III (Take That album)
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III | ||||
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File:Take That - III.png | ||||
Studio album by Take That | ||||
Released | 28 November 2014 | |||
Recorded | 2014 | |||
Studio |
List
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Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 44:54 | |||
Label | Polydor | |||
Producer |
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Take That chronology | ||||
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Singles from III | ||||
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III is the seventh studio album by English pop band Take That. It is their first studio album since 2010's Progress and the first to feature the band as a trio, following the departures of Jason Orange and Robbie Williams. The album was released on 28 November 2014.[1][2] According to Gary Barlow, the album's sound is an "amalgamation of the past eight years" of Take That material.[3]
The album debuted at number one in the UK, becoming Take That's seventh number-one album.
Contents
Recording
Recording for the album began in January 2014, with Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen entering the recording studio as a trio, with the consent of Jason Orange, who was undecided at the time whether or not he wanted to continue with the band. Barlow claims that the album was recorded with "a big space" for Orange, as they had hoped he would change his mind and return to the band.[4] At the time, Robbie Williams had stated that he may not be able to record as part of the group due to his tour commitments and the upcoming birth of his second child. In the end, Williams was not present during the recording sessions.
In September 2014, Orange officially announced his departure from the band, and the band re-entered the studio to record the remaining parts which had been left for Orange.[5] Donald claimed that the band did consider splitting up following Orange's departure, but decided against this and instead pressed on with recording the album. Owen said of the album, "It was quite downbeat, and we needed to change it to bring more energy to it. Then around May the three of us locked ourselves down for two or three weeks and started to play with sounds and for me that’s when we started for real. The energy was more positive. Now it's one of our most upbeat records." Barlow also said of the album, "We’re not writing a retirement record."[3]
Composition
"These Days", the album's lead single, was co-written by Jamie Norton and Ben Mark, and produced by Greg Kurstin (Katy Perry, Kylie Minogue, Lily Allen). The song is described as a signature Kurstin song, featuring "Chic-style funk guitar riffs and Pet Shop Boys style vocal effects." as well as "having pure pop written all over it".[6] "Let in the Sun" is described as the likely second single from the album, and a mix between Calvin Harris and Mumford & Sons. The song was produced by Stuart Price. Barlow described the song as a "homage to the early years", whilst Owen said it's "the song your dad would write if he was trying to get down with the kids."
"If You Want It" is described as a "90s sounding pop banger with big production and an uplifting chorus", again produced by Kurstin. A line in the song, "Everything could be a little bit brighter", is suggested to be a nod to the band's recent struggles. Barlow said that a video for the song could be reminiscent of the early years of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. "Get Ready for It" was written for the soundtrack of the forthcoming British film Kingsman: The Secret Service, starring Colin Firth and Michael Caine. The song was produced by John Shanks, and is described as "loud" and "euphoric" and "unmistakably Take That", with a heavy drum introduction, and a battle cry from Barlow. Early reviews suggest the song could match the success of the band's 2007 single, "Rule the World".[7] The album also features production by Jeff Lynne.
