Escapology [PA] - Robbie Williams > Reviews > Escaping Into Robbie's Membrane

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	Mixed
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Not applicable
Value for Money	Satisfactory

Advantages:	Some good lyrics and songs, with "Come Undone" being my fav song
Disadvantages:	Didn't convince me that he deserves all the praise he has gotten

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

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TITLE: Escapology (Explicit Version)

RATING: ***½

ARTIST: Robbie Williams

LABEL: Virgin Records

TRACKS: 14

AVAILABILITY: 9 GBP from Amazon

ASIN: #B000070WJE

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INTRODUCTION
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I’ll be honest with all of you: I’ve heard very little of Robbie Williams’ music; I’m American, and I had first heard of him while I was in England. Ironically, I arrived in Newquay soon after “Escapology” (his fifth album) was released and selling like hotcakes across the country. One day I was in a pub with some friends who were in the Royal Air Force and one of them made a joke about Williams which made me ask the question: “Is he popular here?” As you would expect, they were laughing and got a bit cheeky when they said, “Well, sort of, mate!” I had no idea that Williams had become one of the most successful pop singers in the UK; then again, in the US he is barely known, and that is no joke. I’m not really a fan of pop music in general, because I prefer more independent singers who are not seeking loads of publicity and attention, but just want to write songs and perform because they love it, like Lisa Loeb and Liz Phair. From what I understand, Williams has been a tabloid regular for many years now because of his outrageous shows and “bad boy” antics.

As with most singers, I first hear them not on the radio, but rather on movie soundtracks (big surprise to all of you, I know!); with Robbie Williams, I liked his catchy theme song “A Man for All Seasons,” which he did for the 2003 comedy JOHNNY ENGLISH starring Rowan Atkinson. Apparently, the guy has a passion for classic music from the 30s and 40s as well, because he appeared onscreen in DE-LOVELY (the biography about songwriting legend Cole Porter) and performed the title song “It’s De-Lovely”, which was originally written in 1936; not bad for someone who is a boy band graduate, if you ask me. On February 13 of this year, the day that Williams turned 33 years old, he actually checked in a rehab facility in Tucson, Arizona; as for me, I was only 80 miles north up in Phoenix, so basically it was the closest I’d ever been to who may be the most popular musician in Europe.

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PUTTING THE “BRIT” IN CELEBRITY
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When I noticed that the new product of the week was on William’s album “Escapology,” I really contemplated on whether I wanted to do it, considering I knew hardly anything about the singer, let alone any of his albums. After doing some research, I noticed that despite his mega-popularity in Europe (and especially the UK) he hasn’t been able to generate an American audience at all and he has been trying to for years. In fact, Rolling Stone magazine might have said it best in their review of “Escapology”: “For American listeners who haven’t acquired the taste over the years, he seems destined to remain principally a British phenomenon, just like curry-flavored potato chips.” I thought then that it might be interesting to actually offer an American perspective on Robbie Williams, considering the fact that very few people in the U.S. are fans, and even fewer people has even written reviews or articles on him. So, I decided, ok, I’ll go up to the only music store where I live; if they have it, I’ll get it, if not then I won’t write the review.

When I went up to Crossroads Music just down the road from my house, I asked them if they had any of Robbie Williams’ albums; at first, the girl (who must have been in her early 20s) was confused and thought I meant ROBIN Williams. I clarified for her Robbie Williams, the British pop singer; then she said, “Oh, I’ve never heard of him but I will look in the database.” I’m sure many of you are laughing about this, but I swear it happened; lo and behold, they only had one CD in stock and it was a used copy of “Escapology” (who would have guessed?)! I got it for a bargain too: 99 cents, which is really less than 50 p!!! After reading that, I don’t think you will see a better example of how “famous” he is in the United States; I can’t explain the reasoning behind this, all I can say is that he is not popular here at all. To be honest, though, that even spurred my interest even more to see what the real fuss was about this guy overseas.

As most of you know, Robbie Williams was part of this boy band called “Take That,” and I’ve heard that many of his albums and songs before “Escapology” had that typical, bubblegum, boy-band flavor and tone which would go along side the likes of Shaun Cassidy and Loverboy. Evidently, Williams wanted “Escapology” to show the world that he was leaving all that behind and hoping to build a wider audience that would take him seriously as a musician. As a first time listener, I must say that the album is nothing special, though it’s certainly not disposable either; as a matter of fact, I liked many of the songs on there, though I still feel he is rather overrated. Come on, people, he doesn’t really have the brilliant lyrics of Neil Young or the amazing vocals of Bob Marley; then again, I know he isn’t trying to either. Ultimately, I felt it was a reasonable introduction to Williams, and despite a few hiccups and some unthinkable decisions, I liked the majority of songs on “Escapology.”

