Day 675: George Michael – Listen Without Prejudice: Vol 1

Oh man, I am so sleepy but I need to get this puppy done. George Michael must be sent back out into the world.

Last time I listened to George Michael, I was real disappointed. I was expecting the Wham stuff all over again. I couldn't believe my ears. It was like the Spice Girls broke up and each one released an album of slow ballads and muzak. I was crushed.

Now, I knew what to expect. I got my Relax t-shirt on and was prepared to be depressed by the never-ending dreariness of George Michael's album. Oh boy is it slow and sad. John Lennon would probably need to pop a few Prozac to listen to this thing.

It's sad but so relaxing at the same time. I listened to it in the 45 minutes I wait before work. Oh boy did it do the trick. It is music that is soft and sweet but with substance. It's just a man with a velvet voice and a guitar. You couldn't strip it down much more than that. "Cowboys and Angels" is quite haunting but will hit ya' in the heart. "Heal the Pain" adds in some percussion and creates a bit of a reggae thing in his ballad.

Overall, this album was sweet in a emo kind of way. I get the feeling that this album was personal to George. It has a passion and intensity that is there even on the surface. I like how he strips down his songs and makes them catchy without all the flash. It's peaceful and fun all at the same time. 5 stars.

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Neil Young – Ragged Glory