Album Review: Take That - Progress (5/5)

The cover of Progress features Take That posed as the "ascent of man" diagram, a fitting title and image for their sixth album, which has Robbie Williams finally reunited with his former bandmates and represents another evolution in the group's sound. While the former was expected, announced months ago, the latter was not, making Progress not only an exciting album for Take That fans, but for fans of pop music in general. Where Beautiful World and The Circus were expertly crafted, lovey-dovey, ballad-heavy adult pop, Progress is messy, neurotic, up-tempo electronic pop. Truly exciting stuff.

The first half of the album is vocally collaborative, with Robbie, Gary Barlow, and to a lesser extent, Mark Owen, sharing lead duty on each song. It also has the more accessible songs, such as the grand first single, "The Flood," which is quickly becoming my favorite song of the year. The lovely "Wait" is a dramatic dance pop song with a '90s dance beat that recalls Jocelyn Enriquez's "A Little Bit of Ecstasy" and sad strings that sound very Pet Shop Boys. "Pretty Things" is lighter synth pop, a bit Erasure-esque. All of these are just great songs.

"SOS" and "Kidz" are more manic and dark, with the former tying together fuzzy synths and electric guitar amid Mark and Robbie's insistent vocals, and the latter going for a sort of '80s new wave electro with a marching beat and even fuzzier production. Either would make a good second single for the album. Lyrically, I'm not sure what these opening songs are about (even though I have the lyrics sheet!). They seem to impart general vibes rather than a coherent message--something a bit political (taking a cue from the recent Linkin Park album, there's a JFK sample in "SOS"), self-referential ("The Flood" sounds like it's describing some angst related to the band) and apocalyptic.

The second half of the album gives each member a chance at lead vocal, and thematically these songs are generally easier to wrap your head around, the exception being Robbie's "Underground Machine," during which he sings "oh what a beast, oh what a man" over ominous, strutting electro. It's a weird, but great song. Mark's "What Do You Want from Me" packs an emotional punch, especially if you're aware of his struggles with fidelity and addiction over the past year. Although he's said the song was written before those times, you can't help but think it informed his performance. "Affirmation" and "Flowerbed" find Howard Donald and Jason Orange struggling with their own personal insecurities over a pulsing dance beat and a softer electronic haze, respectively.

"Eight Letters" is worth special mention. It's clear that Robbie wrote this song, as it directly reflects his decision to leave the group and, looking back, how he never acknowledged his emotions when doing so, having been so angry at the time. Sure it's a bit sappy (the "8 letters, 3 words, 1 meaning" clearly mean "I love you"), but it's a nice catharsis to close the album. Importantly, despite the song representing Robbie's point of view, Gary sings the lead vocal, a tacit acknowledgment of them having healed the rift between them. If "Shame" was their way to wink and make up, "Eight Letters" is the more meaningful representation of their reconciliation. We can only hope it holds, so that in 2 years we get another brilliant follow-up album.

Worth checking out if you're really into Take That is the recent ITV documentary Look Back, Don't Stare. It covers the last year of the band's life from the time Robbie rejoined the group through the production of Progress, providing a deeper appreciation for this album and what it took to get the group to the point that it could make it.

Progress cements what I find most interesting about Take That. When the group was formed in the early '90s it was as a pre-packaged product (which the group acknowledges in Look Back)--a group of five fresh-faced young men who could sing (mostly) and dance (generally) well enough to sell a few records to teenage girls. Of course, they became a phenomenon, despite representing what many would call the worst impulse of mainstream pop music. Yet through the years they have evolved into genuinely talented pop musicians. Gary Barlow was always interested in songwriting, but through the years the others have become so as well. It's great to see (at least as depicted in the film) that their music has become a true collaboration, especially given that the dominance of certain members (Gary, this means you) was one of the principal reasons they broke up in 1996.

The band deserves much credit for this gutsy move away from MOR balladry to a more cutting edge, experimental sound. Credit Gary and company for their willingness to take the risk, Robbie for his penchant for pop weirdness and producer du jour Stuart Price for pulling them together into a bold, updated sound that makes the group sound fresher than they ever have before. After helming brilliant albums for Scissor Sisters and Kylie Minogue (and a less brilliant but still enjoyable album for Brandon Flowers), Price is undoubtedly the most exciting producer of the year.

