Designed as the English counter to New Kids on the Block the quintet known as Take That burst onto the UK music scene in the early nineties and became the biggest selling British act since The Beatles. Before they broke up in 1996 Take That had sold millions of records, won four Brit Awards (British Grammys), debuted an album at number one, and on the album "Take That and Party", which debuted at number five, is a rocking cover version of Barry Manilow's "Could it Be Magic" that even Barry likes (and has performed) that went to number three on the charts.In 2004 band members talked of doing a documentary and a greatest hits album. After seven million viewers in the UK watched the documentary put together by band members, the group decided that it was time to re-unite. In a surprise to bend members 19 concert dates sold out in just over an hour and more dates were quickly added.
Older and musically wiser, high energy dance routines were replaced by strolls through the audience. But that was not the only change in Take That. The quintet was now a quartet. Robbie Williams decided not to join his band mates lead singer Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, James Orange, and Howard Donald in the new group.
In the past Gary Barlow was the band's primary songwriter. This time around all four band members participated in the songwriting process. The band decided not to rely on nostalgia and go for a quality product. The decision paid off. Out for only five weeks at the end of the year, the new album by Take That "Beautiful World" was number two in album sales for 2006; it sold 437,000 copies the week of Christmas alone. While the album has not officially been releasedin the US "Beautiful World" by Take That has been certified five times platinum and held the number one spot for six weeks in a row. Take That held the number one spot on five charts at one time for the number one download album, the number one download single, number one combined single, number one combined album, and the number one DVD for "Ultimate Tour".
The opening track of the eleven song CD "Reach Out" is very appropriate when Barlow sings "I don't know you and you don't know me … it's only love that pull us through". Fans of Take That will find that although ten years has gone by little has changed in the music. Take That is back better than ever. On "Beautiful World" even though the music plays a significant role in moving the melody along, at no time does it overshadow or drown out Barlow's voice or the harmonies – the sound that makes Take That what it is, a great sounding band is there for all to hear.
