Reviews (page 2 of 9)
Part of the soundtrack to my life 1987-88.....never liked 'I Want Your Sex', but there are some really good songs on here - Father Figure and One More Try especially. Hand to Mouth and Kissing A Fool are both great and sound like they belong on his next album 'Listen Without Prejudice'.
Makes me wish I experienced the 80s reeeaaall bad! Feels like he takes all the stereotypes of the time and somehow subverts them with subtle unexpected choices that flip the beat and turn the trope on its head. Also insane to do all of this from inside the closet. Love him
Faith is the best one. The rest is too sexy for me...
65
I feel like Adam Sandler's comedy song career was highly influenced by this album. Also, what an album.
I had hoped to enjoy it a bit more than I did. George Michael had a lot of talent as a songwriter and performer. Not my thing but couldnt deny his talent. Was a bit disappointed.
Easy voice to listen to, but not my kind of thing really. Some decent pop for the 80s, well put together, though I preferred the other album. I imagine it shone better amongst Rick Astley, Madonna and Mel and Kim (1987 was shite).
no George Michael pls don’t take my sex
The 1987 album Faith by George Michael consists of 10 pop songs that can all be easily mocked on lyrics alone. And yet, there's something irresistible and ineffable about the performance of them that makes it difficult to do. That I can recognize this nearly 40 years after it came out is remarkable in its own right, even if I can't endorse it much beyond admitting that guy can sing and those songs have hooks. But it's well crafted and impeccably produced — a record worth studying if you want to know some tricks of the trade. What strikes me is just how close to the 1990s this record is in terms of the year it dropped and yet how distant it is in terms of overall vibe. It wants to ride an early '80s image of itself — in doing so that made it an easy target then and now.
OMG NOT FAITH LMAOOOO I LOVE FATHER FIGURE LOL 1. Faith: eh, not memorable. 2. Father Figure: AUUUUUUUU 3. I want your sex: oookay 4. One more try: OKAYYYYYY 5. Hard day: i liked the girlie's voice at the end -- yeEAAH 6. Hand to Mouth: good soup 7. Look at your hands: liked this one 8. Monkey: not the monkey sounds 😭 9. Kissing a fool: AWWW loved it 10. A last request: cute MMMMM i'd say 3
First two songs are good but the rest is pretty average at best. 3 stars or C.
Too horny. It’s just too horny. Rounding up because I maybe never appreciated how weird the instrumentation is on the title track. Not sure I even especially liked it but it did make me go “what the..?”
I just think on that Wham drag video with BIPP by Sophie
Me when it's the 80's and I want to have sex
I am just not a fan of this album. The natural comparison of this pop mega-phenomenon is Michael Jackson, and it's candidly not even close. The title track slaps, but the rest of the jazzy white boy soul just does not appeal. I actually prefer his frequently derided follow-up to this.
Pretty solid pop overall. George Michael had a great voice and the songs are pretty good. "Faith" is great of course. "Father Figure" stands out with smooth, clean guitar and lovely keyboards. I like the bass (likely synth?) on "Hard Day". The slower songs are still nice but less my bag.
own
Good album. Very 80’s pop, iconic. He’s a good singer and lyricist. Most songs are good…really they’re all at least ok/listenable, but there are several standouts and a couple so-so tracks. 4.5.
The title track was everywhere when I was in high school. And looking at the track list I know the first three songs. Listening to Fait as an adult makes me really love this song more. It’s still catchy. Great harmonies. Super simple instrumentation, but the bass line drives it. The bass line is such a wonderful compliment to the vocals. Looking forward to track 4 to the end since I don’t recognize those song titles at all. This album is a Time Machine with these first three tracks. “One more try” is on now. I do know this song. Just didn’t know the name. What I wonder now is when did I hear this one? School dance? Movie soundtrack? So I had to look up the bass player on a couple tracks and it was the same guy who played with Wham! That guy is something and I need to look up his discography. Great album. Way better than just the hits.
Gotta admit a man-crush here, I think. Always jealous of the outward gifts of this artist - looks and voice, anyway. Clearly had a challenging existence in many other ways that I'm sure I don't appreciate at all. This is a great pop record. The production feels a little thin, a little cheap, but the songs and the voice stand out.
This definitely wasn't bad, and for sure fun in many places. Maybe it's just weird for me to be listening to an album my mom was listening to on the top 40 station when I was a kid. Not bad, not mind-blowing ⭐⭐⭐
Great
Kutumusaa. Ei yhtään omaa lajia, mutta menisi sillee tilanteessa jossa hempeillään sohvalla mielitietyn kans ja hörpitään viiniä. Vaikea arvosteltava. Ehkä se on sitte kuitenkin enemmän kolmonen kuin kakkonen kun tulee mielleyhtymä mahdolliseen coitukseen.
Olipa sielukasta kasaria. Lyriikat vähän cringe, mutta kuuluu kai aikaan. Ei oikein säväyttäny. Osaahan se Yrjö laulaa, muttei oma viisari värähtäny ainakaan tällä kuuntelulla.
This album was super huge when I was a kid. "Faith" played endlessly on the radio and on friends tape players. I remember hearing it at the skating rink. It was pretty original with the organ intro drawing you in and setting the mood. The rest of the album is pretty good too, kind of more of the same without that really big wow factor. "Father Figure" was also a massive hit that was super popular. It's probably not an album I would listen to frequently but it's great nostalgia and really takes me back to my childhood.
Producers really mastered the most synthetic possible sound for '80s pop. "Monkey" is a very funny song. I think he might be horny Highlights: "Faith", "One More Try", "Kissing a Fool"
3 out of 5. Some bops here and there.
Listen Without Prejudice is still the better album, but damn, if this isn't a close second. 4.5 bumped up to 5.
It’s a 5. Yes, this is basically George Michael doing a Prince album, and while it’s not at the same level of musical mastery as a Prince album, it’s still pretty good. George’s sensuality throughout this album is very potent, and it is fascinating to point out just how non-gendered the lyrics truly are for every track outside of “Look at Your Hands” (which he didn’t write). I know this is well before he was outed as gay, but the signs were there, in a good way. Frankly, it’s a positive towards the entire album; sure, George Michael was a heartthrob to a multitude of people back then, but this album at its core is about freely searching for the ability to express one’s sexual desires with someone willing to accept it. That kind of carnal desire exists for most men, women & nonbinary people, and not tying these tracks implicitly to “George Michael is so fucking cool for having sex with women” really increases the audience here. Granted, if he was trying to be Prince, maybe he could’ve just done that (lord knows it worked on “1999”), but I think there’s a different tone to George’s delivery on a lot of these tracks that wouldn’t make it work in the same way. Yes, even on “I Want Your Sex”, which he later denounced as “bad Prince” by 1989. For 1987, it’s obviously dated to the era, and while that’s a breaking point for people, I just happen to have a real soft spot for this sound. “Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1” has probably aged more gracefully, both in subject matter & soundscape, but there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the overly digital programming present on a lot of these tracks. I do think the tracks with actual guitar & brass are the best ones here (“Monkey” might be the most underrated George Michael track ever), but I just kinda like the early ‘80s Prince meets early Depeche Mode vibes this album tends to give off. It helps that George arranged most of these tracks, so there’s never a sense that we’re being robbed of a greater vision. Really, the only complaint I have about this album is that “Look at Your Hands” has some rather poorly aged lyrics by modern standards (a track about slightly lording over your ex leaving you for an abuser is… not great), which is frustrating since I think there’s a hell of a groove underlining that track. It’s an infectious one, and the energy it has flows really nicely into “Monkey” as well. It’s a perfectly placed spot for such a morally iffy track. I do think the end result is, annoyingly, just that good. Hence, a 5. “Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1” is the better album to me, but I think this earns its acclaim. While it doesn’t quite have the same timeless staying power & bombast as some of the contemporaries he was chasing, it certainly had the commercial power he was looking for. There’s not a bad track here (yes, I’m including “Look at Your Hands”), and as a whole 47 minute package, it’s impossible to deny what George Michael is selling here. I can’t give him my sex, but I can absolutely give him a 5. Rest in peace, George.
Enjoyed it!
A bit hit and miss. MASSIVE hits but also a song about a monkey? Extra point for being George Michael.
