In and Out of Consciousness: Greatest Hits 1990–2010

In and Out of Consciousness: Greatest Hits 1990–2010 is the second greatest hits compilation album by the English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams, after his first greatest hits compilation, Greatest Hits, which was released in 2004. The album, which features 39 songs, was released in October 2010 and is his last album under his recording contract with EMI. The lead single of the album is "Shame", co-written by and featuring fellow Take That member Gary Barlow. The song is their first collaboration in 15 years since Williams left Take That in 1995.
The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, making it Williams' ninth album to debut at number one and his first since Rudebox released in 2006. It has been certified Platinum, selling over 41,000 copies on its first day of release and 120,000 copies during its first week, making the album the second-fastest selling of the year in the UK. The album topped the charts in Austria and Germany, and charted within the top five of the charts in Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland.
Background information and production
Speaking about the album and working with Barlow again, Williams said: "It’s incredible to listen to the album and realise that it’s already been 20 years of making music and playing gigs. And the great thing about the album is that it’s not only a celebration of my past but also a bridge to the future. The fact that part of the future includes a name from my past makes it all the more poignant for me".
Beside the lead single, "Shame", the album also features a new track called "Heart and I" co-written with Barlow. The track listing and cover art of the album were revealed on 13 July 2010 on Williams' official website. The image for the cover was captured by photographer Julian Broad, who also worked with Williams for the Reality Killed the Video Star album cover. The cover was shot in May 2010 in Malibu, California.
Promotion
Williams and Barlow performed "Shame" on 12 September 2010 at the Help for Heroes held at the Twickenham Stadium. They also performed the single on Strictly Come Dancing on 2 October 2010. On 8 October 2010 they gave an interview and performed on Paul O'Grady Live. On 7 October 2010 Barlow and Williams performed "Shame" and "Shine" on the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge. On the release date of the album in the UK, Williams gave an interview on Daybreak as well as performing "Feel" and "Shame".
Singles
The only single to be released is "Shame", a duet co-written with fellow Take That member Gary Barlow. The video and the song premiered on 26 August 2010. Directed by Vaughan Arnell, the video is a spoof of the film Brokeback Mountain. Tim Jonze from The Guardian has said that the song is "a gentle country ballad that tells the story of the pair patching up the relationship that was damaged after Williams left Take That in 1995." It debuted at number two on the UK Singles Chart, making the song Williams' 28th top ten entry on the chart. "Shame" has also charted within the top 10 and top 20 in Denmark, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands. Yahoo! Music has ranked the video for "Shame" as the 14th best video of 2010.
The compilation does not include "United", a single released by Williams in 2000 as part of Pepsi's "Ask for More" advertising campaign, and three singles only released in certain territories: "Win Some Lose Some", "Better Man" and "Bongo Bong and Je Ne T'aime Plus".
Critical reception
John Bush from AllMusic gave the album four stars out of five. He said that even in its most basic edition, the album presents "no less than 39 examples of what made Robbie Williams a fascinating millennial superstar". He described Williams as "ambitious and self-deprecating, sensitive and boorish, dynamic and introverted" and that the album "presents a much richer picture of Williams' discography". Bush concluded his review by saying that "In and Out of Consciousness certainly offers a full portrait of Robbie Williams, the greatest pop star of the '90s and 2000s that few people appeared to respect but everyone enjoyed."
Sean Egan from BBC Music said that "Many of the songs are amongst the strongest chart hits of the new millennium, especially Williams’ collaborations with Guy Chambers". Egan said that "The sequencing is bizarre but has its own kind of logic, working backwards chronologically" and as "the familiar tunes go by, one is struck by the fact that Williams is both underrated [...] and overrated." He also stated that had Williams "not been sacked by Take That, he would never have been motivated to prove himself with edgy, knowing music light years beyond the boyband." Egan concluded his review by saying that "If this compilation is closing a chapter, the jury is still out on whether the next one is going to be a gripper."
Track listing
In and Out of Consciousness: Greatest Hits 1990–2010 is available in several formats: a two CD standard edition, a three CD deluxe edition with rarities and B-sides, a DVD edition which includes the music videos of the standard edition and an "ultimate edition" which includes all three CDs, the two DVDs and a bonus third DVD with a live recording of Williams' concert at the Velodrom, Berlin in 2005.
Personnel
Credits for In and Out of Consciousness: Greatest Hits 1990–2010 adapted from Allmusic.
K. Andrews – Composer
Kelvin Andrews – Composer
Kevin Andrews – Composer
Vaughan Arnell – Photography
G. Barlow – Composer
Gary Barlow – Composer
John Barry – Composer
Eric Bazilian – Composer
Leslie Bricusse – Composer
Chris Briggs – A&R
Julian Broad – Cover photo, photography
Hamish Brown – Photography
Johnny Buzzerio – Photography
Guy Chambers – Arranger, composer, producer
Desmond Child – Composer
Brandon Christy – Composer
Nick Clarke Photography
Bob Clearmountain – Mixing
Chris Clunn – Photography
Elain Constantine – Photography
Tony Cousins – Mastering
S. Duffy – Producer
Stephen Duffy – Composer
Dino Fekaris – Composer
Dean Freeman – Photography
Serban Ghenea – Mixing
Sean Gleason – Photography
Fergus Greer – Photography
Stephen Hague – Mixing, producer
Hammer & Tongs – Photography
Françoise Hardy – Composer
C.S. Heath – Composer
Tom Hingston – Art direction, design
Trevor Horn – Producer
Jamie Hughes – Photography
Seb Janiak – Photography
Eliot Kennedy – Producer
Nick Knight – Photography
Lisa Marie Kurbikoff – Photography
Chris Lowe – Composer
Bob Ludwig – Mastering
George Michael – Composer
Simon Niblett – Photography
Robert Orton – Mixing
Boots Ottestad – Composer
Scarlett Page – Photography
Ekundayo Paris – Composer
C. Carson Parks – Composer
Freddie Perren – Composer
Pet Shop Boys – Producer
Nelson Pigford – Composer
Steve Power – Mixing, producer
Mark Ronson – Producer
Craig Russo – Composer
S. Dunbar – Composer
Luis Sanchis – Photography
Roger Sargent – Photography
Mary Scanlon – Photography
Al Schmitt – Engineer, mixing
Richard Scott – Composer
Soul Mekanik – Producer
Danny Spencer – Composer
L. Taylor – Composer
Neil Tennant – Composer
Jerry Jeff Walker – Composer
Karl Wallinger – Composer
Mike Ward – Producer
Tim Weidner – Mixing
Jeremy Wheatley – Mixing
R. Williams – Composer, producer
Robbie Williams – Composer
Commercial performance
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
Certifications
Release history
References
External links
RobbieWilliams.com — Robbie Williams official website
Robbie Williams albums
2010 greatest hits albums
2010 video albums
Music video compilation albums
Albums produced by Mark Ronson
Albums produced by Trevor Horn
Albums produced by Stephen Hague