Customer Reviews

Rudebox (Bonus Dvd) (Pal) (Hk)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

At least I like to think so. I've read some reviews from some critics and they bash this..why? I'm not sure. Probably because this album is actually more upbeat and much more better than his last two albums.

The British music industry is such a weird thing, I think if something doesn't sound like Oasis or Coldplay (you know, the melancholy crap they prefer to like) then they either immediately diss it or ride it off as a failure. Now mind you there have been exceptions to this rule, with the likes of acts like the incredible and beautiful Girls Aloud and Craig David, that prove that Brit Pop doesn't have to be full of Beatles-wannabes and boring and mediocre alt-rock acts. I think Robbie Williams wanted to go in a fresh direction with Rudebox but the British public don't seem to have grasped it for some reason.

But like I said before this album probably is his most quirkiest and coolest since his 2000 album Sing When You're Winning. He embraces everything here from club beats to his trademark melodies. There are some great great tracks on this!

My favorite tracks on the album would be:

"Rudebox"-Hey, I like to hear Robbie rap. He sounds too cool. I have nothing against this track unlike some of the music lovers back in his home country.

"She's Madonna"-This song grows on you. It's got a nice ambient type of beat and Robbie's vocals work great here!

"Viva Life On Mars"-This track is one of the catchiest songs on the album. When he gets to the chorus...."Viva Life On Mars I'm calling, sending my frequency to the galaxy so you can see, people down here."...is when he shines and shows why he's loved back home in the UK, Europe and Latin America.

"Never Touch That Switch"-It's got a great beat. What more can I say? Again, Robbie sounds so cool on this track. If it weren't for his English accent, you could assume this was a track straight from a rapper from 1980's hip-hop scene.

"Kiss Me"-My favorite track on the album. This one delves into a synthesized beat fest perfect for the likes of the best clubs in Europe. A great chorus in this one as well.

"Summertime"-William Orbit adds his magic production skills to this great ballad. What a good song to chill back to in the summer sun.

"The 90's"-Robbie raps and sings about his life in the early 90's and all his turmoil and misery he endured while in Take That as well as talking about what it's like to be famous.

Other great tracks include "Keep On" and "Lovelight".

I can't say enough great things about this album and it ranks among his best. Go snag it!

The crossover is over, and Robbie Williams has returned to his roots with this album. It may take repeated listening to get into it, as it's full of Eurodance and Britpop tracks, and sounds more like the Pet Shop Boys (who produce two of the tracks), than the Robbie Williams of the last few albums.

First single "Rudebox" is produced by Soul Mekanik, and is a fun dance track that sets the tone for the album. Soul Mekanik also produce two other tracks, including another good electro-dance track "Never Touch That Switch" where Robbie sings lyrics like "there's a schism in the time mechanism".

Second single "Lovelight" is a track where he covers the Lewis Taylor original and sings in falsetto, and is followed by the outrageously funny cover of Manu Chao's "Bongo Bong" (or King of the Bongo) in "Bongo Bong/Je Ne T'Aime Plus". The two Pet Shop Boys tracks are "She's Madonna" which is a tribute to the always controversial singer, and "We're the Pet Shop Boys" which you won't be able to differentiate from a PSB original.

Other tracks are produced by Mark Ronson, Jerry Meehan, William Orbit, and others, and include a cover of "Louise" by Human League. I thought he could have done a bit more with "The 80s" and "The 90s" and was looking forward to more samples. Rapping is not his strong point, and neither is falsetto, but when he turns on his cheeky, rude, bad boy charm you can't help but like him anyway.



Amanda Richards, October 31, 2006

For some reason Rudebox has gotten a ton of awful press, and its sales were nowhere near the lot of Robbie's previous efforts but to me he has finally done what I wanted him to do - he made a record that I will play just as much as Sing When You're Winning. Not that Robbie's last two CDs were bad it's just that they were familiar, they were just extensions of what he has done before, but with Rudebox it seems he's headed to a newer dimension, a starkly dark yet thrilling disco where you can both shake your rudebox and do the rudebox all at the same time. The opening title cut is just plain dance fun silliness though so is most of the album, yet it's all together quite catchy - "Viva Life On Mars" with it's 'uh huhs' reminds me of a ten different songs all great, and the Lily Allen pseudo duet "Bongo Bong and Je Ne T'aime Plus" is just fun as hell. I'm a tad confused over "She's Madonna" no matter how many times I hear it, I can't tell if he's telling his girl he has to leave cause Madonna wants him or it's just some strange fantasy, Madonna makes another appearance in "The Actor" which breaks down in the middle to list a ton of actors working a la Miss M's "Vogue", "We're The Pet Shop Boys" with the actual Pet Shop Boys is all very, well, Pet Shop Boys, and his two autobiographical takes "The 80's" and "The 90's" are better than I expected. All in all, Rudebox is a much welcome addition to Robbie's post Guy Chambers albums and I think he's finally having some fun.

