Reviews (page 3 of 8)
Freedom 90 is a great song also a great cover from Pitch Perfect. Otherwise a lot of these songs just vaguely sounded like Freedom 90
NGL not a ton stands out besides Freedom! 90 but its nice enough to listen to in the background
Obviously "Freedom '90" is a banger and the music video is great, but I liked the rest of this album more than I thought I would (which is not at all). There are a few catchy tracks with great melodies, and George Michael's voice sounds good.
the ballads just are not for me
This was fine. I enjoyed a few songs. The rest was good background listening.
Not the best George's album, but it's played in a motley of styles.
Oh george you will always be loved❤️
Reviews haven’t filled me with confidence, but let’s see… As many have said, Freedom clearly stands out is a solid track. The rest, not so sure; kinda poppy, okayness. A bit too polished and manufactured feeling for me. Yeh, quite sickly, really. Think I’ve had my fill half way through. 3*
Freedom! 90 is enough to make this 5 stars, but there are so many great tracks. 90s George Michael is sublime
Freedom is undeniable. And this has its fun. But overall: a middle of the road 3
Save for “Freedom ‘90”, which is a classic, these songs are not particularly well-written or arranged, but George Michael was such an incredible vocalist—so charismatic—that he managed to pull it off anyway, barely. Best track: “Freedom ‘90”
Good album. Good composition. This could be 3 stars but, just because of Freedom (great track), it gets 4 stars.
⭐⭐⭐+ Har lite svårt att placera detta album. Å ena sidan är det väldigt jämnt och George är uppenbart musikalisk och har väldigt bra röst och känsla. Det finns inga spår jag tycker är dåliga, men däremot kan jag känna att det saknas riktiga toppar. Freedom! 90 är den stora hitten men den är nästan den udda fågeln på albumet och nästan den jag uppskattar minst. Han gör Stevie Wonders They wont go when I go mycket bra. Lutar mellan en stark 3a och svag 4a, tycker albumet är bra och jämnt men är osäker på om jag kommer söka upp albumet igen på grund av avsaknaden av toppar så det får bli en stark 3a för nu. Bäst är Praying tor time, covern They won't go when I go, Cowboys and angels, Mothers pride.
A bit somber bit still not bad
Pleasant
Pretty good. I like his cover of "They won't go where I go"
pretty cool some bops, gm has better albums tho
He had such a beautiful voice (when not in falsetto). This is a pretty solid album with a few good songs.
3/10 Best songs: Freedom '90, Soul Free With the exception of Freedom '90 and Soul Free, this album is nothing but ballads. None of these songs are actively bad, but they are treacly sweet and painfully boring to boot. Not my cup of tea.
5/10 – Mediocre
This guy just has one of those voices for me. He could sing anything and I would lap it up. I really really enjoyed this. Ugh George 💔💔💔 The generator seems to be stuck in the early 90s for me at the moment and honestly I’m not complaining.
Listen without prejudice is exactly what I did. I still didn't like it. Wet, tedious, presumptuous bullshit in the main. I did get a laugh out of the fact that "Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 2" wasn't ever officially released because of contractual disputes with the record label.
It was fine, not something that I would put on myself. Just very plain, surprising that it is on this list.
Me encanta George Michael; no me encantó Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1. Tiene buenas canciones, claro: un disco que abre con Praying For Time casi sería seguro que sería un mega hitazo, pero en general no me hizo muy feliz. La canción más famosa del disco, Freedom, me parece repetitiva y eterna. En general un disco disparejo, pero es George Michael, así que siempre va a tener algo bueno que entregar.
Kind of forgettable, but pleasant enough
George Michael's brilliance is highly underrated. Freedom is among the greatest songs ever made. This is a great album.
No. 147 Nothing compelling but it was pleasant enough.
Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 arrives with genuine artistic ambition — Michael deliberately stepping away from spectacle, refusing promotional videos, and reaching for something quieter and more personal than the pop machine that made him famous. The intention is admirable, and in places it pays off. “Freedom ‘90” is the obvious highlight, the moment where Michael’s artistry and his pop instincts align perfectly — a song about liberation that actually sounds liberated. “Cowboys and Angels” is the album at its most musically interesting, a jazzy, sax-driven piece with a sophistication that feels genuinely earned. And the deliberate interpolation of “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” woven into “Waiting for That Day” rewards close listening in a way that suggests a sharper, more adventurous record was within reach. The problem is what surrounds those moments. The introspective restraint that critics celebrated as artistic courage mostly lands as low energy rather than meaningful vulnerability. The emotional core feels muted rather than raw, and the quietness that was supposed to feel brave too often just feels inert. The closing track, backed by what amounts to a generic acoustic guitar arrangement, is the clearest example — ambition without payoff. Higher hopes than delivered. A respectful three — with a genuinely great single at its center.
yawn. And the one good song has been ruined by IASIP
Perfectly represents the cusp of the 80s switching over to the 90s. But his crooner voice is just too much for me. So much pan flute.
I listened without prejudice, and the whisper singing filled me with prejudice. Someone told George he was seductive, they were wrong.
Bonus points for soundtracking one of the best scenes in It’s Always Sunny
Nice album.
