9/11/09
Robbie Williams - ‘Reality Killed the Video
Star’
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The Wanderer Returns
Take That stalwart and arguably Britain’s biggest popstar releases his long-awaited disc.
Robbie Williams has lived the rockstar lifestyle. In terms of participation,
Robbie has not only been in one of Britain’s biggest boybands, he has also matched that success and possibly eclipsed it,
as a solo star. Now a lot older and wiser, Robbie’s input is clear for all to hear.
Opener ‘Morning Sun’ is a reflective classical beast. Laden with telling piano and a nice strings
opener, the lyrics cry reminiscence and philosophical thinking. It’s a very smooth opener and reminds of ‘Come Undone’.
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Info
Released - 6/11/09
Label - Virgin
8th solo studio album (2 with Take That)
Links
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‘You Know Me’ has been picked as the second single and it’s a very obvious ballad choice. Written with the intention of being
heart-on-his-sleeve in style, it has all the makings of a future sing-a-long at
Knebworth.
Guy Chambers rekindles his writing partnership with Williams on the wet
warbling of ‘Blasphemy’. There’s nothing wrong with Robbie’s delivery, which is crisp and on top as usual, just mainly the poor tempo and
uninspiring lyrics that are not as clever as they think they are.
The electric amp is dusted down for the soft-rock misdemeanours of ‘Do You Mind?’ It’s a bit too generic and just doesn’t register as anything particularly special. Continuing the ill-advised, ‘Last Days of Disco’, the token, ‘modern’ effort, though packing less synth than ‘Rudebox’, has all the tools to work but just never realizes its potential.
Bizarrely the most jam-packed credits on a track go on the 1 minute baffler, ‘Somewhere’. Whilst it’s a nice idea, the simplistic lyrics and ridiculously over-the-top strings just
kill it. Luckily form is rediscovered on the progressive ‘Deceptacon’. Williams’ vocals have a slight hint of Buggles about them too in this very dreamy ballad.
Lyrically, things are improved here too.
‘Starstruck’ is a nice effort and a fairly stand-out of an effort. There’s a very fine change of pace that interlinks well with the subtle uptempo beat.
Williams’ vocals quote Kate Bush and there seems to be a very clever 80s feel to the
tracks here without using the obvious synthesized route.
The quirky, ‘Difficult for Weirdos’ couldn’t be more back to the 80s if it tried. It’s very Gary Numan in terms of the structure and works well, creating a real
stellar tune. ‘Superblind’ is kind of OK, but is a bit overcooked from a production point of view. ‘Won’t Do That’ finally tests Robbie’s vocal limits and is a nice change.
Key Tracks:
‘Morning Sun’
‘You Know Me’
‘Bodies’
‘Deceptacon’
‘Starstruck’
‘Difficult for Weirdos’
Worst Tracks:
‘Blasphemy’
‘Do You Mind?’
‘Somewhere’
Verdict
This is by no means his best work, but there is enough evidence here to suggest
that he has returned to his best form. It might be more formulaic than the
off-the-wall ‘Rudebox’, but at least it plays to his strengths and there are a few classic numbers
here worth discovering. 7/10 CM
Key Tracks:
‘Beat Again’
‘Everybody in Love’
‘Keep You’
‘Heal This Heartbreak’
‘Close to You’
‘Only Tonight’
‘Private’
Worst Tracks:
‘Crazy for You’
‘One Shot’
‘Tightrope’
‘Don’t Go’
In many ways this is better than certainly I thought it would be. Whilst the
formulas are pretty much what would have been expected, I feel it gives a good
indication as to where the band could go and the future does look bright for
them. 7/10 CM
Verdict
(c) ChrisOnline.biz 2009
