Robbie Williams, Greatest Hits

Greatest Hits chronicles the remarkable journey of Mr Robert Williams, from being the "fat dancer from Take That" (c. Noel Gallagher) to the multi-million pound jewel in EMI’s crown. Assembled in chronological order, all the hits are here, except for his initial solo outing "Freedom", and it’s interesting to see how his sound evolves from wannabe Britpop buffoon on the sub-Oasis pubrock of "Old Before I Die" to the subtle captivating melodies of "Feel" and "Come Undone". There are so many great tracks that it’s impossible to list them all, but highlights have to be the barnstorming "Let Me Entertain You", the bouncy, floor-filling "Rock DJ" and the song that madeth the man, "Angels". The two latest additions to his canon--"Radio" and "Misunderstood" clearly have one eye on the past, the other on the future – with the latter an instant classic Robbie ballad from the Bridget Jones 2 soundtrack and the former a foray into the world of electro pop that sounds like a warped Human League track from the 1980s. This has to be Robbie’s forte, his ability to make great pop records that always sound fresh and full of energy. Every home should have a copy of this album, and chances are, by the end of 2004, most of them will. -- Melanie Wilkin