CD Review: Intensive Care

Robbie Williams is back with a new writing partner, Stephen Duffy, to rock the world with his latest album, Intensive Care. If you didn't care for the softer side of his last album, Escapology, then the beginning of the album will not interest you. "Ghosts" sounds like it was taken from Escapology, while "Advertising Space" puts all of his previous ballads to shame. It's about how we let our most talented people go to waste thanks to commercialism.

The oddity within these songs is "Tripping," the first single. It's a bit misleading, since the song's very heavy on the synth, yet most of the rest of the album keeps with Robbie's typical rock band sound. The song can put off people with its overly-techno sounds and Robbie's high pitch singing. I know I was until I listened to it a couple more times and found how addictive the song really was.

The rest of the album is filled with the energetic, carefree Robbie songs that made him so popular in the first place. "Random Acts of Kindness" is a particular favorite of mine, and reminds me of the classic "Karma Killer." "King of Bloke & Bird" is the other unusual song with a two minute eerie instumental that closes the album.

Intensive Care shows us a more mature Robbie with ever improving writing abilities. While this album is nothing groundbreaking, it's still a great listen and lots of repeat value, and that's what counts in the end, right? B

What I'm Listening to Now

1. Memoirs of a Geisha - John Williams
2. Intensive Care - Robbie Williams
3. Godzilla VS the Sea Monster - Masaru Satoh
4. Fantastic Four - John Ottman
5. Corpse Bride - Danny Elfman

I've been meaning to write some reviews to a number of these albums, but haven't had the time. Please bare with me since work's kept me very busy.

Novel Review: Somebody Someday

When I first bought this book, I was expecting more of a typical Robbie-centric book about how it was like to be a "mega-civilian," but I was pleasantly surprised.

"Somebody Someday" follows Robbie Williams throughout his "Sermon on the Mount" tour. And while there is a lot about Robbie and his problems, both personal and professional, Mark McCrum also spent time covering each of the band members, from music director/keyboardist Guy Chambers to back-up singer Tessa Niles. Not only do we get to learn about their backgrounds, but also how and when they each got involved with Robbie. Best of all, whenever he can, McCrum uses their own quotes rather than his own words describe everything.

We learn everything from how the stage is put up to what Liz Berry the lighting designer does. McCrum also shows the variations between concerts, what Robbie does to keep each concert fresh. The book gives us a glimpse at waht happens after the concert, where the stars go after a gig and who stays behind to take everthing apart.

What I'm trying to say is that this makes for an interesting look into the life of a international star. The only thing that really detracts from the content is some glaring chapter-heading errors and the absurd amount of Robbie pictures in the book. B

And Now Something Completely Different

Here's a bit of silliness that I found while surfing around:

There's an animated UK movie coming out in February called the Magic Roundabout, where an assortment of different characters team up to save the world from this guy with a spring for legs who wants to turn the world into an eternal winterland. (I believe this is a movie version of a British kid's show. Anyone care to elaborate?)

Why am I impressed? Let's check out the cast, shall we: Jim Broadbent, Joanna Lumley, Sir Ian McKellan, Doctor Who himself Tom Baker, with singers Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue. (Americans, I'll explain who they are later. Rest of the world, you guys already know who they are.)

There's a trailer you can already see on the official web site. I wonder if they'll be any kind of US release of the movie?

Probably not.