Reviews (page 7 of 8)
Pop de George Michael. Un megahit. No está mal. Venga, un 4.
Very good, fantastic voice and some excellent songs
Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 is the second solo album by English singer-songwriter George Michael. The critically acclaimed album achieved more commercial success in the UK than in the US, but was applauded for being acoustic and more personal than his previous pop album Faith. I agree with the mainstream that I prefer George Michael's previous album Faith over this one, but that's not to say this album is terrible. It provides easy-listening music or great background music that shouldn't put off or offend anyone.
Took the album title's advice and was not disappointed.
George Michael's voice is lovely but after awhile the songs just sound the same.
Cool layered vocals over easy pop/soft rock. I liked the acoustic guitar
Gen X/Boomer Muzak. Please don't make me listen to this again.
powerful!
George sure did have a set of pipes on him that’s for sure. RIP George. Definition of easy listening. Couple of really nice tracks. Favourite is lThey Won’t go when I go”
The acoustic numbers grew tiresome at best, grating at worst and the album just felt a bit bland overall. Still has its moments where it elevates you, but with a voice like his that should be a constant. Lacks the cohesiveness, power and charm of Faith. Fav track: Angels and Cowboys 2.5
Bit of second album syndrome here - more ambitious, more overwrought, less catchy. I don't think big statement ballads are necessarily Michael's strong suit and they really bog this album down. Some of these tracks have no business being as long as they are. Still some big hits, but a definite step back. Two and a half. Fave track: Freedom
Second George Michael records in 3 days - still lots of the same gravity and charm, but I feel this one follows a bit behind Faith in the overall canon. Despite looking for other standout tracks here, I thought the hit was the only song that really brought things to another level, or was really particularly interesting. The more acoustic approach to a lot of the songs didn't resonate with me as much here as the heat and coherence of the previous album. I will say, one of my favourite album artworks we've had so far. Not a bad album, but as a change in direction as a follow up to the last album I'm not sure it's a step up. Two and a half. Fave Track: Freedom! '90
Pretty good. I'd give it 3 1/2. Rounding down because it doesn't belong in quite the same company as most 4 star albums. But still pretty good.
paljon covereita... ihan hyviä kaikki mutta ei tota mielummin kuuntelen aina toisen version siitä kyseisestä biisistä sitten. mutta albumina kokonaisuudessaan aika hyvä! hyvät pippalot aikaansaanaan.. eih ehkä sovi kuntoilu muusiksi mutta onneksi olin siivoilumassa ja toimii siivoulumuusikiksi... freedom!90 poppi humputus jamputus... parhaana biisinä...
Sjøl om eg elske george michael va kje detta nåken høydare
Brilliant. I must confess I'd never listened to a George Michael album before today but this blew my mind. Such a great voice and some real heartfelt lyrics. Pleasantly surprised and defo 5 stars
Bof
What an accurate album title. From what I've previously heard from George Micheal I was expecting to hate this but I thoroughly enjoyed the entire album. It's a solid pop album with very interesting lyrics and a nice stylistic variety. Give it a go, you won't regret it.
Growing up in the 80s I, obviously, despised Wham!, complete with their annoying exclamation mark. As you do when you're 14. Obviously that rejection carried over into a general dislike of George as well. Why would I listen to that? It'll be like White Christmas or Young Guns. Someone I know very well, on the other hand, claims to have "known all the dances" when she was that age. Thankfully we didn't meet then... So, this was a genuine surprise and is clearly a decent album with a whole range of different styles and subtle things going on way beyond the couple of famous tracks at the start. My prejudice was clearly unjustified. Would I listen to it again? Yeah, maybe I would. I wouldn't say it's guaranteed but there's a decent chance. So, yeah, this'll be a 3.5 going to a 4. Decent stuff.
Two absolute bangers in 'Freedom! '90' and 'They Won't Go When I Go', and the rest are pretty good as well, although gets more bland. Great album overall, feels really underrated at 3.14 tbh
It was fine, but I don’t think I’d listen to it again.
This was great
Haven't listened to a lot of George Michael in my life, which right now seems criminal. Just a phenomenal showcase of musical talent on this album. I don't know if it's just me, but at times it sounds like Freddy Mercury singing. Not a knock against it; if anything it just goes to show how great Michael's voice is. I don't have anything bad to say about this album, it was a joy from start to finish.
Elegant, timeliness, heartfelt. Not special musically but the emotion and quality of his voice shines through and it's way ahead of its time.
His voice is just amazing. I saw him live when I was a lot younger, not knowing any of his music, and it was just so impressive. That really shows through on this album, but there's something about it which stops it being truly great. Maybe it's because it's musically a bit too safe, maybe it's because some of the lyrics are a bit too on the nose? Probably a bit of both. The opening of the album (Praying For Time / Freedom / They Won't Go When I Go) made me think we might get something really special, but it tails away a bit after that. 3/5.
Excellent. Almost 5 star worthy
This album feels like a greatest hits. Every song composition was different. Freedom! ‘90 is a quintessential pop song and no other song on the album sounds like it. You’ve got ballads, acoustics, noir jazz, country, bongos, and island sounds.
"They Won't Go When I Go" and "Cowboys and Angels" are terrific songs. His singing style can seem a bit embellished and overly dramatic, but when it works, it works. This was a really nice surprise.
This wasn't as solid as his prior album. A couple classics, but much slower, drawn out, odder instrumentation.
Excellent
This is one of my all time favourite albums, thanks.
Banger 4/5
Struggled to review this one , it’s not my type of music but I appreciate his voice and the strong ballads . Sitting between a 2 and a 3 so I’m rating higher
Is 5 star song enough to carry an entire album? These are the questions that keep me up at night.
