As the Robbie Williams story grinds relentlessly onwards, the man's ego continues to be the most remarkable thing about him - certainly more so than any of his musical output. Not content with being named as one of the 100 Greatest Britons ever and signing a staggering 80 million pound contract with EMI (the biggest British deal ever), it seems that the former Take That man just won't be happy until he's broken America - and he sees Escapology as the album to do just that. After hearing this thoroughly unexceptional concoction of AOR balladry and drivetime rock, however, you can't help wondering if EMI might have made a serious mistake. Quite simply, the massive tunes that were Williams's salvation in the past just aren't there this time - and his tiresome, self-referencing lyrics reveal him to be an over-promoted showman whose cheeky-chappie charms are wearing increasingly thin. Not so much a case of The Ego Has Landed, then, as The Ego Comes Crashing Down To Earth - and not a moment too soon, either.
