Disco de Robbie Williams: “Ego Has Landed [Australia Bonus Tracks]”

In today's pre-fabricated and, ahem, downright corporate music scene, rare is the pop album that can affect the jaded listener. Rarer still is the pop artist who actually can entertain, both on-stage and off. Rarest of all are pop albums whose every constitutent could be spun off into massive singles of excellent quality.

Robbie Williams and his "The Ego Has Landed", a compilation of two UK albums, are exceptions to the afore-mentioned rules. Granted, perhaps this album works so effectively because it casts off some of the filler from his two UK-only releases, but that's a small detail. Recent pop music hasn't seen much better than the likes of the balladry heard on "Angels" and "She's The One", the sheer brilliance of "No Regrets", and even straight-ahead Oasis-type rockers "Lazy Days" and "Old Before I Die" - not to mention the general insouciance of "Man Machine" and "Let Me Entertain You", which offer the perfect antidote to the dancing moppets that provide most current pop. Even the weaker tracks lyrically here ("Millennium", the one single US listeners may actually have heard) deliver on the musical level - the incorporation of the strings from "You Only Live Twice" is nothing short of sheer brilliance (well, at least in my book).

Maybe Robbie will never get the airplay he deserves in the US, but this is perhaps because one cannot classify what he does under one single category, which seems to be what one needs to get chart positioning. Nonetheless, this is nothing to be ashamed of - who wants to be on the same chart as some of the currently popular US acts? This is a brilliant album with something to offer every listener, and one that will remain in a multi-disc player for quite some time - proof positive, I would say, that "pop music" need not be a derogatory term...some of the time, at least.

If there is any indication that America needs a wake up call musically, here is the CD that does it!! Robbie Williams is basically a God in the U.K. (It's Robbiemania over there!) Now, you know why. This CD rocks unlike any other I have ever listened to. I play "The Ego Has Landed" 24-7 in my player, I listen to it at work constantly, much to the irritation of my fellow co-workers. Even they are now humming to every song, it's so infectious. It's such a rarity nowadays that every track is killer, and shows that America needs to take a listen to this music 'cause the scene here is pretty damn boring if you ask me (and you did, since you said write your own review!) "Millenium" has a great riff (James Bond, anyone?) "Lazy Days" has an wonderful sentiment, (I love the line: "The world can change in a second, so I find the sunshine beckons me to open up the gate and dream".) "One of God's Better People" was written for Rob's Mum, cheers to Rob for putting it on the CD. "Let Me Entertain You" is the flashiest, trashiest song on the CD, with shades of The Who (yeah,baby) and the late, great Freddie Mercury of Queen. The bonus track (at 13:40) is great on two levels: One, our Robert rails at a teacher who made his life miserable (we can all relate that, can't we?) Two, I love his accent, he sounds so innocent. Yeah, and Rome was built in a day, too. If the music isn't enough to turn your head, then look at a picture of him! He is absoutely mega-cute. O.K. Enough praising, just buy the bloody CD, wouldja? You will have "NO REGRETS".

P.S. I wish him much success, he deserves it. Rob is mad for it in concert, too. DO NOT MISS HIM LIVE!!! You have not LIVED until you do!

This unexpected treasure that is now part of my CD collection was such a welcome addition. This is one of the most original albums I have ever heard with everything from Aggressive Dance of LET ME ENTERTAIN YOU to the gentle ANGELS. The star track is WIN SOME LOSE SOME. A Very pop and UPBEAT flavor that hooked me right from the first 10 seconds of the song. Religous fanatics may be offended by JESUS IN A CAMPER VAN but chances are, religious fanatics wouldn't buy this CD anyway. This CD might even have you wondering is Robbie Williams is Straight, Gay, or just a bitter man who has had a few relationship problems (ie KARMA KILLER) but his lyrics come through strong and his sound is VERY ORIGINAL. And in today's music, that's a rarity.

I had to laugh at some of the reviews by some of you fellow Robbie fans from the U.S. Just because the Album is called 'The Ego has Landed' doesn't mean that R.W. is a egotistical bighead! It's meant to be ironic - It would frighten me to think what Robbie would be like if he had a big ego. Typically most of the nasty comments have come from the British - We Brits sure hate success don't we?.. Oh and if you haven't heard this C.D. go get some!

I had heard Millennium many times and liked the opening hook,but never paid much attention to who the artist was singing it.Then recently Angels broke into the radiowaves here in America and I thought there was some long lost Elton John track from the 70's I had never heard.Thats when I paid attention to who this was bought the cd and was trully convinced he's the real deal when I checked the liner notes and found that he actually writes these songs.Angels is the most powerful inspirational song of the last two decades.I hope Robbie will continue to write more songs like Angels.