Sounds nice and good, pretty fresh, cheerfully and active. Some of the songs are pretty familiar, but still can find something new
Good pop album but not as good as LWP
Great gospel-coded hits on this record, the pick of the litter being Father Figure. For the late 80's, this personal and spiritual touch to a pop record must have been game-changing not only to the genre but humanizing to the artist as well. However, the Prince and MJ influence gets a bit heavy throughout the record. All in all, great listen to get moving to.
Not sure why this fella is sniffing his own armpit but this album is perfectly fine. It's hoppy and sticky. I was lukewarm to it.
Always reminded of Limp Bizkit's version of "Faith"- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-EdCNjumvI
Fundamentally a good pop album that is unabashedly horny as hell. George Michael is really great singer that isn't afraid of expressing himself and what he's about and that works for and against him depending on who you ask. I've heard nearly all these songs; they were played decades after they came out all over european radio. This album is practically all singles, which is wild. It's overproduced, intentionally for the sound, and the songs go on a really long time, unnecessarily so musically but maybe necessarily so for playing in nightclubs. There's a lot of stuff in here that would be a bit over the top now in the sense that you can't describe the things he's talking about in such a, well, explicit way. "I want your sex" comes off as a bit desperate now vs when it came out. In that sense, it's dated. It's a perfect 80's pop album. Whether you like that sound is subjective, but this is the definition of a certain slice of time in music.
Back when I hated George Michael, I was so wrong.
Strong start with Faith,Father figure, and I want your sex, but thought it really fell off after that (I want your sex sounds so much like MJ). I realize he was really popular, and these songs are built around him being this massive pop star talent but most of it comes across as a B- for me.
2.0 To quote Ken Jeong in community, "Ha Gaaayyyy"
Я умерла во время песни I want your sex
Faith is a good song but I found the rest quite dull.
This entire album is George Michael’s handiwork, and it’s damn good. I need to move him up in my creative genius rankings.
I've had cock rock albums by Def Leppard and Pantera. Hadn't realised till now that the cock pop genre existed.
I will be your father figure you can put your hand in mine… my boy had some soul in him I can’t even lie, I loved this!
Vibes muy Michael Jackson, me gustó. Muy pop de esa epoca. 8/10
An absolute powerhouse of a pop album. Incredible from start to finish. Brilliant
George's breakout from Wham! Is a rocket launcher with those first three tracks and then just kinda fizzles out in the end. It's a victim of 80's pop records, trying to front load hits and then fill in when the album was thin. But there's gems in the rest of the record, and it's always his record, his voice, his terms.
Pretty slutty tbh
First half is a lot stronger than the second to me. Not my usual thing, but brings back memories from my youth.
Un proyecto muy interesante y ambicioso One More Try mi favorita Para mi deja claro porque fue el álbum del año en ese momento, es una propuesta muy vibrante y es un viaje musical muy entretenido Su voz es bien cautivadora Reescuchable y altamente recomendable
Bit of a split here. Some of this sounds ahead of its time and holds up pretty well. Other songs sound exactly of its time and should remain in the late 80s forever. Great voice, cringey lyrics. Fun organ, bad synth. Just a mixed bag through and through.
has some heaters Will I listen to again: 29%
Not my thing, but Michael is a good singer/songwriter. Production is very of its time, but still good.
Such an important gay musician landmark for its time, but does it hold up nearly 40 years later? Sometimes? This project is very 80's just like how Wham's fun and playfulness is very 80's. This album screams early Depeche Mode and Synthpop influences with it's very iffy production, part of it is cool and the other part is really boringly cheesy. The mix of both christian and gay themes really shows the duality between a closeted and open lifestyle battling each other in a conflicted person. Faith this maybe not technically the most up to date but the lyrics are themes were extremely forward thinking and I'm so glad he helped pay a strong path for the LGBTQ community.
He has a very strong voice. 80s production again - yuck
Awesome guy
i really like him :) hes so awesome
Très très bon! 👍💪
At the time I wasn't a fan, but one does have to admit, the songwriting, performance and production as aged well and is really solid!
Pretty good, like the strongest 3 star
The perfect 80s pop album and one of the absolute best pop albums I've ever heard. The songs are incredible and George's singing is incredible (as always). Not a fan of drum machines, but they work for this style of music. 5/5
to be honest, it was quite boring
Excellent banger of a pop album. Long before he came out publicly, but with that knowledge it gives makes the songs much deeper. Most people just think he was just a pretty face, but he was an all around talent. Excellent songwriter, producer, with exceptional vocal range and control. Clearly the most complete album in his discography. For the idiots out there, the monkey referenced symbolizes his lover's drug addiction, and then pain of being in a relationship with someone in the grips of addiction. It was a shame that he was never given the Queen vocalist gig after Freddie's death. I get goosebumps every time I hear his rendition of "Somebody to Love", with Queen backing him, at Freddie's Memorial Concert held in Wembley Stadium. Faves: "Faith", "Father Figure", "One More Try", "Monkey"
Are there elements of this that sound very 80’s? Yes. That fact does not take away from anything. George re-introduced himself to the world and we are grateful he did. He’s funky, soulful, and this is a fantastic album.
Like yeah this is good. It's just so easy to clown him for making sex music. 4/5
Father figure was a little strange. Don’t really care for George Michael outside of careless whisper
I wonder if George will ever get the critical re-evaluation I believe he deserves as one of the strongest pop performers, songwriters, and producers of the 80s and 90s. Outside of Wham!, this is his best known material, but for me it's not really quite as good as Listen Without Prejudice (even then he knew he was being dismissed as a shallow pretty boy). There's a HEAVY influence from Prince here, nearly every track owes his a large debt. But George does make it his own more than most Prince worshippers, and there are several careers worth of hit singles stacked on top of each other. I admire his commitment to varied styles, and maybe surprisingly, my favorite track here is the Nat King Cole-ish “Kissing A Fool” Yet another brilliant talent who got pigeon holed despite his best efforts and now is mainly remembered for some slick videos and an unfortunate bust in a public bathroom. RIP GM, you deserved better
U gotta have faith
Faith is a banger, not really into the rest of the album.
I did not expect to enjoy this album - good variety in the songs.
A classic. A true classic. George kicking the doors open here both vocally & stylistically. From the pure lust of I Want Your Sex to the achingly gay-coded Father Figure, there is not a low point here. You are missed, George.
Honestly a bit too sexed up and filthy for me to fully immerse myself in (local asexual here). Still, it's a refreshing hit of dulcet 80's pop tunes to break up the more demanding alternative genres I've been getting. George Michael, you and your infamous tweets will live on in the hearts of many. Rest in peace queer icon!
On paper, I feel like I should like George Michael more than I do, but this just doesn't do it for me. It's like Prince and MJ but just not as good. With that in mind, I still had fun listening and would listen again. I just don't personally find this to be anything amazing. Top Songs: Faith, Monkey, I Want Your Sex
He should’ve stuck to wham
7/10… blue-eyed soul / 80s pop / *1987
I saw George Michael on the Faith tour front row in Frankfurt when I worked as a stage hand. Amazing show and great album the first 4 tracks are absolute bangers.
Gorgeous George Michael that voice - I love this album, favorite track is hands down Kissing a Fool, although I want your Sex parts 1 & 2 and Faith are FANTASTIC too - the whole record is wonderful and he demonstrates that he can shine in any genre, any octave, any anything. scathing talent 4.5 bc I gave Listen without Prejudice a 5
This is pure sex. He takes his time, and every part of it is perfectly timed. Sensual.
If you are the desert I'll be the sea If you ever hunger Hunger for me Whatever you ask for That's what I'll be... You can almost feel the stubble and smell the Drakkar. Starts off "well" then gets more than a little tedious. 2.5 stars.
This is '80s pop music with lusty lyrics. It also has a gospel-type vibe. It was kind of catchy, but something I wasn't really into.
Monstrous 80s pop album, how could it not be? George Michaels solo debut, a seemingly pretty charming dude, loved by a bunch of people. Obviously I know who he is, he made “Careless Whisper” and “Fastlove,” and… well, there are some huge hits off of here. The A-side is two home runs and a strikeout, hilariously. “Faith” is an obvious banger, and “Father Figure” is a classic of adult contemporary, and then there is a 9-minute song called “I Want Your Sex.” I can’t believe this song exists. It’s not even bad, it’s just soooooooo funny. And then from there on out it’s just kinda boring pop numbers “One More Try” is alright but the teacher metaphor is kinda weird and it’s too safe and a bit too long. The B-side is all soft numbers and high-tempo synth funk joints. They’re not bad but they don’t make much of an impression, especially not for the cultural impact this album had. I recognize so many of these songs, and I didn’t even realize it. It’s like the first time I heard “Little Red Corvette” with the knowledge of the song it was, and immediately thought “ohhhh shit I KNOW this song.” All in all, I’m not surprised this album is here, and it deserves its spot. That being said, it doesn’t deserve it because of any sort of exceptional musical quality, at least not all the way through. 7.7/10
It was an ok album. Really only a couple songs that grab you
Big George Michael fan. Great voice and talent. Gone too soon...too much bathroom behavior will do that.
