Nov 6 2009

After years in the showbiz wilderness Midland pop icon Robbie Williams releases his comeback album tomorrow. Brit Awards judge PAUL COLE listens track by track.

THE title is surely ironic. Reality Killed The Video Star, opines the 35 year-old singer whose own career was launched in a carefully cultivated and coiffeured boy band coldly calculated to make megabucks.

But while Take That have gone on to reunion success, the career of the Stoke-on-Trent self-publicist has nosedived of late, largely thanks to his move to LA and misguided Rudebox electropop adventure.

A confused comeback on TV’s X Factor did little to quell fears that Williams’ career had finally hit the buffers. It’s a surprise, then, that the much anticipated return of the Robster is actually rather good.

Morning Sun:

The opener in which Robbie admits: “Message to the troubadour, the world don’t love you anymore” is strewn with Beatley strings and minor key melancholy – a return to what he does best. ****

Bodies:

Record company bosses must have insisted that he get down with the kids.

It’s a schizophrenic song, half of which is out there on the techno dancefloor, while the other half is old-fashioned pop. **

You Know Me:

A cornball cliché-ridden song with a soda pop chorus straight from the cusp of the 1950s and 60s. This is old school pop by the numbers, complete with shooby-do backing vocals.***

Blasphemy:

An entire song based round a bad pun (Is it a blast for you? ‘Cause It’s blasphemy”) lent undue gravity by its chamber pop piano, oboe and strings. The last song Robbie wrote with Guy Chambers. **

Do You Mind?:

Creaky rock and roll to be filed alongside Kids, the hit he had with Kylie. A catchy chorus could make this a huge hit single, but it’ll make real rock fans cringe in embarrassment. **

Last Days Of Disco:

Come on out! We know you’re in there! This is so much like Pet Shop Boys that Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe must have been lurking in the studio. Still, it’s got chart appeal. ***

Somewhere:

Brief bridging track, which lasts less than two minutes, sounds like something Paul McCartney might have written, and is backed by Beatley harmonies. More please. ****

Deceptacon:

The most ambitious song on the album finds Robbie’s multi-tracked vocal wrapped up in production so warm, you’d want to huddle round it in the winter. One of Williams’ best, and the album highlight. *****

Starstruck:

Laid-back song about fame will take you back in time to glitter ball disco with Philly flourishes. Trouble is, it’s lightweight filler sandwiched between two of the strongest songs. **

Difficult For Weirdos:

Another one from the Pet Shop Boys brigade book of songwriting takes you back to the 1980s. Although he takes no risks here, Robbie sounds as if he has a new lease of life. ****

Superblind:

“Can’t help thinking ‘bout me,” Robbie sings in an intensely melodic soft-rock song. “I’m the genius behind me. If you’re here next century what will they think when they think about me? ****

Won’t Do That:

Brassy pop song with a chart hook sounds as if it’ll be a stadium singalong. Perhaps he thought it would impress his new best mate Gary Barlow, ahead of the Take That reunion. ****

Morning Sun (Reprise):

Return of the opening track, this time given orchestral oomph. It sounded good when the album started, and it sounds great second time around. Robbie Williams is back in business.****
http://www.sundaymercury.net/enterta....5108591

Highway to the stars tonight
Leave the bad news at home
Highway to the stars tonight
Look out below (Look out below)
Look out below (Look out below)
Look out below

Sirius, can you hear me?
I know you’re there, will you steer me?
51, I’ll be waiting
If you don’t mind,
I’ll bring my mate in

Highway to the stars tonight
Leave the bad news at home
Highway to the stars tonight
Look out below (Look out below)
Look out below (Look out below)
Look out below

In the Gentlemen’s Club
(In the Gentlemen’s Club)
They’re passing round their radar (??) / radio (??) / red era (??)
(They’re passing round their radar)
It’s such a hollow balloon
(It’s such a hollow balloon)
Telling people what to do
(What to do)
They’re watching you
(They’re watching you)

Entities all around me
I can’t explain how they found me
We’re occupied, but we don’t know it
And there’s no way to expose it

Highway to the stars tonight
Leave the bad news at home
Highway to the stars tonight
Look out below (Look out below)
Look out below (Look out below)
Look out below

Look out below (Look out below)
Look out below (Look out below)
Look out below

Look out below (Look out below)
Look out below (Look out below)
Look out below

(Look out below - look out below)
(Look out below - look out below)
(Look out below)

And even going home
Don’t you wanna go
And even going home
Don’t you wanna go
Don’t you wanna go
Don’t you wanna go-o-o-o-o-o