Robbie Williams, a pop artist by vocation

After Robbie Williams’ releasing the album Rudebox his numerous fans were only left to guess which direction he was going to move further. The work’s danceable electronic compositions surprised some of the listeners in a good way, disappointed the others and simply shocked the third. Nevertheless it was clear to everybody that the album was an experimentation for Williams who had been a true pop artist from the very beginning of his career when he sang as part of Take That and was always fond of memorable tunes and harmonious arrangements. Therefore despite the obvious success of his 2006’s experiment the artist has decided to make his come back after a three year long hiatus in his favorite genre. The album Reality Killed The Video Star proves similar to Robbie Williams’ most successful pop works and once again offers several hits in a row to the audience all with the most interesting texts and vivid melodies confirming that everything becomes known through comparison: Robbie is really a pop artist by vocation.

Personal feelings and word play on Reality Killed The Video Star

Another thing in common between the new album and Williams’ previous works is that the songs on Reality Killed The Video Star are mostly based on the artist’s personal feelings and emotions. His lyrics become more and more unusual with every creation for the singer adores word play and look into the depth of the things. The record opens with the first single, a melodious ballad Morning Sun, initially devoted to Michael Jackson and having quite a lot to do with Robbie’s own personality – which is no wonder as he has always been quite self-content and unmercifully self-criticizing at the same time. The first stylish mid-tempo number on the album is Bodies refined with an unbelievable arrangement combining harmoniously with Robbie’s professional performance. A romantic track You Know Me is refined with the most contagious keyboards and fiddles which makes it the first contender to become a new world hit. The result of multiple exercise in word play is embodied on slow and also very beautiful ballads Blasphemy and Deceptacon and a splendid rock rebuff Do You Mind?. The previous album echoes on Last Days Of Disco, a pretty nostalgic track with a catchy tune and danceable beat whereas one of the most original songs is Somewhere – you are sure to appreciate its light orchestra accompaniment and wise lyrics. Another complicated text remarks the track Difficult For Weirdos, danceable and bold which can be performed only by Robbie Williams, and the album closer is an optimistic composition Won't Do That and the reprise of Morning Sun (Reprise) taking us back to the record’s beginning.

New facets of all the artist’s qualities

Robbie Williams, one of the most simultaneously original and successful performers of the turn of the century has given the world a great deal of great songs among which there are both deeply thought ballads and joy-full mid-tempo and danceable hits. These two song types reflect his character in many respects – on the one hand it is a very interesting person, a somewhat melancholic philosopher searching for the life’s meaning and on the other hand he is an inhibited, bold and even impudent artist with some drug problems behind his shoulders and a reputation of a heart-breaker. Each new album reveals new facets of all the artist’s qualities and Reality Killed The Video Star is not an exception. The tandem of producer Trevor Horn and Robbie Williams has proved admirably fruitful – although this is nothing for Robbie Williams stylistically the record witnesses that he is definitely deepening in his introspection and only time will show whether there can ever be any limit in this sphere. Yet at the given moment it is clear that Robbie has not refused to look for truth, in music as well, and has once again made it to surprise the world.

Alexandra Zachernovskaya

18.11.2009

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