This is a hidden gem. Love it.
There are a few decently successful attempts at some dynamic songwriting on this one, but for the most part Michael just parks it on one big riff/line and stays there for most of the track. Needs to be a bit more there to substantiate an LP, no matter how talented the vocalist.
Halfway in- soothing, enjoyable. Dunno why, i usually dont like these kind of songs. Not my style. 3 stars for me, but objectively maybe even 4.
not for me, but waiting (reprise) was nice
Not my style but enjoyed it Musically is nice
:) make me think of me mom
Wel beter dan ik dacht eigenlijk. Goed geschreven nummers en goede stem. Beetje zagerig bij de rustigere nummers soms.
:)
It was a nice acoustic, fresh sounding album, but at times a little too ballad-y for me. Definitely different from his Faith album. I completely forgot how good "Freedom 90" is
Meh, not for me.
Alright. Goes by quickly. Don't have much to say, but he does sing really well. + Freedom + Cowboys & Angels
Freedom is a banger. We all know that. What we don’t hear about as often is just how gorgeous his voice is and how deeply he admired Freddie Mercury based on his vocal runs and composition. The opener is a bit of a softball; I think I have more use for Michael in funk mode.
reconheci uma música, um hino, mas de resto achei o álbum apenas ok. gostei muito da voz dele, muito boa.
Not a George Michael fan, but the first three songs are decent.
Aika perus pop sooloura balladi kamaa. Ei oikein napannut
Bit samey and of it’s time but felt the emotional pull in the songs. RIP GM
You couldn't get away from Freedom on MTV back when this song was released. Great song. Great video. It still breaks my heart that his sexuality was the butt of so many jokes back then. I'm happy his music did so well, I wish he could have lived out loud for longer.
i have no strong feelings one way or the other
очень классная обложка несколько квиновый ваййб думаю из-за вокала
Some great tunes and AMAZING singing
cool
I can't believe it, but I actually liked this album. I had never given ol' George a chance before.
Wow this is really good
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the other George Michael album that I previously listened to (Faith) so I’m quite hopeful for today. If you’d have told me 10 years ago that I’d like George Michael’s music I’d have laughed at you, yet here we are! Songs I already knew: Freedom ‘90 Favourites: Freedom ‘90, Cowboys And Angels Another album to prove how much my music tastes have changed over time! I really enjoyed this. The tone of his voice is so soft yet clear, making it very easy to listen to. The melodies are catchy and stick in your head very easily. A lot of pop music tends to be very formulaic and just follow the tried and tested 4 chords over and over, but this tends to be much more inventive. There are elements of jazz throughout, chord progressions can often go where you might not quite expect. Overall, a very enjoyable album.
Wonderful
Isn’t it annoying when someone tells you, “Don’t look over there, but…”? The first thing you’re going to do is look over there, right? So when George Michael tells me to “Listen Without Prejudice”, I’m going to be listening with a more critical ear than usual. Big mistake, George Michael. So here’s my prejudiced take after listening: there’s so much reverb on George Michael’s voice on every track of this record that it sounds like he fell down a well and instead of trying to get him out, his producers lowered a microphone down into the well so they could record his vocals.
This is some good easy listening. George Michael has a beautiful voice, which really works for these slower and more thoughtful songs. To be honest, he could probably say whatever he wants with a voice like that.
He has a nice voice. Nothing is really popping for me.
I like some of the less-popular tracks off this album like "Heal The Pain" and They Won't Go. I have to listen to more of his albums in their entirety for a better comparison. But obviously, this is a solid album throughout.
What an amazing voice he had
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Freedom, They won’t go when I go, Cowboys and angels
Solid
Better than I anticipated...the fast and more upbeat songs resonated with me far more than the slow downs. Still not likely to be anything I would really listen to again. 2.5/5
Decent 3/5
Très bonne seconde moitié d'album à mes oreilles
M'étant débarrassée de tous mes préjugés et biais en amont de cette écoute, je suis désormais libre 🤠
Als erstes: dieses Couvert!!! Lieb's. Allerdings...ich find's auch wieder etwas repetitiv. Einmal war's richtig gut und der vibe ist auch immer noch geil, aber ich kann keine vier Sterne mehr geben.
A album with some funky songs. Is a vibe. Favourite song: Cowboys and Angels (have you heard the sax???)
I read somewhere George sued Sony for not promoting this album enough. Blaming it’s piss poor sales on that fact. But, and I say this without prejudice, it just sucks.
Some albums age gracefully over time. Shockingly this isn’t one of them. Truly awful.
Trist.
I love George Michael! He doesn't get enough credit for his bravery and creativity. I do believe folks now have a better appreciation of him and his art as they look back on all he did. Many of these songs are straight-up catchy and solid pop, but listening to the tracks more attentively today, I realize that there is more depth and complexity there than one (or at least I) might have heard back when these songs were getting routine airplay. As with his previous solo album, Faith, Michael wrote most of the tracks and arranged and produced all tracks. When I keep that in mind as I listen to the album, I'm even more impressed. And what a voice. Rest in peace, George.
Pero que buenísimo que está. Ni una canción mala. No es repetitivo y el opener es increíble. Dudé mucho en darle las 5, pero cada vez que lo escuchaba me convencía más de ello, simplemente no pude evitarlo.
Fine. Nothing special, just fine. I have no strong feelings one way or the other, although I can probably say that I enjoyed this more than "Faith".
Excelente voz para canciones pop y con alternancia de sentimientos. Icono gay, sus canciones reflejan normalmente optimismo y alegría
Not my favorite, but not bad.
