the compilation also subtly hints at the direction that bassist Norman Cook would pursue as Fatboy Slim, making it an intriguing addition to any Britpop collection.