There's Progress now...

It's confession time.

Take That are my guilty pleasure. I had been waiting for this album delivered at home via Amazon for weeks (yes, I'm a real saddo!) and when I finally found it on my doorstep on Monday morning I was overjoyed (it doesn’t take much to make me happy!). Unfortunately the case was cracked (oh dear!) but the CD played without any problems, and the nice people at Amazon are sending me a replacement. I had my reservations about Progress, but was quite impressed after the first listen. It is probably Take That’s must relevant and mature record and definitely a change from the ballads and Gary’s vocals of old, but the stomping anthems of SOS (no, it’s not an Abba cover!) and Kidz make up for that. The quality of lyrics on the album is increasingly mature and even profound - who'd have thought it! The Flood, Pretty Things, Flowerbed and Eight Letters are beautifully written with some rousing piano and strings and the former. What do you want from me, is probably the most surprising track, reminiscent of Marks solo material. All in all a real surprise, I wasn't sure about Robbie Williams coming back into the fold but he adds an extra dimension tonally which somehow completes the sound!

Saying that, I can understand why some fans might be disappointed. Take That fans are used to a particular style, a particular sound - upbeat pop, lush sweeping ballads - and those are few and far between on this album. But the title is apt - Take That as a band HAVE progressed, and are still progressing. Their latest mature sound is a lot way from the cheesy pop of their very early days. This album seems very much an attempt to position themselves in a more indie/rock scene, and I for one like it.

The BBC described it as "the strangest, most ambitious and most exciting record its creators have ever been involved in" and I'd say that pretty much sums it up for me.

Good things come to Take That's fans!

(The Manchester Wheel)

And who says that good deeds don’t get rewarded? Mine did, although I’m not sure I could really consider mine a good “deed”. Well, I was asked Monday morning very early to step in for and interpreting assignment in court as a colleague of mine who had “chickened” out at the last minute and decided to call the solicitor’s firm to tell them she wouldn’t make it! Somehow I don’t blame her as the court case was a very nasty one and not everybody can put up with that kind of pressure. So there I was driving to court without any preparation on the subject matter whilst mu client was trying to change the interpreter’s details in court. I worked in court Monday and Tuesday and it was tiring, absorbing and very distressing. At 4pm on Tuesday afternoon I was totally shattered! I really don’t know how solicitors and barristers can go through this every day and survive. Anyway, on my way back to the solicitor’s, a lady lawyer I’ve known for quite a while told me she had a spare ticket for a concert later on and asked me if I wanted to join her. The concert was Take That’s at the Old Trafford Cricket Club in Manchester. How could I refuse the kind offer (and free as well)??? Shattered, yes, but not too shattered for Take That!!! So after a couple of frantic phone calls with my husband and kids and another pretty longish car journey there I was sitting in front of the stage for the second time within less than three weeks. Another wonderful show, nothing better to recover from some nasty work!!!!!!!!
I know, I know, now I’m a official Take That’s “groupie”!!! …but there many worse things in life…:) :) :)

(Gary Barlow/Take That in his clown outfit and kid's bike)

The Greatest Night

The Greater Night for sure. Absolutely amazing show from start to finish, jaw dropping! We managed to dodge the rain and the evening was fantastic. I’ve just read that we were over 50,000 people in the Stadium of Light but everything went perfectly.

Before the show.

James Morrison


TT on their "elephant"

Everybody was excited and happy, my daughter and her friend who are still small and couldn’t see perfectly were held up on the shoulders in turn by some very kind young men next to us and we had all a fabulous time. I do not want to spoil it for whoever of you who’s got a very good taste and is going to see Take That soon, so I won’t go into too many details.

Gary Barlow

Even the supporting acts were great: Gary Go - I didn’t know before - was a positive discovery and James Morrison does not need any introduction and he’s great live. And then the circus tend “opened” up and the greatest show of all started among a gigantic air balloon, circus acrobats and of course Take That with their wonderful music and vocals.

Howard Donald

Relight my Fire setting


After two hours of solid show (not just a concert, but a real show, a feast for your eyes!), the evening finished with the beautiful Rule the World and only the boys on stage and real fireworks in the background. I didn’t think it could have been possible for them to top their Beautiful World tour but they did it again!

Both my daughter and I would go again tonight and tomorrow and the night after if we could. Her first concert was a real success!

Greatest Day

My daughter and I are leaving in a few minutes to travel to Sunderland to see the great Take That in concert! It's the first date of the tour so we're expecting fireworks!!!

We are terribly excited, me more than her! Wish us sunshine as the weather forecast for the North-East is not very good. I will report back soon! Ciao!

The Boys Are Back!

…. And they’re getting better with age…

Having being pretty blown away by Beautiful World, I was wondering if Take That could top it. And yes, they can. Being an avid fan might make me bias, but this is a stunning album. Admittedly, it took a while to get past the first track The Garden which I played repeatedly - it's awesome. The album as a whole carries on where Beautiful World left off, albeit with slightly more emphasis on developing their 'new sound', which does mean a further move away from 'cheesy pop'. All the vocals are strong, Gary being fantastic as usual, Howard always consistent and with even Mark & Jason sounding credible. I think this could well be an album that is huge, not just with existing fans, but that large group of skeptical 30 somethings, who until now, refuse to believe that Take That are anything more than a manufactured boy band.
I’m here listening to it and cannot stop. Maybe - sadly enough - TT are the only ones than can cheer me up at the moment, except for my children of course

…And today I really need cheering up!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zHzMLGH1Rfs

(Greatest Day video)