Robbie Williams returns to form with his new album Rudebox. It's good to see the bad boy try new things without forgetting his past.
The album sees the pop star move away from his trademark ballads and upbeat pop tunes. Instead, he tries his hand at club beats and rapping, with a generous pinch of 1980s and 90s style, as heard in his covers of Manu Chau's Bongo Bong, Lewis Taylor's classic Lovelight and Human League's Louise.
Williams also pays tribute to 80s and 90s pop icons Madonna and the Pet Shop Boys in She's Madonna and We're the Pet Shop Boys respectively. His rapping in The Actor is reminiscent of Madonna's Vogue.
Up-and-coming pop princess Lily Allen lends a hand as backing vocalist on Bongo Bong and Keep On. Allen shone on her debut album Alright, Still, but her vocals lend very little to Williams' tracks.
The best tracks are The 80's and The 90's. Both are autobiographical rap tracks which talk about Williams' messy adolescence and his Take That years.
Rudebox is an interesting piece of work, like the singer himself - you may not like his hip hop nonsense, but you have to admit it's full of personality and brutal honesty.