I've been a Robbie Williams fan since his Take That days, and ain't ashamed to say it.

He's been to hell and back, and is now one of Europe's ( and Asia's ) most beloved pop stars. ( No such luck in the US, but what do you expect when RW doesn't fit the black-blinged-out-hip-hop-artiste or angry-slash-slutty-white-female-punk-rocker mould? )

Granted, his last 2 releases ( Escapology and Intensive Care ) were less than commendable, with a string of rather forgettable tunes. But for those of us who've been eagerly awaiting the Robster's grand return since his Sing When You're Winning and Swing When You're Winning heydays, you're in for a huge treat.

His new album is full of great numbers, from the catchy opening title track, followed in quick succession by a heady couplet of an Elvis Presley homage ( Viva Life On Mars ) and the absolutely dreamy Lovelight ( my personal favourite ).

Other worthy mentions include She's Madonna, Never Touch That Switch, The 90's ( poignant rap about his troubles in Take That ), and Kiss Me ( a delightful cover of a Stephen Duffy original, with Erasure-esque camp tinged with the trademark RW cheekiness ).

Also greatly enjoyed Good Doctor, which invoked hallucinatory images from the film Trainspotting. And being a physician myself, perhaps that's the reason I found his drug name-dropping rap so hilarious.

Lovelight warrants further mention, being what I consider the best track on Rudebox. Haven't loved an RW song this much since Rock DJ, and the music video rocks! Very retro, very smooth, very psychedelic. Try blasting this in your car while speeding down a highway and I guarantee you'll find yourself belting the lyrics in no time.

Although the Asian leg of his world tour has been cancelled ( and Robbie, I hope you're getting the R&R you need ), I caught a recent concert recording ( titled Close Encounters ) on cable and have to concede that he's only gotten better with age.

This guy sounds good in the studio, but put him on stage and get ready to watch the fireworks display. Looked like the audience was at least 50,000 strong, but he got them all revved up with ease, keeping adrenaline levels high till the final encore.

Well at least I got to see him once during his Singapore gig in 2003. One of the very few times I've ever yelled myself hoarse at a concert.

I could really care less about the critics, and so should Mr Williams. This is a great album, plain and simple.

I am guilty of completely overlooking Robbie. It took Jessica's Angels cover to get me to notice. I herd about Madonna being mentioned a couple of times on this disc so I bought it. Right on Robbie, it has not left my CD player yet. Anyone who grew up in the Eighties will love this record. Madonna, Pet Shop Boys, Human League, Run DMC and Beastie Boys are all paid homage. My favorite William Orbit is one of the producers, very cool!
Hope this helps sway you 'cause when you buy it He'll get you to shake your Rude Box, Michael

This review will be only of the DVD. You can see my review of the album itself on the page for the audio-only version of Rudebox (I will post it in a few days).

If you are expecting a package like the one you got for Intensive Care, you will be in for a surprise. You will not get a documentary on the production of Rudebox or on the motives behind the album. If that is what you are seeking, skip this and get just the album.

What you do get, however, is a great documentary that follows Rob, his best mate Jonny Wilkes, and the crew through the first part of the Close Encounters tour (the tour in support of Intensive Care). You get to see a lot of different sides of Rob experiencing a lot of different emotions leading up to various shows. You also get to see some glimpses of the actual show, though the only full performance that is presented is a live performance of Rudebox at Leeds.

There is a lot of great interaction between Rob and Jonny documented here and it is fun to see. You get a glimpse of the scope and grandeur of this extraordinary live show. You get to see a mishap or two. :-) The set looks incredible. The audiences look thoroughly engaged. It's just another example of the incredible worldwide appeal of Robbie Williams.

You don't get a documentary on the album...but get this set anyway. The music is good and the DVD is a great watch.

I am a new fan of Robbie Williams as until recently I had only owned the Greates Hits cd. I thought this collection of dance music was great! I enjoyed every song from the first to the last! I don't know why Robbie isn't bigger in the US. And apparently he is a BIG fan of Madonna Ritchie as he mentions her in two songs! This album is a must for all Robbie Williams fans.

