Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 04/27/2004
A more mature, calculated album from a
pop star who's often gloried in being immature and spontaneous,
I've Been Expecting You may suffer from comparisons to its excellent predecessor, but it also finds
Robbie Williams weathering the sophomore storm quite well. While
Williams' debut was infectious and outrageous, the second is indeed a more studied album. The opener,
"Strong," begins very well, with the spot-on lyrics: "My breath smells of a thousand fags/And when I'm drunk I dance like me Dad," and "Early morning when I wake up/I look like
Kiss but without the makeup." Many of the tracks on
I've Been Expecting You show an undeniable growth, both in songwriting and in artistic expression; two of the highlights,
"No Regrets" and
"Phoenix From the Flames," are sensitive, unapologetically emotional songs that may not be as immediately catchy as those on his debut, but pack a greater punch down the road.
Williams does indulge his sense of fun occasionally, playing up
James Bond during the transcontinental hand-waver
"Millennium" (which samples
Nancy Sinatra's theme for
You Only Live Twice), and simply roaring through
"Win Some Lose Some" and
"Jesus in a Camper Van." ~John Bush, All Music Guide
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