REVIEW: ROBBIE WILLIAMS - REALITY KILLED THE VIDEO STAR

Robbie Williams is hot. There. I said it. I try not to let that affect my judgment on his music, but sometimes it might. That being said, this is not my favorite RW album....yet. I have been know to let his music grow on me, so I will not be so positive of my final opinion yet. Reality Killed the Video Star is a clever title, especially since Trevor Horn (member of the Buggles) is the producer and member of a band that had a hit with "Video Killed the Radio Star". Get it? Robbie is very cheeky. Look at the handsome photo he smacks on the cover. At 35, Robbie is looking his age, no more, no less. Sexy smirk, well groomed hair, very British! He is a mega-star overseas, but has yet to connect with his American audience. I LOVE HIM!!! Always have since the Take That days. His new album is good. It's not his best, but that is a big order to fill. Robbie has had many great songs from Angels to Millennium, Killing Me Softly to Lazy Days. Rock DJ to Lovelight. He has an arsenal of hits. RKTRS has some hits on it. It is ballad heavy and sometimes is bogged down by said ballads, but the upbeat songs keep it moving. The album kicks off with Morning Sun, a melodic ballad full of horns and pianos and orchestration that kicks into an upswing at the end that makes for a satisfying opening. It's followed by Bodies, the first single from the cd. This is a sexy, strutting number with a big chorus that boasts such talks of how we all want to "look good naked" and "..want perfection". It has a hard beat and is choppy and keeps you body moving. You Know Me has a doo-wop feel to it and lets Robbie croon a bit while the next track Blasphemy has the clever line "was it a blast for you? Blasphemy". It is another slow, piano-driven ballad. Nice, but not a highlight. Do You Mind is guitar rock and very cocky, which is a Williams trademark, but it fails to really kick into high gear and leaves you a little in need of more. One of a couple of heavily 80s influenced tracks, Last Days of Disco has a great new wave vibe and seems to be autobiographical in the lyrics that state, "don't call it a comeback. Look what I invented here". It is atmospheric and quite good. Somewhere is something of a segue between songs, only a little over a minute long. It is string-laden and remorseful in it's lyrical content. Deceptacon has an ambient sound. It is yet another ballad, but this has personal lyrics and a spacey sound to it that sets it apart from the other slow numbers. Starstruck is a straight-up homage to Fastlove by George Michael. I could have laid those lyrics right over it in some way. It even has a similar female backing vocal. Robbie's voice is smooth and works well on the song, but it is a filler here. Difficult for Weirdos is another futuristic 80s sounding track (is that possible?). You can hear heavy influence left over from Robbie's working on Rudebox with the Pet Shop Boys. This song is about the pleasures of being different with lyrics like, "he is a lesbian but that is okay" and "just another humanoid reaction to the voices in this town". It is one of the more satisfying tracks on the album. The next track, Superblind, is perhaps my favorite on the disc. It is another ballad, but this one has a really great opening with Robbie using his falsetto to wonderful effect. It has a very 70s Bowie feel to it and builds to a great orchestral crescendo towards the end. The last track (besides a reprise of Morning Sun) is Won't Do That. It is a mid-tempo stomper with a big sound and hints of Queen and classic rock guitar. All in all, this album is quite enjoyable and very worth a buy. If you love Robbie, you will love this. I give it a B+.