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This edition of UNTITLED Reviews sees the return of a legend with the Razer Deathadder V2 X Hyperspeed. Find out more product info here: https://www.razer.com/gb-en/gaming-mice/razer-deathadder-v2-x-hyperspeed Also, if you like what you see, you can purchase the kit featured in this video below: UK: https://amzn.to/3KyzoBw US: https://amzn.to/3wJyA8D (As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases made through the above links) Make sure to like and subscribe! JOIN US: Blog: www.untitledblog.co.uk Merchandise: https://untitled-merch-3.creator-spring.com/? Twitter: https://twitter.com/UntitledBlogs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/untitledblogsite UNTITLED may earn an affiliate commission when you purchase through the links on our site. Find out more here.

This edition of UNTITLED Reviews sees us look at what we think is a lightweight marvel, the ASUS TUF Gaming M4 Air. Find out more product info here: https://www.asus.com/Accessories/Mice-and-Mouse-Pads/TUF-Gaming/TUF-Gaming-M4-Air/ Also, if you like what you see, you can purchase the kit featured in this video below: UK: https://amzn.to/3IGTGaE US: https://amzn.to/3sC8Ys1 (As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases made through the above links) Make sure to like and subscribe! JOIN US: Blog: www.untitledblog.co.uk Merchandise: https://untitled-merch-3.creator-spring.com/? Twitter: https://twitter.com/UntitledBlogs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/untitledblogsite

This edition of UNTITLED Reviews sees us look at what we think is a brilliant mid-range mouse, the ASUS TUF Gaming M4 Wireless. Find out more product info here: https://www.asus.com/Accessories/Mice-and-Mouse-Pads/TUF-Gaming/TUF-Gaming-M4-Wireless/ Also, if you like what you see, you can purchase the kit featured in this video below: UK: https://amzn.to/3HaHj6h US: https://amzn.to/3o65RWt (As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases made through the above links) Make sure to like and subscribe! JOIN US: Blog: www.untitledblog.co.uk Merchandise: https://untitled-merch-3.creator-spring.com/? Twitter: https://twitter.com/UntitledBlogs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/untitledblogsite

Over the last couple of years, I’ve started to collect a few odd things – picture discs and intriguing books are two of the main pieces, for instance. There’s just something wonderful about being committed to starting a small collection of specific items and slowly building it out until you find all of what you’re looking for. Or, that’s how it’s meant to be, isn’t it? Well, once you’ve collected such items, what do you do with them? Enjoy them, some will tell you, but at the end of the day, that notion of enjoyment is something personal. With the items I’ve started to collect, there is an obvious method. With the lovely sect of eye-catching vinyl discs and odd white label and seven inches I’ve picked up from record fairs and some lovely sellers on eBay and Discogs, the obvious thing to do is play them, right? Vinyl is fundamentally a medium of music, and that music needs to be played. The same goes for the books I’ve managed to pick up. Steve Rothery’s marvellous Postcards From The Road is a gorgeous photographic excursion into the life of Marillion’s longest-serving member that should be left open on a coffee table, whilst artist Mark Wilkinson’s Shadowplay is a book that deserves its own gallery – such is his prowess with an airbrush. Yet, here arises a small problem. This pair of books alongside Paul McCartney’s The Lyrics and Geddy Lee’s Big Beautiful Book Of Bass for instance are what are known as ‘coffee table books’ or, in other words, books to be laden across your nice front room table when guests visit, and point them out, sat there in a fan formation, for you to use as an intriguing point of conversation. The problem I have is that simply put, I don’t have a coffee table, which leads these to just become ‘-books’. They are stunning to look at every so often and can, in some instances, lead to a knock-on effect of kickstarting more collections – Shadowplay led me down the garden path of collecting Channel Island stamps, oddly enough. It’s this odd conundrum that seems to characterise the motivations of people, myself included, collecting what is most likely, as we approach 2022, considered as being old-fashioned. People don’t read books anymore – they’ve either all got Kindles or use their phones. Vinyl is old hat now, given the monstrous rise of streaming services and how egalitarian good audio seems to be these days. In other words, the act of collecting something is arguably done to reminisce about the past, or better still, to keep old stuff alive. Yet, we live in a world where everything is wanted now. Working in the tech