Great production and George Michael's stellar vocal performances make for great pop music. My only objections are that "I Want Your Sex (Pt 1 & 2)" get excessively horny, and, while a jam, "Father Figure", lyrically, gives me some small amount of pause.
Dana Carvey as George Michael on Weekend Update is perhaps my earliest memory of SNL (and George Michael).
Probably George’s best solo album overall. 4
Before listening to this: There's no way it's as good as I remember. After listening to this: It's not as good as I remember. It's better. Pure pop perfection.
Op zijn mooist 'een mannelijke Nora Jones' maar op zijn slechts 'liftmuziek met een kreunende oversexte dude' Mix van 'mwah' (kissing a fool) tot verschrikkelijk (I want your sex)....
Poptastic … but not really my type
I prefer Limp Bizkit's rendition of Faith :) -- the album is good, but not so much my style
Sex... this is so comical and ridiculous, hard to believe anyone takes this music seriously. It does take me back to being a kid when the lifeguards were playing this type of stuff. I'd never listen to it willingly. 4 for nostalgia.
I've never been a fan of George Michael excepting maybe two songs. Nothing to really recommend here, I'm afraid.
Listened over two sittings, and actually really dug it more the second half. These songs are just *so* on the nose and trying to be *so* virtuous but also...sexy for some reason? idk, weird but fun
Really enjoyed this album and not just the classics. The whole record had a really cohesive and unique feel. Will definitely revisit.
George Michael, britischer Sänger, Songwriter und Produzent, nahm sein Solodebüt in den Sarm West Studios in London sowie den Puk Studios in Dänemark auf und veröffentlichte es 1987 über CBS beziehungsweise Epic. Nach dem Ende von Wham! war "Faith" der erklärte Versuch, sich als eigenständiger Künstler im Soul- und Pop-Umfeld zu etablieren, orientiert an Vorbildern wie Michael Jackson und Prince. Michael schrieb, arrangierte und produzierte fast das gesamte Album selbst, ein für einen ehemaligen Boygroup-Sänger ungewöhnlich reifer Schritt. Musikalisch verbindet das Album glatten Achtziger-Pop mit spürbaren Funk- und Gospel-Einflüssen, ohne dabei die Radiotauglichkeit zu verlieren. Der Titelsong lebt von seinem trockenen, fast intimen Gesang und dem markanten Gitarrenriff, während "Father Figure" und "One More Try" die introspektivere, balladeske Seite Michaels zeigen. "I Want Your Sex" wiederum sorgte durch seine unverhohlene Direktheit für Kontroversen und Radioverbote, was dem kommerziellen Erfolg keinen Abbruch tat. Der Erfolg von "Faith" war beispiellos: Es war das erste Album eines weißen Solokünstlers an der Spitze der US-Billboard-Black-Albums-Charts und brachte gleich vier Nummer-eins-Singles in den USA hervor. Auch mehr als drei Jahrzehnte später wirkt das Album weniger wie ein Zeitdokument der Achtziger als wie der Moment, in dem ein Popstar erwachsen wurde. "Faith" bleibt der Beweis, dass George Michael mehr war als die Hälfte von Wham! – er war ein eigenständiger Songwriter von Weltrang.
651/1001 2026.07.06
Meh.
Great singer, and by all accounts the loveliest guy, but apart from the lead single - an all-timer pop track - and a couple brighter moments (like Hard Day) the album as a whole has never done much for me.
never a huge fan, but i appreciate him and his music
I enjoyed Faith. Its a bit slow for my liking. Not really an album for me. I think its two stars for me. I like monkey
This is a perfect example of rock 'n' soul music. George Michael had one of the finest voices of his or any other generation. I think Father Figure is my favorite.
This is peak George Michael era, leather jacket, blue jeans, mirror shades, acoustic guitar, dripping with machismo. Listening to this album, I'm struck by the sheer pop perfection and George's absolutely pristine vocal talent. The front half of the record is stacked with undeniable, classic bangers that heavily channel a Prince influence, and I find it impossible not to sing along. George had that once in a generation vocal talent, and the way he delivers these tracks with such power, nuance, and soul still blows my mind. At the same time, revisiting it now, I have to admit that the lyrics are aggressively horny, and occasionally border on creepy, especially when I really listen to the words of "Father Figure", but that said, everything I learned about sex, I learned from hearing "I Want Your Sex" at a shockingly young age... I also notice that the heavy use of 80s synths and drum machines makes the production feel a bit dated, and the back half of the album loses some of the steam generated by those massive early singles. Still, despite the sleazy undertones and the heavily synthesized retro sound, I can't deny that it’s a remarkably fun, culturally important pop masterpiece.
on of the best album from him with many perfect songs in all genres. like it.
I wasn't expecting to hate this, but I wasn't expecting it to be a 5 star album either. But damn, this was great.
I enjoyed it but thought listen without prejudice was a lot better
Its a great sounding album with the ambition of being michael jackson with a much higher sex drive. Great Songs on it. (3.5/5.0)
Great album, I like the sound
Slick blue eyed soul. Well done.
I was actually impressed with how much I enjoyed this. I knew the title track - who doesn't? - but my parents didn't grow up listening to George Michael, so that counts me out. Reminds me so much of Prince at times, with a twist. And, very similar to Prince, he produced and wrote everything on the album and played a lot of the instruments on most tracks. It also solidified his image as a sex symbol at the time, which was something that he despised and derided. As was recently published in the news, his 1992 Trojan Souls project (that he attempted to make with his cousin before their falling out) was an effort for him to push to more technical boundaries and spiritual concepts. He's a serious musician and should be remembered as such. I'll explore more of his stuff with time. An all-time classic of the 80s. Not everything is to my style, but I enjoy synthy bouncy stuff if done well, so still gets 4 stars.
It’s fine.
great
Great single - the rest was kinda bleh and samey same
I don't want to hate on this because there's some good music on here but the songwriting is just a constant flow of absolutely pathetic begging for sex type bullshit. Shut up. Edit: Okay, he's gay. I'm gay too and I don't wanna hear this.
Always get excited when I get a solid, capital P Pop album from this list
This is not the type of 80s pop I like; I found it pretty boring.
Started out with a couple of bangers but trailed off pretty hard after
Man, that had some reallllllly weird ideas what’s hottt. I feel like if you asked who the songs were about, he would’ve said “you don’t know them, they go to a different school”
Listening to this album, you understand who Justin Timberlake wanted to be, in part (MJ, we will see you later). It's a relatively easy listen. With 4 absolute nukes to open the album you realize why folks were ushering in the 90s with this man's music. It does cool off, and the second half is pretty pedestrian. I can't give it 4 stars on quality but it would be a crime to give it 3 stars with 3 iconic songs opening.
Production is THIN AS HELL. Obviously a couple of noteworthy hit tracks, but an ultimately ho-hum experience in its totality due to everything lacking any punch production-wise.
Dated, hit or miss opening cuts are followed up by a strong showing to the end. This album hasn't aged as gracefully as it could but it's well worth a listen.
There's a lot of cheesy over the top 80s moments that don't quite work on here, but Father Figure is such a jam and I'm still annoyed Taylor Swift neutered it.
Just not horny enough for this. Michael bates his soul here which is both its success and a little of it's downfall. Great voice as always, but sometimes feels like he's over sharing his kinks a bit.
Its okay. I don't remember being impressed by this album in the 80s and nothing has changed.
