I Hate Those That Hate Me

Yesterday I heard Robbie Williams' latest controversial album Rudebox (out Oct 23rd), and after the reviews that seem to have split opinions in a million different directions I was pleasantly surprised, although this new Robbie definitely took some getting used to.

The album is a poptastic bubble of 80s synths, electronica old skool, and a splash of the old Robbie the UK knows and loves (and sometimes hates).

Stand out track for me on first listen has to be Kiss Me, a cover of a Stephen Duffy track which is begging to be played in gay clubs up and down the country. The intro sounds like a Nintendo theme song, eventually segueing into a tune Girls Aloud would be proud of.

The autobiographical tracks The 80's and The 90's see Robbie taking us through his thoughts and experiences of those two decades in his typical self-deprecating and brutally honest style. The 80s is a brilliant, cheeky and sadness-tinged retrospective of lost estate teenage life; Robbie trying to be The Streets... The 90s starts with the pain of failing his GCSEs weighed against finding out he was going to be famous.

"I think it's going to be like New Kids On The Block."

The backing track and chorus is reminiscent of the collaboration he did with One Giant Leap, his relaxed chat-rap style relaying his stardom and demise into depression. It's both fascinating and heartbreaking.

Burslem Normals sees Robbie at his quietest, a remarkably chilled out tribute to his teenage years. I adore this song.

We're The Pet Shop Boys is a cover of a My Robot Friend tune, and Williams does a remarkable impression of PSBs on the record, getting them in for production and backing vocals. A cool tribute.

Never Touch That Switch is a wonky, funky tune full of electronica beats, distorted vocals and more than a tinge of the Timberlakes about it. I can't help but move to the beat of it when it starts.

All in all, it's a brave new direction for Robbie. It's obvious he's loving this chance to do something different and his enthusiasm flows from this record with abundance. There are great tracks, growers and some fillers, and it will definitely continue to split opinion for some time to come.

In my opinion it's great; a breath of fresh air from the usual guitar-filled anthems he sometimes just seems to churn out.

Robbie's got his money, now it's time for him to do something he loves. He's earned it.