Best: The Flood, Wait, Eight Letters, Kidz, SOS, What Do You Want from Me?, Happy Now, Affirmation

Fall Album Preview

The season with the biggest album releases of the year is upon us, an this year's fourth quarter has, as usual, quite a bit to offer. Rather than just cover September, I take a look at key releases for the rest of the year. Given the flexibility of release dates, these are subject to change, and it's quite likely that releases currently pegged for October or later could get pushed back--possibly to 2011 (or, yikes, maybe even never--it happens; ask Nicole Scherzinger).

The Fall 10
First up, here are the 10 essential releases this fall:

Coldplay - LP5 (December). It doesn't have a name yet, and it seems like it could easily get pushed to 2011, but if there's a chance we'll get a Coldplay album by 12/31/10, then it needs to be on my essential list. Coldplay's blog has said it is near completion, but now there are rumors it won't come out this year. Brian Eno is reportedly producing again.

Brandon Flowers - Flamingo (Sept. 6). The Killers lead single goes solo and already has a hit on his hands with the album's first single, "Crossfire," and its action-packed video starring Flowers and Charlize Theron. Flowers worked with rock producers Daniel Lanois and Brendan O'Brien, but also ensured consistency with the album's third producer, Stuart Price, who helmed the Killers' last album Day & Age (Price must be exhausted this year, after also producing the Kylie Minogue and Scissor Sisters albums). Rilo Kiley's Jenny Lewis sings with Flowers on "Hard Enough."

Kings of Leon - Come Around Sundown (Oct. 19). Prior to 2008, Kings of Leon were a somewhat well-known although hardly mainstream rock band. Only By the Night changed all that, turning the group into a sensation as well as chart-toppers with its major hits "Sex on Fire" and "Use Somebody," the latter of which was awarded the Grammy for Record of the Year earlier this year. Following up such unexpected success is probably daunting, so the band looks to be playing it safe by employing the same production team on this fifth album as on their last.

Maroon 5 - Hands All Over (Sept. 20). Although they've brought Robert John "Mutt" Lange (i.e. the former Mr. Shania Twain) to produce their third album, Hands All Over, indicators point to business as usual for the L.A.-fivesome. A band's press release called the new set "a killer hybrid of rock, pop, funk and R&B"--in other words, just like what they've done before. And first single "Misery" is a welcome sibling to their previous major hits like "This Love" and "Makes Me Wonder."

Ne-Yo - Libra Scale (Oct. 5). For his fourth album, Ne-Yo talks like it will be his most ambitious yet. Despite the fact that its first singles sound like his previous work ("Beautiful Monster" is a lot like "Closer," and "Champagne Life" is similar to "Miss Independent"), Libra Scale is a concept album. High concept actually. The title refers to the astrological sign, Libra, which is represented by a scale. With that in mind, Ne-Yo has said the album explores the themes of morality and balance between money, love, power and fame while telling the story of three garbage men who are offered everything they could ever want for protecting their city, but they can never fall in love. Alrighty. "Beautiful Monster" was a UK #1 but a misfire in the US.

Radiohead - TBD (no date). There's really little details about this, other than that the band has been recording this year, and gave an interview to BBC in June saying they hoped to get a new album out by the end of the year. Coming off of 2007's In Rainbows, Radiohead is well-positioned to deliver something fantastic.

Robyn - Body Talk Part II (Sept. 6) & Body Talk Part III (November). Swedish pop singer Robyn dazzled with Body Talk Part I earlier this summer, a sensational 8-track EP that delivered an intriguing blend of electric and acoustic pop. At the time, Robyn revealed it was the first of three EPs to be released this year. So anticipation is high parts II and III, due in early September and November respectively. Already out is Part II's single, "Hang with Me," which appeared in an acoustic version on Part I but gets its proper electro sheen for Part II.

Taylor Swift - Speak Now (Oct. 25). Top-selling digital artist of all time. Winner of the 2010 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. These are some pretty big achievements for the 20 year-old country/crossover star to live up to. Swift's second album, Fearless, was the top-selling album of 2009 in the US, scoring major country and pop hits with its singles "Love Story" and "You Belong with Me." For her third album, Speak Now, Swift will surely try again to conquer both country and pop charts. She's off to a good start with the album's first single, "Mine," which hit #3 on the Hot 100 and is already a hit at country and pop radio.

Take That - TBD (November). Take That 2.0 has been a massive success, with two albums under its belt and a number of hit singles, including "Patience," "Rule the World," and "Greatest Day." For their third comeback album, Take That welcomes back original member Robbie Williams for the group's first release as a fivesome since 1995. Little details about the album exist yet, other than that the first single will be "The Flood."