4/10
It has a couple of absolute gems and a lot of middling ok. Freedom ‘90 is of course the standout here. Sadly the rest doesn’t hold up to the same quality. 3/5
This was probably my second time listening to this, and it hit way better than I remembered. It’s more stripped back and serious than I expected, but that actually works in its favor. “Mother’s Pride” is really sad and easily one of the most emotional moments on the album. “They Won’t Go When I Go” has a heavy, almost haunting feel to it, and “Freedom! ’90” is just a straight up classic that still holds up.
6/10
ok
On the one hand, it's not bad. On the other hand, it's not great, or special.
Brit award for best album in 1991 and the emergence of an artist at his peak form both a vocal and writing perspective. A remarkable Stevie Wonder cover, three tracks using grooves of the time and four other magnificent tracks make this one of the best albums of its era. This was an era when an artist was taken very seriously and, in the case of George Michael, played up to it with his absence from all promotional videos and a tour that was all covers. The idea that Gary Barlow and Robbie Williams were competing over doing a 'George Michael' is faintly laughable when you hear THESE songs.............nowhere near!
songwriting mastery, musical architecture, texture, grandeur, and evidence of george michael's brilliance. i only wish that there was a bit more sonic variety but very good. #queer excellence
Inoffensive, boring
6.5/10
Uneven and boring
Freedom is an all out banger. The rest was whatever, but his voice is pretty amazing...
Great artist with a great voice
George Michael is cheesy but in a good way. Sadly most of these songs just weren't that interesting
Soulful and serious from the boy from Wham! Beyond Freedom this album was largely new to me and I must admit I’m impressed by it. It’s 48 minutes of well crafted pop balladry and downbeat anthems. My wife asked me to give him an extra star from her
6/10 Fav Track - Praying For Time, Freedom! '90 (I know it's me and my taste's fault) but we finally broke the streak of misses!
I didn't hate it, but I really just wanted this to be over.
Strong album that grew on me with repeat listens. The range of pop to slow and emotional songs was a nice variety and his vocals are very good, reminiscent of Freddie Mercury. Freedom! 90 stands out as the hit but all the others hold their own.
I don’t know about all this
Did not enjoy
Freedom! '90 absolutely slaps miles above the rest on this but still good
Yeh no
did not change my life in the slightest, even after removing all prejudices
Freedom 90 and Praying for Time are the highlights, the rest of the album is George trying to be serious, but only Soul Free kinda reach a certain level of the 1-2 punch that kickstarts the album. If it was about singles this would be on my list, but this isnt about that, so its a 2/5 but kuddos for trying something different, even if it doesn't pay off in the end.
Almost worthy of a 4-star based on "Freedom!" alone.
пойдет..
My man has one hell of a voice. Freedom is a banger. I kinda dig his acoustic stuff. He's deep.
Such a formative album for my younger Junior High School self. A front to back solid record. Even the songs I initially didn't care for (Mother's Pride, Cowboys and Angels) I have a new appreciation for just in their compositions and musicality alone. And damn, what a loss in George Michael. His voice was like butter. Listen Without Prejudice will always hold a spot in my Top 100 albums of all time.
Its an interesting album in how much it changes stylistically but the general impression it left me with was a bit middling. Maybe I just don't really get what makes it really good, but it sounds like that was true for a lot of people when it came out too Standouts Freedom 90' They Won't Go When I Go 3/5
BO-RING! It was a ton of mellow and one hit -
Per my previous review - I LOVE George Michael and this album has a very special place in my heart. And come on, how can you not love this man’s voice??
My mum was right about this one.
There's some good stuff on here. George obviously has a lovely voice, and the instrumentation is very pleasant. Nothing super stand out but overall good. 7/10
Kind of a sad, more serious album, but really good. I love George Michael's voice. The piano is so good in these tracks
Freedom was the only song I recognized. It was a decent album.
George Michael was a very talented songwriter and he had a beautifully powerful voice at times. His Freddie Mercury tribute singing Somebody to love showed that. However this album was so gloomy and slow I didnt really enjoy it much.
An obvious talent. It's not especially my sort of thing, but can't deny it's well-written and produced. Pretty incredible really. Freedom is a great track - really enjoyed that one, though it stands out in this album.
I was able to throw this on and completely zone out. Not necessarily good or bad, just kind of neutral and not memorable. It’s like a 2 1/2 star for me but I’ll round up to 3 as I didn’t dislike it
It started out ok but by the end I was really tired of the slow moving ballads.
Slow and moody besides Freedom..
"Freedom!" was what I said when this was finally over. Unfortunate that it was the only good track.
Starts low with a slow emo ballad. Freedom 90 picks it up a bit with a sound very reminiscent of the Manchester scene like Happy Mondays/Stone Roses. I can see why some love George, but I just can't get there. Trying to listen without prejudice, but at the midway point I'm praying there isn't a V2 on this list.
# Album Name: Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 # Artist: George Michael # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: Great album. Plenty of fantastic songs. GM has great vocals and presence on the album. Low 5. # Top Tunes: Praying for time / Freedom / They wont go / cowboys and angels / waiting for that day / waiting # Would I listen to it again? Yes
I feel like there's a generation who (or just a moment in time when people) absolutely loved George Michael, but he hasn't cascaded to younger generations at all. Somehow he sounds like something my grandma would listen to more than my parents which doesn't make sense since he was from the 90s. Obviously Freedom is a very popular song for commercials, but the strangest takeaway was that "They Won't Go When I Go" is a clear inspiration for Hozier, sounding eerily similar to most of his non-blues catalogue. It's also incredible that he essentially wrote an anti-war song saying that a soldier makes no difference and was still beloved. It's a really well written song, but I can see "patriots" being really up in arms about it. Anyway, I don't know what to do because we have a sensitive male singer who is trying to say something more profound than your avg pop star, yet this is way too soft for my ear and way too 80s coded. I suppose it's a 2/5
Look, I can't say I tried to take George Michael's advice. I listened to this with prejudice - but in his favor. I swear. And I think that's what makes this disappointing. I wanted to like this, I really did. But it just kind of sounded like generic sad boy music from several decades ago and I just couldn't get into it as anything but mellow pop that was trying for something grander, but ultimately failed to accomplish it.
