Robbie Williams
Intensive Care

THE REVIEW

After the success of 'Escapology', Robbie Williams releases 'Intensive Care', an album resulting from his “intensive” work at his new home in Los Angeles. This work marks the end of his professional relationship with the iconic writer Guy Chambers, the co-author of his most successful pieces.

In his place, Stephen Duffy (founder of Duran Duran) debuts after the small but promising taste represented by the two hits Misunderstood and Radio, contained in the 2004 'Greatest Hits'. 'Intensive Care' is an album clearly marked by the new musical connections of the Stock-on-Trent singer. The album is indeed manifestly influenced by 80s sounds. The goal of the album: to demonstrate the artist’s trend of maturation towards a more mature pop and perhaps even a touch experimental.
'Intensive Care' seems to be generally a more interesting album than the previous ones, but with the significant limitation of not having songs strong enough to stand out in the sea of his latest work. Those who have listened to his previous albums will certainly have noticed that some tracks seem not even worthy of being published. Well, this limitation is partially overcome in 'Escapology' first, and then in this latest album.

The price paid, as said, is that perhaps of this album, few pieces will be replayed on the radio in 5 or 6 years. With the compact disc inserted in the player, Robbie Williams announces his presence with Ghosts, a sumptuous and refined piece (continuous choruses and violins make it suitable for the role of introduction), but perhaps a bit pretentious. The second offering is the CD’s gem, Tripping, the first single from the album, a curious and interesting pop song with light reggae sounds (akin to The Clash) and a bass and drum backbone that make it very personal, with a falsetto refrain that makes it cunningly engaging.
Advertising Space is perhaps the most commercial and cheeky track of the disc, pleasant and poignant, dedicated to the inspirational figure of Elvis Presley. A predictably successful piece. Great is the start of Please don't die, a catchy and mature pop song, very in line with the artist’s previous productions, melancholic and homogeneous.

Among the best of the album. Your gay friend, a flirtatious piece in the lyrics and fast in the meter, is a good rock/pop piece, dominated by the energy of the electric guitar. Among the most interesting pieces created by the British artist, Sin Sin Sin, an energetic disco track, marked by a very engaging chorus, and where the presence of 80s disco sounds is, as never before, evident. The trouble with me is a hard and edgy piece, flowing without surprising but pleasant.
Extremely engaging, on the other hand, is A place to crash, a rhythmic and energetic pop/rock piece, where once again gospel-like choruses appear in the background of the album. As often happens in Williams’ productions, the finale is entrusted to a slow and poignant song, guitar and piano, King of Bloke and Bird.

The album thus stands as an interesting test of maturity for Robbie Williams, passed with reserve, in the hope of finding, in his next work, some slightly more incisive pieces, capable of repeating the extraordinary successes of Come Undone, Angels, Millennium, some of the most interesting pop songs of recent times.