NEW MUSIC: TAKE THAT - THE FLOOD

Take That

Before Robbie Williams was Robbie Williams, there was Take That - a five-piece Boy Band who were inescapable in the late '80s if you lived outside North America.  Although they did come over to promote themselves here in Toronto, their popularity never reached that of America's beloved New Kids on the Block, who were in their prime and unstoppable.  I recall seeing Take That on staple Dance Music program Electric Circus which aired on CityTV Friday nights.  A young Williams told host Monika Deol, "We'd be happy if we made even just a bit of the money they (New Kids on the Block) have".  By the late '90s Williams became a worldwide superstar as a solo act.

Take That have reunited with Williams, if you haven't heard.  Their album Progress from Polydor (Universal Music) will be released overseas November 22, 2010. Their comeback single The Flood is produced by Stuart Price who really needs no introduction, but I will do so anyway in case you need a reminder of the greats he has produced: Kylie, Madonna, Scissor Sisters, The Killers.... anyone noteworthy.

NEW MUSIC - HELPING HAITI: EVERYBODY HURTS 2010

Equally as star-studded as the forthcoming We Are The World remake, Simon Cowell has put together a stellar line-up of artists for this charity cover of REM's 1993 hit Everybody Hurts.  All proceeds from digital and CD sales will be going to aid Haiti.

Among those featured on this version are Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue, Mariah Carey, Miley Cyrus, Susan Boyle, James Blunt, Leona Lewis, Jon Bon Jovi, Mika, Michael Bublé and many, many more of our favourites.  

The Everybody Hurts single will be released on February 16, 2010.  Although already great, it would've given it that extra punch to have all the artists together at the end in a series of big repeated choruses, don't you think?

Listen to Everybody Hurts by Various Artists Helping Haiti (courtesy of Sony Music) in full below:

REVIEW: ROBBIE WILLIAMS - REALITY KILLED THE VIDEO STAR

Reality Killed the Video Star is international megastar Robbie Williams' eighth solo studio album. Always full of wit, results were admittedly lacklustre on Williams' last effort Rudebox. That album leaned more in an electropop direction, not necessarily the best fit for his charismatic voice which is better set against thicker orchestration.

This album is perhaps Williams' best work yet and my expectations have been exceeded. He has hit his best stride as a songwriter – the melodies stick and his lyrics are brimming with insight. He took a full three years to flesh out ideas at his home studio with producers like Trevor Horn and Guy Chambers. The former was part of the band The Buggles, which were responsible popular hit Video Killed the Radio Star and this album’s title pays homage to it. With the current and perhaps passing public fascination with reality television including Idol/X-Factor, a title like Reality Killed the Video Star certainly rings true, making one ponder what might be next. Ironically, first single Bodies’ chance at a number one debut was foiled by recent X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke’s single Bad Boys in the UK.

Bodies was produced by a team of all-stars including Horn, Chambers and Mark Ronson. It has tons of bouncy pizzazz, touching upon public fixation on perfect body image and Williams goes on to play a game of word association taking the theme to great extremes from “Bohdi Trees” to “Body of Christ”. It is understandable why an up-tempo number as this was chosen to launch a comeback, but Bodies only skims the surface of the great things on this album.