Album Review: Robbie Williams, BRITPOP

Now deep into middle age, Robbie Williams has shown an admirable intent to stretch his creative wings, albeit with mixed results – while he continues to fill stadiums and earned widespread kudos for a surprisingly watchable Netflix documentary, such successes were offset by the mortifying box office failure of the biopic Better Man.

The singer was portrayed in the lead role by an anthropomorphic chimp, a quixotic move which perhaps contributed the film's grosses of just $22.5m, against an eye-watering budget of $110m. With new collection BRITPOP, Williams has stated his ambition to finally make the record he first intended to create in the mid-'90s, when he split from Take That and went solo. In cahoots with songwriting partner Guy Chambers, Williams at that time produced a string of genuine pop classics, including 'Rock DJ', 'Supreme', 'Strong' and 'No Regrets'.

Alas, Williams' output has rarely scaled such peaks since Chambers departed the scene, a parting of ways explored in the Netflix series. BRITPOP opens promisingly with 'Rocket', a thumping punk number built around an uproarious riff from Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi', but the likes of 'Spies', 'Pretty Face' and 'Bite Your Tongue' lack the melodic flair of Williams' most legendary tunes.

Co-written with the singer's ex-Take That bandmate Gary Barlow, the highlight proves 'Morrissey', an infectious electro number that offers a wistful reflection on the titular singer. It also belongs to an unlikely micro-genre of songs about the ex-Smiths frontman, a canon that further includes Electronic's 'Getting Away With It' and Manic Street Preacher's 'Dear Stephen'.

Otherwise, BRITPOP is a straight-down-the-line collection of no-frills pop-rock, a placeholder until Williams resumes his stadium tour – in which environment he continues to be the most exhilarating of pop performers.

7/10