Progressed

While there was understandable skepticism over how Robbie Williams' supersize ego would fit in with his altogether more team-oriented Take That bandmates, the recently reunited quintet's second release in six months, Progressed, suggests that Barlow and co. should do everything they can to hang onto their live-wire new recruit. The eight-track addition to the U.K.'s fastest-selling record of the 21st century, Progress, released to coincide with their record-breaking stadium tour, may not contain any "Greatest Day" or "Patience"-style lighters-in-the-air anthems, but Williams' continued presence yet again appears to have instilled a newfound sense of invention which was sorely lacking from their hugely successful but occasionally bland first two comeback records. The gently strummed nostalgia of opener "When We Were Young," a Mumford and Sons-ish slice of acoustic folk which deals with the disillusionment of ageing, suggests the band has disappointingly gone back to basics, but it's something of a red herring, as the rest of the EP continues to develop the electro sound they bravely pursued on its parent album. Lead single, and X-Men: First Class soundtrack number "Love Love" (the second track they've provided for a Matthew Vaughn-directed film) couldn't be more different from Stardust's "Rule the World," its swaggering synths and ominous, pounding beats recalling '80s Depeche Mode at their finest, "Aliens" is a wildly ambitious, mini-rock opera, featuring a War of the Worlds-referencing intro, a theatrical chorus, and some hypnotic rhythms which owe more than a nod to Michael Jackson's "Beat It," while "Beautiful" starts off with a lilting, ABBA-style piano intro before merging into a strident piece of new wave synth pop, reminiscent of producer Stuart Price's work with the Killers. For those slightly disoriented by the post-apocalyptic dubstep of "Man" and the clattering, doom-laden "The Day the Work Is Done," there are a few more gentler affairs, such as the Pet Shop Boys-esque tear jerker "Don't Say Goodbye," and the wistful, Vangelis-inspired closing ballad, "Wonderful World," the latter of which sees Jason Orange take a rare lead vocal, but even they avoid drifting into their usual MOR territory. While many deluxe reissues do nothing more than cobble together a few outtakes that weren't good enough to be on the original album in the first place, Progressed stands alone on its own merits, and is arguably the better record of the two. ~ Jon O'Brien