Take That and a world full of harmony and hope
"Neeeeever forget where you've come here from" or "I want you back I want you back I want you baaaaack for good". These lyrics are etched in the musical memory of the 90s. As was the shock when the boyband Take That announced their break-up on 13 February 1996 and Bravo set up the "Dr. Sommer" tear phone for traumatized fans. More than 27 years later, the British band released a new album, "This Life".
However, the new Take That record is not a real comeback. Less than ten years after the break-up, Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, Howard Donald and Jason Orange celebrate their return in 2005. However, without Robbie Williams, who had already left the band in 1995 due to growing tensions.
As a foursome, they landed further hits such as "Patience", "Rule The World" and "Shine", with which another generation grew up. After Williams returned for an album ("Progress") and the band took a break in 2011, Barlow, Owen and Donald returned as a trio three years later. "This Life" is the third album in this constellation after "III" (2014) and "Wonderland" (2017).
Life-affirming lyrics
Take That fans rarely swoon these days. The former boy band, whose members are now in their early 50s, stands for proper catchy pop and life-affirming lyrics. The Brits themselves describe their ninth studio album as a new chapter with "beautiful melodies, uplifting choruses and elegant harmonies". The trio remains true to the pop genre, except for a few shallow borrowings from country and rock.
The first track "Keep Your Head Up" begins with melodic piano sounds and initially sounds like soothing music to fall asleep to. The polyphonic vocals that begin are dreamy and convey pleasant feelings - just like the lyrics: "Don't let it get you down, keep a strong mind, let go and don't hold on."
This kind of calendar saying runs through the twelve songs on the record, which do not tell specific, personal stories, but rather want to convey an attitude towards life. Like the optimistic feel-good songs "This Life" ("This life doesn't belong to anyone else, make life your own") or "Brand New Sun" ("Every day you'll experience is followed by a brand new sun").
"We didn't set out to make a happy album to make everyone happy. It's just a lyrical reflection of where we are in life right now," says Donald in an interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur. Barlow adds: "Lyrically, it's very much about our lives, the challenges and how we've dealt with them. The album is very reflective."
In "Days I Hate Myself", for example, the Brits sing about who brings them back from depressive phases: the audience. "When we're on tour, there are definitely evenings when we don't feel like going on stage - whether we want to or not. You just have a bad day. But the audience builds you up within seconds," explains Barlow.
Nostalgic feelings
With their ideal-world lyrics, from today's perspective almost epic song lengths of 3.30 to 4.30 minutes and the absence of blaring electro beats, the three greying Brits are by no means pandering to Generation Z. Instead, they evoke nostalgic feelings and memories of the light-heartedness of the 90s and 2000s.
Their "Wetten, dass...?" appearance in Offenburg this Saturday will also be a journey through time for the band. The Brits celebrated their temporary farewell to their German fans on Thomas Gottschalk's show in 1996 and their comeback ten years later.
There will be another reunion on stage in 2024: the former teen idols will be coming to Hanover, Berlin, Mönchengladbach and Munich with their "This Life Under The Stars" tour from the end of June.
people around the world are eagerly anticipating the live performances of Take That, as they embark on their "This Life Under The Stars" tour.
the music of Take That resonates with fans of all ages, evoking nostalgic feelings and memories of the light-heartedness of the 90s and 2000s.
Source: www.dpa.com