press alongside studying a History degree at university certainly provides the best of both worlds. One minute, I’m writing an essay about the Bosnian War, and the next I’m writing rumours about Apple’s much-leaked augmented reality headset, or a pre-order article for the latest iPhone. Society appears to be fascinated by new technology and is always wanting to look forwards, yet to look forwards, we arguably also have to look backwards. Life is, arguably, based on the notion of force of habit and the point that when looking back, people look for specifics, or as economist Thorstein Veblen put it in an 1898 article, "a habitual line of action constitutes a habitual line of thought, and gives the point of view from which facts and events are apprehended and reduced to a body of knowledge." On a basic level, Veblen discusses the point that people learn through force of habit, and therefore that what people do is based on an "everyday line of action", or the things that are done most days. So, if someone streams music every day, it becomes part of their life, and the act of picking up one album on physical media to listen to seems odd. Or, if someone buys a new smartphone every year, and then they see someone utilising the same handset they've had for a few years, it seems strange. It could be said that society is perhaps conditioned by itself to think of certain modern events as habit, and therefore it is only right for people to fall in with them for the sake of convenience and forming part of a wider social trend. The act of collecting old things like stamps or, in my case, vinyl may therefore seem a little anachronistic given how forward-thinking life is, but it is these eccentricities that make life what it is. It allows people to occupy this weird space where they can exhibit all these modern and progressive qualities but at certain points look back to the way things used to be and heed calls from the past in order to make their present and future a little more interesting. However, the successes of this are perhaps few and far between. We look back to history for interesting lessons to learn, but end up falling into the same habits as our forefathers before us. It is perhaps because of this that the lessons learnt from the past can be soon, as Veblen says. "reduced to a body of knowledge" as a page on a textbook, or the contents of a lecture. Such lessons are institutionalised and wrapped up within wider historical events that you have to sift through in order to become acquainted with and therefore learn a nugget of information from. On a basic level though, it is these odd dichotomies, be it with my coffee table books and no coffee table to put them on, or the act of looking back to look forward, that drive life forwards. People want to learn about the past, but at the same time, are fascinated by the future. This sense of innovation and constant progression can, of course, only arise by looking back to where we've come from. If this article teaches you anything, let it be the idea that looking back to the old ways and tradition may not be a bad thing every once in a way or maybe the fact I need to invest in a nice coffee table - I'll let you decide which is the main takeaway point. UNTITLED may earn an affiliate commission when you purchase through the links on our site. Find out more here.

This edition of UNTITLED Reviews sees us look at what is a subpar Windows laptop, the Samsung Galaxy Book Go LTE. Find out more product info here: https://www.samsung.com/uk/pc/galaxy-book/galaxy-book-go-lte-qualcomm-7c-4gb-128gb-np345xla-kb1uk/ Also, if you like what you see, you can purchase the kit featured in this video below: https://amzn.to/3Bd0EQ9 (As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases made through the above links) Make sure to like and subscribe! JOIN US: Blog: www.untitledblog.co.uk Merchandise: https://untitled-merch-3.creator-spring.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/UntitledBlogs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/untitledblogsite

This edition of UNTITLED Reviews sees us look at what we think is the best Chromebook around, the Acer Chromebook Spin 713. Find out more product info here: https://www.acer.com/ac/en/GB/content/series/acerchromebookspin713 Also, if you like what you see, you can purchase the kit featured in this video below: https://amzn.to/3DPzmkJ (As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases made through the above links) Make sure to like and subscribe! JOIN US: Blog: www.untitledblog.co.uk Merchandise: https://untitled-merch-3.creator-spring.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/UntitledBlogs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/untitledblogsite UNTITLED may earn an affiliate commission when you purchase through the links on our site. Find out more here.