Feels like a discount Michael Jackson
He’s very in tune with how to write and perform pop music. With plenty of gospel/soul inspiration, this set of songs clearly comes from a genuine place in his heart. Some tracks have a sound palette that age better than others. “Father Figure” takes a minimalist approach that makes the 80’s soundfonts feel tasteful, clearly a reference track for every pop artist pulling from 80’s sounds today. Other songs? Not so much. “I Want Your Sex” is written well enough but my goodness the whirls and wobbly synths, the upright electric drumming. It’s like a Prince song without the charisma to break through its sonics. This sort of dichotomy will remain through the entirety of the project: the louder and more electronic, the more grading it is on the ears. The more subtle and quiet the song is, the more you can feel Michael’s tender intentions and brilliant penmanship. “One More Try” soars with a longing that feels heightened with the knowledge that he was still in the closet at the time. Those high notes are equal parts despair and desire. Very pretty song, probably my favorite in the album. “Monkey” being a term for drug addiction and not another man’s dick was quite disappointing to learn. I might keep that in my head cannon. Outside of the swanky “Kissing A Fool” these songs stick on their rails, with no real instrumental or compositional surprises. That’s not to say theyre bad. Theyre just aired out, long-play pop songs. 3/5 soft monkeys
I know this is a huge record at the time and now. I know I am familiar with a bunch of his tracks, maybe off this record.
The title track is a classic. The rest of the album… a bit samey. We get it George, you’re horny and want to be like Michael Jackson but just a little smoother.
Couple good tracks
Two songs worth the 3
Sehr cooles Album von ihm, hat mir gefallen
naja geht so, bisschen Horny der George.
Bin nun horny
Faith: crisp rhythm beats, something spacious and sparse about the arrangement until the guitars really come in ... it's such a clean sound. Father Figure: strains against the space that floats above the mix, cat like whisper -- vocals feel in the middle of the mix, piercing through. Sounds like a Prince song. I Want our Sex: oh the 80's cheese has ARRIVED! Do your best Prince Rogers Nelson. a lot of MJ impersonating Hand to Mouth is an oddly lush yet angular synth track that prefigures Sade in some way, some spanish guitar trilling -- compelling look at your hands: this seems like a bryan ferry track that was wrung out of all its requisite loucheness. it makes me sad. final track is boring but neat. close the bar!!!
RIP Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou
An extra star for the sexiness
3.5 favs: faith, father figure, monkey they sang this on glee
131223 18:16 3.5
Overraskende bra.
Sounded great. Subject matter was a little one note.
dudo que lo vuelva a escuchar alguna vez.
This is a fantastic pop record that I think would be a hit even if released today. It’s well crafted, very horny, and Michael’s singing is incredible throughout.
Fun but kind of drowns in its own 80's pop sheen. After listening it feels like you've had a slice of cake that's way too rich.
Not really my style but the song "Faith" is a classic.
George Michael literally only wants one thing and it’s fucking disgusting Surely the UKs answer to Michael Jackson, enjoyed this way more than I expected
Very enjoyable album but I do feel some of the songs last a bit longer than they should and don’t really go anywhere 3.5
1st half better than the second but still a good album
80's pop. Not much else to say 3/5
Sometimes it’s nice to just get a turn-your-brain-off album There’s a lot of good catchy songs on here, with the title track and Look at Your Hands being my favorites. George Michael’s got a good voice and it’s pretty easy to get invested. I think it’s kinda cool to see this super straightforward pop blueprint dipped in all sorts of genres (funk, jazz, soul etc). It has a lot of Michael Jackson influence, to the point where it’s almost too much at times The main problem with this album is just the blatant lack of depth. I know the historical context of him not being out of the closet yet is important, but pretty much every song on this is just some form of him wanting someone (don’t even get me started on I Want Your Sex being like 10 minutes long). I’m not going to pretend this albums super deep or really anything besides an album that’s supposed to sound good, which is just kinda Pop in general. As long as an album’s fun and actually has songs to sing to, I will almost certainly like it.
Yeah I'm white. Yeah Faith is a very catchy song. Really don't like I want your sex. rest is ok
Not my kind of music, flat out. I heard the songs about sex and I didn't want to listen to this album anymore. Also long, I hate when albums are long when I don't like them at all.
My first thought was, “Cool. I’ve never listened to a whole George Michael album.” My second thought was, “I know most of these songs.” So I guess a good exercise in understanding that certain pop idols are famous for a reason. Still, though many of these songs were recognizable and enjoyable for me, I don’t think that George Michael is necessarily somebody that I’m going out of my way to listen to. I think I might equate him to Harry Styles as a contemporary comparison. Musically competent, important for pop cultural reasons, but not necessarily somebody that I am looking to have more of in my canon.
Faith Father Figure I Want Your Sex (Parts 1 & 2)
I loved it. Bops all over.
The only thing I can think of to say about this particular album is "eh? That was okay." Some good songs, some pretty mid songs.
if he wants my sex then frankly we should let him have it
Really solid album with some strong hits.
The king with a cracking debut. George can write. He can sing. He can perform. This is a great album. Shut up. I don’t care what you think Use your ears. The guy can funk. He can soul. He can rock.
The wife is a huge fan who turned me onto this record back in the day, its an absolute classic. It's the songs, the song writing is exceptional, he could craft a great tune young George. It is so fresh, the sound is brilliant. A top shelf selection.
As a teenager, I rejected the world of mainstream pop in search of an edgier and cooler alternative scene. Wham's 'Wake Me Up Before You Go Go' was one of the songs that helped cement that decision for me: it was frothy, ubiquitous and desperately uncool. I didn't really pay much mind to George Michael for the longest time after that. Faith was ginormous album, with six hit singles, and so was impossible to ignore. I'm pretty sure I have a vinyl copy tucked away in my collection somewhere. But I didn't pay active attention until nearly twenty years later when I was less concerned with teenage conceptions of 'cool'. And it was his voice that really captured me, triggered by his performance of 'Somebody to Love' at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert which I confess I didn't see until many years after the fact. He was a really extraordinary vocalist, and even his most inconsequential songs contain really outstanding singing. For example, 'One More Try' is a slight and somewhat cliched song with a cheesy 1980s backing track -- it seriously sounds like a low budget karaoke tape -- but his vocal performance is just beautiful. His range, timing, dynamics and emotive expression is all powerful and in service to the song. And that is consistent across the album, even if the musical accompaniment leaves something to be desired. His propensity to cover Stevie Wonder songs shows how good he is; Stevie songs are notoriously difficult to sing due to their harmonic complexity and Stevie's fluid phrasing. But George makes it sound deceptively easy (see his covers of 'As' or 'I Believe When I Fall In Love (It Will Be Forever)'). Some big 80s albums sound very much of their time, but still sound great (off the top of my head, Tears for Fears' Songs from the Big Chair, Sade's Diamond Life or Peter Gabriel's Us. I'm sure you can think of other examples). But George Michael's 80s output has not aged quite as well. He was a perfectionist and control freak, but that often meant he did a lot of instrumental and production work himself, which leaves a bit to be desired. The clumsy LinnDrum programming on his 80s solo work is.... weak. His vocals are so great, I'd really love to hear him backed by a really great soul band, like the Roots or some of the neo-soul ensembles of the 90s. And it wasn't out of the question, I mean, Pino Paladino was doing heaps of session work in the UK int he 80s; can you imagine how much better these could sound with Pino playing bass? The Netflix documentary showed what a complex, conflicted and often unhappy man he was (but also ambitious, talented, driven, loyal). I have developed an interest in his catalogue, and there is a large body of really strong work across his career. And that voice! While this album is not to my taste, I would happily listen to George Michael sing the telephone book. 3.5 stars, rounding up.
Based on my teenage boy memories and the fear I had of having someone jumping out and questioning my sexuality if I admitted to liking this album, I was fully prepared to brush past this. The guy's voice is phenomenal, the music is good, he has something of a one track mind. Having said that, it was a solidly good album
He’s got some talent, but he really tries his hand at everything here. A little prince, Michael Jackson, and even Duran Duran. The overly sexual breathy moaning and singing is off putting. Faith is a banger though.
honestly, peak pop that pushes subcultures forward and moves the edge
Good for 80s
4.5 Been genuinely impressed by the solo George Michael albums I’ve gotten. Really full, well-developed, well produced pieces of pop. Michael’s voice is extraordinary, obviously, but the songs are spectacular too. Really fun to listen to! There’s a real modernity to his 90s stuff, they seem deeply influential. They’re due for some cultural reappreciation imo.
