Take That – Progress

By far Take That's greatest album. It was released 15 years after Robbie Williams left the group, and 15 years since Take That first peaked. With Robbie back for this album, it was understandable that their second peak would be here. The album sold a million copies in less than a month, and about 2.8 million copies have been sold in total, making it the biggest album of 2010. And upon listening to the album, you can see why.

The opening track 'The Flood' was the hit of the album, peaking at number 2 on the UK Charts. The track infuses Take That's signature boy-band style with the electronic feel of the album, making it still feel like part of the album, instead of a single they put in there for more copies. This is followed by 'SOS', a futuristic, fast-paced track that snuck its way into the Top 100, despite not being a single. After 'SOS' is 'Wait', a hip-hop styled track with a piano-string combo opening that was later used in the Odyssey Mix of 'The Flood'.

'Kidz', the next single of the album, again takes a go at the futuristic vibe of the album, with the lyrics talking of a dystopian future. The track feels as if its building as it goes on, with the final chorus almost like a beat drop that makes you get up and sing along to the 'la, la, la...' that follows. 'Kidz' also goes heavy on the synthesizers, making it feel like an electronic track. The electronic-ballad track 'Pretty Things' uses an 80s sounding beat and plucking synths, keeping the flow of the album moving while being calmer than the previous tracks. Following this is 'Happy Now', which was later released as a single to promote the 'Fake That' Comic Relief sketch. The track moves between a moody-sounding verse to a bouncy chorus, and still makes it work somehow.

By far the deepest and most moodiest track of the album is 'Underground Machine', which uses rock-inspired guitar riffs and a bouncy beat similar to something you might find in 'The Fat of the Land' by The Prodigy. Then begins the final stretch of the album, with 'What Do You Want From Me?', which in the 90s would have been a slow ballad, but here it has become a big sing-along track with a long build-up. This and the following track 'Affirmation', I think are the most underrated tracks of the album. 'Affirmation' feels like a sequel to 'What Do You Want From Me?', but much faster and with the build-up moved to the final chorus, creating a beat drop-like atmosphere.

The final track of the album works as Take That's last song as a five-piece. 'Eight Letters' is the only actual ballad of the album, but it still doesn't stray from using synths. The track closes the album well, with the final 'one meaning' giving you shivers. The album then truly closes with 'Flowerbed', a hidden song only listed on digital versions of the album. The track feels like a reflection on the group's music as a whole, and builds until the last second. And once that second is up, Take That's final peak is too.