This edition of UNTITLED Reviews sees us look at a capable mid-ranger, the HP Pavilion 14 and an overall return to Windows laptops. Find out more product info here: https://www8.hp.com/uk/en/laptops/product-details/2100077281 Also, if you like what you see, you can purchase the kit featured in this video below: https://amzn.to/2YIOuBm (As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases made through the above links) Make sure to like and subscribe! JOIN US: Blog: www.untitledblog.co.uk Merchandise: https://untitled-merch-3.creator-spring.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/UntitledBlogs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/untitledblogsite

It's not often I go to a gig and don't film most of it, but for the sake of last night's spectacle, it seemed fitting to just sit back and marvel. Seeing Genesis was something that resided atop my bucket list for the best part of fifteen years, and I'm delighted to say that last night was a dream fulfilled. First things first though, let's address the elephant in the room, or rather the weary chap wearing glasses who spent the show in a chair, with no thanks to a spate of nasty health problems, one Phil Collins. Or rather - why don't I address him properly - Phil Collins LVO, the frontman of Genesis might sound a little better. Whilst Collins may be plagued by some horrible issues, it didn't stop him, and indeed Tony, Mike, Daryl, and Nic, as well as Daniel and Patrick on backing vocals to put on a good show. Yes, age has unfortunately taken a piece of Phil's talents away in the vocal department, but things seemed an awful lot stronger as the show progressed, with certain elements reaching the quality of the 2007 shows. I've also got to stress that my second excursion to Birmingham was even better than the first. This slightly lighter and albeit strained vocal did take a little bit of getting used to first of all, as Turn It On Again did reveal a couple of cracks on the longer notes, but the ensuing Mama and Land Of Confusion reaffirmed my initial hopes. As the band had an extra year or so to rehearse, rest and recuperate, Phil's voice is arguably in better nick than if the band had gone with their initial plan (and had other, more pressing issues not got in the way) and toured in November and December last year. Arguably the biggest change though from previous tours is a greater emphasis on the combination of clever visuals and some intriguing lighting selections that helped the show along immensely. They also helped to provide this marvellous sense of theatre and occasion to the entire evening. If this is to be Genesis' last hurrah (as Collins has alluded to in a recent Mojo interview), then they look to be going out with a bang to say the very least. These newly-created videos were of paramount importance on the more atmospheric elements like Home By The Sea or Land Of Confusion, which came bundled with an incredible animation of masked men on the march across Britain. From a personal perspective, however, I wasn't necessarily paying my money to hear the hits, as plenty of other punters were, but instead to hear things that the associated tour documentary threw up and also the bundled compilation album which seemed to reveal the setlist, especially on the UK release. For instance, the apparent Fading Lights/Cinema Show/Afterglow medley was a particular highlight, especially since the former hadn't been played for nigh-on 30 years since the We Can't Dance tour. It's worth noting that the transition between Fading Lights and Cinema Show was a little abrupt, especially given that if the music had continued for a few seconds more then it would've possibly been a smoother passage. The band were on top form though for this medley, and it was handy to see Afterglow complete with Seconds Out era lighting in places. Another piece of the show that contributed a fair amount to the entry fee for me (on both nights in Birmingham I saw) was the acoustic set, comprising of That's All (complete with Geoff Callingham entering the stage to fix a problem with Tony's piano), a reworked version of The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway with the same section on the 1992 Old Medley and Follow You, Follow Me. It was principally The Lamb that got me raving about the acoustic set, as its brighter tones seemed to bring with it a wistful quality, which is certainly welcome on what is meant to be a farewell tour. The other two tracks were noticeably stronger than on the tour documentary and film of Phil doing Follow You, Follow Me from Berlin in 2019, respectively. There wasn't any form of interval following the acoustic set, suggesting that even with his health problems, Phil's got enough stamina left in the tank for a firestorming two and a bit hour set. This was certainly evident in the ensuing Duchess which, like Tonight, Tonight, Tonight and Mama, sounded a little more atmospheric and brooding