Kanye West - Dark Twisted Fantasy (Nov. 16). At one point, it was stated that this album would be called Good Ass Job, to coincide with the education-themed titles of West's first three albums. Apparently that was a red herring, and instead we'll be getting the ominously titled Dark Twisted Fantasy. The rapper took a detour to electro and singing on his fourth album, 808s and Heartbreak, but the assumption is that he'll turn back to hip-hop for this fifth release. First single "Power" is already out, but hasn't become a major hit.

Bonus:

Robbie Williams - In and Out of Consciousness: Robbie's Greatest Hits 1990 - 2010 (Oct. 12). Greatest hits collections aren't really albums, but I wanted to include this anyway in my highlights. Williams already had a greatest hits set in 2004, but this more comprehensive two-disc collection looks to be completely comprehensive, including songs missing from his last release (namely "Freedom," "Somethin' Stupid," "It's Only Us," and "Something Beautiful") along with hits he's had since then ("Tripping," "Lovelight," and "Bodies," among others). Perhaps most exciting is the collaboration with fellow Take That member and one time rival Gary Barlow, "Shame," which will be released before the reunited Take That work as a taste of what is to come.


Other releases
Those marked with an asterisk are the ones I'm most interested, apart from the ones above.

Sept 7

*Interpol - Interpol. Late last year I fell in love with this band's first album, Turn Off the Lights. Although I haven't much listened to their second and third albums, I've heard they aren't as good. Nevertheless, I'm interested in this eponymous disc, their fourth, and last with their original bassist.

Sara Bareilles - Kaleidescope Heart. The singer, who scored a major hit in 2008 with "Love Song," returns with her second album featuring quirky first single "King of Anything."

Sept 13/14

Linkin Park - A Thousand Suns. Linkin Park returns with their fourth album, produced by the same guys who did their last one, Minutes to Midnight. First single "The Catalyst" is already a big hit at rock radio.

Weezer - Hurley. No joke: the cover of the album is a shot of Jorge Garcia, the actor who portrayed Hugo Reyes (a.k.a. "Hurley") on the popular, just concluded ABC drama Lost. According to the band, the only reason they named the album Hurley is because Garcia is on the cover. So I guess this isn't a Lost-themed concept album? I guess we'll find out.

*The Script - Science and Faith. The Irish pop/rock band scored big in the US this year with their singles "Breakeven" and "The Man Who Can't Be Moved," but Americans probably don't realize those songs are 2 years old and the band is moving on to their second album this fall.

Of Montreal - False Priest. The Athens, Georgia-based group (no, they're not Canadian) release their 10th album.

Royksopp - Senior. The Norwegian duo is releasing an instrumental album, which they've said is the darker, atmospheric counterpart to their last album, Junior.

Blonde Redhead - Penny Sparkle. I was impressed by the group's last album, 23, but I don't know much about this upcoming release, the group's eighth album.

Phil Collins - Going Back. For his first album in 8 years, Phil Collins does a set of '60s motown and soul covers.

Sept 20/21

Seal - Seal VI: Commitment. Mr. Heidi Klum puts out his sixth album of new material, following his last album of covers. First single "Secret" is already out.

Manic Street Preachers - Postcards from a Young Man. The British rock band releases their 10th album, which the band has said is targeted to mainstream audiences.

Diddy - Last Train to Paris. The once powerful rapper releases his fifth album.

Shontelle - No Gravity. The Barbadian singer, who scored a hit earlier this summer with "Impossible," releases her first album.

Selena Gomez & the Scene - A Year without Rain. The Disney darling puts out her second album featuring hit single "Round and Round."

Paula Cole - Ithaca. Although she's best known for singing the theme to Dawson's Creek, there was once a time when Paula Cole was a big star (her second album, This Fire, was a Grammy nominee for Album of the Year and contained two major hits). This is her fifth album.

Sept 27/28

*Mark Ronson & the Business Intl - Record Collection. Producer Ronson's last album, Version, scored some big hits, particularly with British singers Amy Winehouse ("Valerie") and Lily Allen ("Oh My God"). This new album features a more eclectic list of collaborators, from Q-Tip to the Duran Duran to the London Gay Men's Chorus. First single "Bang Bang Bang" wasn't a smash, but it grew on me.

*Estelle - All of Me. This one isn't fully confirmed, but I hope it happens. Her second album, Shine, was a real treat, especially its big hit "American Boy." Estelle misfired with the first advanced single from this, "Freak," but second single "Fall in Love" aims for the same kind of bubbly joy "American Boy" Delivered.

