Take That’s new album III due in December

Take That have announced they will be releasing their seventh album entitled III on 1^st December.

The news was released on Twitter with the album cover artwork revealed shortly afterwards. The album unveiling follows Jason Orange’s departure from the group two weeks ago.

These Days, the lead single from the collection, made a debut on UK radio Friday morning and will be released on 23^rd November. Produced by Greg Kurstin, who has worked with Lana Del Rey and Katy Perry, the song features all three on vocals and has been described as “out-and-out feel-good pop”, while lamenting the “battles we have won”.

III will also feature previous Take That producers: John Shanks and Stuart Price. Though Orange only revealed last month that he was leaving the band, III was written, recorded and produced without his involvement.

Speaking to Chris Evans on BBC Radio 2 Gary said: “We’d been promising our fans for two years now this record’s coming, and like Mark said, we got to the beginning of the year and we said to J, listen, we’ve got to start this record.” 

The trio admitted it was a sad day for them when they heard conclusively from Orange that he would not be returning. Gary added: ”We waited and waited until the last point, and we’re rushing everything now because we finally got a decision and we have to respect that.”

December release will be the band’s first album since 2010’s Progress. It is also the first time the band has worked as a trio. Formed in 1990, Take That originally disbanded in 1996 before making a comeback a decade later. Beginning as a quintet the band later became a quartet after Robbie Williams’ departure in 1996. He later joined the band in 2010 but left again two years later.

Fans have been encouraged to pre-order the forthcoming album and new single via Google Play from today. The track list for III includes These Days, Let in the Sun, If You Want It, Lovelife, Portrait, Higher than Higher, I Like It, Give You My Love, Freeze, Into the Wild, Flaws, Get Ready For It.

Clarissa Waldron