Given Garret Lee's past with the punk band Compulsion, it's easy to conclude that his big beat alias circa 1999 must be a simple ploy to stay in the currents of British culture. And with all the breakdowns, thrift-shop samples, and amateurish attitude that characterized the first wave of big beat from
Bentley Rhythm Ace to
Fatboy Slim to
Propellerheads,
Muy Rico! does sound much like a rip-off record. But dig beneath the surface and you'll realize that
Jacknife Lee is a very good producer. As lame as track titles like "Spermy Daydream" and "Toot Sweet Boogie Woogie" sound, these songs are actually good productions, and Lee deserves credit where it's due.
Muy Rico! just isn't the most original record ever produced. ~ John Bush