Is the new Robbie single any good?

"I got laid on a leyline." "UK an entropy, I feel like it's f**king me." "Bodies in the Bodhi Tree, bodies making chemistry, bodies on my family, bodies in the way of me, bodies in the cemetery..." "It's the mother middle ages." "Yeah." No, we haven't lost the plot after listening to too much Lady GaGa - these are all lyrics from the new Robbie Williams single, which premiered on Radio 1 this morning.

It's called 'Bodies' and it's a Trevor Horn production, so shy and retiring it ain't. It begins in vaguely Middle Eastern fashion thanks to a jagged guitar riff, electro gurgles and some monkish chanting, cranks up a notch for the bridge, and then gets properly epic for the chorus. "All we've ever wanted was to look good naked, hope that someone can take it," Robbie sings. "God save me rejection from my reflection, I want perfection." This is the sort of song that almost deserves a choir and - cheers Trev! - it gets one at the end.

Our verdict? 'Bodies' is actually a really strong comeback effort. It's big and radio-friendly the way a Robbie Williams single should be, but there's enough intrigue in the sonic detail and lyrics to keep it from feeling too safe. 21 plays later, we still don't know what he's banging on about. It's scheduled for release on October 12 - the same week as Alexandra Burke's 'Bad Boys' - so brace yourselves for a big old chart battle.

If you haven't heard 'Bodies' yet, you can have a listen by pressing play below.



What do you think of 'Bodies'? Can it beat 'Bad Boys' to number one? Use the space below to have your say.