than first anticipated; the lowering of keys also contributed to this, may I say. However, it's the only time in the entire set I felt that the band overpowered Phil a smidgen. Speaking of atmosphere, the following set including No Son Of Mine and Domino not only sounded darker, but also were some of Phil's best vocal performances of the night, alongside a reworked tambourine dance during the traditional Firth of Fifth/I Know What I Like medley. Of particular note here is Daryl's marvellous solo that still manages to mesmerise me every time I hear it. It's at this point where I must shine a light on the effervescent Nic Collins - he's a much heavier drummer than Chester, and even Phil to an extent. This was exhibited well on Firth as well as on his own band, Better Strangers and their track Lies. What this does is provide Genesis with a darker sound and of course, two drummers can be better than one, but with the first one-drummer Genesis set since the seventies, they sounded great. I'll also single out Domino as one of Phil's best vocal performances of the evening with him keeping up on the quicker bits and reaching 2007 levels of strength in places. Visuals here were also marvellous, especially the closing couple of minutes. The usual string of hits followed though, with the pre-encore stuff knocking Throwing It All Away and Invisible Touch out of the park for a home run. Compared to the Collins-solo arrangements from his Not Dead Yet tour, things were taken up a gear as his vocal strength has not only improved but also the full band sound behind works a little better. The latter track also seemed noticeably brighter and marked one of the only real instances where the crowd got up which seemed a damn shame. It was an encore of two halves with an aim to please both sides of the audience. Fans of Genesis the hitmakers got I Can't Dance which if I'm being honest, did seem a little cruel to perform given Phil's health, but he took it well, I have to say, and performed the track admirably. Those of a more prog-based persuasion, like myself, got the last laugh as it were with a Duke tour style arrangement of The Carpet Crawlers, complete with the spoken word intro of Dancing With The Moonlit Knight. There's a certain air of poignancy about both components of the last song of the set, with the rolling piano of 'Crawlers setting the tone well for what is more than likely the start of Genesis' final go around. The track's always been well-placed as an encore, but none more so than last night's given its sense of occasion. As John Peel contended in a 1975 review of the single, "The Carpet Crawlers is, as most of you doubtless know, is a slow and reflective work, repetitive and yet with a certain intensity...I'm not clear what a carpet crawler is but 'Carpet Crawler' is a most satisfying release.". Peel's words as ones I concur with, and it seems no finer point to end my take on Genesis' farewell tour than with such a quote from one of Britain's most revered music critics. I'm not too sure what a carpet crawler is either John, but I know that after a fourteen-year wait and four hours' worth of shows, I've become one. The Last Domino Tour continues tonight in Birmingham, then across the UK and into the US. The associated album is available to purchase on CD and Vinyl now. UNTITLED may earn an affiliate commission when you purchase through the links on our site. Find out more here.

Age of Empires IV is shaping up to be quite the intriguing package. Whilst real-time strategy titles have always fascinated me, and the AoE series, in particular, has always been a favourite, none have taken me quite as much as this forthcoming iteration. Now, I am traditionally a modern historian at heart; anything past 1900 has always been the most interesting, especially the two World Wars, the Cold War and so on. But, as for medieval history? Never been my cup of tea really, apart from one area - battles and military tactics. It's at this point where Age of Empires IV comes in. The game series itself has long been the hallmark of nerds worldwide, myself included, who like to build up their team and then wage war against the AI for hours - it's all rather good fun indeed. However, Age of Empires IV looks to have another, perhaps more worthwhile purpose. Alongside the usual playing experience will come hours of documentary footage filmed and sorted by Lion TV, who've done documentary films for the BBC in the past. These will discuss all sorts of things from trebuchets (more on those in a moment) to castle building and other aspects of medieval life, including surgery. Age of Empires IV therefore becomes a marvellous tool in illustrating not only how medieval society worked, but all the various intricacies usually found on a day out to Warwick Castle. If it's any indication of the level of detail, some time was taken out of their Gamescom presentation to discuss trebuchets and Microsoft got a