Score: 65 Album art: 60 This album is about as musically interesting as my balls. That being said, the lyrics are good, the singing is good. The lyricism does a lot of the heavy lifting here. The instrumentation is good though, although sometimes the pan flutes and stock drumkit beats come off as silly. It's surprisingly very dark for what is essentially elevated elevator music. Fav songs: They won't go when I go Least Fav: Soul free. The mixing is awful on this track compared to rest of the album.
George Michael was a really cool, and talented dude. This album has a slower, more somber and mature sound. He has a beautiful voice that is used well. Overall, very easy listening... but sort of boring. I wish it had a little bit more, it's too clean, and most songs are uninspiring. Fave songs: Freedom! 90, Cowboys and Angels 2.5/5
Chillige Musik, so habe ich mir George Michael auch vorgestellt. Auch cooles Cover, allerdings würde ich dem Album insgesamt eine 3/5 geben, da ich auch hier keinen richtigen Ohrwurm habe (außer vielleicht Freedom! '90)
Just some really solid 90s pop, enjoyed it a lot!
This album is pretty ok!
He sings really well and with passion, but somehow, even through the songs are written emotionally in their tone, they feel stale. The songs themselves felt as well like they were missing something, as they drag on. Perhaps a unique bridge, guitar solo, change in dynamics, something!
Enjoyable 90s pop album without much highlights but just an overall good level
Meh. Wouldn't pick it myself, but didn't dislike it.
Really excellent
Nothing life changing. A very catchy and grandiose performance. I really liked the second half of the album
I don't know why it took me until now to realize how much I ADORE George Michael's voice. His vocals, plus the instrumentals, lyrics, and general song composition, made for a great album. For some reason, I don't like Freedom! (yeah I know) but the rest of it was exquisite.
Favoritas: -Freedom! '90 -Waiting for that day
More substance to this than I thought there would be
I listened through to this one twice. It seems like a gay man coming into his own and celebrating that, hardships and all. But maybe that's just because it's George Michael. He's got a good voice and these songs draw you in. I will listen again! My favourites were "They Won't Go When I Go" and "Waiting."
Pretty solid all the way through. Better than I expected.
Yeah I liked it.He has a great voice.Not completely Into the acoustic das vibe though.
Loved it.
I’ve always really liked Wham for their fun, upbeat silliness, and this was the first I’ve ever sat down and listened to an entire George Michael album. It had moments of pleasant fun, but I really fell off during the ballads in the second half.
Extremely corny and melodramatic and way too smooth jazz at times but you can tell he really put a lot of heart into it 🥲 1.7/5
Major tonal whiplash going from ZZ Top to George Michael. It was like going from a Wrangler’s ad to an Old Navy ad. That aside, this album was really cheesy, but I enjoyed a few of the songs. I don’t think he is better than The Beatles
2.5/5
George Michael had us do one thing and one thing only: focus on the music. Years of having his bearded face plastered on television sets and album covers and millions of young girls' walls made him ill. The main thing that drove him to superstardom has ceased being the focus. So he pared back on the image and decided to serve those the sound. That's what Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 is all about. And it served its purpose. No longer would Michael be seen as a button to press for those who want to fill the airwaves, now he was seen as someone who had something important to say. Granted, he wouldn't have anticipated the tragedies that lain ahead in his life that would have sidelined anyone in its path but for now, as he was at the top of his game, the coast was clear for further greatness. And George Michael achieved it here. All he wanted us to do was listen without prejudice. Favorites: Praying for Time, Freedom '90, They Won't Go When I Go, Waiting for That Day, Mothers Pride, Heal the Pain, Soul Free.
Mardrömsproduktionen kväver vad som säkert kunde varit helt okej låtar. Bästa: Freedom! och They Wont Go When I Go Sämsta: Praying for Time (och hela mixen)
Good, but at the same time nothing special. Flew by me and I thought most of the songs were quite similar Best song: Freedom! 90 Worst song: -
I guess I never realized the impact George Michael had on modern music. You can hear shades of his theatrics in Lady Gaga and Sam Smith. Great mix of genres. Still, each song feels like it stretches on maybe a minute too long. Favorite tracks: "Freedom! 90", "Cowboys and Angels", "Heal the Pain"
Not my style
Solid britisk pop, en rigtig moodbooster, masser af kor og catchy hooks
One of my all-time favourite albums. Even better now than when I first heard it in 1991. Beautiful and powerful.
None of the hits (except Freedom), but still an awesome listen.
obviously that one is really good, but the rest just aren’t my style
Not really my thing, but more enjoyable than I expected. Maybe I really did listen without prejudice...
A work of art by one of the great musical geniuses of my lifetime. Outstanding songwriting and a beautiful singer and it is amazing this was not actually a massive hit.
Pop perfection. What I like about this record is that it's still sincere and genuine despite being a huge pop record from a huge pop icon. George Michael sings with emotion and the lyrics are thoughtful - albeit a bit cheesy, but that's fine. Not one bit seems manufactured. It's testament to his artistry, and to the sincerity that we seem to have lost somewhat in today's popular music. Standout tracks are Praying for Time, Freedom! '90, Soul Free, and Waiting.
Pretty meh. A few too long songs and overall not very exciting
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzz.... 1/5
Loved it.
I hate to give this such a low rating as a fan of George, but unfortunately I just don’t like it. Its a snoozer. I really like the first 2 tracks and that’s about it. Surprised me bc Freedom is one of my favs. Goes downhill after a pretty bad Stevie cover. Not much reason to recommend this album other than the single.
