Swing When You're Winning - Robbie Williams > Reviews > Swing my way Robbie!! ;)

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	fantastically refreshing
Disadvantages:	wrong track to end on

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Welcome to one of the best CD's released by one 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 (swing!) to a younger generation. I am someone who plays this style of music a lot, and it was so refreshing to hear a style with a deep rooted position released by a popular artist, putting a fresh twist on it, but still staying true to the style that is swing.

So, let's start with the front cover! The first thing you notice is this rather lovely photo of Robbie wearing a 1940s style outfit, complete with the cute, slicked, side parting! First bit of writing- ROBBIE WILLIAMS, second 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 hand for just £2.49!

I don't want to bore everyone with this review, but I think it's important to give a brief bit of info about each track, because I think that's the best way I can do justice to reviewing this magnificent CD.

I WILL TALK AND HOLLYWOOD WILL LISTEN
This is a nice start to the album, and it's a pleasant surprise to learn that Robbie co-wrote this with a guy called Guy Chambers. And it's about the plight of making it big and being famous. It's a really powerful piece, and was originally intended for one of Robbie's regular albums, but they definitely did a good move putting it in this album. It uses the London Session Orchestra, and they give a great feel so the song, adding a real sense of passion and personal feeling. A great start to this CD!

MACK THE KNIFE
Ahhhh what a classic! It's one of my favourite songs on this album, originally made famous by such greats such as Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. It's a really laid back piece, with lovely interjections from a rather stylish sounding swishy big band, adding a fantastic atmosphere and gives a new feel. It starts off relaxed, and builds and builds with key changes and increasing instrumentation to a fantastic finish.

SOMETHIN' STUPID
This is one of the tracks that was actually released and made it I believe into the charts! It's the famous duet with Robbie and Nicole Kidman, released with a rather sexy video! I'm not the biggest fan of this song. It's nice, but I think a bigger emphasis should be made on the fact that it's a duet- Robbie and Nicole sing the whole song together, in unison, just a few notes apart throughout the piece and this gives a slightly dull feel. Having said that, they do make the song work, and these two suit it well- there's no one else I can picture singing this song! And it is a very romantic, pretty piece.

DO NOTHIN' TILL YOU HEAR FROM ME
I think this is one of the best pieces, orchestration-wise. Robbie records this with a brass band plus saxes, and features an energetic and firey trumpet solo. The vocal line and melody itself is rather repetitive and there is the potential to lose interest, but this is saved by the fantastic musicianship and the arrangement of the piece (credit here goes to Steve Sidwell for a good job!).

IT WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR
God bless technology for this piece- Robbie sings with the leg end that is Frank Sinatra! It was really lovely to listen to. I'm sure everyone know this song. It's a slightly weary, very laid back song, and sings of times gone by with a fond feel of reminiscing. It starts off with a very rich oboe sound, and grows with a passionate orchestra, especially the strings!!

STRAIGHTEN UP AND FLY RIGHT
Now this piece is fun!! It gets off to a great start with a sexy sounding big band that really sets the tone. Again, the music comes into its own with a band soli bit (that means all instruments playing the same tune all together for you non musicy people!) with an amazing tenor sax solo that really lifts the mood, and I think could make anyone feel really happy when listening to this. The lyrics are slightly random but he, it's an upbeat happy song.

WELL DID YOU EVAH
I love this piece, it's Robbie dueting with the amazing comic genius, Jon Lovitz. I'm sure people have heard of him, and he has a pretty good singing voice! The easiest way to describe this piece is to quote the CD insert, "this song is two guys having a bitchy conversation at an elegant soiree" and the repeated well did you evah part is like someone going "noooo! Really!?" I also love the musical styles used in this piece, they really illustrate well. For example, there's a section when you can tell they're all at a ball, because the music goes into this lovely waltz. I also love the playful banter between the two greats. :

MR BOJANGLES
I think this is the most passionate pieces on the album. It starts and finishes with the same perky whistling, but the climax in between is amazing. Robbie sings this so well spoke, he spoke of how singing a particularly sad line always made the hairs on the back of his neck rise. Actually, this piece makes the hairs on the back of MY neck rise! It's another classic from Ella Fitzgerald, and I think Robbie has succeeded best at doing this piece.

ONE FOR MY BABY
Ah yes, another beautiful classic. This is the piece that I think has changed least in being done by Robbie. Features mini solos from the piano and sax, which does help to make this piece what it is. Same as before, it's the instrumentation that helps to make the change and adaptation. It is one of my favourite songs; I love singing it, and the lyrics are moving and deep. It's not one of the most showy pieces on the CD, but it's a nice break from all the heavy going passion!

THINGS
This is such a lovely light-hearted song, a duet with Robbie and one of "Britain's finest actresses", Jane Horrocks! In case people don't know, Jane plays the hilarious Bubbles in Absolutely Fabulous! The song's about an ex couple reminiscing in a fun loving, teasing way. Really light-hearted lyrics, and the friendly banter at the end is great! Adds such a great personal feel.

AIN'T THAT A KICK IN THE HEAD
This is your classic big band swing piece, launching into an upbeat pace, immediately taking you with the mood. The song is basically singing about the girl he loves and it's amazing, someone pinch me, she loves me back! Again, carries the typical swing feature of making the band as important as the melody line and I love this kind of music. Keeps the track interesting!

THEY CAN'T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME
This is one of my most favourite songs (I've sung it at a concert hehe, love it with a passion!). This is another duet with Rupert Everett, a guy I don't think I know, but isn't he the voice of Prince Charming in Shrek 2? I'm pretty sure that's him. Anyway, the song's about reminiscing about a breakup in a cheerful way. It again uses the features of making the big band part of the focus- I think it's one of the most well known tracks. Two very smooth voices!!

HAVE YOU MET MISS JONES?
This song is responsible for this whole album! Robbie recorded this for Bridget Jones' Diary (as I'm sure everyone knows) and this got him obsessed with swing, hence wanting to record an entire album. Every time I hear it, I see the famous film, and it just works as a really nice background to a hilarious film I think pretty much everyone has seen. A great soundtrack!

ME AND MY SHADOW
This a swing classic I hadn't heard before until now. Robbie recorded this with his best friend, Jonathan Wilkes, and is a cheeky chappy kind of song- two best mates who really enjoy being around each other. The ending of this is so so funny, with live adlibbing, again giving a really personal touch, and I think will make everyone smile first time they hear it.

BEYOND THE SEA
Last track! This is where my only criticism comes in- I think this is a bad choice for a final album piece. There's something about it which doesn't quite finish the album off then. But on the other hand, it leaves the ending open, letting you wonder what will come next? It's my least favourite piece of the album, it's slightly to monotonous for me, it's very calm and slightly too laid back for me. What was odd was that on my CD, the song lasted about half an hour- the sone finished and there was about 25 minutes of silence!

Ok, so thanks for reading all of that. I think more popular artist should follow by Robbie's example- bringing a new style of music to more people- allowing them to broaden their horizons and hear all the sounds music has to offer.

Thank you!