A lot of power. Organ was great -- gave that Sunday-morning vibe an extra punch. Had a strong Michael Jackson vibe with the beats -- quick hits in a 1-3 pattern. Listened a couple times.
how did people not know he was gay
Undoubtedly, there’s some part of my love for this which comes round to nostalgia for George Michael and for the general sound this album pushed into pop, I’m sure, but also, you have to give it proper credit and admit that it’s just fantastic pop, carrying an undeniable Prince influence lyrically and sonically while forming its own thing out of the studio (vs Prince’s full band setup at the time). The first four tracks are a killer front side, all sliced well to make singles even when you’re naming a song I Want Your Sex, but the back half also doesn’t disappoint when it’s pushing the sounds a bit further and really giving the subwoofer a taste on one track while doubling back to a Broadway-esque sound by the end. Songwriting is probably arguably a bit of a weak spot, but sometimes a singer sounds great and that’s enough, you’ll let him work out his horndog jealousy on the tape. Ultimately, it’s all got that boldness and range you expect out of a “something to prove” debut, but the art in that is landing the plane somehow, which this absolutely does for me.
erm wrm ruikt hij z’n okselhaar.. dit is rxht slecht. eigenlijk het is wel een vibe maar de lyrics 😭
SUS ALARM.. 🚨 SUS ALARM.. 🚨 HOLYYYYY SUSSSSS naast alle sus lyrics s het wel een vibe album
još jedan album koji spada u kategoriju "semks hehe", no usto izrazito natprosječno napaljen, ni ne pokušava prikriti, pjesme se zovu "seks ovo" ili "seks ono". solidno slušanje koje mi nije smetalo, na trenutke bih malo i zavajbao, ali samo na trenutke, na neke druge momente došlo bi blizu napornog, al nikad nije prekoračilo u to. sve u svemu čista trojka. nȁ!
Oh George. Well let’s see how I feel.. at least this is British pop from the 80’s that I believe belongs here… Yeah, I knew like 75% of these songs as a kid. That’s… freaky. Sex is such a core element of this, it’s Prince without the funk and so much more… earnestness. I always feel like sex is a bit tongue in cheek for Prince. He’s sexy, but there’s humor. There’s no humor with George Michael. It’s just sex. Father Figure is down right creepy. Sorry. But my brother and I knew all the lyrics as KIDS. This song was EVERYWHERE. And well… try to tell me there’s no sexual implication. I. Will. Laugh. In. Your. Face. Anyway, George gets a 4. I mean it’s a good, consistent album. I can’t do 5. I just can’t. Boolean: yes, but then maybe take a shower, either for relief or to scrub yourself clean.
La portada y los títulos de las canciones ya te dicen todo. Sólo me gustaron Faith y One More Try.
Father Figure
didn't expect to like this as much as i did. very stereotypically 80s, but i liked it. look at your hands was my favourite, something about the lyrics really did resonate with me
UHhhhhh, not terrible, he's an interesting songwriter, but awfully inconsistent.
A little repetitive, but its a good album. The transition from the sex song to the instrumental one is really funny.
Faith is a banger, the rest of the album is kind of meh.
Highlights: Faith, Kissing A Fool, I Want Your Sex, Father Figure. In a nutshell: people get ready... I completely forgot Faith was a debut! And it's a decent solo debut. Starting the title track with a sample of Freedom (the Wham song) played on a church organ was a nice touch. I Want Your Sex, although lyrically clunky, was as important then as it is now. A song exploring sex positivity, released in the 80s- when AIDS/HIV/STI awareness was at an all time high- was not only daring, it was necessary. It's front loaded but it has a lovely closing track - Kissing A Fool. Overall: 5/10
Despite a majority of these songs being released as singles, only really the first 3 songs still get radio play, and from listening to this, it’s pretty clear why. It takes a bit of a nosedive after those three songs. Not to say it’s bad, but it’s not really special. 3/5
Perfect album!
Faith was when I realized, oh this motherfucker actually has Talent! I didn’t think the guy from Wham! could produce such next-level pop. I mean Wham! was fun but disposable. He surprised me with his frankness and his musical instincts. “Faith”, “Father Figure” and “I Want Your Sex” are an opening three tracks I’d put up against anyone. It was kind of a shock to a suburban white kid who still hadn’t figured out George was gay! Not everything works; the back half of the album is either a bit too earnest or naive, and “Look At Your Hands” is just nasty victim-blaming. Some of that God complex he grew into creeps in a little. But damn the tracks do swing hard, signaling a coming-out (nudge nudge) party for Andrew Ridgeley’s bandmate.
Well, if Bad was not another a world-beating collection of hits like Thriller, Faith sure seemed game to fill in. That this came out right as I was figuring out that adults in the 1980s were weird about sexual content in the media, well, George Michael, Prince, and Madonna were more than happy to point a spotlight on that part of being a human. Anyhow, this thing was everywhere for years. I listened to the radio a bunch, we had it on in the car, and Faith crossed multiple formats. My Mom’s easy listening station invariably had one of the hits, my proto-alternative station might have the title track or “Monkey” (a ludicrous song, love it). By 1989 it felt like you couldn’t go a day without hearing “Father Figure” or “One More Try” which, I’ve had phases where I like elements of the latter’s melody, but y’all...this is maybe the first experience I had with an artist being overplayed. All. The. Time. Woke Sociopolitical Sidebar: I like Faith and Michael, but it’s hard not to look at this as one of the classic paths a white, usually male star takes going solo, especially from their “unserious, teenybopper” act: imitate the actually innovative Black artist of the time, put a big “this guy fucks” sign on it, make sure to keep some pop songs on to not freak out your existing fans. Michael even boasts about the real success was going #1 on the Black charts, playing up the trope of Black people being more innately sexual: “I knew this album would be a shock or a surprise to people in this country. The uptempo side of the new music is more overtly sexual, more black." C-c-c-c-c-c-c-cmon. Also one of the 1980s English or American artists to look at non-Western sounds and sure, why not? An Egyptian melody? Does it work or make any sense? No idea.
Yeah this album ain't good. Like 2 cool songs here and the rest is a snoozefest. Nothing bad though
4/5
Lindo
“I want your sex” is very goofy, but otherwise it’s a spectacular album.
What if the Michael Jackson songs I don’t like sounded even worse.
Damn. Another album that I was aware of the reputation of but had never heard, this record is well deserving of its status. George Michael's voice is simply heavenly, and he's able to deliver lyrics that are tender on one song in the same way as the overly charged sexual ones that he'll sing on the next one. He truly proves himself as a serious artist with this record.
Guys, I think George Michael wants to have sex with someone. Can someone help him with that, please? Anyone? Oh wait, that's not possible anymore. That's unfortunate. You know what's not unfortunate though? This album being on the list. I mean, you've gotta have George Michael on here, right? This album does have some of his biggest hits. Said hits, by the way, are quite good! The title track is iconic for good reason. WAY better than the Limp Bizkit version. "Father Figure" is pretty good. "One More Try" is nice. The others are all pretty solid. All of the songs come together to form an album that is pretty solid all things considered. The album is a little repetitive lyrically, but the music is good all throughout. It is VERY 80s though. I will be honest about one more thing though. It has been a while since I heard it, but from what I remember, I definitely prefer Listen Without Prejudice. I just like that album's sound more than this one's. I think that album's aged a bit better, you know? But, I do still like Faith. It's a nice 80s pop album with some good tunes. High 3/5.
Started out strong positive dance songs / then finished with a downer. He lost love?
It's got a sound that's kind of cool and also kind of not. But overall I guess it is decent. I honestly don't know if my rating for this album is too harsh or much too generous. Favorite track: "Hard Day"
very Sexful album. was pretty good! i especially enjoyed the album's more upbeat songs but the chill songs work well too. last 2 songs were boring but i think they just weren't my thing. regardless it gets a 5/5
2 de 5 George Michael fusiona soul, funk, rock y pop, agregando una impecable producción y madurez musical, para crear un disco que representa una parte del sonido de los 80’s. Sobresale por su amplia versatilidad de géneros y que equilibra el éxito comercial masivo con la integridad artística. A destacar: Track 1 - Faith Track 2 - Father Figure Track 4 - One More Try Track 9 - Kissing a Fool Track 10 - A Last Request (I Want Your Sex, Pt. 3)
Parts of Faith are so glossy and era-defining that they can feel trapped inside their own late-’80s perfection. This is not an album of mystery. It is an album of execution. If you want mess, ambiguity, or emotional danger of the kind that later defined Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1, this record can feel a little too eager to conquer, a little too aware of how good-looking it is.
