I was immediately interested in former Take That member, Robbie Williams' reinvented self, not because of his 007-like video for "Millennium," but because the first thing I heard off the album was his cover of the gorgeous Karl Wallinger ballad, "She's The One." As for the rest of the album I'm fairly torn. I wouldn't spend 15 bucks for it, but for those of you who enjoy the kind of mainstream pop music that George Michael and Elton John make, I can give it a luke-warm recommendation.

Just about half of the songs are listenable and smack of a kind of alt-pop savvy, but the other half sound like out-takes from a Savage Garden record. I doubt his record company will have the nerve to release the best song on the album, "Angels"--Elton John would see that Robbie's "Ego Landed" in court. Just about every new song is derivative to some extent, but "Angels" is serious plagiarism. The biggest weakness is his vapid lyrics. They certainly do nothing to justify his attempts at being cheeky, with songs such as "Jesus In A Camper Van," or in "Before I Die" where he asks to live long enough "to see the Pope get high." I don't know, you might be off living "La Vida Loca."