Listen without prejudice is good advice. Having heard George Michael's previous album, I did expect more pop music. This follow up is his attempt to be taken a bit more seriously. And surely, it's less of a chart-topping singles machine, but it does have a decent amount of pop-quality to it. The music walks a fine line between the synthetic sound of 80s synth-driven dance music, and heartfelt ballads. The music often sounds cheap, which works fine in the context of a 80s dance club, but maybe less well for more reflective content. Still, it's all pretty decent with a handful of beautiful moments throughout. "Freedom 90" is the clear standout, with "Praying for Time" and "Heal the Pain" closely behind.
Greatest soul voice for a white man Rip
So when is volume 2 coming up?
MUCH better than Faith, but still not very good overall.
Lord, help me with this one.
Musikalisch gut aber nicht meins
A long distance from careless whisper. I think his muse deserted him and this led him to dark places. He could have had a bright future, had he abandoned pop. Great voice, and the songs are... Ok
George Michael is what happens when you cross Elton John with Marvin Gaye. His voice is a joy to listen to. This is probably his best album.
Solo conocía Freedom. Me ha gustado más de lo esperado, pero no es ninguna maravilla.
I've never really thought of myself as a GM fan, so I've only really heard Freedom but there's no doubt that this is excellent.
Just to add insult to injury, the chorus to Freedom '90 contains the world's first recorded rickroll
George Michael has an incredible voice.
George Michael is very talented and has a great voice, but I can't see myself coming back to this. I did enjoy this, and it was a surprise to see that George Michael could fill a whole album with catchy songs, I'd only known him from a handful of Wham! and solo tracks
a very good album i particularly liked Cowboys and Angels.
Something me and a lot of 45 year-old women have in common is a love (and lust) for Georgy Michael. This isn't is best work, but it is still very good. The rating about him singing out of a well is quite true at times though and did make me giggle. The biggest hit here is Freedom, however I personally think Cowboys and Angels and Soul Free are the highlights.
More reverb than George Michael. There is a fine line between wanting to be taken seriously and taking yourself too seriously. This album occasionally crosses that line, but overall I enjoyed it.
Good album, really consistent all the way through! 7.1/10
most of this album is cheese, but boy, "Freedom! '90" is a song worth listening to! not even the memorable overused passages, but the second part with the bass solo and the bridge, ahhhh!
Not much to write home about here but i definetly didnt hate the album by any means 6/10 Favourite: Cowboys & Angels Least Favourite: Waiting for that Day
What can I say? I like the guy! RIP
Not bad, his voice surprised me, and the music didn't sound bad at all. However, I wouldn't go back for a second listen. 2,75/5.
Estou descobrindo que eu gosto mais de pop quando ele é minimamente lgbt. Sentindo uma vibe magnetic fields em algumas faixas, mas talvez seja só o fato do george michael ter sido um homem gay. Gostei mais do que esperava.
Favorite track(s): Freedom! '90, Cowboys and Angels, Mothers Pride
A little too mellow for something that feels like it's trying not to be. Very gospely but still pretty enjoyable.
J'ai pas grand chose à dire sur l'album il m'as quand même donné un meilleur vis à vis de George Michael mais sinon il est pas très très inventif. C'était quand même sympa j'ai adoré la reprise de Stevie Wonder et le son freedom 90's
Album 102. Listen Without Prejudice Vol.1 (https://open.spotify.com/album/4lGS8HxU3NYaQxfU0wx2r1?si=jkN3kdHbQT-YMFvFuHMCXA) — George Michael (1990) It was an interesting experience 'cause I almost never listened to George Michael's solo career (after Wham!) except a couple of songs. Well, I definitely have to get used to his music style, but overall I like it for an occasional listen. Huge respect to GM for trying to fuck Sony in court. And huge respect for making music on his own, like Prince. 3/5 Liked songs: — Praying for Time — Freedom! '90 — Cowboys and Angels
3 out of 5. So this is where that Freedom song comes from.
the dude had heart
Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 surprised me. I listened without expectations and heard a quieter, more serious side of him. Less pop, more restraint. It feels thoughtful and grown up. Not flashy, but confident in a different way. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
Lovely album with wonderful, emotional signing.
It is George Michael :-I. He can do better than Last x-mas, but I do not like the sound.
I'm fairly certain I was doing other things in 1990 that didn't involve listening to this. I have no regrets. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ sort of... then I stopped Revisit ❌️ Default★★☆☆☆ (4/10) Total reviewed : 220 Already owned : 50 Purchased : 10 To buy list : 4 Nope : 156
I really enjoyed this
favorite song: Soul Free
Feb 2, 2026 - i fear don't understand this album either but instrumentals are gorgeous and also Mr George Michael u are such a vocalist
Kind of a confusing sound. I found it to be a little incohesive. But I like it! Soul music. Also, tipong naririnig mo on Sunday mornings... remixed with construction work. If you know, you know.
