Robbie Williams, one of the members of Take That, a British pop group that split up in 1995, has since then established himself as a popular singer in his own right. A spate of album releases - "Life Thru A Lens", "I've Been Expecting You", and "The Ego Has Landed" - later, he presents "Sing When You're Winning", his fourth album that contains several listenable tunes in Williams' high-pitched, youthful voice.
"Let Love Be Your Energy" sports some heavy electric-guitar playing and lyrics representative of millions of kids in the world who in their heart of hearts crave from love and support form the family rather than material comfort.
"Rock DJ", a number one hit, has a groovy beat made up of pounding drums and techno-gimmickry. The song recommends dancing to get over the blues and has an electric guitar that comes alive towards the end. "Kids", another track that clicked with the masses, is co-sung by Williams and Kylie Minogue. The pair is bolstered by a talented chorus and, once again, the guitar makes its presence felt. The track talks of a couple clambering up the social ladder to earn a fatter pay packet for the kids.
"Singing For The Lonely" has good drums but "Knutsford City Limits" takes the cake for being the most refreshing song on the album. It's got great lyrics, a catchy beat and a hummable tune. "The Road To Mandalay" is a soft track that has soul-searching lyrics. It's unique in that its chorus consists solely of bebop singing that lends a nice touch to the song.
Williams has explored a number of styles in the album from dance to pop to duets. The endnote? This collection is the kind of thing to while away an empty evening on.
This article was first published on23 Nov 2000.