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HEY ELVIS: THIS GUY IS ALL SEXED UP, HMM HMM!!!
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It must be noted that Williams signed a multi-million dollar deal with EMI and Virgin Records just before releasing this fifth album, which would eventually become the best selling album in England, while not even reaching the top 100 in America….and it was recorded in Los Angeles, of all places. Most of the songs he co-wrote with Garry Chambers, with the exception of “Get A Little High,” and “Come Undone,” which he wrote with other people. In addition, this album as two songs for which he wrote all the original lyrics himself: “One Fine Day” and “Nan’s Song.” Now onto the meat of the review…

TRACK #1: “Feel” (6/10) --- I’m not exactly sure what Williams is trying to emphasize with this song, except that it starts with him wanting to talk to God and later saying he wants to feel love and never die. Yeah, isn’t that what everybody wants? This is an ok song with some nice synthesizers by co-writer Gary Chambers, though it didn’t reach out to me as some of the other songs. (4:26)

“I just want to feel real love / Feel the home I live in / ‘Cause I got too much life / Running through my veins / Going to Waste / And I need to feel real love.”

TRACK #2: “Monsoon” (8/10) --- This second track has much more focus than the first one, with Williams being honest (?) in how much sex he has had on a regular basis. As with several songs on this album, this one seems intensely personal, with him identifying his flaws, though still coming across as being human. As you should know, a monsoon is actually a wind system that influences large climactic regions and reverses direction; with that in mind, I took this song as Williams’ way of wanting a force to change his life and make it go in a new direction. (3:47)

“I’ve got so many regrets / I’ve 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.”

TRACK #3: “Sexed Up” (8/10) --- I believe this song was a single in the UK, and I can certainly see why: the lyrics are sensual without being graphic, and his voice is unusually persuasive here. Sure the theme (breaking up with someone) is nothing new, though I liked how Williams was able to put a spin on this one in starting sincere but later getting rude and unsympathetic. Once again, Gary Chambers’ piano background gives this a true emotional lift. (4:23)

“Why don’t we break up? / There’s nothing left to say / I’ve got my eyes shut / Praying they won’t stay / And we’re not sexed up / That’s what makes the difference today / I hope you blow away.”

TRACK #4: “Get A Little High” (3/10) --- The lyrics on this song are rather clichéd all the way, and I found this song rather tiring after mere seconds, with a background tempo which sounded quite recycled. LOL, it almost sounds like that Williams was high with his co-writer when they wrote this, though it made more mediocre than clever. (3:55)

“You always say you’re sorry / But you never know what for / And it’s happening more and more / Act your age and not your shoe size / And blah blah blah blah.”

TRACK #5: “Come Undone” (9/10) --- This is my favorite song for some weird reason; even though this is one of the songs on the album in which Robbie feels the need to put in some profanity, I think it rocks hard and his voice is noticeably sympathetic in that it is almost if he is confessing to his mother and father his faults by singing “I’m scum, and I’m your son.” The piano touches by Claire Howell and Arne Hovda on this track I especially like which are gentle, though it contrasts surprisingly well with the harsh tone of the lyrics. I think that Williams intended it to be a “sad love song,” and the contradictions are what make this track unique I think. (4:34)

“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 I’m scum / And I’m your son / I come undone / I come undone.”

TRACK #6: “Something Beautiful” (8/10) --- This funky track almost sounds like it came straight of the 1970s, and it is another one of the standouts on the album. I think the lyrics especially on this one are some of the best by Williams & Chambers and the song just flows smoothly to its satisfying conclusion. (4:50)

“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 love that won’t leave you/ May you find it by the end of the day.”

TRACK #7: “Love Somebody” (2/10) --- This overdone, overlong track seems to want to come off as a beautiful melody, though I found it dull and uninspiring, with Williams constantly crooning he wants to “love somebody” as the title suggests, though it comes off as almost unbearably syrupy. The only nice thing about this track was the background harmony provided by the Rose Stone Gospel Choir…which saves us from having to listen to Williams’ whining on love. (4:15)

“I wanna love somebody / I wanna love somebody right now / There is just no pleasing me / I wanna love somebody / Just wanna love somebody right now / Lady lay your love on me.”

TRACK #8: “Revolution” (5/10) --- With this song, Williams does a duet with Rose Stone on this track; while they certainly sing well together, I think this song was trying too hard to be R&B-ish with its annoying “get it on” background additions. Plus, the lyrics on this one are rather convoluted in that they jump around from one theme to another without having one primary focus; a fine song overall, though not up to “Monsoon” or “Something Beautiful.” (5:46)

“Time and tide’s on your side / There’s no need to hide / I feel your pain / Don’t talk to me about evolution / A million miles with one stare / And you’ll find yourself there.”

TRACK #9: “How Peculiar” (6/10) --- For this track, the title says it all, lol; this song I understand is a favorite among many fans, though I don’t really see what the big deal is about it. It has bizarre background noises which sound like he is noisily spitting out his tongue and making unusual breaths which hint at masturbation. I didn’t really think that combining Jesus and having sex with a girl was a wise idea because it makes no sense. Still, it is a decent song with some terrific guitar riffs by Gary Chambers, who is not only using acoustic but also fuzz; in addition, the rhythm guitar (Gary Nutall) and slide guitar (Neil Taylor) give it an additional layer. However, was the “Sex Mouth” by Zenia Santini really necessary???