KT Tunstall - Tiger Suit. The British pop singer returns with her third album, featuring different first singles in the UK ("(Still a) Weirdo") and the US ("Fade Like a Shadow").

T.I. - King Uncaged. T.I.'s last album scored some huge hits, including #1 collaboration with Rihanna "Live Your Life." This is his 7th album.

Athlete - The Singles 01:10. The British rock band puts out their greatest hits. Apart from their 2005 album Tourist and its big hit "Wires," I don't really know their catalog.

Oct 5

David Archuleta - The Other Side of Down. The former American Idol runner-up releases his second album.

Ciara - Basic Instinct. Fourth album from her with production from The-Dream and Tricky Stewart.

Antony & the Johnsons - Swanlights. The Mercury Prize-winning group puts out a fourth album.

Oct 11

Lee Ryan - Confessions. The former member of Blue is set to release his second album, although response to early release single, the double A-side "I Am Who I Am" and "Secret Love" was so tepid that I wouldn't be surprised if this doesn't come to fruition.

Oct 25/26

Good Charlotte - Cardiology. Yes it's true that I know somebody who knows somebody who knows Good Charlotte (quite well in fact, since it's the Maddens' mother). That little tidbit aside, I'm really not a big fan, but they have put out some fun songs. This is their fifth album.

Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager. "Day N Nite" was a hit, but can Kid Cudi do it again? This is his second, reportedly darker, album.

Roll Deep - Winner Stays On. On the back of recent #1 hits "Good Times" and "Green Light," the British hip-hop collective releases its fourth album.

Joe McElderry - Last year's winner of The X Factor, the first since Steve Brookstein not to have landed the Christmas #1, releases his debut.

Oct 29

*Kelly Rowland - Kelly Rowland. Ms. Kelly, her second album, wasn't a big hit. But it did produce some great singles. I actually really liked all them--the go-go flavored "Like This," the Travie McCoy collaboration "Daylight," and the Freemasons remix of "Work." After having a global smash with David Guetta last summer, "When Love Takes Over," it's no surprise this album will feature more dance music, including the recent single "Commander," another Guetta collaboration. Yet the other early releases, "Rose Colored Glasses" and "Grown Woman," have a more R&B feel.

Nov. 2

Jay Sean - Freeze Time. "Down" and "Do You Remember," hits from Jay Sean's last album, All or Nothing, made him a star in the US, although the singles stopped coming sooner than they should have. First single from this fourth album, "2012," is already out, but I'm not feeling it.

Nov 8

Tinchy Stryder - Third Strike. British hip-hop artist returns with his third album. "In My System" was the recent first single.

Nov 15/16

Nelly - Nelly 5.0. Nelly's sixth album is due for release in November. But given how many times his last album was pushed back, I'll wager this is tentative.

Kid Rock - Born Free. Kid rock's eighth album features a string of collaborators from both the worlds of rock (Sheryl Crow, Uncle Kracker), country (Taylor Swift, Zac Brown, Martina McBride), and rap (Eminem, Jay-Z, T.I. and Lil Wayne). Sounds like an interesting mix.

Nov 22

Alesha Dixon - The Entertainer. The first single is called "Drummer Boy," and Gary Barlow is going to write for it. Dixon is apparently a reality TV star now, so she may not have much time for this.

Nov 29

Susan Boyle - The Gift. For that bit of market that Taylor Swift isn't able to corner this Christmas season, there's Susan Boyle, ready with her second album. Go SuBo!

Unspecified

While there isn't a specific release date yet for these, it seems pretty safe to assume they will be out this fall.

Natasha Bedingfield - Strip Me. The British singer's third album is apparently done, but no release date yet. "Touch" was released as a single in the US over the summer, but didn't become a hit.

*Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Straight to the Heart. After some delay, Sophie Ellis-Bextor is set to release her fourth album sometime in October or November. It will include recent hits "Heartbreak (Make Me a Dancer)" and "Bittersweet," as well as the new single with Armin Van Buuren, "Not Giving Up on Love."

Flo Rida - The Only One. His third album, reportedly a double. First single "Club Can't Handle Me" was a recent UK #1 and a current US hit.

Limp Bizkit - Gold Cobra. This is the fifth album for the band, their first since 2003's Results May Vary. While some tracks have been released, I haven't seen a release date for the album yet.

McFly - Fifth album. The first single, "Party Girl," is already at British radio, so it's a pretty safe bet this will be released. While no specific date is set, it's rumored for November, and the band says it will reveal the name soon.

Rumors
These appear on less solid footing to get a release this fall, but it is possible.

