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Rating:
Ok, I've reviewed Alex Britti… and now I'm talking about ROBBIE WILLIAMS (calamity of calamities)! The one who years ago used to sing with those (3 or 4) goofballs of Take That!
I have an explanation to justify my madness: ok, he makes pop (and what's wrong with that?), ok, he's an idiot who goes crying to his mom because nobody notices him in the States, but that doesn't change the fact that the products he churns out are always big hits (and deservedly so).
This album isn't bad: it's composed of a lot of pop-rock, great bursts of electric guitars and acoustic guitars as per brit pop tradition (Oasis taught us well). The first track “How Peculiar” starts immediately with acoustic guitar which is then joined by a distorted electric one. The hit “Feel” is a great song supported only by piano touches with a fantastic melody. “Something Beautiful” has a swing style and a cheerful melody based on an elementary piano riff enriched by brass. “Monsoon” is a sweet pop rock in the verse that delivers a catchy and immediate chorus. We get to the first tearjerker of the CD “Sexed Up” where it talks about broken hearts, breakups, etc., etc., the song is beautiful, the arrangement too. It is followed by a track that immediately reminds us of Queen, not certainly for Williams's voice, but for the style, for the drama of the chorus composed of choirs, strings, and the most “apocalyptic” elements you can imagine! After the negligible “Revolution” and the cute “Handsome Man,” there's another gem: “Come Undone” which is in the style of “Sexed Up,” meaning a calm and melodic verse and an explosion in the chorus complete with strings: a treasure! After the overly long and somewhat ugly “Me And My Monkey” comes “Song 3” which starts immediately with two rock guitars, becomes melodic in the pre-chorus, and in the chorus, you can see why the title is so damnably relatable to “Song 2” by Blur (even if that one is unique and unbeatable): it's an explosion of anger, shouts, and guitars! “Cursed” is strong pop rock like the previous one, just more melodic (it sounds like it's from “Free All Angels” by Ash). It closes with a final thrill: the emotional “Nan’s Song” (written entirely by him, not bad) which reminds of acoustic ballads by Noel Gallagher.
In short, in the end, this CD won't change the history of music but at least he puts in the effort; it's better that the other Take That members stay hidden, they can't compete with their former bandmate anymore!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Feel (04:23)
Come and hold my hand
I wanna contact the living
Not sure I understand
This role I've been given
I sit and talk to God
And he just laughs at my plans
My head speaks a language
I don't understand
I just want to feel real love
Fill the home that I live in
'Cause I got too much life
Running through my veins
Going to waste
I don't want to die
But I ain't keen on living either
Before I fall in love
I'm preparing to leave her
I scare myself to death
That's why I keep on running
Before I've arrived
I can see myself coming
I just want to feel real love
Fill the home that I live in
'Cause I got too much life
Running through my veins
Going to waste
And I need to feel real love
And a life ever after
I cannot give it up
I just want to feel real love
Fill the home that I live in
I got too much love
Running through my veins
To go to waste
I just wanna feel real love
In a life ever after
There's a hole in my soul
You can see it in my face
It's a real big place
Come and hold my hand
I want to contact the living
Not sure I understand
This role I've been given
Not sure I understand
Not sure I understand
Not sure I understand
Not sure I understand
03 Something Beautiful (04:48)
Something Beautiful
You can't MANUFACTURE a miracle
The silence was pitiful - that day
And love is getting too cynical
Passion's just physical - these days
You analyse everyone you meet
But get no sign - the loving kind
Every night you admit defeat
And cry yourself blind
If you can't wake up in the morning
'Cause your bed lies vacant at night
If you're lost, hurt, tired or lonely
Can't control it - try as you might
May you find that love that won't leave you
May you find it by the end of the day
You won't be lost, hurt, tired and lonely
Something beautiful will come your way
The DJ said on the radio
Life should be stereo - each day
And the past that cast the unsuitable
Instead of some kind of beautiful
You just couldn't wait
All your friends think you're satisfied
But they can't see your soul, no, no, no
Forgot the time feeling petrified
When they lived alone
If you can't wake up in the morning
'Cause your bed lies vacant at night
If you're lost, hurt, tired or lonely
Can't control it - try as you might
May you find that love that won't leave you
May you find it by the end of the day
You won't be lost, hurt, tired and lonely
Something beautiful will come your way
(It'll come your way)
(It'll come your way) Some kind of beautiful
(It'll come your way) Some kind of beautiful
(It'll come your way) Some kind of beautiful
(It'll come your way)
All your friends think you're satisfied
But they can't see your soul, no, no, no
Forgot the time feeling petrified
When they lived alone
If you can't wake up in the morning
'Cause your bed lies vacant at night
If you're lost, hurt, tired or lonely
Can't control it - try as you might
May you find that love that won't leave you
May you find it by the end of the day
You won't be lost, hurt, tired and lonely
Something beautiful will come your way
You won't be lost, hurt, tired and lonely
Something beautiful will come your way
04 Monsoon (03:46)
I've sung some songs that were lame
I've slept with girls on the game
I've got my Catholic shame
Lord I'm in purgatory
Basically, it's all come on top for me
I wasn't me when we met
You haven't lost my respect
I'm here to serve and protect
What shade of insanity
Keeps leading you back to me
So put your hands across the water
Mushroom
Monsoon
Come soon
Don't wanna piss on your parade
I'm here to make money and get laid
Yeah I'm a star but I'll fade
If you ain't sticking your knives in me
You will be eventually
To all you Sharons and Michelles
With all your tales to sell
Save your meat money well
I'm glad that spending a night with me
Guaranteed you celebrity
And I can't talk in a crowd
When I'm alone I'm too loud
You've done your daddies proud
Thank you for keeping me company
You've all been so nice to me
So put your hands across the water
Mushroom
Monsoon
Come soon
Oh Lor', I feel nothing
I know much smarter men never got this far
I've got so many regrets
I smoked too many cigarettes
I've had more blondes than brunettes
I'm not expecting your sympathy
But it's all been too much for me
So put your hands across the water
Mushroom
Monsoon
Come soon
So put your hands across the water
Mushroom
Monsoon
Come soon
05 Sexed Up (04:21)
Loose lips sunk ships
I'm getting to grips
With what you've said
No it's not in my head
I can't awaken the dead day after day.