Rating:★★★ It's alright. A couple of songs like Father Figure and Faith were decent, the rest were a bit too much for me.
This is an album that will make everyone dance
This has such a horny vibe to it that it’s tempting to say it’s the type of album Isaac Hayes would’ve made if he was a white, closeted Brit in the late 80s. And I mean that in good ways all across the board (and I understand Michael was open about being British). Regardless of one’s orientation, I think we as a culture should have a serious conversation about the frequent “father figure/daddy” references in a sexual context. And also this choice of cover art looking like a deodorant ad.
A tale of two sides: the A-side is epic and monumentally influential; the other side is mostly flat.
Good old 80s pop. Everyone knows Faith, of course, and that's a banger for sure. There are a few others here that I would never have admitted to liking back when I was a kid. But this album aged fairly well if you don't pay attention to the lyrics too closely. It's well recorded, well produced, well sung. I think it checks all the boxes it was trying to check when George Michael set out solo. 3.75/5
This album suffers the same fate as many many others. While it has some brilliant moments, it is stuck by a kind of redundancy that is hard to overlook after a while. This sounds almost maddening coming from a techno fan but it is nevertheless true... Yeah, it is great and it is easy to understand why he was a super-star but at the same time while it is not dated, it is kind of specific and pop oriented. But to be clear he deserves fame for being on the top of the pops for a long time and he has a considerable playlist that goes beyond runway music. It could also be my mood, which is subject to change. OK, so I will not be hasty. It IS better than an average album by a better than average singer so away we go...
I can understand why this hit big commercially, particularly in the 1980s. I certainly think it has merit. But I’ll never be a big fan of this horny, R&B pop sound. Just not my bag.
Classic pop album. Very sexy. Not sure about that monkey song though. Favorite track: Father Figure
It seems that if it's a classic 80s pop album, I just can't hate it. Yeah it's aged, but it just sounds so good. Glorious, velvety smooth cheese. Faves: Faith, Father Figure, Kissing a Fool
There are some tracks with a nice jazzy atmosphere, but overall it feels like the definition of mainstream ’80s pop. George Michael is obviously talented, though his style doesn’t fully click with me.
I love Freedom '90 and a couple Wham! songs, but never listened to a full album. I've come to understand that George Michael can be just as horny as his main inspo, Prince, but is only half as funky. I think his best work on this album is when he's doing the melancholy later Peter Gabriel or Phil Collins thing, as his writing is very good and he can sing well. Hand to Mouth and A Last Request are huge standouts in both of those regards. But the Prince thing he tries to do in tracks like I Want Your Sex is outshined too heavily by... well, Prince, for one. Hard act to follow, especially when the band on this album kinda sounds like a Hal Leonard sheet music demo track sometimes. I'd call it a 3.5, I enjoyed the songwriting and his voice most.
Still hearing Freddie, and definitely hearing a lot more Michael Jackson. Listening to this after ‘Listen Without Prejudice’ has me understanding why that record left critics and audiences a little cold - this is just so much more fun and colorful. It’s sexy, polished pop perfection. It would also benefit greatly from being 10 minutes shorter. A lot of these songs really take their time. Very 80s still, and I don’t know if I’ll revisit in full, but I do have a better appreciation for George Michael as a pop tower of the time.
Do you think this guy wants to have sex? #hornball
WHAM! Did not make it through the HOUR AND FORY FIVE MINUTES OF MUSIC but not bad
Liked a lot more than I thought I would. I want your sex reminded me of blurred lines (which ik was released way later but). The beginning of the album was a lot stronger than the end
Kinda groovy
Glossy pop rock and blue-eyed soul built from polished drum machines, clean guitar lines, soft synth textures, and smooth vocals drifts by like expensive hotel lobby music pumped through neon speakers—slick and professionally assembled, but emotionally empty and too sanitized to leave much of a lasting impression. The album’s obsession with radio-friendly polish drains tension and spontaneity from the songs. Despite the strong vocal control, the material often feels lightweight and nutritionally thin rather than genuinely nourishing.
Hard Day is a banger and a great showcase for the hi-fi system's bass dynamics. Actually, a lot of tracks here are. Also, there appears not to be a bad track on this - so far they're all musically engaging. Also, also, George Michael apparently is a very good singer.
This album is so good I think we still haven't George Michael enough flowers for his talent. These songs are damn good and well arranged. Pretty much every chorus hits
Has a couple decent songs. The whisper singing gets old. A little over-produced and sounds a bit too rooted in the 80's. 2.5/5 Probably won't listen again
Nice
Papi
Öppnar starkt men resten av plattan håller inte samma nivå. Lite föör sliskigt och slickt.
Gay
Jävla pipa! Svängigt och glossy. Bitvis skoj, bitvis trök. En grej som biter sig fast dock: Otroligt peddig text i ”Father figure” eller?
Det är bra men hade förväntat mig mer!
Svårt att inte bli sexpositiv av 9 min och 17 sek I want your sex
Another stone cold classic
dang this may be a new classic for. it's so cheesy but so fun.
This man loves sex and he loves an 80s backtrack.
The music is not bad, I prefer the songs with more funk in them, the slow songs are totally forgettable. However, it is not something I would hate to have on the background while doing something else. 2,5/5.
Icky lyrics, icky 80's synths and beats, yuck.
bwaa... een beetje george gaat er altijd in... maar een volledige plaat is net iets te
Classy artist
A bit of a B-Side Prince, but there were some nice moments throughout. 3/5
80s musak!!! It is over produced, but Robbie Williams does not exist without this guy. So it is good enough for me. 6.5/10 Top song Faith
For a debut album, this is an incredible rich, lush, and wonderful record. Huge range, sexy, soulful, but also great pop music. I had vaguely heard of George Michael before, but never really listened to him; that is going to change going forward. His vocals are so sonrous, his lyrics deep, the backing instruments (which he plays) are excellent and complimentary. I really loved this album and surprised myself in it. Those first three tracks have such range, are so enjoyable, and fuck hard.
Not really my thing but best version of what it is
When I was a kid I thought it was just shocking for shocking sake. But I’ve come to see it as a great album with lyrics that are not even that bad compared to what you hear nowadays
Pop relajado entretenido alegre
Empieza con dos temazos
Man, these lyrics are interesting. They’re metaphorical at times, but they all sound like sexual innuendos. The production and music was clean, even though there was a lot of 80’s cheese on this one.
For monkey and faith alone
Jazzy pop. Almost in the Prince vein.
مو حلو
I really struggled with this one, i can see ehy it has so many 5's but also so many 1's. Lets start with the good. Faith is a banger and there are some good pip songs here. George's voice is superb and stands the test if time. Some of the production and orchestration is really good and i was surprised at the variety in music i found in it. However, the lyrics were mostly awful. Ok, George, we get it, you were very horny writing this. But at least have some variety or subtlety. This is just a teenage boy howling at the moon. And the 80's touches date very badly. At times it seemed so sparse in comparison to the other aspects i had to check i was getting all of it.
His own unique style undergirds a quality outing that has a few classics but also has some mundane repetition.
I remember what a big deal this album was when it came out. I don't imagine I ever listened to it all the way through back in the day, but the videos and singles were ubiquitous. Generally, I'd say those hits like "Faith" and "Father Figure" capture the spirit of the whole: infectious fun when they're not trying to take themselves to seriously.
it wasn't bad. I enjoyed listening to it.
This is carried by the pure sauce that George Michael had. Outside of maybe Prince and Michael Jackson, I don't think any other man had more of that superstar quality than George Michael had at this time. The guy had charisma pouring out of him and it rubs off on his music, even if it has all the potential to be dated eighties cheese. It just works. Everyone knows and should rightfully love the title track. 'I Want Your Sex' is such a bop that you don't even notice that it is approaching the ten minute mark as you are too busy shaking your ass. 'Kissing A Fool' sounds like it could have been a old jazz standard, but I was shocked to see it was an original. This record is packed with sexed-up bangers. If its uncool to like this man, then I'll happily be uncool.
I miss him.
2.5.
