Robbie Williams - Sing When You're Winning

Poised for global domination with his third album, Robbie Williams and producer Guy Chambers hardly dared mess with the formula of their 1998 crossover hit I've Been Expecting You. As such, Sing When You're Winning has plenty of introspective balladry akin to "Angels," and a few irresistible party time tracks in similar company to "Millennium." The album also moves Williams farther away from the increasingly dated visions of Oasis-style Brit-pop to embrace post-millennial dance-pop, complete with the bruising beats and extroverted productions to match. And Chambers certainly knows his production playbook well, conjuring a panoply of classic British rock touchstones like psychedelia, slick country-rock, Ian Dury, the Who, Elton John, and madchester. Despite a small drop in songwriting from its predecessor, Sing When You're Winning ultimately succeeds, and most of the credit must go to Williams himself. Amidst a few overly familiar arrangements and lyrical themes, Williams proves the consummate entertainer, delivering powerful, engaging vocals -- no matter the quality of the material -- and striking the perfect balance between tongue-in-cheek, self-mocking humor ("Knutsford City Limits") and genuine feeling (tender ballads like "Better Man" and "If It's Hurting You"). The radio-ready single "Rock DJ" is a piece of immediately gratifying pop candy floss with a surprisingly endless shelf life, though "Kids," a vivacious, vacuous vamp of a duet with Kylie Minogue, doesn't even hold its own after one listen. Toss in a few beautiful album tracks (the opener "Let Love Be Your Energy," "Love Calling Earth," "Singing for the Lonely"), but then counter them with a few bland singalongs ("Supreme," "Forever Texas"), and the result is a scattered, entertaining album whose real star is Robbie Williams' personality. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide

Name Credits Al Duncan Vocals Alex Dickson Guitar, Autoharp, Guitar (Electric) André Barreau Vocals (Background) Andy Caine Vocals (Background) Andy Duncan Drum Programming, Percussion Programming, Digital Editing, Percussion, Drums Anthony Pleeth String Ensemble, Strings Bob Lanese Trumpet Brad Lang Guitar (Bass), Double Bass Chris Sharrock Drums, Sounds, Percussion Claire Worrall Vocals (Background) Crystal Adams Vocals (Background) Dave Bishop Overdubs, Brass Dave Catlin-Birch Guitar (12 String Electric), Guitar (Bass), Vocals (Background) David Naughton Mixing, Assistant Engineer Derek Green Vocals (Background) Edgar Herzog Clarinet Ekundayo Paris Songwriter Gary Nuttall Electric Banjo, Vocals (Background) Gavyn Wright Strings, String Ensemble, Concert Master Guy Chambers Mellotron, Vocals (Background), Orchestration, Moog Synthesizer, Producer, Piano, Clavinet, Moog Lead, Organ, Arranger, Guitar, Keyboards, Omnichord, Moog Bass Isobel Griffiths Orchestral Coordinator J. Neil Sidwell Overdubs, Brass Jackie Shave Strings, String Ensemble Jeremy Stacey Drums Jim Brumby Digital Editing Karen Smith Stylist Katie Kissoon Vocals (Background) Kylie Minogue Vocals Marielle Herve Vocals (Background) Mark Feltham Harmonica Martin Loveday Strings, String Ensemble Melvin Duffy Pedal Steel Neil Taylor Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric) Nick Ingman Orchestration Patrick Kiernan Strings, String Ensemble Paul "Tubbs" Williams Vocals (Background) Paul Kegg Loops Pauline Boeykens Tuba Pauline Taylor Vocals (Background) Perry Mason String Ensemble Perry Montague-Mason Strings Pete Davies Drum Programming, Keyboards Peter Lale Strings, String Ensemble Phil Palmer Guitar, Guitar (12 String), Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Acoustic) Phil Spalding Guitar, Guitar (Bass), Fuzz Bass Richard Boothby Loops Richard Campbell Loops Richard Flack Drum Programming, Programming, Digital Editing Richard Woodcraft Engineer Robbie Williams Vocals, Guitar, Vocals (Background) Robert Smissen String Ensemble, Strings Steve McEwan Guitar (Electric), Vocals (Background) Steve Power Digital Editing, Mixing, Glockenspiel, Producer, Vocoder Steve Price Engineer Steve Sidwell Piccolo Trumpet, Overdubs, Brass Sylvia Mason James Vocals, Vocals (Background) Tessa Niles Vocals (Background) Tom Hingston Art Direction, Design Tony Cousins Mastering Tony Pleeth Loops Winston Blissett Guitar (Bass)