Freedom is an all time banger but the rest is just a bit mid
Not bad at all. Guy had pipes for sure. But just not really my thing.
Many songs I did not know and I really enjoyed the album even though its quite sad or slow songs.
Wasn't mindblowing but I did enjoy the listens and it gave me some more respect for his music.
Correcto
Was never a big fan of George Michael but can appreciate it for what it is.
I had this one in high school. Didn't listen to it then. I didn't hate it as much as some of y'all did, but pretty lite and not super interesting aside from the main attraction. I went back and listened a 2nd time and softened a little bit.
recognized some classics but overall didn’t really captivate
This album was nothin special for me. George Michael is an objectively talented vocalist but the music itself just wasn't my style, and sounded dated and corny in a way that made it hard for me to connect with it. My favorite song on the album was They Won't Go When I Go, which I learned was originally by Stevie Wonder.
Not a perfect album but enough goddam sublime moments that I'm giving it 5. Big respect George.
Great musician
Never listened to this album before. Always kind of wondered how George Michael went from Faith which was just no. 1 hit song after another to never really having that presence again. I guess it's because he did all these acoustic songs. They're pretty good.
Okay pop album
This album rules. What a surprise, I love this. Great songs, the singing is on point and I especially enjoyed the tracks that I didn't know. This is great.
Me ha sorprendido para bien, he reconocido canciones, sabia del tipo pero nunca me habia parado a escucharle, le he encontrado parecido al cantar con Freddy Mercury
I'm never going to choose to listen to a George Michael record. But he was defintely one of the good ones, my score of two is no reflection on possibly one of the nicest people to ever Pop. And Freedom! is top tier pop.
Not my fave
Those first two tracks set the bar high, and the rest of the album fell short.
guys...is it weird to vibe with George Michael?! Rekha says no. Only he could have made this album and I'm here for it.
I would have loved listening to George Michael when I was a kid. He's got Elton John bigness and a big pinch of self-righteousness. Also hard to be objective as an Arrested fan.
Never listened to any George Michael album. Some interesting moments and 'Freedom' is iconic. But rest of album got lost in the sauce for me.
Has there ever been a successful cover of a Stevie Wonder song in history? I can’t think of one. Just don’t do it.
Plenty of good here but oh so corny.
really came out swinging with 2 bangers and then abruptly fell off a cliff
Great 80s vibes with some deep lyrics, some inspiration from MJ and Prince is evident
I didn’t like it but I couldn’t give our George less than a 3
Amazed he squeezed 5 singles out of a 10 track album - of which only 1 - Freedom - stands out. The rest is pretty weak sauce. George definitely had talent and deserves a spot on this list - just not sure this album captures this.
Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1. The duality of George Michael - a writer of songs like the classic Freedom, the slow burning Praying for Time, the ‘co-write’ of Waiting for That Day, early Wings-esque Heal the Pain and Something to Save with the very George Martin cello strings, but also a writer of some of the dullest, most pointless dirges like They Won’t Go When I Go (made all the poorer for following the effervescent Freedom) and Mothers Pride, or the soulless wine bar jazz of Cowboys and Angels or the uninspiring ‘funky’ adult dance-pop panpipe nonsense of Soul Free. It’s interesting that aside from Freedom those more enjoyable songs are all built around mid tempo acoustic strumming. Not a sound I’d normally associate with him, but there is something about that acoustic sound that suits his voice, the introspective lyrics and the overall thoughtful, mature feel to it all. But there’s no getting away from the fact that it is punctuated by those other songs, which unfortunately colour the album for me - and rather than give a sophisticated adult sheen, they serve more to dull it with their colourlessness All told though I think that lands it at a 3 - when it’s good it's very good, but when it’s bad it drags things down, and you can’t help feeling that that in trying for a more sincere tone and to be taken seriously he has eschewed many of the things that make him great, in particular hooks and melodies, leaving a slightly soporific taste in the mouth. 👂👂👂 Playlist submission: Freedom ‘90.
The opening pairing on this album, the epic 'Praying for Time' and the Happy Mondays-adjacent 'Freedom 90!' set this album up to be the full five stars. It's an erstwhile boy-band member progressing to full-blown arena anthems and undeniable songwriting credibility. The huge gospel chorus in 'Freedom 90!' is superb (as was the ubiquitous sexy video on MTV). After that though it really becomes slim pickings, and feels like he's trying to gemmy in every influence he's ever had, reaching a nadir with the Aswad-sounding 'Soul Free' which is unforgivable. A few very accomplished tracks, but sapped of energy by the scattershot heart-on-sleeve influences, and lounge music masquerading as maturity. Still gets a decent score for the classics.
Parts of this are so compelling lyrically. A stirring declaration of an artist's identity, rejection of the contrived image that had been created for him (and by him). I'm afraid I just find the songs themselves dull. Would I listen to it again? Probably not. 2.5 rounded up to 3
I took a que from the title and tried hard to listen to this with out immediately dismissing it. This is definitely not the pop album I was expecting. It feels like on this album he is making a real attempt to expand from pop into a world of piano ballads, which I acknowledge is also not a genre I love, so perhaps my prejudice is still getting in the way. My major critique of this is that with the level of production and intensity of the Christian-esque theme, the whole thing just felt disingenuous to me. Maybe it was an honest attempt but felt like a real calculated attempt to make some serious heartfelt music. On top of this I also just felt bored halfway through the album and by the end was so over the whole experience it began to put a bad taste in my mouth.
