Robbie Williams: Swings Both Ways

When in doubt, swing. With an underperforming clutch of recent releases behind him, for his 10th album, Robbie Williams has reverted both to a genre he has previously excelled at (on 2001's Swing When You're Winning) and to his fruitful songwriting partnership with Guy Chambers. The included duets are of varying quality. I Wanna Be Like You, a laddish caper with Olly Murs, lacks charisma, but Rufus Wainwright's turn on the gorgeous orchestral title track adds flair, flirtation and fun, and Lily Allen excels on the sweet lullaby Dream a Little Dream. Of the new tracks, the Michael Bublé-supplemented Soda Pop is a dashing big band triumph, but No One Likes a Fat Pop Star stretches the boundaries of silliness. Whimsy stifles sincerity at points, but when he cracks the balance, Williams's charm proves hard to resist. robbiewilliams.com

Download: Swings Both Ways, Swing Supreme