Why don't we talk about it?
Why do you always doubt that there could be a better way?
It doesn't make me wanna stay
(Chorus)
Why don't we break up?
There's nothing left to say
I've got my eyes shut, praying they won't stray
and we're not sexed up
That's what makes the difference today
I hope you blow away
You say we're fatally flawed
Well I'm easily bored, Is that okay?
Strike me off your list
Make this the last kiss
I'll walk away
Why don't we talk about it?
I'm only here
Don't shout it
Given time we'll forget
Let's pretend we never met
(Chorus)
Screw you, I didn't like your taste
Anyway, I chose you
and that's all gone to waste
It's Saturday, I'll go out and find another you
Chorus:
Why don't we
Why don't we break up
There's nothing left to say
I've got my eyes shut
Praying they won't stray
And we're not sexed up
That's what makes the difference today
I hope you blow away
I hope you blow away
I hope you blow away
I hope you blow away.
blow away
blow away
just blow away
09 Come Undone (04:38)
So unimpressed but so in awe
Such a saint but such a whore
So self aware so full of shit
So indecisive so adamant
I'm contemplating thinking about thinking
It's so overrated just get another drink in
Watch me come undone
They're selling razor blades and mirrors in the street
I pray that when I'm coming down you'll be asleep
If I ever hurt you your revenge will be so sweet
Because I'm scum
And I'm your son
I come undone
I come undone
So rock and roll so corporate suit
So damn ugly, so damn cute
So well trained, so animal
So need your love, so fuck you all
I'm not scared of dying I just don't want to
If I stop lying I'd just disappoint you
I come undone
They're selling razor blades and mirrors in the street
I pray that when I'm coming down you'll be asleep
If I ever hurt you your revenge will be so sweet
Because I'm scum
And I'm your son
I've come undone
So write another ballad
Mix it on a Wednesday
Sell it on a Thursday
Buy a yacht by Saturday
It's a love song
A love song
Do another interview
Sing a bunch of lies
Tell about celebrities that I despise
And sing love songs
We sing love songs
So sincere
So sincere
They're selling razor blades and mirrors in the street
Pray that when I'm coming down you'll be asleep
if i ever hurt you your revenge will be so sweet
because im scum
I'm your son
I've come undone
I've come undone
I've come undone
I've come undone
I am scum
Love your son
I am scum
love your son
you gotta love my sad song,my love song
my sad song, my love song,my sad song,my love song
10 Me And My Monkey (07:12)
There was me and my monkey
And with his dungarees and rollerblades
Smoking filter tips
Reclining in the passenger seat of my supercharged jet black Chevrolet
He had the soft top down
He liked the wind in his face
He said "Son, you ever been to Vegas?"
I said "No" he said "That's where we're gonna go,
you need a change of pace"
And when we hit the strip with all the wedding chapels
and the neon signs he said
"I left my wallet in El Segundo"
and proceeded to take two grand of mine
We made tracks to the Mandalay Bay hotel
Asked the bell boy if he'd take me and my monkey as well
He looked in the passenger seat of my car
and with a smile he said
"If your monkey's got that kind of money sir,
then we've got a monkey bed"
Me and my monkey
With a dream and a gun
Hoping my monkey
Don't point that gun at anyone
Me and my monkey
Like Butch and the Sundance Kid
Trying to understand
Why he did what he did
Why he did what he did
And at the elevator I hit the 33rd floor
He had a room up top with a panoramic views
like nothing you've ever seen before
He went to sleep in the bidet and when he awoke
He ran his little monkey fingers through the yellow pages
Called up escort services and ordered some okey doke
Forty minutes later there came a knock at the door
In walked this big, bad-ass baboon into my bedroom
with 3 monkey whores
"Hi, my name is Sunshine. These are my girls.