Freedom! ‘90 was a pretty great song and I’ve definitely heard it somewhere before, but nothing else really stood out to me except maybe Soul Free. It mostly all kind of sounded the same by the end. That said, I did enjoy this more than the last George Michael album that was generated, but not sure if that’s really saying all that much. Overall, it was fine as far as smooth, soft pop rock goes.
7.3
Sorry, still prejudiced
Great album
I didn't think I liked George Michael. This is good!
Never heard this album - but it is a treat! He has an awesome voice, dare I say one of the best after Freddie Mercury. Great lyrics; Enjoyed! Better than "Whan"
George Michael has some songs I really enjoy but tends to be hit or miss for me overall, unfortunately the case here. I liked the first couple songs and Soul Free but most of the rest was too slow
I never really got the hype around him, there are some decent songs in his discography and on this release but it lacks big hitters. Nothing bad but kind of a boring listen, the songs in the second half blend together.
OK, so first of all -- this album gets extra stars for the simple fact that it gave us the sexiest six minutes ever committed to film: https://youtu.be/diYAc7gB-0A?si=gA4Q1JKcUF0rEW21 "Freedom! 90" is a perfect pop song. As for the album itself, the George Michael Coming Out Experience certainly has its highs and lows, but overall -- it's clear that Michael was certainly trying new things. It's very listenable (although the production is still mid 80's reverb heavy) -- and certainly worth a go. (Linda Evangelista 4-evah!)
Tarzim degildi 3 tane guzel şarkı vardi Mid bi album bazi şarkılar birbirine baya benziyo ama citir şarkılar var
An excellent album and a definite must listen. Excellent vocals.
This is hella boring. Only George Michael I need goes by Mr. Manager.
Good to listen to but maybe won’t return to it. Freedom!
Not Bad, but not my type. 'Freedom' is a banger.
Freedom y Mothers pride son muy buenas canciones y el resto safan.
I wore this cd out back in the day. I still listen to it to this day. This was George’s message to the world that he is more than a pretty face……just listen to Freedom. What a fantastic album. His vocals are great and I love some of the lyrics.
Some gospel influence, and good lyrics. Cowboys and Angels is a good listen with every song offering something different. Although no songs out for me as a repeat listen, often the album as a whole is good.
Not for me.
If Freedom! '90 is the best song on this record this might end up getting 1 star.
Personally I thought this album was fine but not for me. I felt like this album was more religious and “preachy” in nature than what I normally listen to and more than the other George Michael album I had. I think I only enjoyed like two songs from this album. Overall, it was an interesting listen but I probably won’t be picking it up again anytime soon.
Perfect album for 2026.
je me suis endormie pendant que j’écoutais le rer il faudra que je réécoute pour exprimer un vrai avis mais j’ai trouvé ça bien, mieux que ceux des derniers jours pas de chansons en particulier qui m’a interpelée pour que j’ajoute à mes likes mais j’ai apprécié l’écoute
George is altijd goed. Album soms wat veel van hetzelfde
I’ll probably never be a George Michael fan, and this album is a good example of why. It’s not bad music by any means, and there were even a few elements I genuinely enjoyed, but overall, his style comes off as one of the most cliché examples of ’80s sophisti-pop.
Mom, can we have Michael Jackson? No, we have Michael Jackson at home. The Michael Jackson we have at home = George Michael
Nothing but respect for George Michael
Big surprise here! Enjoyed the jazz and big band elements. Top notch singing and some great lyrics.
When this album came up, I was genuinely excited to revisit it, it’s probably been over 30 years since I last played it through. What a letdown it turned out to be. “Freedom! ’90” remains an absolute standout and I still love it, but the rest of the tracks feel surprisingly uninspired and lack the spark I remembered.
Great voice, obviously... But fuuuuuuuuck me this album is dull... 1 decent song. You know which one it is.
best
This was a nice surprise. George Michael was certainly an artist of more substance than what songs like 'Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go', 'Faith' and 'Careless Whisper' conveyed. 'Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1' is the album where Michael wanted to be taken more seriously as a singer-songwriter rather than a popstar, and honestly, the results are quite impressive. 'Praying For Time' is quite a meaningful statement on social injustice and a lack of empathy, and 'Freedom! 90' sees Michael throwing away his popstar image through a pointed reference to Wham! (who originally had a hit called Freedom) and a call to embrace authenticity. He also borrows The Rolling Stones' classic hit 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' in 'Waiting for That Day', which effectively fits the song's theme of lost love and moving on from it. One thing that's especially striking about this record is Michael's abandonment of pop synths and rosier lyrics in favour of stripped back, acoustic ballads and more emotional, less accessible storytelling, something that drew the ire of Sony Music, who were expecting more upbeat and safe pop hits in the vein of Wham! and his first solo record, 'Faith', and eventually caused a years-long legal dispute where Michael felt his creative shift wasn't being well supported. My opinion of George Michael is forever changed from this record. He might be best known for his pop hits, but its fair to say that 'Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1' is arguably his biggest creative accomplishment. Best songs: Praying For Time, Freedom! 90, Something to Save, Waiting For That Day, Heal That Pain
One of those cases where the single is nothing like the rest of the album… but the rest of the album is still pretty darned good.
