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 Say what you want about Robbie Williams,
he doesn’t half make some cracking tunes.
In a world where the majority of pop music is frowned upon for being
processed, manufactured and generally uninspired, Mr. Williams has
retained a loyal fan base and love from the critics for his honest,
genuine tunes that may not always make a whole lot of sense, but are
enjoyable all the same.
And he’s no different on Rudebox, the follow up to 2005’s largely
forgettable ‘Intensive Care’.
True, Rudebox continues in a similar fashion to Robbie’s last album in
that neither are likely to be regarded as his finest work ever. Yet by
and large, there’s some great songs on here that pack enough weight to
silence critics who say that Robbie’s days as king of the pop mountain
are numbered.
What strikes us the most about ‘Rudebox’ is the enormous wealth of fun
smeared over every inch of this album like a thick layer of chocolate
sauce over an already tasty treat.
Take the title track for example. As Robbie waxes nonsensical over a
sample from 80s tune ‘Boops (Here To Go)’ by Sly & Robbie, first
instincts might be to hate it.
Give it a chance though. What is basically a new version of ‘Rock DJ’
for the ’06 is a witty little ditty about nothing in particular other
than Williams flexing his musical muscles and having a laugh.
Alright, so it bombed drastically in the singles charts, but it
perfectly sums up the fun and frivolous nature of the whole album.
Gone are the swooping ballads and swing-tinged anthems of old, making
way for quirky, electro-pop experiments laced with honesty, wit and
irreverent lyrics.
Some may dismiss such lyrics, and mock Williams seemingly blasé attempts
at rapping, but to do so would be to suggest that the man is taking
himself seriously.
Now c’mon, this is a guy who’s rapping about T-Max and, ahem, ‘fat
lasses’, he’s hardly after stealing Snoop Dog’s crown is he?
With collaborations as wide and varied as William Orbit and Lilly Allen,
‘Rudebox’ provides an eclectic assortment of tracks, the highlights of
which come in the form of two-part ‘The 80s’ and ‘The 90s’.
The former a nod to the late eighties and the likes of LL Cool J, whilst
the latter takes a look at Rob’s life in Take That, complete with a few
sly digs at their ex-manager’s expense.
There’s a few weak moments on here, but in all honestly, nothing worth
mentioning.
So not his finest hour then. You’re not likely to find the next ‘Angels’
or ‘Millennium’, but what you will find is a bunch of fun, upbeat and
slightly silly tunes designed to make smile.
Recommended Links:
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www.robbiewilliams.com – Robbie Williams’ official website
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