Adele - Second album. Late last year it was rumored that Adele would follow-up her successful 2008 debut by the end of the year, but at present, there's no solid information about it. I expect to see it in early 2011.

Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part 1. This reportedly sample-heavy set had been scheduled for release in September...until band member Adam Yauch came down with cancer.

Cheryl Cole - Second album. Ms. Cole has been hard at work on her second album, including collaboration with Ryan Tedder, RedOne and Starsmith. Although this was once pegged for an October release, Cole contracted Malaria over the summer, and it's unclear whether her illness and recovery time could create a delay in getting this done and out.

Evanescence - Third album. Once scheduled for a late summer release, this has been delayed for creative reasons and may also be affected by label problems.

Fleet Foxes - Second album. The band has been working on this for some time, as they apparently once said it would be out in 2009. Rumored title is Deepwater Horizon.

Michael Jackson - First posthumous album. Sony has a contract with the Jackson estate to put out seven posthumous releases, based on his extensive recordings vault. This first one is tentatively due in November.

Avril Lavigne - Fourth album. Here's another one that's been worked on for some time. Lavigne's last album was 3 years ago and since then she's been recording on her home studio.

Jennifer Lopez - Love? Here's one we may never see. Originally planned for a release early this year, the album got pushed back after neither of its first singles ("Fresh Out of the Oven" and "Louboutins") found a mainstream audience, although both were dance #1s. Subsequently, Lopez and her label parted ways. Although she has a new label, work on the album continues, and I wouldn't be surprised if the delay leads to a new direction for her next release.

My Chemical Romance - Fourth album. First album since the departure of Bob Bryar. The band announced earlier this summer that the album was finished, but I haven't seen a title or release date yet.

Plan B - The Ballad of Belmarsh. Supposedly this will continue the story of The Defamation of Strickland Banks but be more hip-hop. Plan B's record label took a pass though, so he intends to release it himself. No date is set.

Pussycat Dolls - Third album. Their lineup has changed, and I can't be troubled to figure out how exactly, but it seems to have something to do with Nicole Scherzinger possibly leaving at one point (she's apparently not though).

Britney Spears - Seventh album. It's in the works, but I don't know anything more.

The Streets - Computers and Blues. Mike Skinner is said he's tired of "The Streets" and that this will be the final album under the monicker. Two years ago he said he expected to release this 2 years later (i.e. sometime this year).

Shayne Ward - Third album. This has apparently been a struggle, leading to the departure of Ward's manager, X Factor judge Louis Walsh. Current word is that it will be out in December.

Westlife - Eighth album. Reportedly in the works, but not much is known yet.

Album Review: Robbie Williams - Reality Killed the Video Star (4.5/5)

"Here I stand, victorious" were the first words Robbie Williams uttered on his 2005 album Intensive Care. At the time, he was Britain's biggest-selling pop artist, having scored six #1 hits during the previous 7 years and sold many millions of his albums (2000's Sing When You're Winning and 2002's Escapology were the #1 albums of the year when released). Around that time though, he started to lose some luster. "Tripping" was Intensive Care's only top 5 hit, and it wasn't a #1. Then came Rudebox, Robbie's great musical experiment that failed to connect with the public--it ended 2006 as only the 36th biggest album of the year.

Not so victorious anymore it seemed, a fact acknowledged in "Morning Sun," the opening track of Reality Killed the Video Star, during which Robbie reflects "A message to the troubadour: the world don't love you anymore." Hardly a wallow in self pity though, Reality is a triumph, Robbie's best album since I've Been Expecting You. "Don't call it a comeback" he says on "Last days of Disco," as if not wanting to acknowledge he's been away. But the 3 years have done him some good it seems, moving him past the vain experimentation of Rudebox or bloated exaltation of Intensive Care.

The album has a good mix of grandiose pop and mellow lounge-ish songs. Nothing is really rocking, which gives it a nice laid back vibe. "Morning Sun" and "Bodies" are more on the epic side, rolled up in waves of guitar, drums and stringed orchestration. Robbie has always excelled at these kinds of songs, and it's nice to hear a focused emphasis on making good pop hooks. As usual though, Robbie isn't always seriousness, lightening the mood with a nod to the Beatles' "I Am the Walrus" during "Morning Sun's final third and provocative religious lyrics in "Bodies." "You Know Me's" lush instrumentation is tempered by its '60s doo-wop melody. It's a good choice for the album's winter single.