Singles
- "These Days" was released as the lead single from the album on 14 November 2014.[8] The song premiered on 10 October 2014 and was then released to Vevo in the form of an audio video.[9] The song debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Take That's 12th number one single.[10]
- "Let in the Sun" was released as the album's second single on 2 March 2015.[11]
- "Higher Than Higher" was confirmed as the album's third single and was released on 8 June 2015.[12]
- "Hey Boy" was confirmed as the album's fourth single and first from the 2015 Special Edition album on 16 October 2015.[13]
Critical reception
Professional ratings | |
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Aggregate scores | |
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 42/100[14] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Evening Herald | [15] |
Metro | [16] |
The Daily Telegraph | [17] |
The Evening Standard | [18] |
Entertainment.ie | [19] |
The Independent | [20] |
The New York Times | (Favourable)[21] |
The Sun | [22] |
The Times | [23] |
Allmusic | [24] |
Upon its release, III received a mixed response from music critics. The Evening Herald awarded the album 4.5 stars out of 5 commenting that "for just three guys, Take That create an epic sound. Pure pop, English-style." The Herald continued by stating that "despite 4 years since their last album release, "Take That seem destined to ride the changes with a relentless feel-good optimism that defies personal catastrophe and natural disaster. Take That's mission is to write a big chorus and then nail it in the studio. And that's what they do, repeatedly, on III and they have fun doing it. The golden age of Glam Rock is reprised on the thumping I Like It. And they go all philosophical on Lovelife, chorusing to a clattering Hi-NRG Eurobeat, "If I die before I wake up, ask myself: Did I give enough love?" The Herald concluded, calling "December a sensational super-sizzler for millions of fans of the remodelled Take That."[15]
The Daily Telegraph awarded the album 3 stars out of 5, branding it "the usual sleek, crowd-pleasing pop, giving fans what they want; upbeat, anthemic, singalong pop with generically uplifting lyrics about the triumph of love, the power of friendship and the rewards of loyalty." The Telegraph described the "first single, These Days, [as setting] the stall out, with its nostalgic plea to "take me back", evoking the up-tempo disco delights of Take That's Nineties boy band origins given a dense, contemporary pop gloss, everything thickly harmonised and punchily compressed. Epic mid-tempo ballad Freeze might be construed as a comment on the departure of Mr Orange, with Gary Barlow pleading "just freeze so that we don't have to start again". It concluded by stating that the album's "intentions are straightforward, to entertain, make fans happy and keep the show on the road, and it surely delivers on all counts."[17]
Metro praised III, giving it 4/5 and dubbing it an "irresistible tinsel-draped Christmas party-starter". The review also noted highlights of the album such as "the opening lines of Portrait, delivered with a soaring melodic irresolution" and said that "there's classic Barlow-style balladry in Flaws" and praised the inclusion of Greg Kurstin as producer, saying that he adds "a sheen of contemporary production smarts [to the album]".[16] Music Matters commented that the departure of Orange is a loss, but noted that Barlow, Owen and Donald "crafted an album that pulls off the post-reunion TT's favourite trick - sounding utterly contemporary, yet somehow intrinsically Take That-y". The review summarised by saying that "they still knock out killer choruses" and "Take That's future may no longer be Orange, but it's still bright".[25]
AllMusic gave the album 3.5 stars and said that the trio "retain a shade of the stylish sensibilities of Progress", and that the album "is livelier" than Barlow's solo work. Yet the album is modern, "reflective and tasteful".[24]
Commercial performance
Upon its release, III broke the record for the most pre-ordered album in Amazon UK's history.[26] The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart with first-week sales of 145,000 (the third highest of 2014), becoming Take That's sixth UK number-one studio album and seventh overall.[27] It was the tenth best-seller of 2014, completing an all-British top 10 for the first time in UK chart history. As of March 2016, 579,000 copies of the album were sold making it the least successful of the band so far.
Track listing
The standard version of the album contains twelve tracks, while the deluxe edition boasts an additional three bonus tracks.[28] A super-deluxe edition of the album released in a bespoke artwork box with five photographic prints, as well as being signed in limited quantities, is available from the band's official store.[29] Google Play also secured the rights to an exclusive version of the album, which contains an additional three bonus tracks including a remix of "These Days".[30]
Standard edition | ||||
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No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
1. | "These Days" (lead vocals: Barlow, Owen, Donald) |
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Greg Kurstin | 3:51 |
2. | "Let in the Sun" (lead vocals: Barlow) | Stuart Price | 3:39 | |
3. | "If You Want It" (lead vocals: Barlow) |
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Kurstin | 4:02 |