I've found myself liking the occasional Robbie Williams song; `Feel' and `Radio' spring to mind, but `Rudebox' is his first CD I've got, thanks to the two hit singles, the title track (an electro dance ditty with semi rapped/spoken in-a-Brit-accent lyrics), and the sublime dance track `Lovelight' (with fuzzy bassline, sprinkling of horns, and falsetto vocals).

Electro pop with a sprinkling of rap best describes it, and I must say, I was a bit wary about getting it thanks to the scathing reviews most gave it.

I love it!! Very catchy and fun music. I must not be hearing what those critics are hearing.

My favourite song is the catchy bouncy `King of the bongo' (with help from Lily Allen on the chorus and humorous cocky lyrics like `Every monkey'd like to be In my place instead of me') is a remake of Manu Chau's `Bongo bong', with a lovely horn break which segues into a delightful French ending. Other covers are Steven Duffy's `Kiss me' (dancey), and The Human League's `Louise' (soothing and mellow).

Another stand out is `The actor' which name checks some renowned actors and actresses (though it does make one smile to hear Madonna Ritchie mentioned in the same breath as Streep, Niven and Hepburn). Madonna comes up again in the soft Pet Shop Boys-esque 'She's Madonna'. `We're the Pet Shop Boys' sounds like The Pet Shop Boys circa 1980s, even name checking some of their hits, and with their trademark dreamy synth sound. Both songs were produced by the Pet Shop Boys.

`Never touch that switch' is a lovely spoken dance song with fuzzy bassline, while `Good doctor' is a hilarious tale of a trip to the doctor.

`Viva life on mars' is a country tinged dance song with distorted guitar and harmonica, while the dreamy tender `Burslem normals' is the closest thing to a ballad on the album. It's an observation of the changes in his home town over the years.

The upbeat `The 80s' and the more mellow `The 90s' are autobiographical and rapped/spoken in a brit accent (very Streets like) and chronicling his life during those periods in time.

A very good slice of Brit pop. Ok everybody, do the rudebox!!!

There is something for everyone on this CD, but that doesn't mean it is a miss-mosh by any means. Robbie perfectly conveys his feelings for each song and you get it. It has been the only CD in my car for nearly a month. I wish the American audience understood Robbie's music - they are really missing out.

These three words immediately came to mind during my first listening of this album. My review pretty much circles them.

In his own words, Rob says "I saw the whole Robbie thing coming to a close as it was...I couldn't make another album like the ones I'd made," and, indeed, he did not. This album is a rather large departure from his previous efforts stylistically. Content, however, has not changed - and the content makes this a Robbie Williams album like all others. There are a lot of fun songs, some introspective songs, and some very funny songs thrown in to round out the mix. While the style is a bit of a departure, the songs and lyrics themselves very much are Robbie.

The first two singles from this album, "Rudebox" and "Lovelight," are prime examples of the departure that Robbie has taken with this album. The songs have a heavy techno influence, but they still have a strong pop sound. Were we in the 80's, the songs probably would have been classified as "new wave." "Never Touch That Switch," "She's Madonna," and "We're the Pet Shop Boys" push the pop boundary even further. The Pet Shop Boys signature on the latter two songs is unmistakable - the last song for obvious reasons. In discussing the song, Rob says, "I love the irony of covering a cover."

"Good Doctor" and the hidden track are downright hilarious. The two autobiographical "decade" songs, "The 80's" and "The 90's," are quite haunting and pretty dark. I think my favorite song, though, is "Viva Life on Mars." The song is very bluesy...almost country. While it is just as eclectic as anything else on the album, the song draws from very different genres and finds a very unique sound.

The one thing that seems to be missing on this album is that Robbie does not get a chance to shine vocally. Robbie is a crooner. He loves to sing and all of his other albums showcased his vocal talent. This album is missing that signature. None of the songs on this album seem to push him vocally and, as such, the songs sound a bit on the weak side. Aside from "Rudebox," none of the songs really scream "this is going to be a great song in concert" to me.

Robbie has seen very little air play here in the States, and that trend will continue with this album. While the album has been and will continue to be well-received in Europe, the songs are very much outside of the scope of pop radio here. Fleeting fans will be alienated by the change in style. It certainly took me some time to warm up to this album. After giving my mind some time to wrap itself around the album, though, I am finding that I like the album more and more. While it will not shoot to the top of my all-time favorite albums, it still is good music.