Escapology by Robbie Williams
Escapology is the fifth studio album by English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams. In 2002, Williams signed a record-breaking £80 million contract with EMI. The contract featured a number of provisos, including the label ceding greater creative control to the artist and a commitment to breaking Williams in the American market. In return, EMI affirmed they would benefit from a cut of Williams' non-recording activities, including touring, publishing, and merchandising, thus protecting the company from any commercial downturn in the singer's album sales. So far it has become the biggest music deal in British history. Williams began working on what would be his fifth studio album, after a year out from recording. The album heralded a new era for Williams, as he had taken a more active role in the making of the album, giving an indication of his growing confidence in the studio. "One Fine Day", "Nan's Song" and "Come Undone" were the first three songs that Robbie wrote without Guy Chambers' input. The majority of the album was recorded in Los Angeles. "Escapology" was arguably conceived as a concept album, due to its lyrical content being totally reflective of Williams' life as a popstar. The album focuses on his his hopes and fears. Williams stated: "Half of the album it is written from the standpoint of 'Look, this is really me with my tears of a clown. Do they love me or hate me?' The rest of it is about somebody that I have to think I am to get up onstage. Because little me wouldn't get up there. It's too scary!" As the contract stated, EMI attempted to break Williams in the American market, and such, asked him to tweak Escapology to suit the market. As such, the American release shuffles the song order, removes "Song 3", "Hot Fudge", "Cursed", and one hidden track, and adding "Get A Little High" and "One Fine Day", and making "How Peculiar (Reprise)" a main album track instead of a hidden track. Williams promoted the album on shows such as Good Morning America, Last Call with Carson Daly and the Tonight Show. This version of the album won the award for 'Best Album by a Solo Male' in the International Category at the Oye! Awards in Mexico.
Robbie Williams’s readiness to spill emotions and anxieties on record means it’s hard not to feel you know him intimately. His fifth album maintains that candour, producing two of his best songs yet: “Feel”’s captivating plea for companionship, and “Come Undone”, a scathing assessment of celebrity culture with a supernova chorus. Confessional, acutely hummable pop is the core currency here and while it might not be Robbie’s most experimental record—Mariachi caper “Me and My Monkey notwithstanding—it’s impressively assured.