Lace my palm with silver baby oh yeah
and they'll rock your world"
So I watched pay per view and polished my shoes and my gun
Was diggin old Kurt Cobain singin' 'bout lithium
There came and knocked at the door and in walked Sunshine
"What's up?" - "You better get your ass in here boy
your monkey is having too much of a good time"
Me and my monkey
Drove in search of the sun
Me and my monkey
Don't point that gun at anyone
Me and my monkey
Like Billy the Kid
Trying to understand
Why he did what he did
Why he did what he did
Got tickets to see Sheena Easton
The monkey was high
Said it was a burning ambition to see her before he died
We left before encores
He couldn't sit still
Sheena was a blast baby
But my monkey was ill
We went to play black jack
Kept hittin' 23
Couldn't help but notice this Mexican just staring at me
Or was it my monkey?
I couldn't be sure
It's not like you've never seen a monkey in rollerblades
and dungarees before
Now don't test my patience cause we're not about to run
That's a bad-ass monkey boy and he's packing a gun
"My name is Rodriguez" he says with death in his eye
"I've been chasing you for a long time amigos
And now your monkey is gonna die"
Me and my monkey
Drove in search of the sun
Me and my monkey
We don't wanna kill no Mexican
But we got ten itchy fingers
One thing to declare
When the monkey is high
You do not stare
You do not stare
You do not stare
Looks like we got ourselves a Mexican stand off here boy
And I ain't about to run
Put your gun down boy
How did I get mixed up with this fuckin' monkey anyhow
12 Hot Fudge (04:08)
Queen Bitch eat the rich
I'm on the second course today
I'm not the first and I won't be the worst
She's done most of L.A.
Can't find a virgin, I can get you a surgeon
24 Hours a day.
Collagen Jeanie you big lip meanie
I'm about to be blown away
Come on sing it
Take me to the place where the sunshine flows
Oh my Sunset Rodeo
Hot Fudge, here comes the judge
Theres a green card in the way
The Holy Ghost and the whole East Coast
Are moving to L.A.
Coz we've been dreaming of this feeling since 1988
Mother, things have got to change,
I'm moving to L.A.
Take the piss always English
God Bless you Uncle Sam
You got a cool gene pool and our winter is cruel
And God knows I love to tan
Making cents and dead Presidents
Before I could count to ten
With a nation behind me can't stop the limey
She's on her back again
Come on sing it
Take me to the place where the sunshine flows
Oh my Sunset Rodeo
Hot Fudge, here comes the judge
Theres a green card in the way
The Holy Ghost and the whole East Coast
Are moving to L.A.
Coz we've been dreaming of this feeling since 1988
Mother, things have got to change,
I'm moving to L.A.
L.A. L.A. L.A.
L.A. L.A. L.A.
L.A. L.A. L.A.
Take me to the place where the sunshine flows
Oh my Sunset Rodeo
Hot Fudge, here comes the judge
There's a green card in the way
The Holy Ghost and the whole East Coast
Are moving to L.A.
Coz we've been dreaming of this feeling since 1988
Mother, things have got to change,
I'm moving to
Hot Fudge, here comes the judge
Theres a green card in the way
The Holy Ghost and the whole East Coast
Are moving to L.A.
Coz we've been dreaming of this feeling since 1988
Mother, things have got to change,
I'm moving to L.A.
Moving to L.A.
Keep on moving, keep on moving, keep on moving to L.A.
L.A. L.A
Keep on moving, moving on
Keep on movin-moving on
Keep on mo-mo-mo-moving on....
...And Stop
13 Cursed (04:01)
Dig your polished nails into the dirt
Rip your skirt off, wipe the hurt off
You know it tears my heart out when you
Flirt with danger and any stranger
You're not as stupid as I look
Before I could read, you wrote the book
Cursed, since your birth dear
And your worst fears have all come true
Held my hand when I got my first tattoo
I was naked when it penetrated
Told everyone I'd slept with you
Thought you'd like it, knew you wouldn't deny it
St Peter's gonna be unfaithful
Tell God he's got a dirty angel
Cursed, since your birth dear
And your worst fears have all come true
Babe you're not the first here on earth dear
'Cause I'm still here and I'm cursed too,
cursed like you
Hush, baby sleep now
We all love you we always did
Cursed, since your birth dear
And your worst fears have all come true
Babe you're not the first here on earth dear
'Cause I'm still here
And I'm cursed too, cursed like you
Hush, baby sleep now
We all miss you, we always will
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Other reviews
By Menco
Escapology remains the best product churned out by Williams, the apex of the artistic journey of the duo he formed with Guy Chambers.
"Feel" also highlights Robbie’s vocal skills, who pleasantly surprises with the raspiness of his voice in the high notes (quite daring for a smoker of his caliber).
