A Surprise Release and a Britpop Revival: Robbie Williams' 13th Album Drops Without Warning
The highly anticipated 13th album from British pop icon Robbie Williams has finally arrived, with little explanation as to why it wasn't released in October, when the title was meant to coincide with the resurgence of 90s nostalgia sparked by the Oasis reunion. The album's announcement was shrouded in mystery, with Williams unveiling fake Britpop-themed blue plaques around London and staging a press conference at the iconic Groucho Club.
The surprise move came after the initial release date was postponed, allowing Williams to avoid competing with Taylor Swift's highly anticipated album 'The Life of a Showgirl'. The decision now seems to have been driven by commercial considerations, as the record is likely to give Williams a better chance of breaking the UK chart record for most No 1 albums ever.
However, the Britpop album itself feels rather peculiar. With its title and promotional materials heavily focused on the genre, fans might expect an unapologetic celebration of the sound that catapulted Williams to stardom in the mid-1990s. Instead, the album serves as a somewhat nostalgic trip down memory lane for Williams himself.
The first single, 'Spies', marks a bold return to Britpop's glam-rock influences, with Williams drawing inspiration from his experiences during this period. However, when it doesn't quite hit the mark, the song often feels like an attempt at pastiche rather than genuine homage.
A closer listen reveals some unexpected gems, including the synth-heavy 'Morrissey', a quirky tribute to the former Smiths frontman co-authored by Gary Barlow, and 'Human', a sweeping electronic ballad featuring Mexican pop duo Jesse & Joy. These tracks demonstrate Williams' ability to craft engaging, if unconventional, songs that defy genre expectations.
Ultimately, however, Britpop is an album without a defining track, lacking the kind of emotional impact as his 1997 solo debut 'Life Thru a Lens'. This leaves it in an interesting position – it may well be the album Robbie Williams wanted to make when he left Take That. Equally, he must be incredibly glad that he didn't.
With its blend of nostalgia and innovation, Britpop is never less than engaging, even if it doesn't quite live up to the promise of its title. As an exercise in musical curiosity, it's certainly worth a listen, if not necessarily for fans who were expecting a more traditional Britpop revival.
The highly anticipated 13th album from British pop icon Robbie Williams has finally arrived, with little explanation as to why it wasn't released in October, when the title was meant to coincide with the resurgence of 90s nostalgia sparked by the Oasis reunion. The album's announcement was shrouded in mystery, with Williams unveiling fake Britpop-themed blue plaques around London and staging a press conference at the iconic Groucho Club.
The surprise move came after the initial release date was postponed, allowing Williams to avoid competing with Taylor Swift's highly anticipated album 'The Life of a Showgirl'. The decision now seems to have been driven by commercial considerations, as the record is likely to give Williams a better chance of breaking the UK chart record for most No 1 albums ever.
However, the Britpop album itself feels rather peculiar. With its title and promotional materials heavily focused on the genre, fans might expect an unapologetic celebration of the sound that catapulted Williams to stardom in the mid-1990s. Instead, the album serves as a somewhat nostalgic trip down memory lane for Williams himself.
The first single, 'Spies', marks a bold return to Britpop's glam-rock influences, with Williams drawing inspiration from his experiences during this period. However, when it doesn't quite hit the mark, the song often feels like an attempt at pastiche rather than genuine homage.
A closer listen reveals some unexpected gems, including the synth-heavy 'Morrissey', a quirky tribute to the former Smiths frontman co-authored by Gary Barlow, and 'Human', a sweeping electronic ballad featuring Mexican pop duo Jesse & Joy. These tracks demonstrate Williams' ability to craft engaging, if unconventional, songs that defy genre expectations.
Ultimately, however, Britpop is an album without a defining track, lacking the kind of emotional impact as his 1997 solo debut 'Life Thru a Lens'. This leaves it in an interesting position – it may well be the album Robbie Williams wanted to make when he left Take That. Equally, he must be incredibly glad that he didn't.
With its blend of nostalgia and innovation, Britpop is never less than engaging, even if it doesn't quite live up to the promise of its title. As an exercise in musical curiosity, it's certainly worth a listen, if not necessarily for fans who were expecting a more traditional Britpop revival.
just dropped outta nowhere and now Robbie Williams has 13 albums 
! stats show his sales have gone from £15m to £50m in the first week alone 
it's crazy how this album dropped without warning, considering the whole Oasis reunion thing 
. Britpop revival or not, let's look at some numbers - 75% of his fans are between 40-60 years old 
.
. what's interesting is the gap in age between his fans and the artists influencing him - a 30-year-old Williams drawing inspiration from Smiths & Oasis... maybe this is why Britpop feels like an exercise in nostalgia 
. here's a chart showing UK Top 40 performance over the past year:
... Robbie Williams' 13th album feels like a cash-grab to me. I mean, who thought releasing an album without warning was a good idea? 
It's just going to confuse the fans. And don't even get me started on the Britpop revival - it's all been done before, you know? 
I love Robbie Williams' songs like "Angels" and "Let Me Entertain You", but this album feels like he's trying too hard to recapture his past glory. The only good thing is that single "Spies"... it's a bit of a banger 
back in 97 and it was like the soundtrack to my teenage years... Robbie's new album is defo not making waves with that first single 'Spies' though - its like he's trying too hard to be cool again 
? I mean, the guy's been on a break, and it's awesome that he's decided to take the reins again 
. And let's be real, 'Spies' is already slaying the game 
... even if it doesn't perfectly capture the essence of Britpop. But hey, those unexpected gems like 'Morrissey' and 'Human' are giving me all the feels 
. It's a bit unconventional, but that's what makes it so interesting!
his first single 'spies' is kinda cool but some of the other songs feel like they're just trying too hard to be nostalgic 
this album release is like such a letdown, especially after all that hype and anticipation... i get why they wanted to avoid competing with taylor swift tho 
but honestly the album feels kinda half-baked? 
those songs are like total bops 
what's up with that though? 
it's like he's trying to fit into a specific genre or something... idk maybe i'm just being too harsh 
guess i'll have to give the album another listen and see if i can get on board 
. And 'Human' is like, wow, that's some serious electronic pop vibes 
. But overall, it feels like he's playing it safe and not really pushing the boundaries of his sound. That being said, if you're a die-hard Britpop fan or just curious about what Robbie Williams is up to now, it might be worth checking out 
anyway, it sounds like there are some okay tracks on here... morrissey is actually kinda cool 
and jesse & joy on human is a nice touch 
I don't know what was going on with the release date but I'm glad they pushed it back so we got a masterpiece instead of just another generic pop album 
and "Spies" is giving me LIFE!!! 
.
I mean, he puts out 'Spies' as a single & it's cool & all, but sometimes it just feels like he's trying too hard to recapture the past. On the other hand, some tracks like 'Morrissey' are SO quirky & fun 
. It's like he wanted to catch everyone off guard 
. I mean, who wants to compete with Taylor Swift's album? Not a fan of Swift, but still 
, but not in a cheesy way 
. 'Spies' is actually pretty catchy 
, and that Morrissey track with Gary Barlow? 
, like 'Human' - who knew Williams could do electronic pop? 
. It's like he's trying to defy genre expectations 
, which is dope 
. It's like he's putting out something new and unexpected 
. Not necessarily for fans who wanted more traditional Britpop, but for those curious about Williams' musical journey 
.