This was fine. It's not really my type of music, but I had no problem listening to it.
Why so many echo effects on the vocals? Some great songs here, but too many ruined by production. Better live than studio because live it let George's voice shine and it's too manipulated on the album.
Listened with a prejudice :(
In my mind, a perfect pop album. Blue-eyed soul (at it's finest) matched with masterful production and great songwriting equals a classic.
i listened WITH prejudice
Intense and beautiful. A gem. Beautiful to listen to it all again after all these years.
One of the greatest vocalists ever. Just silk. Stunning songwriter too. RIP you beautiful human.
Qué gran canción es Freedom 90. Igualmente tiene otras canciones destacables y la diferencia en enfoque y madurez versus Faith es notable.
Need to study how he wrote songs in 3/4
George Michael is pretty great. This album seems to be limited to some basic music. He's more about pushing a message than creating an innovative sound. Feels a bit like gospel music. It's fine, but not his best work.
Freedom ‘90
Freedom is a 5/5 song Wasn't expecting to hear a stevie wonder cover Production on soul free was amazing
Thrilling songs, his voice was better than I expected and loved the topics
George was an icon, deeply missed in the world of pop music. On this album he matured quite a bit and the songs reflect that. Very good crafted pop songs with beautiful melodies and great vocals. Bonus, the Stevie Wonder's They Won't Go When I Go cover is gold! Key tracks: Praying For Time, Freedom! '90, Something To Save, Cowboys And Angels, Waiting For That Day, Heal The Pain. 7 out of 10
Not my usual jam, but decent
Sort of exist as a way to funnel Freedom ‘90 outside of that track not too much of this comes out as relevant. Still George Michael’s voice is so damn good.
Freedom is an absolute banger and deserves all the praise. I'm not too keen on ballads in minor keys though and found alot of the rest fairly boring
ugh no
10/10
You know I went in without prejudice and actually ended up liking this way more than I thought I would
I definitely see the inspiration for pop musicians I enjoy listening to today. First Album listen for George Micheal, very political ballads, lovely voice and a pastiche of funk, gospel, pop and well, late 80s pop. Stand-Out Tracks: Freedom '90, Mother's Pride.
This was fine. I was surprised when I hurt “They Won’t Go When I Go” since I was just listening to the song earlier today. Favorite song: “Freedom! ‘90”.
He always tried too hard and here it's obvious from the Beatlesesque opneing notes that he wants to be taken oh so seriously. One's simply not persuaded. There is a synthetic and contrived quality – again, too effortful – on nearly every song. "Freedom! '90" (an oddly puncuated title) is Primal Scream Light Lite, the palest sort of distant imitation and not flattering to anyone. Even on cuts one is inclined to like (e.g., "Waiting for that Day," with it's classic '90s programmed drummy shuffle), there's a whiff of diffidence and derivativeness to the repositionining, which feels entirely inspired by commercial considerations. The whole thing's just sort of tepid, despite its core competence. Still, nobody had a better voice, which comes through strongest on the quieter cuts (the lush and jazzy [but oddly titled] "Cowboys and Angels," say). But he's no Marvin Gaye and doesn't feel committed to the material, and the hodge-podge of styles shows less his versatility than desperate hit-seeking, a pathetic reaching after relevance. And speaking of titles, one feels a little insulted by the imprecation to hear it unbiasedly; on the one hand, yes, of course, always, but on the other, WTF? Does GM lack such faith in his material that it merits such a defensive caveat? Does he think it's not fun or poppy or danceable enough? Too high-minded? And Volume 1? As if he'll remind us again? Wow, thanks for that. One can't take him as seriously as he's always seemed to want to be taken. To get that, he might've simply have lightened up and just, you know, sang. By trying to be more than, say, Hall and Oates, he fell far short for his troubles.
Some very solid tracks, but parts of the album are uninspiring. 3/5
Not as good as Faith, but this is still a solid album from a great talent who was taken before his time.
Some beautiful and heartfelt statements by George Michael.
George Michael was able to make some great pop music in the late 80s and early 90s. This album is pretty consistent throughout and has a couple of good tracks. Wouldn’t revisit most of it but if I heard it again I wouldn’t dislike it. 6.0/10
Actually pretty fantastic. Not only is he the greatest male pop singer of all time, but this album actually has some interesting and varied songwriting. Favorites were They Won’t Go When I Go and Cowboys and Angels
Cool
George's voice is timeless! Besides freedom! '90, for me heal the pain and waiting are super hits.
Sounded good, but not my vibe. 80s ballads don't hit it for me.
bomb
I was surprised that I liked this at all. It was much more enjoyable and had more depth than I expected.
Went down a rabbit hole exploring James Brown's Funky Drummer while listening to this album (it was sampled on Waiting for That Day). That's never a good sign, but I enjoyed some great James Brown, (Thank you George Michael). The album was fine. I do have some respect for the great George Michael (RIP), but after this album, couldn't exactly remember why.
I'm prejudiced against artist who name something "Vol. 1" without any intention of ever releasing a "Vol. 2." So while I didn't listen without prejudice, I did give George Michael a chance. And this was better and less weird than "Faith."
I listened to this back-to-back with Faith and I prefer this album to George's debut. They Won't Go When I Go was particularly nice.
Three and a half. Freedom is my jam. And I liked the rest of this more than I thought I would.
Other than freedom, it doesn’t really hit any particularly spectacular notes for me. It’s good, but I’d say that’s about it. Some great lyrics in there from a strong man but just pretty average overall album.
