One of the best U.K. debuts of the '90s, Life Thru a Lens is an uninhibited joyride through all manner of British music, from glam to alternative to soft-rock to dance-pop. Beginning with the joyous "Lazy Days," the album continually betrays overt influences from Oasis and other Britpop stars, but triumphs nevertheless due to gorgeous production, Williams' irresistible personality, and the overall flavor of outrageous, utterly enjoyable pop music. Whether he's romping through aggressive burners like "Ego A Go Go" and "South of the Border," crooning on the ballad "Angels," or offering a slice of life – working-class style – on the title track and "Lazy Days," Williams is a pop star through and through. For those who appreciate great pop with plenty of cheek, Life Thru a Lens is an excellent album.
The careers of most music celebrities are like passenger ships, able to steam along nearly indefinitely without the least chance of modifying course. With his work of the 21st century, Robbie Williams appeared to have set himself on a course that was guaranteed to keep him working for decades, remaining important to thousands of fans, but never varying from the type of adult alternative singer/songwriter material expected of him. Then came Rudebox, which proves he's not that simple – or at least, not that satisfied with himself. It may be a good album because it says little about his inner life and emotional troubles, which are unceremoniously dropped in favor of hyper-sexualized or sarcastic dance music and ironic laugh-getters ("Make your body shake like you stood on a land mine," "Dance like you just won at the Special Olympics"). It may be a good album because it has some of the best productions of his career, usually amped-up electro-disco from the duo Soul Mekanik or goofy hip-hop soul from Mark Ronson.
Definitive hits collection on 2 CDs plus an additional 3rd disc of b-sides and rarities. Includes the brand new single "Shame", co-written with Gary Barlow. The single marks the first time the two superstars have ever recorded and performed a duet together, and the first time they have written and recorded a song together since Robbie's departure from Take That in 1995.
"The Heavy Entertainment Show" is the eleventh studio album by English recording artist Robbie Williams. It was released on 4 November 2016 through Columbia Records.
It cannot be said that Robbie Williams is a Scrooge with his holiday album, The Christmas Present. In its deluxe edition – which is the only edition available upon its initial 2019 release – The Christmas Present is a double album, divided into a disc chronicling "The Christmas Past" on one disc and "The Christmas Future" on the other, thereby turning the record's title into a double-edged pun. The Christmas Past disc is devoted to shopworn seasonal standards, supplemented by a handful of newer tunes written in the same ornate fashion. The Christmas Future finds Robbie loosening his tie and shaking off the strings, splitting his time between sincere ballads and impish novelties. Naturally, The Christmas Future is livelier than The Past, with Williams camping it up with Tyson Fury on the naughty "Bad Sharon" and then happily tweaking both sides of the political aisle with "Snowflakes." Williams may like to act like a bad boy, but at his heart he's a sentimental cornball and, ultimately, he winds up making mawkishness seem merry on The Christmas Present.