Album Review by Francesca Piralla
Just as I thought I might get bored with another Robbie Williams album I realised that ESCAPOLOGY is instead his best work so far.
ESCAPOLOGY comprises fourteen tracks – a unique blend of pop, rock, country and soul – written by Robbie in partnership with Guy Chambers. This album, written purposely for the American market, is a tremendous example of how much Robbie has matured as an artist. The particularity of ESCAPOLOGY is that it was recorded ‘as live’ in Conway Studios in Los Angeles because Robbie wanted to produce a less refined and more improvised sound. He himself declared that he never had so much fun since he worked with a 60-piece orchestra when recording SWING WHEN YOU’RE WINNING and decided to recreate the same ‘live’ effect. The result is outstanding.
My favourite tracks on this album are REVOLUTION for the warm, mellow sound of soul, HANDSOME MAN because it’s so Robbie and CURSED because it’s great rock ‘n’ roll. The one I wouldn’t put on repeat is NAN’S SONG, a ballad written entirely by Robbie and dedicated to his grandmother who passed away recently.
For those of you who don’t know, an escapologist is “an entertainer who specialises in freeing himself from confinement”. I couldn’t find a better definition for Robbie Williams.