Looks v corny
Camp 90s pop, some real bangers here
i don't dislike it, but not doing much for me. It's fine for background music
I mean, it wasn’t bad, but other than Freedom I’m not sure what was so special about this album.
Freedom 90 is a great track and the album us well put together, just not my cup of tea
too smooth too slippery
nothing special tbh
I am listening with and without prejudice and not really enjoying it. meh 3/5
The mix/master lacks a bit of oomph which is distracting. Im not totally sure what George Michaels was going for with this album. It’s never bad, but it feels a bit all over the place.
this feels like it should be a greatest hits record but just isnt. not sure what’s going on here, but i was disappointed
Jej
Really good. Will give it repeat listens.
4.0
Nah, not for me thanks
Hm ja, ik heb hier geheel onbevooroordeeld naar geluisterd, en het is allemaal keurig gemaakt, maar ik vind er toch niet veel aan. Meer muziek voor iets te dikke en schorre blonde studentenmeisjes.
Prachtige titel voor deze lijst natuurlijk. Laten we dat maar proberen. Maar het wordt mij wel moeilijk gemaakt. De eerste tonen bevestigen mijn vooroordelen toch sterk. Zoetsappige klanken. Toch maar door naar de rest. Knap dat je saaie muziek op zoveel manieren kunt presenteren eigenlijk. Want gevarieerd is het wel. En ik moet ook wel toegeven. Het is goede muziek/zang en hoort in deze lijst thuis. Ik kan er zelf alleen maar moeilijk naar luisteren. Laten we het houden op smaak. Dan ga ik maar voorbij aan mijn eigen smaak. En geef dit album een voldoende.
Sjors heeft een van de beste stemmen die we ooit gehoord hebben. Maar of hij maakte er veel te blije wham muziek mee, of depressieve ballads. Vervolgens weer een jazzy crooner song, dat ik zowaar het beste vind klinken. Het ene nr is beter dan het andere in ieder geval en het gaat alle kanten op muzikaal gezien, wat het wel interessant maakt om te luisteren. Maar of ik het vaker op ga zetten betwijfel ik Iconischer voor mij zijn dont let the sun go down met elten jon en somebody to love met queen op het freddie tribute concert.
It's fine I suppose.
Not really sure he achieved the "lyrical depth" he was hoping for with this batch of songs. The music isn't helping any: while moody, it's very vanilla and lacks any sort of impact or edge, though perhaps my impression is biased by time. Doesn't suck, but is just not all that interesting.
Vocal pop isn't my thing. I imagine this is similar to Barbra Streisand? The production on the remastered version sounds very crisp and expensive like a modern Christmas song. Freedom 90 is funny. It's one of those songs that plastic pop superstars eventually deliver as fan service to tell the adoring crowds that their new persona is finally the "real" person. There are some parallels between this album and the Taylor Swift albums on this list. There is some skillful songwriting on the record but the lyrics just do not offer me anything I can identify or empathize with. Final thought: Wouldn't an acoustic cover of Heal the Pain by Alice in Chains sound amazing?
George Michael takes inspiration from the ongoing shoegaze and Madchester movements to produce dreamier and funkier tracks in an accessible R&B style. His voice carries more of a reverb, providing space and feeling ethereal in most of the tracks. His voice and songwriting are certainly the highlights. I'm not a big fan of his piano ballads, but the jangly guitar adds a cheerful vibe to several songs. It's overall a decent album, although there were 3 really boring tracks. Favorites: Freedom '90, Cowboys and Angels, Heal the Pain
Not his best but still had favorites
Better than I remembered. You wouldn’t know that he had some real songwriting talent based on just his radio play.
catchy
Some songs are good but there are too many slow, long, meandering ones to hold my interest.
Freedom is music at its finest. Not enough to bump this beyond a 3 though.
Would definitely listen to this again.
Really nothing special I barely noticed there was music on.
Really not my type of music, but I can still appreciate that this has a lot of power and appeals to a lot of people!
Beautiful album, beter dan i expected…
Honestly I had never listened to a George Michael album before, and of course I had heard Freedom but other than that I wasn’t totally aware of any other songs and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Not quite good enough t to be a 4/5, but honestly close. 7/10.
I don't know about this album. I mean.... it's really well-crafted pop. Definitely. There's something just *too smooth* about it for me - is it his voice? A lot of it might be his voice - which...he was a great singer. Definitely. But I really enjoy when he sorta aired it out, ya know? e.g. This guy should have joined Queen like 11 seconds after that Freddie Mercury tribute concert because he had the charisma and the voice to carry those tunes. For an example here, the big single "Freedom! '90" shows off some of that, but it's the more exaggerated breathy vocals (even on the same song) that just feel not just overproduced (which is a cliché to be sure) but overwrought. It's almost as if there's a theatrical insincerity to his vocals that I've never been able to get by. In listening both more critically and generously, I would love to have heard more of a live band type of feel to many of these songs - I feel like we'd have had more of an improv feel from his vocals even on the mellower ones. Can definitely see how this was a smash hit and how some would elevate this to great status - just not connecting with it on an emotional or deep level. 5/10 - 2 stars.
Clever album title! It certainly made me listen with an open mind. The first few tracks were really impressive, and did indeed raise George Michael in my estimation as an all-round singer/songwriter/producer of substance. The middle of the album was much less uninspiring - there are some pretty ordinary nothing-y sort of songs there. But overall, a worthwhile listen (and that’s without prejudice).