I recognised some of those songs from listening to the radio as a kid. It was fine I guess. On another note; Was George Michael the guy that got caught rubbing one out in the public toilets?
Freedom an absolute GOAT. The rest probably needs more than one listen. Seems a lot of context around this release to consider. Mid 2s.
1/1/26. Feels good. 6.5/10
Not as good as I remember
Okay
I really enjoyed this album. George must have one if the smoothest white boy soul voices in history. The songs are well written and consistent is only an issue due to the high points rather than the low points. It avoids the horrible 80's tropes that date it badly and i just enjoyed the whole album.
I don't know why but this really seemed to be an ode to his real personal life. It was interesting to listen and really think about what he was going through and writing about. It made it a lot deeper and more beautiful.
Praying for Time and Freedom!'90 are good songs. Freedom is especially great and one of GM's best. The rest of the album failed to wow me.
I woke up this morning with Praying For Time in my head, and lo and behold, here is the album of the day! This album is brilliant with one exception: the cover of Stevie Wonder’s They Won’t Go Where I Go. It’s a perfectly good song whose sole intent here is to showcase that George and Stevie are in the same class, vocally, but the song brings the momentum built by Freedom ‘90 to a screeching halt, and so early in the album. The rest of the record settles into a lovely cinematic acoustic and very early 90’s modern pop vibe. This album is a worthy follow up to Faith, but outside of the hits, rarely touches the all time classic gold George hit on that album, even on its deeper cuts. This is just a different vibe…one that takes time to get used to, and when it sinks in, becomes nearly as great as his earlier work.
As the title requested, I made a full attempt to listen without prejudice. Freedom is a great song and Soul Free was pretty good, but I found this largely to be a bit whiny and boring. It felt like one sad love ballad after another. I enjoyed the little Easter eggs of song lyric covers sprinkled throughout though.
stunning album and love the album cover, RIP
All time fav, trust me when I say he was always the most talented guy in the room even if you dont dig his vibe. Watch the Doc about him from 2017, he was doing before he died. Him and Prince had to fight a war with the labels and in the end he won.
the only thing I've really known about George Michael is from that interview where he, Tony Blackburn, and Morrissey talk about Joy Division. George Michael is the only Joy Division fan in the bunch. so I did try to listen without my anti-pop prejudice. this music is not for me.
George Michael is Respectable to me, if not a guy I would regularly listen to. If I did regularly to him, this would probably be the album I would go to. Never heard it before. A pleasant surprise.
I remember liking this a lot more back in the day. Less so now.
C’était cool !
Came in without Prejudice, left with a fair amount
A true neutral. Nothing compelling but it was pleasant enough
Good grief, what a splendid album! Praying For Time is a masterpiece, and George’s version of They Won’t Go When I Go might be better than the original.
I don't think I've ever listened to a whole album of GM, but the songs of his I like, I really like. Freedom 90 slaps obviously - not just his voice which is always gorgeous but the heartfelt lyrics and iconic video are great too. I also loved his take on Stevie Wonder's They Won't Go When I Go, and Mother's Pride gave me goosebumps. However on the whole the album isn't that exciting and probably not his best, I'll be interested to see which others turn up on this list
A slower, more somber George - but still some great tracks and deep lyrics
One good song then a lot of feelings. Cool album cover though.
Freedom is an undeniable hit, the remainder of the album felt like the equivalent of George farting under the cover and trapping us there for another 30 odd minutes. 2 stars
love george DOWN but only like two songs interested me
All in all this is a solid album, but I wish there were more songs with as much energy as Freedom.
Classic pop album
I think I managed to listen without prejudice despite the invitation
besides it not being a big personal vibe of his music and the genre, I can't deny he was an amazing songwriter.
WHAM! One of those things where I've always said that I'm a George Michael Fan but never actually listened to a full album, so this is so far so good. The first song is very George Michael. And obviously Freedom I already knew. Amazing vocals all around.. I think "waiting for that day" is my favourite track
No notes.
It was okay, I guess. I actually preferred some of rhe unplugged stuff that wasn’t on the actual album.
Obviously Freedom stands out, but he's a very talented singer as shown on the rest of the album.
A nice, enjoyable pop record with some bops on it. Not the best thing I've heard in this experience so far and far from the worst. Perfectly middle of the road.
#25 Except for Freedom! '90, the album was just okay
Meh. He’s got a good voice, but this is not my jam, even if it’s nostalgic.
Freedom 90 is one of the greatest pop songs ever made, but the rest of the album doesn't keep up. Every second song was interesting in some way, but not enough to want to go back to the album
Great White Stripes!!!
Despite heeding the album title's advice and abandoning all firmly established George Michaelian prejudice before listening to the album, it still didn't do much for me. Just not my thing.
His second solo album. Pop / Rock. Freedom! '90 is easily the stand out track on this one. His vocals are fantastic. The production is good, maybe a bit echoey. It's a quality album but meanders a little and lacks another punch after Freedom! '90. Always liked George though, a brilliant artist. I just think he has better songs elsewhere.