“I haven’t got a clue what to do with you / I need for you to love me so much / Jesus what am I going to do with this crush / Just get the old fella and whack it up against her tush.”

TRACK #10: “One Fine Day” (6/10) --- At first, I thought this would be a remake of the classic hit by The Chiffons, but thankfully it wasn’t. I’m rather tied on this song, because while it does flow well, it doesn’t really have much resonance and Williams tends to repeat the lyrics too often for no apparent reason. (3:35)

“So come reminisce about a time we didn’t have / I hear there is a sequel to that film never have made you sad / Don’t rewrite my history / Cos you never really knew how much you meant to me.”

TRACK #11: “Me and My Monkey” (8/10) --- The longest track on the album also happens to be the funniest and most original. A most amusing ditty which includes trumpets, a cello, and other percussions, this one seems to be less a song and more of a story with background music. The idea is that Williams has a pet monkey who go to Las Vegas, book into the Mandalay hotel, and get involved with monkey whores and lithium. It deserves a lot points for its sheer audaciousness and Latino flavor, with sly references to Kurt Cobain and Sheena Easton. One quibble, though: it’s obvious that Williams is not an English graduate, because otherwise he would have properly made the title “My Monkey and I.” (7:12)

“Me and my monkey / With a dream and a gun / I’m hoping my monkey don’t point that gun / Me and my monkey / Like Butch and the Sundance Kid / Trying to understand why did what he did.”

TRACK #12: “Handsome Man” (8/10) --- Another one of those songs that just seems unabashedly personal, though it has terrific lyrics and 12-string guitars adding spice. Here, he almost seems to be satirizing himself and his popularity, with lines like “I put the Brit in Celebrity” and “I’m young and overrated…” One of the best songs on the album, this one has a real sharp, narcissistic edge to it, which flows well with Williams’ solid vocals. (3:54)

“If you drop me / I’ll fall to pieces on ya / If you don’t need me / I don’t exist / You voted for me / Now let me see a show of hands / Here before you stands the world’s most handsome man.”

TRACK #13: “Nan’s Song” (7/10) --- This final song is the most melancholy, which is expected since Williams wrote it himself in honor of his grandmother. This is a sweet, disarming song with nice lyrics and not the syrupy nature of “Love Somebody,” though it could have used some tightening. Footnote: there is a hidden track 15 minutes after this song is over on the UK version only. (3:53)

“There is a strange kind of light / Caressing me tonight / Pray silence my fear she is near / Bringing heaven down here.”

TRACK #14: “How Peculiar” (6/10) --- An unnecessary reprise, not much more to be said. (2:18)

Now before you start asking questions, apparently I discovered the UK release has some songs which the US release doesn’t; on UK albums, there are three songs which are not on the American version: “Song 3,” “Hot Fudge,” and “Cursed.” On top of all that there are two songs in the American version which replaced the deleted songs: “One Fine Day,” and “Get A Little High.” I would suspect that the deleted songs have a lot of UK references, and that the distributers at Virgin felt they shouldn’t put them on this album, fearing they would be misunderstood. Now, I did go to Amazon to listen to “samples” of the three deleted songs, and must say I didn’t have a problem with them, and I kind of wish they were included with the all the songs here.

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FINAL THOUGHTS
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As for the CD itself, it shows Williams hanging out as if he was diving into the city; I guess it proves he doesn’t have vertigo, lol. Many of the pictures in the booklet are comprised of some of his show antics, all of which were caught while he was in midair. There are some other pictures which are beyond me, though, in which he is strapped to some kind of machine with laser rings circling his head, chest and hips; one of these shots has some guys doing some experiment on him (I guess, lol) and Williams is holding his dick through his shorts in one shot...I suppose because he doesn’t want it to get fried. There are some other photos that make no sense of him almost naked inside a giant glass of water; if someone would please explain to me what the point of all these shots are I would appreciate it, lol. Just to let you all know also that this is an Enhanced CD, meaning you could pop it into your computer to videos and other goodies.

So, what did I think of “Escapology” overall? I was surprised that I liked most of the songs overall, though I didn’t feel any of them were particularly groundbreaking, just like Williams himself; after listening to this album, I still didn’t really see what made Williams such a pop sensation, even though I found it above average, or a cut above the usual fodder. In conclusion, I have a generated a respect for him and wouldn’t mind checking out his other albums; in reference to his CD cover, I’ll just say you are alright Robbie, hang in there! The CD is available from Amazon for 9 GBP, though I’m sure by now you could get it cheaper anywhere at most music stores like I did. Thank you for reading, and you all have a great day! Chris :)

www.robbiewilliams.com
www.virginrecords.com