Not a fan
Super great album. So relaxing and so good. Just mesmerizing and makes me feel euphoric and calm.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would :)
Okay at best
3.5/5 Such a beautiful voice, he can make songs sound so dramatic. Of course I knew him by name but didn’t have a big knowledge of his work. This album has quitte some variation in it and kept me interested till the end. Favourite songs: - Praying for time - Freedom ‘90! - Waiting
Very good
Well, it's a solid pop album of the era, I suppose. Not a whole lot to recommend it but also not a whole lot to complain about aside from it being a pop album of the era. Not much more to say about it. It's just... okay.
Beautiful soulful voice. Honest
Great voice
Freedom from bangers.
i did try to
some good pop music. 7/10
C'edt pas si mal, mieux que je m'atre dais rt ca son e bien vers la fin3.65'
Freedom is sick
One or two decent tracks but the rest feels like it's trying to hard to be "grown up". Too many ballads.
This album’s a real grower. During my first listen I can’t say it stuck out as a particularly outstanding album, and the early 90s production didn’t do much for me. However, a second listen completely changed my perspective and gave me a totally newfound appreciation of George Michael as both a lyricist and songwriter. The anthemic “Freedom ‘90” is a a stellar hit single, but its defiant mood of liberation isn’t especially prevalent throughout the rest of the album, which is a well-documented laidback affair. That being said, it also contains one of my favourite lyrics on the album which I’d never picked up on before: “All we’ve got to do/ Is take these lies and make them true somehow”. That’s not the only instance where I was taken aback by the subtlety and complexity of Michael’s songwriting. With the exception of the hit single, there’s nothing quite as immediately hooky on this record as on Faith. But that’s certainly not a bad thing, and Listen Without Prejudice is a far more rewarding listen if you’re able to embrace the title’s injunction. Great stuff!
Freedom is a really good song but besides that the album isn't great. Lots of slow and uninteresting songs, and not much diversity.
Was never a George Michael fan and this album did nothing to change my mind.
Less rock than I had expected but still an enjoyable album.
strong 3, light 4
Decent scran
Freedom is an all-time classic!! If that don't get your toes tapping...you may need to check your pulse..... Waiting for that Day, Mother's Pride were pretty good as well.... Actually this. whole album is better than I expected....
Enjoyed. Not my favorite George Michael album but still enjoyed.
It was fine but not spectacular
A bit too much 80's for my taste. Kindof like a male sade?
Not for me. Felt really corny.
Favourite track(s): Freedom! '90; They Won't Go When I Go; Something to Save I do appreciate when you can tell the individual tracks of an album apart - which is the case here, even if the sound is generally coherent. Funny how the George Michael Formula seems to result in few mainstream bangers (Freedom! '90, obviously) but can be heard in other songs (Soul Free) as well. Still, They Won't Go When I Go and Something To Save seem to deviate from the Formula but have stayed with me the longest. I only deduct one star because the other tracks could not grab me immediately and I might be inclined to skip them on repeated listens.
ea ea
Was not feeling this not standing out
The dream of the 90s is alive in George Micheal, but I'm not a single mom in the boonies of London dancing my heart out with an empty bottle of pinot on the ground of my tiny flat that I can barely afford while trying to put myself through cosmetology school, so I guess the magic is lost on me. Cowboys and Angels is actually pretty sweet. Super chill and jazzy. Some real baby makin' music. Freedom is a classic. Overall 5.5/10 for me. Great production, definitely helped get a lot of our moms pregnant, but it's just not my cup o' tea.
I appreciate the music but it's not for me
First George Michael album. The only George I am familiar with would be Faith and Careless Whisper, and now Freedom (in hindsight). I had no real expectations going into this one, however I finished it pleasantly surprised. I was afraid it would consist of boring pop songs with a lack of depth and meaning, but it was quite the opposite. I felt like every song on the LP had thought and intention put into it. I suppose the fact that George produced and arranged every song helps with that. The general atmosphere of the album is one that I can appreciate. I'll certainly have to visit his discography again.
First thing’s first, regardless if you like the music or not, you have to respect his vocals. George Michael has an awesome voice and sounds great. That being said…I personally did not enjoy this album. I’d applaud the quality but the only version available on Spotify was the 2017 Remastered one, so I couldn’t hear the “raw” version like I have with the other albums. The production was clean, but the occasional effects he would add on his voice (echo, chorus?) were annoying. If you like this type of music, I can see the appeal…I found it to be boring and predictable. Not crapping on GM’s talent, just not a huge fan.
Did not know what to expect, but it was really enjoyable. I get why George Michael is such a big name.
interesting, favorites are probably Freedom ‘90, Something to Save, and Comboys and Angels
Det var helt okej, men inte riktigt min pop kanske.
Not George Micheal's Best.
Didn’t go in with that many expectations. I figured this album would be unimpressive. But I really enjoyed it. Especially the first song. I just zoned out to the sound of his voice on my night drive.
I was surprised to have liked this so much
Nog wel Sava ofzo maar wel heeeeel disco
Decent
6/10. George mikes
The man so nice they named him twice does it again. 8/10
Just heard it to much
Definitely an early 90s album. It has the spirit that "things are gonna get better". There was also a surprising amount of flute or pan flute. Solid, but not something I truly enjoyed or would listen to on my own again. Best Songs: Freedom!, Cowboys and Angels, Soul Free Worst Songs: Something to Save,
Dated synths and attempts to interpolate Elton John and protest song aside, Listen is a fair shot better than Faith. It's far from perfect pop, but not dominated by the hits.
Du pop inoffensif et oubliable
He has a beautiful voice, but the album wasn't anything special in my opinion.
George Michael.
Lame and corny. Not even the good version of 'Freedom'.
If there's one thing I'm not interested in it's generic pop albums from the past
I listened with an open mind and really enjoyed this.