doctor of mechanical engineering, namely Dr. Shini Somara, to explain how everything worked. These little sprinklings of educational resources amount to over three hours of in-game documentary footage, which shows that Microsoft have certainly done their research. What's more, it means the game won't be a dead-end resource for people. In case you're interested, I'll leave the video here: On a basic level, this inclusion of oodles of real-world footage within AoE IV for educational purposes is a reflection of the way that the pandemic has given rise to alternative methods of understanding concepts and ideas. This goes hand-in-hand with the idea that everything can be interesting and fun to learn about, as long as it's presented right. In this case, when you're discussing the structure of medieval society and the composition of land, it might be interesting at first, but what people want to know about are the fun pieces - war, battles, falconry and all. By putting such into a game, it'll hopefully get people interested in the supposedly more mundane side of the time period. This isn't Microsoft's first rodeo with a more educational game, though. The current Flight Simulator got a lot of people talking about the way the entire world had been modelled and led to discussions on geography and so on, as well as plenty of folks looking to find their own house. It turned from a hardcore simulator about flying planes to a fun laugh about visiting famous landmarks. By the looks of things, Microsoft is using that and taking AoE IV down a similar path, which is fantastic. In doing such, it should transform both the game and the series and open it up to a wider audience. There's now no reason why schools can't use a game to explain concepts otherwise understood on a school trip or from a ten-year-old YouTube video. The principle of homeschooling or learning in ways that don't rely on textbooks or comprehension has been laid bare over the last eighteen months or so, and it's high time such got championed. Learning through games is a brilliant way of getting started. For instance, titles such as the Democracy series could be an ideal way of getting people into politics without presenting them with a textbook or a massive lecture that discusses policy and ideology. After all, gaming has been a positive force during this crisis and some research done by HyperX, the peripherals brand, concluded that a large majority of parents felt that it had helped them, as well as their children. Now, it's time to build on those positive gains and put them to some good use. For far too long, the education system has been stuck in a rut with the ways in which things are taught, and more integrally, the content of such courses. I've discussed my issues with the English curriculum before in another article about George Orwell, and it's high time that argument got revived. The education system now, even with seemingly endless Govian reform, seems more antiquated than it ever has been - after all, some teachers are just starting to utilise PowerPoints. It is only with radical change that anything gets done in the modern world, and perhaps putting games like Age of Empires onto the curriculum or swapping out literary classics for more modern up-to-date books in English Literature classes may end up being a force for good. This may then have the knock-on effect of getting more children interested in school, or at the very least, one subject, giving them a passion for something which they could then pursue at a higher level if they wish to. When I was going through my GCSEs some years ago, I despised Frankenstein, and plenty of friends hated reading Jane Eyre, which were the books chosen for the GCSE English Lit 19th century novel component. The only inkling of a modern text was Alan Bennett's History Boys, which I still enjoy reading about today. It goes to prove that adding something relevant or exciting onto the syllabus can have positive gains, despite backwards-looking views on a golden age of literature, for instance. Alright, maybe I have gone off-topic a little, but the point remains that whilst sometimes the old ways are the best, a policy rethink wouldn't be such a bad idea. From my memory, the only time an alternative method of history teaching has been utilised was to play clips from Horrible Histories because it was comedic and got people interested, or on a rarer occasion, employ clips from Blackadder. The release of such games invites the chance to change things for the better. Age of Empires IV should, if used correctly, provide a brilliant foundation from which these new ideas and methods of teaching can take shape. Classrooms, lectures and all will still have their place - they are tried-and-tested methods. This would just add another angle from which to attack the subject and its intricacies. After all, if anything can make understanding medieval society interesting, it might as well be this.