Not really for me, despite the ‘80’s nostalgia.
gay
Faith is like a well-tailored suit: it fits perfectly, looks sharp, and makes you feel good wearing it, but you know, it’s not going to start a fashion revolution. George Michael proves he can carry a solo album without the Wham! baggage, delivering hits like “Faith” and “Father Figure” that still make you want to strut around your living room. That said, the album has a tendency to play it safe. There’s a pleasant groove running through almost every track, which is enjoyable, but after a while, it’s like eating the same dessert every night, even if it’s chocolate mousse, you start craving something unexpected. Still, the charm, smoothness, and sheer ‘good vibes’ factor make it easy to forgive the little sameness. 7/10
Michael Jackson or George Michael, this album is as creepy as 80 could get in that sex is good sex is bad because aids era.
Not the best album of George Michael
Freaky ahh
what can i say about it? it’s george michael, of course it’s good. lots of tik tok sounds come from this record, didn’t really expect that
This album made me take a break from this list. I don't need more white boy RnB. I don't need another dollar-store Michael Jackson (I don't even like Michael Jackson to begin with!). I don't need another pop singer that thinks that singing like they just ran a marathon makes them sound seductive. This album is like if you took all of the bad aspects of modern pop music and created an album out of it. The inability to talk about anything other than sex and relationships in the most shallow way possible, the ridiculousness of the music when it does try to tackle social issues (Hand to Mouth tries to be about poverty but just comes across as voyeuristic when paired with the album's singing and production), the complete lack of restraint when it comes to slathering painfully 80s synths everywhere, the lyrics that make you astonished that a grown adult wrote them, it's all on display here. Honestly some of these tracks, I probably would've liked if they were instrumental. I have a soft spot for cheesy synths and some of the rhythm on here is genuinely good. But then George Michael has to ruin it with his pseudo-ASMR singing and laughable attempts to get in my pants. I don't understand how anyone can think *bweep bweep bweep* I WANT YOUR SEX is hot in any way. Also what the fuck is up with Father Figure? That doesn't make me want to sleep with you, that makes me want to call the police.
Good few bangers
Eh
Good clean fun. I liked this a lot.
Not sure it was my taste. Exactly what I thought it would be and that is 80s vibe. Didn't really have hits but wasn't too bad
I groaned when this popped up but not going to lie it was packed with some solid, sweaty, thirst trap filled gems. Pure 80s cheese but in a good way.
super horny where is the faith
Freaky little guy. I don’t think there’s a time or place where i would play a song from this album. It’s not bad quality wise though
У Лимп Бизкит было лучше
The production is actually quite good considering we're deep in the 80s here. The bits that aged the least well are some pseudo-Carribbean-sounding guitar twangs. Turns out I know more songs from this than I'd ever expected. But there's some really schmalzy bar-jazz here, too. Which on the one hand shows he isn't just the pop guy, and was probably the first 80s/later pop star to venture into jazz/swing... but we're still talking schmaltzy bar-jazz. George Michael is one of the musicians who fascinate me because they have such a fascinating story (even before his untimely death). There's a "but" this this statement, of course - which is that while I appreciate he was a great songwriter, I don't much enjoy the songs he wrote. A bit like ABBA. Incredible songwriters and producers, and rightfully in the pantheon of pop, and you get while they are/were so ubiquitous on the radio, MTV and wherever. But I'm grand not listening to George Michael or ABBA for years. There's never a point where I'd say "you know what, I really feel like putting on some George Michael or ABBA!"
HELL YEAH BROTHER. That’s some baby-making music right there.
As corny as wham was this has its fair share of cheese. But it’s catchy and there were a bunch of hits. The biggest thing that really surprised me was that George Michael wrote, arranged, produced and played a bunch of instruments on this record. That is super impressive. Lot of respect for that. And for that I’m giving this 4 stars.
80er reinster Form. Damals gern gehört, aber recht schnell vergessen. Boy George kam besser rüber.
Divertido y sexy
Fabulous
A bunch of pop bangers and certainly a major hit for Gorgy boy. It's a little dated to more modern listening, but when it came out, this album was inescapable.
É um disco com momentos muito inspirados e legais, porém, algumas músicas se entendem muito. Pula Unicrom.
Every song is either about religion (expected) and/or sex (not expected).
Pas beaucoup écouté mais je n’ai pas bcp apprécié. J’ai trouvé ça un peu trop classique et lisse
Slick, horny, and synth-ed out. It's a top loaded album. The first four tracks (noting that "I Want Your.." was broken up for air play) were all big releases and hits. "Faith", "Father Figure" (what is he *actually* saying here?? Time has not been kind to these lyrics. "Put your tiny hands in mine?"... Ewww...) and "One More Try" were all in constant rotation for a few months and I remembered them distinctly for the videos -- especially "Father Figure". I was on the cusp of being a teenager and that video was... 'influential'... "I Want Your.. (Pt. 2)" is like a hornier "Kool and the Gang" and "..(Pt. 1)" also had (for a preteen) a similarly 'moving' video. I wasn't in the mood this *morning* for all the horniness, but I could see where (and WHEN) it would be appropriate and appreciated. The rest of the album seems to be drowning in snyth, drum machines, and an obnoxious bass. It's almost a parody of it's time and the effect seems to be 'overcooked'. There's not much redeeming left on the album after "One More Try", with maybe "Monkey" being the exception, but only because it's also pretty damn horny too. (3/5) For being some of the 80's most sexed-up synth pop and solely on the strength of the first half of the album.
Not a fan when it came out, and the decades haven't been kind since then. A handsome dude singing about sex, sold to chicks who think he's singing about them instead of his buddy from Wham. How this is culturally relevant or influential enough to have made this list is a mystery I'd rather not dwell on. Still better than Morrissey, though...
Variety: 4 Adequacy: 3 Listenability: 2 Uniqueness: 2 Emotionality: 2 = 2.6 rounded up to a 3 "We won the race, got out of the place/ Went back home, got a brand-new face for the boys on MTV (boys on MTV) But today the way I play the game has got to change, oh yeah (oh yeah)/ Now I'm gonna get myself happy" George Michael ha always been a bit of an enigma to me. His hits from this, and Wham ( was "Last Christmas even a thing in the U.S.?) were all over the radio as a kid, but catchy as they were he always seemed more like a character than a real person. Like I remember seeing Madonna, Michael Jackson, even Prince I think do interviews. But never Michael. Maybe I missed them. I can totally understand why he might have wanted to avoid any scrutiny or hard questions at this stage in his career though. But I don't think I even knew he was British until I was in my late teens or later. I can say for certain I only know his hits. THE TRACKS Side one "Faith" - In retrospect, the church organs on this are pretty hilarious. This remains as toe-tappingly great as it ever was. The thing that strikes me know is how sparse it sounds. Like in my mind there's a bit more going on, but this is almost like anti-wall of noise production. I hear this one once in a blue moon which makes me wonder if Michael is slowly disappearing from pop culture. "Father Figure" - This one I never hear anymore, but it was ALL over the place when I was a kid. I distinctly remember getting the opening confused with "These Dreams" by Heart with their similar openings and would take me a few seconds to catch on to which was which. Very atmospheric, and has a lot more going on production-wise. Could almost be something off of Madonna's True Blue album. "I Want Your Sex" - If the last one was his attempt at keeping up with Madonna, this one gives Prince a run for his money. I do remember this one getting a lot of news coverage from outraged moral majority types. That did not stop it from becoming a mainstay though. At least on MTV. It's crazy though ( I'm listening to the song via that video right now) how ludicrously tame the video and song is by even the standards of just 5 years later, much less nowadays. But I guess Michael's supermodels walked so that Little Nas X could run towards giving Satan a lap dance. "One More Try" - This one's title didn't ring a bell, but then as soon as it started it all came back. Damn, four hits in a row on teh first side. Michael in his soulful ballad mode. Much more Whammy than anything else so far. Side two "Hard Day" - Side two puts us in the desert, more or less, as I 'm not familiar with any of these I think. Maybe "Monkey"? But am I just thinking of the Peter Gabriel song? This one was fine, but felt a lot more generic, like it could have been performed by any number of funk, tech-forward R&B acts from the period. That synth bass lines dates this pretty badly as well. Imagine this slowed way down with traditional instrumentation and Sade singing maybe, and "Hand to Mouth" - Ugh... this Casio preset style beat is not doing the song any favors. Also not sure Michael has the gravitas to handle a