Chloe Reynolds
On 24th November 2023, Take That released This Life. The 12-track studio album is their first in six years, since Wonderland (2017), and the first album on the EMI records label.
The three remaining band members — Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald — have called the album the third chapter of a career that dates back to 1990.
The Birth of This Life
Recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York and RCA Studio A in Nashville, This Life is filled with pop guitar and piano hooks. Its Nashville twang adds a fullness to the Take That sound we know and love. While the vocals have matured, the harmonies are still velvet-smooth.
https://twitter.com/takethat/status/1727971004708765846
Dave Cobb, who co-produced A Star is Born (2018), nudges the trio towards the rustic Americana sound. Producer Jennifer Decilveo also adds synths and a drum machine, picking up where she left off after working on Owen’s solo album Land Of Dreams (2022).
The Tracklist
The album opener, ‘Keep Your Head Up’, includes a mix of water pianos and distinct harmonised vocals. The song slips into vague platitudes, but addresses universal emotions with warmth and candour. It is a beautiful introduction, which transitions seamlessly into the album’s lead single ‘Windows’.
Windows is reminiscent of Take That’s 2006 album Beautiful World. The song incorporates organic instrumentation with tight pop formulas, and proves to be a brilliant representation of the album as a whole.
The titular track of This Life begins with pianos and harmonies, leading to a singalong chorus. This was inspired by the graduation of Barlow’s son, Daniel.
“This is the first mid-tempo ballad on the album, and the pace perfectly fits the lyrics”
Owen takes the lead vocals on ‘Brand New Sun’, which is my favourite track on the album. This is the album’s first mid-tempo ballad, and the pace perfectly fits the lyrics. This song is all about the importance of patience in keeping a long-term relationship alive.
‘March Of The Hopeful’ begins with an introduction from Howard Donald, and proves to be another mid-tempo tune. It builds to a euphoric middle eight that doesn’t fail to lift spirits.
‘Days I Hate Myself’ sounds like it draws inspiration from rock band The Police, while ‘Mind Full of Madness’ contains hints of Stevie Nicks’ 1980s hit ‘Edge of Seventeen’.
The final track ‘Where We Are’ is an upbeat number: the perfect way to finish off a consistently strong album. ‘The Champion’ is another of my favourites, with lead vocals once again by Owen. The lyrics are empowering and echo the resilience of the band and the struggles that each of its members have endured in their lifetimes.
Take That’s 2024 Tour
The band will be embarking on a huge stadium and arena tour in 2024, playing 29 dates across 15 cities across the UK and Ireland. Olly Murs will be joining them as their support act.
This Life proves that nine studio albums and over twenty years later, Take That have still got it.
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Featured image courtesy of vagueonthehow via Flickr. No changes were made to this image. Image licence can be found here.