Key Specs: Retail Price - £89.99 - Purchase Here! CHERRY MX Silent Red switches TKL, space-saving design 16 million colour RGB backlighting There's no real denying that the original CHERRY G80-3000 is one of the last remaining veterans of the mechanical keyboard world. Over the last 30 years or so, the design has undergone several interesting revisions, with each one bringing certain refinements. The latest of these, the CHERRY G80-3000N RGB TKL not only brings a lot of letters to the party, but also vital components in the modern age such as Silent Red switches, a TKL form factor, and most integrally to some, plenty of RGB. But, can it stand up against other space-saving candidates out there? Let's find out. Design - Classic, sharp looks paired with some questionable build quality The G80-3000N RGB TKL sports similar looks to the original keyboard's run over its various generations with the same screwless underside and black shell helping this new generation to look rather sharp indeed. The most striking thing though is simply the fact it's a TKL, or tenkeyless keyboard. This means that it sacrifices the number pad from the right-hand side in a bid to offer users that little bit more desk space. In contrast to other TKL boards out there, the G80-3000N RGB TKL also seems remarkably compact and has a much smaller footprint than its competitors, but it's from here that things go a little bit awry. As much as the board looks great, its construction seems rather flimsy by contrast to other boards at this price point with some deck flex and quite a bendy chassis, even when succumbed to little pressure. Moreover, whilst it does feel quite light in hand, this is a possible mark of the fact the G80-3000N RGB TKL isn't the most well-made keyboard I've tested. On a more positive note, the keycaps feel pretty good under finger, and with laser-etched legends, they won't be wearing off anytime soon. The fact that there is a non-braided cable does cheapen the G80-3000N RGB TKL a little, just considering the overall pricing, but otherwise, connects via USB-A, which is convenient. Performance - MX Silent Red switches keep things quiet and light On the switch front, this revised G80-3000 continues the theme of utilising CHERRY's MX line, but does, if you'll pardon the pun, switch things up a bit with its choice. The older models utilised either MX Blacks or Blues in a bid to please fans of both linear and tactile switches, and some earlier models even went as far as using MX Clears. For the G80-3000N RGB TKL though, there's no choice as this only comes with the light, linear and silent MX Red Silents, an apparent favourite of the German manufacturer on other boards such as the older MX Board 1.0. These offer a 45cN actuation force, which means they're snappy enough for both banging out essays and gaming. They're also a durable switch too, being rated for 50 million keypresses, meaning you're likely to wear out before the switches do. I've never been the biggest fan of linear switches, having always traditionally gravitated towards the heavier, more tactile side of the switch world. But, for a set of linears, the Silent Reds are nice to use with a satisfying and quiet keystroke that's helped along by the switch dampening. Unlike other keyboards with Silent Reds in them, the G80-3000N RGB TKL offers the smoothest of keypresses where others can be quite jagged or gritty. Otherwise, the space-saving TKL layout in day-to-day usage was marvellous, but if you aren't used to not having a number pad, then it is worth sticking with a more traditional, full -size offering. Software and lighting - Sumptuous RGB let down by mediocre software It's on the point of lighting where the G80-3000N RGB TKL claws back some of the points lost in design through providing some bright and sharp RGB lighting. Whilst the lighting may not be everyone's cup of tea, there's no denying that for those who do want it on that what's on offer looks marvellous with a total spectrum of colours in all their vivid glory. On software though, CHERRY Utility, the brand's gaming software that's used to both configure macros and lighting, isn't up to scratch in comparison to say, Razer Synapse. Its layout is a little clunky and feels old-fashioned by contrast, and whilst it's simple to use, the feature set does feel a little light. Verdict The CHERRY G80-3000N RGB TKL represents quite an interesting package. For those wanting a space-saving keyboard with some great switches and marvellous lighting, then you're in luck. Otherwise, the poor build quality, sparse software and comparatively high price mean this new version of an old legend doesn't entirely live up to the name of its predecessors, which is a massive shame. Rating: 3/5.