Guy Chambers, the longtime Williams collaborator who has been absent since Escapology, co-wrote "Blasphemy," a lovely piano and strings ballad that has clever, if meaningless, lyrical phrases ("What so great about the Great Depression?"). "Do You Mind," the album's rockiest tune, recalls the sunny, carefree pop rock of songs like "Jesus in a Camper Van" or "South of the Border."

"Last Days of Disco" transitions the album to its groovy late-night middle. It's heavy '80s-styled synths recall Pet Shop Boys, whom Williams worked with on Rudebox, but like every other song here, it's produced by Trevor Horn. I'm sure you've all read he was in the Buggles, and that's why the album's title nods to his band's breakthrough hit "Video Killed the Radio Star" as well as offering a commentary on the current state of British pop music (although the man himself wasn't above appearing on The X Factor to perform "Bodies").

"Somewhere" is a brief interlude of orchestrated drama before "Deceptacon," another lovely piano ballad, which has nothing to do with the Transformers, but rather lost love it seems. It's followed by the rather fabulous and very '70s sounding "Starstruck." It recalls the kind of stuff George Michael was doing in the '90s. That this lightly disco-ish track is followed by the album's most clubby entry, "Difficult for Weirdos." It's also PSB-ish and nicely sequenced the follow the disco track.

"Superblind" is a pretty gentle ballad with soft guitar and keyboards, as well as strings later in the song. "Won't Do That," a pretty upbeat and stagey number is the last song on the album, which closes the album with a pretty good whiz-bang moment before ending with a brief reprise of the darker opening track, "Morning Sun."

I'm really quite happy with this album. It's got a lot of gorgeous big pop moments, as well as quite a bit of nuance. Male pop stars are an endangered species these days, so it's nice to see one that's always shown such promise and talent not throwing in the towel but doing something really great.

Best: Bodies, Morning Sun, You Know Me, Starstruck, Blasphemy, Deceptacon

Preview Robbie's New Album

Robbie's Web site is offering full previews of 3 tracks per day from his new album, Reality Killed the Video Star. Today it's the first three tracks:

1) Morning Sun. This is a lovely opening track, a classy piano pop ballad.

2) Bodies. We all know this one already. Fantastic.

3) You Know Me. The next single. Got a bit of '60s feel to it. And like "Morning Sun" and "Bodies," no lack of grandeur.

This is a great start. I like all three of these songs.

November New Releases

The usual autumn glut of big-name releases continues. In particular, I'm quite excited about Robbie Williams' new album, which I hope will be excellent. I'm also hopeful that Leona Lewis, like Kelly Clarkson, will really shine on her second outing. Rihanna's promised a racy fourth album. And then there's Glee...swoon. What a month!

Highlights

Robbie Williams - Reality Killed the Video Star (Nov. 9). Robbie Williams returns after a 3-year absence with his 8th studio album. It's produced by Trevor Horn, formerly of the Bubbles (from whom the title comes, a reference to their MTV classic "Video Killed the Radio Star"), who also produced the last Pet Shop Boys album (and the Pet Shop Boys in turn appeared on Robbie's last album Rudebox--see the connections?). Back in the mix this time as songwriter is Guy Chambers, the longtime Williams collaborator who did not appear on Rudebox or Intensive Care. First single "Bodies" is already an international smash.

Rihanna - Rated R (Nov. 23). Rihanna returns with her fourth studio album, following up the massively successful Good Girl Gone Bad that produced three US #1 hits and four other top 40 singles. Dark first single "Russian Roulette" is co-written with Ne-Yo, whose said the album overall is edgier than her previous work. Justin Timberlake, The Dream, and Tricky Stewart also collaborated with the Barbadian singer.

Leona Lewis - Echo (Nov. 16). The 2006 X Factor winner, who became the first British reality-TV-launched artist to crack the US (as well as the rest of the world) with massive hit "Bleeding Love," returns with her second album. Expect more finely crafted pop from all the industry's biggest craftsmen--Simon Cowell, Clive Davis, Ryan Tedder, Justin Timberlake, Ne-Yo, Xenomania, Etc. First single "Happy" was released in the US weeks ago.

Glee: The Music Volume (Nov. 3). Anybody who loves pop music, musicals, high school romance, teacher feuds, and is gay (or has plenty of gay friends) should be watching Glee. It's fall's best new show. I'm absolutely infatuated with this show (and the hot teacher, played by Matthew Morrison). The hit mash-ups are missing, but all the show's other major musical moments are here, such as the pilot's "Don't Stop Believin," and memorable fall moments like "Somebody to Love," "No Air," "Gold Digger," "Keep Holding On" and "Bust a Move."

