0724349772625. New condition. CD. Robbie Williams was an international superstar at the end of the millennium a recognizable icon in all countries but one -- the United States. Traditionally this is a problem for British superstars who are able to amass a large global following but are hard pressed to break down the doors to America for a variety of reasons many of which are inexplicable. For Williams it was because his records weren t released in the U.S. probably because his former band Take That never developed into a commercial powerhouse in America. Once the group split conventional wisdom suggested that lead singer Gary Barlow would become the star but after Williams delivered back-to-back smashes (Life Thru a Lens I ve Been Expecting You) he seemed like the genuine star. It was time for America to become acquainted with the lovable rock & roll rascal hence the brilliantly titled The Ego Has Landed. Containing six songs from Life and eight from I ve Been The Ego Has Landed isn t a perfect compilation but it s not half bad either. Since it s culled from just two records it doesn t have great momentum or pacing but it does contain a very good cross section of his two albums leaning a little toward the mid-tempo and ballad side. The pacing is a little off but the songs are there: the clever showmanship of Let Me Entertain You the endearingly silly Old Before I Die the crooning No Regrets the propulsive Man Machine and Millennium Willliams bid for sampadelic hipness -- everything that illustrates why he is a perfect post-alternative post-Brit-pop post-ironic pop star. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine Rovi