It's been a bit of time since my last endeavour into the AOTW column, but we're making a triumphant return with Robbie Williams' marvellous Intensive Care record from 2005. In coming back to write this, I wanted to pick an album that meant something; I've done Life Thru A Lens previously and there are tracks on there that have resonated with me for years - Old Before I Die, South Of The Border and so on. But, if you asked me what my favourite record from Mr Williams is, I'd tell you Intensive Care. It marked the first time that Robbie hadn't worked with the eminent Guy Chambers, and instead chose to use Stephen Duffy as producer and indeed assistant songwriter for the entire record. What this led to was a rather different sounding album to the likes of Escapology - to me at least, Intensive Care sounds a little fuller and richer in comparison. Ghosts that opens this album feels rather triumphant in itself but feels a little more grown-up by comparison to his earlier works. There are sentiments of David Bowie creeping in as the song progresses, largely thanks to its slow build and Williams' crisp delivery, giving it a contemporary yet retro feel simultaneously. An intriguing thing to note is that Ghosts is one of a couple of tracks here greatly inspired by eighties songs such as the Human League's marvellous Louise - a point Williams described as being "about ex-lovers who still yearn for one another". It's clear the exploits of Stephen 'Tintin' Duffy two decades prior rubbed off on his songwriter partner when recording the album. However, this isn't to say that Intensive Care isn't packed solid with Williams' traditional youthful exuberance. It's a nice blend of the two sides, offering a grown-up sound on half the record, and the usual stick-it-to-the-man rebellion on the other. Tripping, for instance, forms a key part of the latter side. With its drum machine and entrancing synth-driven opening, it does sound a little more playful than other songs here which makes it a personal favourite after all this time. Other reviews of the entire collection have called it a failed attempt at Williams writing something a little more left-field, but it's his constant obsession with breaking the mould that makes songs like Tripping such a compelling listen. Over the course of his career, he's always been an artist to try things differently. Sometimes it worked, like with Tripping, but with endeavours like the entire Rudebox album from 2006, the less said about them, the better. Combine this with the following Make Me Pure and it's back to the more melancholic side once again, but this time with added personal touches. The end result with its acoustic guitar-driven backing and occasional inflexions of an electric, when combined with Williams' rolling vocal makes for one of his best performances to date. This may sound like a controversial opinion, but this particular offering has always been one of my preferred listens for the Stoke-born singer's ballads, beating off Angels by quite some margin, and for my thoughts on Advertising Space, you'll have to wait that little bit longer. Spread Your Wings is a prime example of a Robbie Williams-rubber-stamped classic in the same vein as Old Before I Die and Monsoon previously. Its mid-tempo, foot-tapping sentiments are a perfect fit on this record, and in his own words, is a "lyrical sister to the opening Ghosts", and forms a nice bridge between the two sides to this record - of grown-up ballads and more enthusiastic and heavy stuff. This is largely thanks to the nostalgia of Spread Your Wings with its name-checking of Jocelyn Brown, for example, a prime example of an eighties one-hit-wonder thanks to Somebody Else’s Guy. More integrally though, its descriptions of regret and the dragging-heels spoken vocal in certain sections amplify those feelings to a point that you can't help blend into yourself. It's at this point where things turn momentarily sour with Advertising Space, a song lauded for being his finest ballad since Angels by some critics. In contrast to its predecessors here, I haven't ever connected as much with a song whose video sees our vocalist dress up as Elvis and laying down on a bed with a pink guitar if memory serves correctly. It's got this unmistakable sound of a single to it, which whilst is no bad thing originally, doesn't fit with the under-the-radar nature to Intensive Care's sound, to me at least. Advertising Space, maybe if it had been on Escapology, would've fitted in a little better, but even with clever songwriting and a full-fat backing present, hasn't ever done all too much for me. The following Please Don't Die is at least a partial return to form thanks to its strings and clean sound that feels like a lost Howard Jones song, albeit with some slightly more introspective lyrics. It's one of a handful of songs here that rely on elements of religious imagery and the art of dying, to quote a George Harrison song title. There is a certain funkiness to the backing with a Nile-Rodgers style guitar riff which nicely blends with the song's autoharp to create a unique sound that I can't help but adore. Things are taken up a gear momentarily with Your Gay Friend that moves the goalposts for