Swing When You're Winning - Robbie Williams

Advantages: fantastically refreshing
Disadvantages: wrong track to end on

...of the most famous artists, Swing When You're Winning by the one and only, Robbie Williams! Now I'm an average Robbie fan (although Angels is soooo my favourite :D), but I felt I had to buy swing When You're Winning- a release that is not the normal genre he goes for, and I say good for him! I watched a programme when he was recording this, and he mentioned that he thinks this album will be a success because he's bringing a not very well known genre ...
...bit of writing you see, SWING WHEN YOU'RE WINNING. The whole front page gives a really nice classic feel, giving a hint of what you're about to experience. It's not flashy; there's a clever twist on the album title- another of Robbie's albums was Sing When You're Winning. So already you get a hint of mixing Robbie Williams, and swing! Clever eh? I can't remember how much I paid for this, but you can get this new from Amazon.co.uk for £7.99, and second ... Read review

Advantages: Classic songs given great exposure by a gifted performer.
Disadvantages: Don't be silly!

I think of Robbie Williams as a marvellous performer, but this is the only one of his albums I've ever asked for, and the only one I own. I think it's also the only Number 1 album I've ever owned, either. It is, as my opinion title suggests, sublime. My musical passion is the musical theatre, and many of the songs on this album come from that source, but this is the music of the big bands, the music of Frank Sinatra, the music, in short, of a class ...
...greatest classics, and he performs them all brilliantly. Ignore the sniping in the critical columns, this is one great album. Right, enough of the hyperbole, on to the opinion. The album begins with 'I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen', the only new track here, and one which sits quite comfortably alongside the others. As the track begins, Robbie demonstrates a great command of his falsetto voice, managing not to screech and wail as some singers ... Read review

Advantages: <<<
Disadvantages: >>>

...up the challenge ! Swing history stood above him and from there several generations of crooners were wathcing at him ! * So the packaging is perfect : the colours are warm and sweet, dark, brown, black, the air seems a little bit smocky, somewhat dangerous, and our guy stands proudly in a perfect white shirt, with an untied tie, behind an old mike of the fifties. He smiles. He’s so cute. The disk in himself is black, sober and elegant. There are ...
...heritage of jazz, blues and swing floating within it : sensibility, emotion, sincerity and perfect control of his voice by the singer. >> One for my baby. Blues. Piano. Good vibes. >>Things. Second duet with a woman, Jane Horrocks. Another delighting title : fresh, light, energic. That song contrasts with the serious of the rest of the album, and it allows us to breathe some fresh air, to relax a little. >>Ain’t That a Kick in the Head. >> ... Read review

Advantages: Two or Three good offerings.
Disadvantages: The rest is pants.

Swing When You're Winning - Robbie Williams Okay, my last two reviews have been smooth jazz and hard jazz, time for a bit of swing. I have to say I feel pretty qualified to comment on this album for I have it in 3 different ways: 1. Downloaded from iTunes 2. I have the sheet music for Alto saxophone 3. I have the backing tracks to play along too Now clearly Mr Williams is a popster, having sung and danced with one of, if not the most successful ...
...successful solo career. Swing when You're winning was the next album to be released after 'Sing when you're winning', clever so and so and is a homage to some of the big band swing numbers that Robbie purports to enjoy. Released in 2001. ~~~~~The Tracks~~~~~ 1. I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen 2. Mack the Knife 3. Somethin' Stupid" (with Nicole Kidman) 4. Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me 5. It Was a Very Good Year (with Frank Sinatra) 6. ... Read review

Advantages: Bringing real music back to the masses
Disadvantages: Could be viewed as a novelty by some

...the music perfectly. Like most swing it is how you swing and sing' it, rather than the quality of the voice. What great saloon singers lost in voice quality was always compensated by style. But as much as I admire the bravery of Robbie for departing from his normal sound to something so different I cant help but feel, alas, that we wont see a renaisance of swing music as a result of his efforts. This has appeared on the horizon on a number of occasions ...
...album by doing a similar compilation and perhaps including new songs in a swing fashion. This would encourage other artists to follow suit and not view the 'swing' album as nothing more than a novelty turn. Swing is back? I hope so, but some how I doubt it. ... Read review

Advantages: some great songs
Disadvantages: some not so great songs

...Will Young is THE Pop Idol. We all know that. He won fair and square and quite rightly too. But if you are a fan of Gareth or one of the other ten finalists, here’s your chance to own a CD of theirs. Buy Will - get Gareth, Darius, Aaron, Korben, Jessica, Rosie, Hayley and Zoë free. Oh, and Laura, but you can’t have everything ;-) If you enjoyed the Big Band week of the TV show or saw the concert and enjoyed the second half, this album is for you. If swing ain’t your thing, don’t bother. Comparisons with Robbie Williams’ Swing When You’re Winning album are bound to come up. I own both that album and this one, they’re both great. Robbie sings Mack The Knife better than Gareth, Will beats Robbie hands down on Beyond The Sea. The album cover is quite moody, the Pop Idol logo in the middle... Read review

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Advantages: Fantastic songs and a great orchestra
Disadvantages: Some of the 'Idols' ae obviously unused to this sort of music

...Who'd have thought a year ago that I could have in my possession two Number 1 albums of big band music? Maybe the world is at last discovering how great these songs are, but I have to say I was a lot more sceptical about buying a CD which said 'Pop Idol' than 'Robbie Williams.' And no, this isn't as good as Swing When You're Winning, but it's still a great album. I don't think Pop Idol needs any introduction, even if, like me, you were one of the three people who didn't actually watch it. This is the first album spun out of the project - I'm told the big band round was one of the most popular. It features ten bright young things singing thirteen bright old songs, some of (in my opinion, of course, though I'm not alone) the best songs ever written: Let There Be Love Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye I've Got You... Read review

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Advantages: The welcome return of some faces.
Disadvantages: The not so welcome return of others.

...After the intial wave of attacks on the public's senses with the television programme, singles, tour and countless column inches in the press the Pop Idols and Simon Cowell began their latest money-making venture on Moday with the release of the first album, Pop Idol The Big Band Album. The choice of album I suppose was fairly obvious after the success Robbie Williams enjoyed recently with his Swing When You're Winning album. However the title does worry me slightly, I mean is the public supposed to also lap up, "Pop Idol The Abba Album" and "Pop Idol The Judges Choice Album", as well as countless others or is this a one off album just to quench the public's thirst? I suppose that the answer to that will lie in the success of this first album. After all the negative publicity which Pop Idol has generated concerning the treatment... Read review

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