With 2006's RUDEBOX Robbie Williams moved from adult-alternative pop-rock to unabashed dance-pop. It was a welcome change of pace, given the lackluster nature of the album's predecessors. Part bouncy club set and part new wave rave-up, RUDEBOX finds Williams sounding freer and more fun than he has in a long time. The synthy, hip-hop robo-groove of the title track that opens the album wastes no time getting the party started.
One of the album's pleasant surprises, however, is its sense of variety. For starters, Williams chooses an intriguing array of covers, ranging as far afield as Manu Chao, the Human League, and My Robot Friend. "Kiss Me" is 1980s-flavored dance music with a dash of disco, whereas "The 90s" is a dreamy downtempo tune that has Williams recounting his days in the boy band Take That. RUDEBOX missteps a time or two, but overall it is a breath of fresh air in the artist's discography.
Professional Reviews
Mojo (Publisher) (p.101) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[A]n intriguing, funny an inventive listen. The highlight is the Pet Shop Boys collaboration 'She's Madonna'..."