social ills song like this. "Inner City Pressure" by Flight of the Conchords I can even take a bit more seriously than this. At least he sounds earnest? "Look at Your Hands" - Ooof. That sax. I'm usually pretty forgiving of stuff that sounds very much of its era. That can be charming most of the time, but I'm sneaking up from behind and pushing this one off the cliff to fall into the garbage dump with all the Steve Winwood and Roxette deep cuts. "Monkey" - Ok, yeah. So this one I do remember. The metaphor here for sure sailed way over my head as a kid, and I must have been very confused about why in the world a ( somewhat) serious sounding song about a monkey was doing on the radio. High energy here, and a lot going on. It's fine, just in a perfect world there's a very literal music video that maybe re-used the sets from "Rio" where MIchael hunts through the jungle for his zookeeper girlfriend who has absconded with a chimp. Bonus points for the monkey sound effects, but this is firmly in the middle ground between "Tarzan Boy" and "Shock the Monkey". Either go full on silly or be pretentious. This sort of thing doesn't work when taken at face value. "Kissing a Fool" - Was surprised to read this is a Michael original. While not my thing, it's a perfectly decent pastiche of a jazzy, loungy torch song. I could see Michael performing this in a cameo in some network tv show set in the 1940s in a nightclub scene or something. WILDLY detached from anything else on the album though. Did he ever do a whole album of stuff like this? HIGHLIGHTS - "Faith" - "Father Figure" - "I Want Your Sex" - "One More Try" MIDLIGHTS - "Hard Day" - "Monkey" - "Kissing a Fool" LOWLIGHTS - "Hand to Mouth" - "Look at Your Hands" FINAL THOUGHTS Holy shit was this album front-loaded. And a ton of variety in styles. Very solid showcase for Michael's versatility. Man could do it all. Sucks that I think his career, and life, would get sidetracked for such dumb reasons, but I think he eventually came back around to becoming well-respected legend, at least maybe more so in the UK. I only remember the one other song from his next album being big - "Freedom", but peaking ahead I see that album is also on this list so must have been WAY bigger across the pond. As solid as the first half of this was, the magic of nostalgia wore very thin, and was completely torn away by the second half. I'll probably always tap my fingers on the steering wheel when "Faith" comes on in the future, but not sure I ever need to revisit this one. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - That first side is the only part worth saving FURTHER LISTENING - True Blue by Madonna - Parade by Prince - Whitney by Whitney Huston - I Feel for You by Chaka Khan
"Sex is natural, sex is good. not everybody does it, but everybody should." I'm pretty sure the first time I encountered the concept of sex was this album in early childhood. A staple of MTV, a channel that was nearly outlawed in my home and was strictly forbidden at both of my regular babysitters, these music videos let me know that adults had being naked on the brain a lot. And George Michael was here to sing about it. Creepily (Father Figure), educationally (I Want Your Sex), or maybe just aspirationally (Faith). The first half of this album is fixated on the act of making love. Once the lust is sated though, the album settles into a pretty good pace. "Hard Day", "Hand to Mouth", and "Kissing a Fool" are all good crooning opportunities. George Michael stated that he was shooting to be like Michael Jackson or Prince but I think he lands a little closer to Freddie Mercury. Still some good company and this album ended up being one of the best selling albums of all time. I had forgot about the track, "Monkey" though and I am so glad I did. That was such a wonderful surprise tucked away there at the end. Its absurd. A reminder to all the aspiring songwriters out there. Go for it! Whatever your idea is, with enough determination you can make those words in front of you, no matter what they are, into a hit pop song.
Very nope.
I want your sex kinda cringe pero album divertido me gusta
447/1089 - This sounds very similar to the Prince album I had a few days ago. I think I'd rather have a Wham! album over solo George Michael.
George Michael is too sexy
I did not have Faith this would be a good album despite loving Father Figure. Thought the corny horny aspect would be in more songs. Functions best when it’s upbeat.
Needed to crank the horny 11
Auf jeden Fall vollkommen zurecht auf der Liste - ich würde es zu den Top 50 Alben zählen. Einprägsame Stimmung, nachdenklich, mit dem Sound der 80er. 5/5
This album really delivers on what it set out to do
I really wanted to love this album, it’s undeniably influential and important, and the title track, “Father Figure”, “One More Try” and “Monkey” are all-out pop/RnB classics, but two things really hold me back here: 1. “I Want Your Sex” could’ve been up there with the aforementioned songs, if it didn’t go 4 minutes (or 8 if you count the bonus tracks) past what it needed to, & 2. The second half, while not bad, really doesn’t hold a candle to the first. Even still, I had a good time, and if you were ever curious about what an 80’s Prince album would be like if it was more gay, I can’t point to you a better album.
Other than Faith I found myself missing the synthpop of Wham.
Teenage girls in 1991 when they realized all these songs were probably about other men:
Pretty good! Better than the last one.
For every great George Michael song, there are like six absolutely terrible ones. Great voice and persona but he's just very limited by the shitty 80s bag of tools he's generally drawing from. High highs and low lows. Faith is awesome, Father Figure is good, and the rest blows. I do like the part in the otherwise embarassing 'I want your sex' when he feels the need to specify 'sex is natural, sex is fun, sex is better when its one on one.' George Michael on record as NOT an orgy guy. Who knew.
Dayum! Didnt know how much George Michael and Prince had in common. IMO, Michael is just more mainstream? This is funky and weird. I liked this far more than I expected. Once you get past the 80s sounds, its a really diverse set of tracks and Michael is a fantastic singer Favorite tracks: Hard Day, Faith, Kissing A Fool.
I'm a 90s kid so Faith is firmly a Limp Bizkit song in my book. Knew of this album, but never went all the way through. Some really surprising moments - One More Try, Father Figure, Look at Your Hands, Kissing a Fool. A little cheesy - it's the 80s after all - but lots to love here.
George Michael: Evolved. Shoutout to Andrew Ridgeley.
George Michael prince impression 2.7/5
I know how huge this album was in the 80s. It kind of held up. It's a fun, sexually charged listen, and some of the songs still sound pretty good today. There are going to be a lot of Michael Jackson comparisons, and it's hard not to hear the similarities in some of these tracks. Synths are really cheesy sometimes, but usually the songs are catchy. "Faith" is an all time classic. Standout tracks are "Faith" "Hard Day" and "Kissing A Fool" Overall it's fun but a little too pop/ballad for my liking. Some great songs though. 3/5 for me.
Sonido bastante ochentero. No es mucho mi estilo. Aun así, la producción es buena.
Pretty funny to get this album on Easter Sunday. The opening three tracks are hilarious given the context: Faith, then Father Figure, then I Want Your Sex - Pts. 1 & 2. (It's what Jesus would've wanted.) All-in-all, too "airy" for my taste, and the lyrical themes are creepy, disgusting even. The sound definitely has a place in musical history – George Michael was huge back in the day – but that doesn't excuse the number of times it made me (and, clearly, other listeners) shudder. I guess the symbols on the bottom-left of the album artwork are a halfhearted attempt to win back the Christians (and Jews, and musicians, and lovebirds, and money-hogs). Judging by its peak at #1 on the US charts, this strategy seems to have worked. Surprised I've never heard Faith, but it lives up to its level of popularity. Extremely catchy, with a tempo and mood that make it feel like the 80s equivalent of S&G's Cecilia. Father Figure is another track I really feel I should've heard by this point. Smooth, whispery-vocalled, somewhat understated, and one of the most violently of-its-time recordings I've ever heard. If this had come out in the 90s or 70s I would've my hat (and my backup hat hidden under the first). However, it's around the beginning of the next track where I really start to feel the minutes and seconds passing. 51 minutes of something so unabashedly, well, "eighties" is bound to drive off lovers of struggling genres like jazz, rock, blues, and punk. It so happens that, from track 4 onward, the tracks aren't very good. One More Try might work better if it were the album opener, but as it stands, it's pretty boring. One of the rare examples where strings don't really add anything (see also: most of the disco genre). No interesting chords or instrument-playing. Hard Day definitely improves from there, mainly boasting a cool bassline and some chords that do something, anything, more interesting than I/IV/V/vi. But Look at Your Hands, Hand to Mouth, A Last Request (I Want Your Sex)... these are all just, well, underwhelming. Bad, even. And I Want Your Sex wasn't quite convincing enough the first two times to justify a third part on the same record. 2/5 Key tracks: Faith, Father Figure, Kissing A Fool
7/10, Faith is so good but then there are some hits and misses
I would love a remaster that tones down the synthesizers.
very 80s and I like it! Not every track is a #1 hit but overall it’s fun to listen to