Robbie Williams - Escapology - Canadian Version (Different Tracks)
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Free Music Notes for Escapology - Canadian Version (Different Tracks)
Free Music Review: Escapology
Hit: 5 Stars
I absolutely love this CD. The best Robbie Williams album so far!Free Music Review: The brat Prince comes of age.
Hit: 4 Stars
Try to remember if you can (or imagine if you can't), a time long ago, when the US and UK music scenes were more or less the same. If an artist was really successful on one side of the Atlantic, you could make a large bet on him repeating the performance on the other side. Over the past 10 years though, this has happened less and less frequently. We are now at a point where popular music is more homogeneous than at any other point during the past 150 years, but Europe and America seem to have developed something of an aversion to each other's favourites. Whatever the cause of this schism, be it cultural expectations or record company politics, if the trend is to be halted, then this new offering from the UK's favourite brat prince is the place to start. It's very hard to sum up the appeal of Robbie Williams, in Europe he cuts across gender and generation gaps, but could never be described as bland, or even conventional, which this his fifth studio album graphically demonstrates. Style's and genre's change from one track to the next, a concept album it certainly isn't, but the pervading mood of introspection throughout gives Escapology a sense of cohesion that you really wouldn't expect from such a supposedly wayward egotist as Williams. All tracks on this set are good, but some are superb. For me, the real standout is "Feel" "I've got too much life running through my veins, going to waste", really seems to sum up the public perception of Robbie. How much of it is ironic, I'll leave for you to decide.
I really enjoyed this album. Though different in many ways's from Robbie's last original album, "Sing when you're winning" Escapology has all the traits of an album that like a good wine will age well in its bottle (or jewel case). The only thing I can think of that will stop this from being just as successful in the US as it has been in the UK, might be that the cocktail of self depreciating humour, irony and subtly served up here might be too rich for the palette of the average N-sync fan. Far from being an aging clone from a broken boy band, Robbie Williams has proven himself to be a mature artist, who actually might have something to say for himself, a man of substance beneath the image. Something that could never be said of Mr Timberlake and Co!
Free Music Review: The Eminem of UK pop
Hit: 4 Stars
Both Robbie Williams and Eminem are extreme examples of pop culture icons influenced by and influencing their environment. In America, Eminem grew up in a hip-hop culture, as did nearly every American under 30 these days. He created a unique style that is both clever and cruel, but keeps the most savage barbs aimed at himself. His music is as often as not autobiographical.
Robbie grew up in the teen-pop culture of the UK. He was at one point a member of a very successful boy band called Take That. But otherwise the parallels hold. Going solo, he found his "Dr Dre" in Guy Chambers, and formed the most successful songwriting duo in England since Elton John & Bernie Taupin.
His pop, within the less obviously vulgar culture of UK top 40, is still edgy and this album will probably draw a parental advisory label.
This album is certainly his most personal, with songs inspired by his relationship with a member of All Saints, the rumored affair with Ginger Spice, and the death of his grandmother (in the way too sweet "Nan's Song").
But the saving grace of this album are the uptempo songs, such as Handsome Man, with it's ego-stroking verses ("I put the Brit in Celebrity", "Did you ever meet a sexier male chauvinist pig?") countered by the self-effacing chorus ("If you drop me I'll fall to pieces on you. If you don't need me I don't exist"), and the bizzare "Me & My Monkey" - not the Beatles track but stylistic tribute to "Hotel California" in theme & story. By the way "Revolution", the dullest track on the album is not a Beatles cover either, nor is "Song 3" a take-off on Blur's "Song 2".
Hot Fudge would sound perfectly at home on Elton John's "Honky Chateau" album and to my ears the likeliest American hit. And a hidden track (perhaps called "Leaving Season") is truly hilarious.
You've probably heard that Robbie right now has the most expensive record contract in the world. Will this break Robbie in America? His record company will do it's damndest to get their money back, so expect it to.
But if you're just being introduced to Robbie Williams, you should go back to his first American release, The Ego Has Landed.
Eminem would have killed for a title like that.
Free Music Review: And here comes another great CD
Hit: 4 Stars
Anyone who has been following his carrier will agree that Robbie is probably one of the most talented artist of this generation. In addition to great music his take on life's every little aspect is so direct, amusing and refreshing it will blow you away. The song Millennium from his first album "Ego has landed" was the one that caught my attention first. Since then I have bought all of his albums and I seldom listen to anything else. His second album "Sing when you are winning" in my opinion is one of the best albums ever recorded. When his latest became available for sale I immediately ordered it, regardless of the ridiculous price tag at the time (it's much better now). And I was not disappointed at all. This is the most diverse and original collection of songs you'll ever find on a CD. No matter what you like, there's something for everyone. Style changes from one track to the next and as always he staid true to his unique stile of songwriting. All the songs on this album are good, but some are just great. Second song on this album "Feel" is one of the best songs I've ever heard (and from what I understand it will be the first single as well). "I've got too much life running through my veins, going to waste" pretty much sums up perception of him.
One thing that surprises me is how oblivious this country (US) has stayed to his work. I guess die-hard fans of NSYNC and Brittany have gotten a little too tone-deaf from screeching sounds. Lets hope this album will get the acceptance and appreciation it deserves.
Free Music Review: Great! But will America like it?
Hit: 4 Stars
Being a devoted fan of Robbie for several years I am without a doubt thrilled by Escapology and his contract which promises more albums to come. As one can imagine since Robbie has been spending a lot of time in the US away from his crazed British fans, Escapology is very different from his previous work. We can sense a sort of maturity in his music and lyrics, a moving away from the standard pop song. The styles range from rock ('Song 2'), to slow ballads ('Something Beautiful', 'Love Somebody', 'Sexed up'), and even the bizare mariachi sounding 'Me and My Monkey' to name a few. Robbie has not completeley abandoned his self-righteous persona, as we can tell from the title alone of 'World's Most Handome Man.' But he also expresses his humility in the contradictory 'Come Undone.' All in all the album is great except for one thing: it's missing a catchy single to attract and win over the American audience. All I can say is more power to the promoters at Virgin in selling 'Feel' to the to the US market and making Robbie Williams a household name in America.