Take That - 'Shine'
Boy that Freddie Mercury casts a long shadow, doesn't he? I mean his influence can be felt behind every perky pop song like this, which skips and canters along - rather than pounding or moping, like most other songs do - and every musical arrangement which features walls of impudent harmonies that like to talk to their lead singer as much as they like to back him up. Mika knows it, the Feeling know it, Muse know it, and now here come Take That - a band whose grasp of sub-operatic drama and camp dynamics has always been fairly well hidden - to throw their Freddie-loving hat into the already-crowded ring....
And by GOD it suits them! Oh sure, everyone seems to love 'Patience', even though it goes on a bit, and serves as ample reminder that Gary Barlow cannot write verses to save his life, but this is as powerful an argument for old bands to put their differences aside and get back together as you could ever hope for.
For starters, you can hear other people singing in the background, which means it's not just Gary Barlow's solo career plus three handsome men smiling a lot. For secondses it's happy, upbeat, fun music, which beats the 'adult', 'mature', 'snoozy' thing that songwriters of a certain age feel they have to go with. And for thirds it's ambitious.
As a song 'Shine' has something to prove, a new congregation to win over, and friends to make. Which means it's not self-satisfied in its own legendary status, and points to new and exciting directions for Take That to explore.
Now, seriously, when they announced they were getting back together, did anyone ever think the sentence "new and exciting directions for Take That to explore" would ever get used, and no, not in the context of starting work in McDonalds either...
Released: February 26th
(Fraser McAlpine)
Comments
I LOVE Shine. It is so addictive!
I just want them to release Wooden Boat! Still can't work out who is singing. Is it Jason? Favourite song on the album!
Is Shine going to be released on 7" vinyl ??
If not, why not ? TOP tune...
shine is fantastic!! and yes it is jason who sings wooden boat on the album! its an amzing album and take that are very talented. they are all beautiful singers and i hate the way people talk about gary barlow he has a gorgeous voice and is very sexy the band certainly wouldn't be take that without him! oh and he writes amazing songs and the verses are amazing too so don't say they aren't after all his songwritting and the bands unique voice has got them 10 number 1's!
why do people always just talk about gary bein the song writer? look at the writing credits on the album - it says TAKE THAT