Okay album. All songs sound good but don't really standout.
Good album, nothing that really sticks out for me though
Some classic songs but not really into it
It's fine. Pretty generic but not offensive. His voice is fantastic but the music is so bland that it doesn't really matter.
The video for a song, Freedom, shouldn't define an album. The song itself was brilliant, but the video with all the supermodels, and how they knew all the words to the song, took it over the top. The destruction of all the iconic items from the Faith video reinforced what this album was all about. It's such a change from his earlier release. Crazy.
Very impressed by this. Lyrically introspective, with some pieces of pop and wonderfully crafted ballads sung with deep emotion. Though Cowboys & Angels overstays its welcome, there are amazing nuggets all the way through from Praying for Time all the way to Waiting.
Passable late 80s pop. Love tge song Freedom '90. 3 🌟
Solid pop album
I didn't go in with high hopes, it overall, it was pretty enjoyable.
Not for me. Accessible but a bit too sappy. Favorite: Freedom! '90
Be still my heart … the vocals … wow
At the time, I thought that it took a lot of guts for George to go down the ‘grown up’ route away from teeny bop (high grade variety, it must be said) so determinedly. With hindsight… With hindsight. I’m not really a lyrics person, but listening to this now, I think, gosh. I wouldn’t want to contend with this degree of anguish, and to be permanently resident in the public eye for…
...
I was disappointed with this album. "Freedom! '90" might just be George Michael's best song, and "Praying for Time" is fine, but the rest of the album left me unmoved. Sorry, George.
Freedom '90 is one of my all-time favorites, but the rest of this album is a real chore. I appreciate George Michael's vocal talents, but I prefer his pop tunes over his gospel ones.
Great album by George Michael. Some surprisingly good slow jazzy stuff in there. Solid album.
A solid effort that moved past Wham’s effervescent pop. Freedom is a standout but the album is consistently good - no filler tracks.
At first I was ready to give this 1 star, maybe 2 for 'Freedom! '90'. But it's a pop record, and its qualities lies within its catchiness and recognizability. And there are some catchy and beautifully composed songs on here like 'Waiting (Reprise)', 'They Won't Go When I Go' and 'Cowboys and Angels'. 'Waiting for That Day' is also quite a good tune, but like the man himself acknowledges, it is veeeery close to 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' in chord progression. On the other hand, you also have the ridiculous pan flute on the heavy-handed 'Mother's Pride', so I really don't know what to make of this.
A stark but most welcome departure from the Wham! and Faith-days! It really suits Michael’s vocal to be accompanied by less synth and kapow and more guitars and piano. Freedom of course being the huge but amazing exception. A sizable deduction for thinking that pan flute is appropriate anywhere else than in the lobby of a mid-range all-inclusive Greek hotel chain. All in all Mother’s Pride is really the start of a 2nd half that’s nowhere near as strong as the 1st. Best: Freedom! / They Won’t Go When I Go / Cowboys and Angels Worst: Mother’s Pride / Heal the Pain / Soul Free
No.
Pretty mid
i quite liked this album! there are quite a few tender songs here. i mean, "cowboys and angels" emotionally destroyed me. "praying for time" and "mother's pride" deal with tough subjects, but george michael handles them so well. he approaches the topics with sensitivity and care. he doesn't shy away from heart-wrenching lyrics. while i very much enjoy wham!'s poppy fun, what george michael does here is so beautiful, meaningful, and important. i found myself admiring his lyrics. every line seems to be purposeful. his voice is so well suited to these emotional songs, too. there's something magical about "freedom! '90". i enjoyed taking the time to learn about this particular song and its personal significance to michael. too often on this list, an album containing a hugely popular song will fall flat, except for that big hit. the rest of listen without prejudice vol. 1 carries itself well. i'm looking forward to listening to this album more in the future!
Honestly, I didn't have a problem with this album. George's voice was spot on on every song, there was diversity among the songs, and the music and lyrics were well written. However, it didn't really leave a strong impression on me. Definitely listenable, but not really one I will return to anytime soon.
A very knowing move away from fun enjoyable pop of Wham! and Faith to “mature” serious music. Always good vocals, but fewer enjoyable songs. 3 stars for serious effort and accomplished signing.
3/5 Grand for the time and genre but not my speed at all.
Solid ballads
Listened to this over a couple breakups growing up. Good stuff.
Not my style
Freedom is an absolute banger. It's enjoyably 'not pop' outside of that - a man clearly trying to break out. The results are mixed, but I admire the drive to change up styles. It's hard to say much about an album that is pleasant but just drifts by insubstantially like this.
Entirely unexceptional. Not really my thing
Some talent going on here but only one song I really liked. The rest were pretty forgettable. 2.5 stars
Very, very 80’s. I loved every second of listening to it
Has its moments
A motto I try and follow on this 1001 albums journey, and it's hard not to listen to this without prejudice - of the positive kind. It's a great album, including one of George Michael's signature tracks - Freedom! 90. What's not to love?
I was prepared to not like this album, for unknown reasons. I grew up with Wham! and George Michael was everywhere as I made my way through high school. As my own musical tastes grew, his music fell off my radar, with the exception of Freedom 90, which will forever be a top-tier track. This album pleasantly surprised me. It’s not music I’ll reach for (except Freedom) ever, but it’s not bad.
Freedom! Great song, although I've heard some remixes of it that I like even more than the original. Rest of the album was alright, nothing outstanding for me.
I listened without prejudice... and have to say that this album is MUCH better than I thought it would be. There's a couple of songs I can happily to do without, which would make the album much tighter, but overall - in particular the opening three tracks - I really like this. His voice is great, the jazz focus works and the dance elements are infectious.