Norah Jones - The Fall (Nov. 17). For her fourth album, Norah Jones has reportedly taken a new direction. How far she'll stray from her winning formula of jazz-influenced pop/folk is anybody's guess. First single "Chasing Pirates" has a bit of an '80s feel to it I think. However she swings it, Grammy nominations will undoubtedly follow next year.

John Mayer - Battle Studies (Nov. 17). Yet another Grammy favorite releases his fourth album. Mayer's last album, Continuum, was a contender for Album of the Year, so expectations are high for Battle Studies, which the singer has said will take a new direction (see a trend?). The album's first single, "Who Says" is off to a good start at iTunes.

Carrie Underwood - Play On (Nov. 2/3). The former American Idol turned major country star releases her third album featuring first single "Cowboy Casanova." Most of the album is produced by Mark Bright, with one track from Swedish pop producer extraordinaire Max Martin. Pop songwriters Kara DioGuardi and Chantal Kreviazuk also lend a hand.

Adam Lambert - For Your Entertainment (Nov. 24). Last season's American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert is expected to release his debut this month. Lambert's latest single, "Time for Miracles," will reportedly not appear on the album (its from the dreadful looking film 2012). Given the relative mystery and lack of first single, I wouldn't be surprised if it gets pushed back to next year (despite certain record company pressure to get this in stores for the holidays).

Other releases

Nov. 2/3

Amerie - In Love & War. The R&B singer puts out her fourth album.

Weezer - Raditude. Weezer's not very hot at the moment, but they have a new album.

Nov. 9/10

JLS - JLS. The X Factor contestants release their debut album featuring #1 hit "Beat Again" and new single "Everybody in Love."

Britney Spears - The Singles Collection. Britney Spears releases a career-spanning greatest hits collection, featuring all her major hits plus new single "3," which recently topped the US singles chart.

Snow Patrol - Up to Now. Snow Patrol releases its greatest hits, featuring new single "Just Say Yes" plus hits like "Chasing Cars," "Run," and "Take Back the City."

Bon Jovi - The Circle. The famous '80s "hair" band releases its 11th album.

Biffy Clyro - Only Revolutions. Scottish band releases its fifth album.


Nov. 16/17

Janet Jackson - Number Ones/The Best. Janet Jackson releases a 2-CD career-spanning greatest collection, uniting her singles under A&M, Virgin and Island Records. Includes 33 hits plus new single "Make Me."

Will Young - The Hits. Will Young collects his 12 biggest hits plus two new songs including current single "Hopes and Fears."

Kris Allen - Kris Allen. This year's American Idol winner releases his debut album featuring first single "Live Like We're Dying," not to be confused with Tim McGraw's "Live Like You Were Dying."

Stereophonics - Keep Calm and Carry On. British rock band known for hits like "Dakota" and "Handbags and Gladrags" releases their 7th studio album. First single is "Innocent."

Nov. 23/24

Timbaland - Shock Value 2. This was slated for release months ago, then it vanished, and now it's back on the docket. Expect a similar slate of high-profile guests such as Justin Timberlake (of course), Katy Perry, Lady GaGa, Keri Hilson, Chris Brown, T-Pain, Lil Wayne, Missy Elliott, Drake, and Brandy.

Sugababes - Sweet 7. The decade's ruling girlgroup (well, tied with Girls Aloud in any case) releases their 7th album. Not bad for a pop act whose first album scored only one top 10 hit. The hits don't seem to be coming as easily these days--their last two albums scored only one top 10 hit each. This album was rush re-recorded to replace departing member Keisha Buchanan's vocals with those of new member Jade Ewen (except for "Get Sexy," which had already been released).

Jay Sean - All or Nothing. British R&B artists releases his third album, which is also his American debut, featuring US #1 hit "Down."

Lady GaGa - The Fame Monster. Lady GaGa re-releases her mega-successful album with new material.

Mary J. Blige - Stronger. R&B singer releases her ninth album.

50 Cent - Before I Self Destruct. It really will be a miracle of this gets releases before his career implodes. Talk about self-fulfilling prophecy (note: When I started drafting this article a couple of weeks ago, the release date was Nov. 2, note the 3 week slip...already.)

Nov. 30

Westlife - Where We Are. The Irish boyband has been together 10 years now. Unlike other boybands, they've never needed a comeback, because they've never gone away. This year Westlife releases its 10th album. First single is the Daughtry remake "What About Now."

The Bravery - Stir the Blood. New York band releases its third album.

