III is the seventh studio album by English pop band Take That. It is their first studio album since 2010's Progress and the first to feature the band as a trio, following the departures of Jason Orange and Robbie Williams. The album was released on 28 November 2014. According to Gary Barlow, the album's sound is an "amalgamation of the past eight years" of Take That material.
The album debuted at number one in the UK, becoming Take That's seventh number-one album.
Recording
Recording for the album began in January 2014, with Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen entering the recording studio as a trio, with the consent of Jason Orange, who was undecided at the time whether or not he wanted to continue with the band. At the time, Robbie Williams had stated that he may not be able to record as part of the group due to his tour commitments and the upcoming birth of his second child. In the end, Williams was not present during the recording sessions.
In September 2014, Orange officially announced his departure from the band, and the band re-entered the studio to record the remaining parts which had been left for Orange. Donald claimed that the band did consider splitting up following Orange's departure, but decided against this and instead pressed on with recording the album. Owen said of the album, "It was quite downbeat, and we needed to change it to bring more energy to it. Then around May the three of us locked ourselves down for two or three weeks and started to play with sounds and for me that’s when we started for real. The energy was more positive. Now it's one of our most upbeat records." Barlow also said of the album, "We’re not writing a retirement record."
Composition
"These Days", the album's lead single, was co-written by Jamie Norton and Ben Mark, and produced by Greg Kurstin (Katy Perry, Kylie Minogue, Lily Allen). The song is described as a signature Kurstin song, featuring "Chic-style funk guitar riffs and Pet Shop Boys-style vocal effects." as well as "having pure pop written all over it". "Let in the Sun" is described as the likely second single from the album, and a mix between Calvin Harris and Mumford & Sons. The song was produced by Stuart Price. Barlow described the song as a "homage to the early years", whilst Owen said it's "the song your dad would write if he was trying to get down with the kids."
"If You Want It" is described as a "90s sounding pop banger with big production and an uplifting chorus", again produced by Kurstin. A line in the song, "Everything could be a little bit brighter", is suggested to be a nod to the band's recent struggles. Barlow said that a video for the song could be reminiscent of the early years of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. "Get Ready for It" was written for the soundtrack of the forthcoming British film Kingsman: The Secret Service, starring Colin Firth and Michael Caine. The song was produced by John Shanks, and is described as "loud" and "euphoric" and "unmistakably Take That", with a heavy drum introduction, and a battle cry from Barlow. The album also features production by Jeff Lynne.
Singles
"These Days" was released as the lead single from the album on 14 November 2014. The song premiered on 10 October 2014 and was then released to Vevo in the form of an audio video. The song debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Take That's 12th number one single. "Let in the Sun" was released as the album's second single on 2 March 2015. "Higher Than Higher" was confirmed as the album's third single and was released on 8 June 2015. "Hey Boy" was confirmed as the album's fourth single and first from the 2015 Special Edition album on 16 October 2015.
Critical reception
Upon its release, III received a mixed response from music critics. The Evening Herald awarded the album 4.5 stars out of 5 commenting that "for just three guys, Take That create an epic sound. Pure pop, English-style." The Herald continued by stating that "despite 4 years since their last album release, "Take That seem destined to ride the changes with a relentless feel-good optimism that defies personal catastrophe and natural disaster. Take That's mission is to write a big chorus and then nail it in the studio. And that's what they do, repeatedly, on III and they have fun doing it. The golden age of Glam Rock is reprised on the thumping I Like It. And they go all philosophical on Lovelife, chorusing to a clattering Hi-NRG Eurobeat, "If I die before I wake up, ask myself: Did I give enough love?" The Herald concluded, calling "December a sensational super-sizzler for millions of fans of the remodelled Take That."