a lost Green Day song thanks to its prominent low guitar drive and smashing drums that rise and fall nicely with the song's path, especially its bridge. It signals a return to the exuberant side of Williams that was last seen particularly at his Knebworth gigs with him jumping around like a madman. The lyrics are cleverer than the title may suggest with a story told of loving someone whilst they're within marriage and different levels of commitment between the pair of lovers. Moreover, the religious nods return thanks to lines such as "Hey Lord, forgive us if we're wrong/Make sure that he never hears this song" - perhaps there's an intent to challenge notions of frowning upon either infidelity and homosexuality, or both at the same time. Regardless of intention, Your Gay Friend is one of the more thought-out tracks in Robbie's back catalogue and one that deserves plenty more airtime than it currently gets. Sin, Sin, Sin essentially confirms the imagery I've discussed above, not only in the title, but also in lyrical content and also in the video. It's a classic example of Williams' tongue-in-cheek humour, ribbing himself for his own affairs with other women. Lyrical content also goes hand-in-hand here, discussing the act of having an affair and only staying around if intimacy is involved. In terms of Williams' entire discography, Sin, Sin, Sin is probably one of his cleverer songwriting efforts and is certainly a mile away from the kick-in-the-teeth alt-rock from the first couple of records. It is for this reason that I've always rated it highly amongst swathes of other songs in his back catalogue. Random Acts Of Kindness, as one of the more mid-tempo yet purposeful stompers here, suits Robbie's voice perfectly, and to paraphrase the man himself, is a song about revenge, and working to find out if people are as sadistic as first thought. Whilst described by a couple of other places as an "overproduced pop rock track", I've always found it to be one of the safer bets on Intensive Care that plays to Williams' strengths as a singer and writer, too. My interpretation of the lyrics have often been it refers to the tabloid press - the entire second verse could be taken as a dig at the paparazzi and the increasingly predatory nature of the way stars are covered with defamatory comments galore. He goes on to call them spineless in a way, almost calling the papers weak in the process for being within their rights to print the tosh they do. It's more thought-out than most pop songs, and deserves plenty of credit for doing so. The slightly up-tempo nature of Intensive Care continues thanks to the likes of The Trouble With Me that again centres on Robbie's own problems as he deems himself as someone who's unlovable. Its defined autobiographical senses are welcomed on an album where Williams definitely grows as a lyricist, and this is the best example of that. Discussing such a subject in a song is difficult in itself, but then placing it within some great music too just takes it to that next level. You might be wondering why I've included a picture of Soccer Aid above, and your question shall be answered here. One of the final songs on Intensive Care is in the incredible A Place To Crash which for the last fifteen years has been the theme song for Soccer Aid. Despite this though, it still remains one of Robbie's hidden gems in his solo back catalogue. You won't necessarily find it on any greatest hits, and the fact it's been stuck on the bottom of Intensive Care means that it relies on listeners taking in the entire record to find it, as opposed to hearing it within the first couple of moments. It's definitely the rockiest song present, making it a refreshing listen, especially when combining the seething vocal with a heavy guitar drive, in a similar vein to the previously-mentioned Old Before I Die. Yet, on the chorus, it retains the playfulness and youthful spirit of that earlier work, which is rather nice to hear. Lyrically, it might not be anything special, but nostalgia and instrumentation carry this to the top of my list. For its final offering, Intensive Care slows things down a little with King Of Bloke And Bird that also brings plenty of atmosphere to the party with a six minute track that wouldn't have sounded out of place on a past Marillion album, and that's a compliment by the way.. The more mature nature of this record certainly comes to a head here in a welcome blend of a brooding vocal and minimalistic bassline and drum pattern that brings everything together nicely. In a nutshell, Intensive Care is an album with plenty of theatre and atmosphere, but also with a more grown-up element to its songwriting and delivery that makes it unique to Robbie Williams' extensive back catalogue. The departure of Guy Chambers may well have been a shock to some, but in a roundabout way, gave Williams one of the best LPs of his entire career. If you want to pick up a copy, I’ll leave an Amazon link below: Or, if you’d prefer, here’s a Spotify link: More musical magnificence to come next time! UNTITLED may earn an affiliate commission when you purchase through the links on our site. Find out more here.

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