Take That were always an unusual boy band. Formed way back in 1990 (when most of today's popsters were teens or 'tweenies), they were a seemingly random group of semi-talented dancers, singers and boy-next-door heartthrobs brought together by manager Nigel Martin-Smith to shake things up in a musical landscape dominated by indie, baggy and rave. By the time they split in 1996, they'd established a fanaticism amongst teenage girls not seen in the UK since The Beatles. So, when it was announced that the group - minus Robbie Williams, that is - were to reform for a tour last year, it really came as no surprise; none of the remaining four had had overly successful solo careers. What was surprising was that these old codgers - now all in their mid-to-late thirties - were welcomed back with open arms by fans old and new alike. Even more surprising still is the fact that their comeback opus is actually a rather good pop album. Comprised mostly of highly-polished pop ballads, the bulk of Beautiful World's tracks are acoustic guitar-based, lending a warm, if sometimes mawkish air to proceedings. Pop-rock opener Reach Out, and succeeding ballad Patience see Gary Barlow's vocal chords smoothly rising to the huge choruses with as much aplomb as ever, while Howard Donald and Mark Owen take the lead on the title track and Hold On respectively; and though the latter is no 'Babe', Owen compensates on the ELO/Queen hybrid of the supremely catchy single Shine. There are even hints of the original Fab Four here; I'd Wait for Life, a piano number with lush strings, alludes to The Beatles' 'Something', while What You Believe In's downbeat tone somehow edges close to their psychedelic-era. Despite its high points, though, Beautiful World is far from the perfect comeback album; there are undeniably several filler tracks, but that can only be expected. The final 'hidden' track, Wooden Boat, sees Jason Orange take the lead on a deftly-plucked guitar and violin combo; it's eerily close to Seth Lakeman-style folk, and encapsulates just how mercurial Take That are, even seventeen years on. There aren't many boy bands who can say that.