Robbie Williams, Rudebox [review]

Quoted from: http://www.popjournalism.ca/

'REVIEWED BY ROBERT BALLANTYNE, POSTED ON OCTOBER 29, 2006

For some reason, Robbie Williams has had difficulty translating his superstar success in North America. It's too bad, because right now there are lame excuses for mass appeal male pop stars right now - the whiny Justin Timberlake is as "good" as it gets. And unfortunately, though Rudebox is Williams' best album since 2000's Sing When You're Winning, its electro-pop leanings are a deficit in today's hip-hop heavy marketplace. But that aside, Rudebox is relentlessly catchy and fun, and its appeal lies in the fact that it never takes itself too seriously - even the horrendously bad title track works because Williams's lame Cockney raps are so knowingly delivered. However, the album's straightforward pop tracks are the true killer singles here, including both "Lovelight" and "Summertime" - though don't mistake the sincere-sounding "She's Madonna" as one of those tracks, as it's supposedly a knock on Guy Ritchie, who allegedly dumped a serious girlfriend as soon as he caught the Material Girl's eye. While Rudebox is never brilliant, there are a few duds ("Louise" and "The 80's" come to mind) but there's more good than bad, and its hard to fault an album that is so consistently entertaining.

(Chrysalis/EMI)'