Pas mon style mais cool qd meme
Super (bon j'ai écouté en aléatoire sans faire exprès mais c'était pas forcément utile je pense)
Só é meio entediante e sem sal, mas nada ruim. É um disco bem produzido, e acho linda a voz de George Michael. Mas aqui ele canta sobre nada, e as canções são um tanto quanto repetitivas e cansativas. Não é uma audição super engajante, mas novamente, nada é ativamente ofensivo ou odiável. Apenas mais do mesmo, um clássico exemplo de um disco três estrelas. 3/5
Smooth album, he had a great voice and was a good songwriter. But it doesn't work that well as an album, he's always been stronger at singles I think. Freedom '90 is great.
Not bad
Bara därför lyssnad jag med förutfattade meningar. Men fan, trots det får jag nog säga att jag är extremt positivt överraskad. Trots många ballader är det fan jävligt bra. Melodiskt och mäktigt överlag. Han har riktigt bra pipor. Påminner rätt mycket om Freddie Mercury. Kan tänka mig att lyssna mer!
Har inte lyssnat jättemycket på George Michael och var inte övertygad av Faith, men den här var klart bättre. George har ju en jävla bra röst och jag gillar både det poppigare och balladerna på denna. Solid fyra.
Some classic songs very enjoyable.
listening
Not for me but damn did he know what he was doing musically.
I don't know what I am missing. The echoy recording cost punch and I was bored the whole time
i listened without prejudice... and found a warm, rewarding 3/5. nice 1 george
George Michael is a familiar enough sound/artist, but can’t say I’ve given any of his albums a full listen through. This one was enjoyable enough with some recognized hits.
love this album.
Freedom '90 was already one of my favorites before even listening to the rest of this album. The whole album is very soft rock-coded, that grocery store in the 90s vibes. Still, enjoyable, easy listening. 4* Highlights: freedom '90, waiting for that day
He’s an excellent vocalist, but the style just isn’t my bag.
Very easy to listen to multiple times, with the third song (Stevie Wonder cover) hauntingly beautiful.
Excellent singer, decent songs, good arrangements. Not my style, but definitely a quality example of its genre.
This is the sort of album this challenge is for. Obviously I’d love it, obviously I should have listened to it before. A nice Sunday morning to have George Michael forced upon you.
An enjoyable listen! Some nice gospel influences and varied instrumentation. A few songs toward the end dragged a bit but overall nice!
A great listen overall.
3/5
Slightly more interesting soft rock than Michael Bolton. But only slightly.
Some of George Michael songs are really great. But when listening to a whole album the songs resemble each other too much. And then it gets boring.
No
Pretty nice.
oh damn, this album is cool AF. didn't think i would be a George Michael guy, but damn this album was cool
Ein paar Songs waren gut, die Stimme gefällt.
Soft, moody, acoustic, atmospheric. Too saccharine at times, but an interesting turn for a big pop star. Best song: Something to Save
Not a very impressive album really. This was George Michael's "Please take me seriously as an artist" album, but it just falls flat for me. He's a good singer, the album is produced well, but it's completely forgettable outside of Freedom! This album also pre-dates all the George Michael weirdness and the AIDS epidemic of the 90's. He definitely had his issues later in life, but 1990 was what should have been his peak, just coming off the success of the Faith album. But this is what he came up with.....which was supposed to have a Volume 2....but Volume 1 was so lackluster they saved themselves the humiliation of a Volume 2 that was probably also nothing by ballads.
Nach den ersten beiden Songs war ich bei soliden vier Sternen. Dann kamen viel zu lange, anstrengende Songs, die alle gleich klangen.
Oh boy! ABBA yesterday and George Michael today. How blessed am I? As usual, I'll do my best to listen without prejudice. My verdict? It's better than ABBA.
Milli Vanilli wird sicher nicht kommen
I remember when this album came out, and the world (or at least the U.S.) just seemed to suddenly and collectively decide that we were done with George Michael. I don't know why that happened, because there are some decent tracks here and no real clunkers. I'm surprised there haven't been more covers of these songs, because it seems like they might do well if put into the right (non-George Michael) hands.
2:5
Was sure what to expect with thus but enjoyed it more than I thought. Self reflective and thoughtful.
A great singer and a pretty good songwriter too.
Its solid, quite classic
Surprising on first listen. I knew the hits. They're catchy and all that, but the album has a sparse sound and vibe that - no shit - sounds like something Sinatra would've put out.
didn’t finish listening to all of it but very soulfulm
Freedom 90 is great! everything else, not so much. I'm much more of a Fast Love pt.1&2 kinda guy. I can appreciate George Michael as a singer-song writer and push aside my personal likes and dislikes here. Definitely worth listening to at least once, as different as it may sound to his previous works.
Look… Freedom 90 is an all time banger. Put that shit on any time, any where and people will get hyped. The rest of the album is kind of boring though. I get he was going through things at the time and wanted to shed his old image but man… at least bring something interesting to the table. That cover of Stevie Wonder wasn’t too bad though
Wow. Just wow such an amazing voice....I feel like George is a bit underrated (but missed!!!) voice these days. All songs were beautiful and soulful, soothing and lovely. I just loved it. 5 stars easily. It's a rarity that I play an album recommended via the generator more than once in a day but im typing this on my third listen. Love love loved it.
George Michael was a phenomenon in his time, and for good reason. Many a teenage bedroom had a poster of him. The funny thing was that George Michael was popular with both girls and boys. Great music from a great artist.
Didn’t get through it all!