Songs of My Lifetime: "Angels" - Robbie Williams

Angels (1997)
Written by Robbie Williams & Guy Chambers. Produced by Guy Chambers & Steve Power

Because Robbie Williams has a new album coming out soon, I decided to give his back catalog a listen. Walking home after getting off the Metro yesterday, "Angels" came on my iPod, and I was reminded of what a truly brilliant pop song it is. It has an absolutely gorgeous melody, composed principally of piano, but building with strings and eventually guitar during the choruses and middle section. It is a perfect embodiment of the "wall of sound" approach to pop music--the style that emerged in the '60s where a song adds layer after layer until it's hard to tell them all apart.

I first became acquainted with "Angels" in early 1998 when I was studying abroad in London. It was one of my favorite songs during that pivotal time, when I was truly introduced to British pop music, beyond the few songs that managed to cross the Atlantic to also become U.S. hits. It was on the radio constantly, and although it was never a #1 hit, I consider it the biggest hit during that time, and certainly many would agree it's among the greatest (if not the greatest) British pop songs released in the last 20 or so years (let the debate begin!).

"Angels" was also a pivotal single for the man himself. After launching his solo career with a remake of George Michael's "Freedom" and releasing the first Life Thru a Lens single, "Old Before I Die"--both of which peaked at #2--subsequent singles from Life Thru a Lens failed to match such success, with "Lazy Days" hitting only #8 and "South of the Border" landing outside the top 10. At the same time as his chart prospects spiraled downward, so did Williams' life, as he battled drug addiction and mental illness. "Angels" turned that all around though, cementing what has become a rather amazing solo career that actually (in my opinion) has managed to eclipse his time with Take That.

Any doubts about his viability vanished with this single, which was followed by a string of top 10 and #1 hits, as well as successful albums. In 1999, "Angels" became Robbie's first single to win the Brit Award for best British single--an award he won in 3 consecutive years for "She's the One" in 2000 and "Rock DJ" in 2001. Although Robbie has never managed to take off in the U.S., "Angels" was one of his few singles that actually charted in America, peaking at #53 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #25 at top 40 radio. Due to his relatively unpopularity here, I was lucky to see him perform in 1999 at the 9:30 club in D.C., a rather small venue for such a major international star. I stood in the front of the balcony, and I remember "Angels" was the highlight of the evening as we all sang along.

Because I liked the song so much, I picked up the sheet music and learned to play "Angels" on my keyboard, and convinced my band to add it to our setlist (have I mentioned that I was in a band? That's a story for another time). Although it wasn't one of our strongest tunes, learning to play the piano part made me appreciate the musical structure of the song, particularly Guy Chambers' songwriting, which frequently produces strong piano-based melodies ("Demons" by Brian McFadden" or "Out of the Blue" by Delta Goodrem, for example).

Listening to "Angels" again yesterday, I was reminded of all these reasons why this is one of the great songs of my lifetime, so I decided to write about it in what will be the first of an occasional look at those songs I feel have had the most impact on me. But most of all, walking up Connecticut Avenue yesterday, I just enjoyed how good it is, with the hair on my arms literally standing on end during soaring instrumental section and final chorus.

Robbie Williams "Bodies"

So many great new songs coming out! Here's the latest from Robbie Williams, "Bodies," the first single from his first album in 3 years, Reality Killed the Video Star. There are snippets of the video floating around YouTube.

Best of 2000s: Robbie Williams - Swing When You're Winning (4.5/5)

Robbie Williams was a hot property in 2001, coming off a run of three successful albums and a slough of hits, including #1s like "She's the One" and "Rock DJ" and the classic "Angels." Rather than turn in another Guy Chambers-penned and produced set of masterful pop, Robbie & Co. looked to the past instead to deliver this winning collection of old standards, perfectly timed during the revival of the Rat Pack spawned by the succesful Steven Soderbergh remake of Ocean's Eleven. "I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen," the only new composition on this album, is as deliciously grandiose as a Hollywood film score, filled with soaring string orchestrations while name checking Steven Spielberg and Cameron Diaz. The old standards are handled with style and class from the zip of "Mack the Knife" to a reverent re-make of Frank Sinatra's "It Was a Very Good Year" that features Robbie on the first two verses and Sinatra himself on the third, changing the song from an eloquent memory to a life lesson. The guests all add welcome counterpoints, particularly Jane Horrocks on "Things" and Nicole Kidman on the Christmas #1 hit "Somethin' Stupid."

Best: Somethin' Stupid, It Was a Very Good Year, I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen, Mack the Knife, Things, Have You Met Miss Jones?