4. | "Lovelife" (lead vocals: Owen) |
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Price | 3:35 |
5. | "Portrait" (lead vocals: Barlow) |
|
Price | 3:34 |
6. | "Higher Than Higher" (lead vocals: Barlow) |
|
Mattman & Robin | 4:06 |
7. | "I Like It" (lead vocals: Barlow, Donald, Owen) |
|
Price | 4:22 |
8. | "Give You My Love" (lead vocals: Donald) |
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Price | 2:49 |
9. | "Freeze" (lead vocals: Barlow, Owen, Donald) |
|
Kurstin | 4:01 |
10. | "Into the Wild" (lead vocals: Owen) |
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Price | 3:52 |
11. | "Flaws" (lead vocals: Barlow) |
|
Shanks | 3:33 |
12. | "Get Ready for It" (lead vocals: Barlow) |
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Shanks | 3:39 |
Deluxe edition[31] | ||||
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No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
13. | "Believe" (lead vocals: Owen) |
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Shanks | 4:20 |
14. | "Amazing" (lead vocals: Barlow) |
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Shanks | 4:04 |
15. | "Do It All for Love" (lead vocals: Owen) |
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Shanks | 4:18 |
Google Play deluxe edition[32] | ||||
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No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
16. | "Fall Down at Your Feet" (lead vocals: Barlow) | Take That | Jeff Lynne | 2:55 |
17. | "If It's Not Love" (lead vocals: Barlow) | Take That | Shanks | 3:37 |
18. | "These Days" (Steve Pitron & Max Sanna Remix Edit) | 3:43 |
2015 edition[33] | ||||
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No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
16. | "Hey Boy" (lead vocals: Owen, Barlow, Donald) |
|
Kurstin | 3:44 |
17. | "Will You Be There for Me" (lead vocals: Barlow) |
|
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3:37 |
18. | "Carry Me Home" (lead vocals: Barlow, Owen, Donald) |
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WTNSS (Charlie Russell and Bradley Spence) | 4:15 |
19. | "Bird in Your Hand" (lead vocals: Owen) |
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WTNSS (Russell and Spence) | 3:20 |
2015 edition DVD: Live 2015[34] | ||
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No. | Title | Length |
20. | "Prologue" | 10:13 |
21. | "I Like It" | 5:08 |
22. | "Love Love" | 3:38 |
23. | "Greatest Day" | 3:40 |
24. | "Get Ready for It" | 3:43 |
25. | "Hold Up a Light" | 6:13 |
26. | "Patience" | 5:42 |
27. | "The Garden" | 5:18 |
28. | "Up All Night" | 3:00 |
29. | "Said It All" | 4:28 |
30. | "Could It Be Magic" | 4:16 |
31. | "Let in the Sun" | 4:52 |
32. | "Affirmation" | 3:39 |
33. | "The Flood" | 4:46 |
34. | "Flaws" | 3:46 |
35. | "Relight My Fire" | 6:12 |
36. | "Back for Good" | 6:34 |
37. | "Pray" | 5:17 |
38. | "Portrait" | 4:19 |
39. | "These Days" | 5:32 |
40. | "Rule the World" | 4:34 |
41. | "Shine" | 5:45 |
42. | "Never Forget" | 6:52 |
43. | "Credits" | 3:42 |
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes.[35]
Musicians
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Production
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Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Sales/shipments |
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United Kingdom (BPI)[51] | Platinum | 579,000[52] |
*sales figures based on certification alone |
Release history
Country | Date | Format | Label |
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Germany[53] | 28 November 2014 | Polydor Records | |
Ireland[54] | 28 November 2014 | ||
United Kingdom[55] | 1 December 2014 | ||
United Kingdom[33] | 20 November 2015 | (2015 edition) |
References
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- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Evening Standard III review 15 December 2014
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ The Times UK review of III, 15 December 2014
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ 33.0 33.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Amazon.co.uk
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Take That – III" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Take That – III" (in French). Hung Medien.
- ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Take That – III". Hung Medien.
- ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Take That – III" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH.
- ↑ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 52, 2014". Chart-Track. IRMA.
- ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Take That – III". Hung Medien.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Take That – III". Hung Medien.
- ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Take That – III". Hung Medien.
- ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ↑ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Enter III in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
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- Use dmy dates from August 2012
- Use British English from October 2014
- Pages with broken file links
- Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters
- Certification Table Entry usages for United Kingdom
- Take That albums
- 2014 albums
- Polydor Records albums
- Albums produced by Greg Kurstin
- Albums produced by John Shanks
- Albums produced by Stuart Price
- Albums produced by Jeff Lynne