Great
George Michael remains one of my favourite singers of all time, I like how he wanted to stretch creatively on this record, while still producing quality pop.
That is one hell of a set of pipes. Unreal vocals throughout the album, with some absolute bangers thrown in for good measure. Freedom! ‘90 is one of the best pop songs of the era, and the album has 2-3 other high points that mark it out as a strong album. It's just let down by some filler material & songs that don't land as well as others. Overall it's a good album, but as a collective I think it's inconsistent.
Good album. George had such a range and emotional voice that pulled you into his songs.
Enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting. Very singer-songwriter, less happy pop than I was expecting (although of course Freedom 91 slaps). There’s a depth of lyrics and themes here that’s very interesting. Very sad, very introspective. The Stevie Wonder knocked me off my feet. Let me say - this white boy can fucking SING. In general I felt like this was an effective mix of the styles of McCartney and Wonder. Two of my favorites, so no surprise this hit for me.
Yea this is nice Relaxing, but the lyrics are great
Pues aquí el bueno de George se marcó un “aquí estoy yo” para dejar claro que ya no iba a volver es ser el George Michael de Wham y se iba a mostrar al mundo tal cual es, aunque por el momento solo quedó en la intención porque, por muchas pistas que dio, al final fueron más bien otros los que le forzaron a mostrarse. Viniendo del éxito adolescente de “Faith”, pocos esperaban este camino de introspección, pero yo lo agradecí, puesto que aquel otro George me resultaba un tanto falso y prefabricado. Aquí hay baladas muy acertadas y la voz de Michael resulta mucho más auténtica y convincente. Sin ser un gran fan, considero este disco un gran acierto en su carrera.
Decent effort from the lad. He's very missed you know...
3.5
3.5
I absolutely adore this album. No it's not the dance pop Mecca of Wham! or *Faith*. This is a bit of a passion work for him. The first three songs out the gate are the best on the album, culminating in a breath taking cover of Stevie Wonder's "They Won't Go When I Go" (not better than the original, but he captured the feeling immaculately). Still everything that follows still commands my attention from the folk rock infused "Something To Save", "Waiting For That Day" and "Heal the Pain", to the soft Jazz infection of "Cowboys and Angels", to the mournful "Mother's Pride". Even the dance pop "Soul Free", which would be my least favorite on the Lp still us a great groovy listen. This album has always been my favorite of his album. It was a constant play for me my sophomore year of college, and one I still enjoy today (10) ★★★★★
Better than I expected. "Freedom 90" is a great song. 3.5 stars
"Praying for Time" and "Freedom! 90" are pretty great, but I thought this album feel off heavily after that. "Waiting for that Day" possibly the only other contender. 3 stars.
With this I feel a bit like the Inquisitor in Red Dwarf Season 5. It’s not that George Michael is a bad singer… really he’s a truly excellent singer. It’s just that he massively underperformed according to his potential - certainly solo-wise as his best songs were with Wham! and not on here. Freedom 90’ is just Sympathy For The Devil riding on cheesy 90s dance grooves and everything else is a bit frickin sloshy and limp to be honest. I listened with extreme prejudice and am happy that there is not a Volume 2. Shit Where’s Wally album artwork as well. He’s not even on it.
There's a lot worse than this out there. Certainly listenable, but I can't see myself going back to it. I feel a little mean giving this two, since other albums with the same comment have got a three, but I just can't justify it.
I do have a soft spot for George. So talented. This is a bit more morose and downbeat than his more poppy past. Makes sense once you know there was a dancier part two which never happened. Still a quality album though. 3.5
I was surprisingly disappointed with this one; didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I thought I would. "Freedom" is clearly the best song on the album... the rest of it kind of fell flat for me.
Pretty weak outside of like 2 songs... one of them being Freedeom
One of Watford's finest musicians
Yes please.
I did, it was shit.
Cloying
8/10 First two songs aren’t that strong but the rest of the album is nice
Some good singles
Well it’s George isn’t it.
Great voice and a few bangers on the album
There's a choice here between banging songs with frivolous lyrics, or plodding songs with clichéd words. The former are great. The latter means this just gets 3*.
Absolutely fantastic album.
Been waiting for an album like this . Pure perfection .
I did not think that I would enjoy this at all. Good vocal performances with stylish 80s/90s production. Starts off great, takes a slight dip in quality towards the end. Nevertheless a positive surprise. 7/10
Trapped in the dentist lobby
Kedelig
Freedom '90 is a great song and Praying for time is also good, After that nothing else clicked for me.
Freedom! '90 is always a great time. Love the unusual tune of Cowboys and Angels, Mothers Pride and Soul Free. Heal the Pain - what an absoLUTE tune - what a great and weird bridge - what a lot of cool key changes - what a great way of clawing back to the main tune.
George Michael undoubtedly has an amazing voice. Problem is the songwriting is a bit dull and the voice is drenched in so much reverb the audio engineer must have answered yes to how much reverb do you want. Perfectly pleasant but aside some great vocals just lacks lyrics, hooks, something memorable.
Besides Freedom! there are lots of other highlights on this album. Not just slow songs, they got some funk. Highlights are Waiting for that day & Heal the pain. 5/5
After the first 2 songs I was excited for the rest of the album to begin. With 2 songs left I was excited for the album to be over. He's got a great voice but the songs all blended together. Very “cruiseship-core”Won't be returning to this one.
Amazing
Good album - nice easy to get into tracks