7/4/2022 - ALBUM #158 Today's Album: "Listen Without Prejudice Vol.1" by George Michael - The opening track, Praying for Time, does a great job of welcoming the listener into this diverse collection of dramatic pop songs. Themes of human injustice, especially when it comes to money, are discussed with such great weight, and although the mix on this song in particular feels a little bit washed out, it still has such an impact due to some very strong lyricism and singing. The next track, Freedom! '90, takes things in a much more uplifting direction, with a playful piano line and shaking tambourines laying out a really playful musical base for a very strong and slightly cynical vocal performance from Michael. It's a song I've heard all over different movie soundtracks and that I imagine was overplayed to all hell in the 90s, but I have to say it's still a banger. The energy absolutely takes a nosedive with They Won't Go When I Go, where a solo, sorrowful piano backs a vocal performance that sounds much more like a poem recital than anything else. I think the song captures this really pained feeling of betrayal and fits with many songs on this record, but what he was thinking putting this song directly after the last I may never know. The next track, Something To Save brightens things up a lot and could have been a much better way of transitioning between those two tracks. Anyways, the album carries on with a pretty solid collection of tracks. Cowboys and Angels is a sort of low-key jazz ballad, Waiting for That Day is a particularly catchy and upbeat track and I love the vinyl production filter placed overtop, and Heal the Pain is a really lovely acoustic track with a peaceful groove to it that makes me want to float away on a beach. Soul Free strips things back for this pretty great instrumental break and it really feels like this song is emblematic of the range of songs you get out of this album. I don't think every song is a total home run, but the shift in song style from track to track is pretty refreshing and gives the album a lot of depth. The last track Waiting is a really nice closer for the album, with the vocal performance and lyrics feeling as grand and full of depth as the first song, but the laid back acoustic guitar and hopeful atmosphere of the song give it a much more hopeful tone. Overall, this is a pretty dang good album, with a lot of memorable moments and as previously mentioned, a lot of variety to the track list that give it a lot of re-listenability. Give this one a listen if you want a contemplative, but uplifting batch of memorable gospel-pop(?) tracks. Highlights: Praying for Time, Freedom! '90, Something to Save, Waiting for That Day, Heal the Pain, Waiting Score: 7.5/10 A strong batch of tracks from a 90s pop king
This album was enjoyable overall, and even the slower songs which I would have normally skipped (because I'm a pleb) were of high quality because DANG! George can sing haha. Top song for me is definitely "Freedom! '90", it's such a bop. "Soul Free" is also pretty solid. 4/5 overall
George Michael was certainly a bigger success as a solo artist. As an entertainer, he puts in the effort and it yields an authenticity to his produced work on this album. Anthemic hits like "Freedom!" find a way to fit in tone of this album. Albeit less sexy than his previous solo efforts, his draw in comparison to contemporaries like Sting, Prince, and Michael Jackson is worthy of note. This is a great pop album, and certainly shows the subtle change from 80s reliance on synth pop back to real instruments. A change for the better, and also a bit of a foresight into what would later inspire the sound behind the pop sensation Ace of Bass. "Soul Free" includes that aggressive beat, supported by piano and flute, a mix that would feature quite a bit into early 90s pop.
Too slow for me, not my style.
Dudes pretty fucking good.
Ok never listened to a GM album but with a couple of exceptions this is quite a moody introspective work which i liked more than I thought. The long Cowboys and Angels in the middle was a highlight. 3.5
They try to be all inspirational, but it just comes off as insincere.
Lot of catchy Pop Songs. Maybe responsible for the gospel choirs in throwaway pop music. (6/10) FT: Freedom! '90, Praying for Time
Freeeeeedooooom, freeeeedooooom! A fun record. Great voice, pleasant compositions. Not entirely my jam, but it was a highly entertaining album. I now understand what the fuss about George Micheal was for the previous generations. Highlight (cliche): Freedom! '90
Jestem pozytywnie zaskoczony, może nie jest to odkrycie roku, ale słuchało się całkiem przyjemnie. "Freedom! '90" to klasa sama w sobie.
Ludzie czasem z politowaniem patrzą na George'a Michaela, a prawda jest taka, że on wypuszczal naprawdę solidne albumiki. Nie jest to groundbreaking, ale szło się wczuć i przyjemne melodie i kompozycja instrumentów.
Ik begon sterk met George, maar die valse lucht in zijn stem werd me tegen het einde wel een beetje te gortig.
Ik ben echt groot fan van George Michael. Dit is wat mij betreft zijn magnum opus en staat bij mij zeer hoog in mijn lijst van beste albums. Dus zonder moeite 5 sterren.
Ik heb een zwak voor George Michael. Hou nog meer van zijn eerdere wat 'stoerdere' werk, maar dit album is toch ook wel een gooi richting een perfect popalbum. Heel divers qua stijlen. En die stem is echt altijd fantastisch!
Die gospelachtige nummers kende ik nog niet en vind ik mooi. Vocaal altijd erg onder de indruk van George, qua muziek iets minder. Dat geveeg met dat kwastje over die snaredrum de hele tijd… (ik denk dat dat is wat ik hoor).
10/10
Not my most favourite tracks but a good album nevertheless. 4*
Wasn't looking forward to this one but actually probably better than I was expecting.
Listened to on 6/9/22 Favorite song: Waiting, Freedom Absolutely bop of an album - so fun and easy to listen to and George Michael is beyond talented
Ei tää nyt ollu yhtään niin huono ku kelasin. Poppista poppista!
Olihan tässä pari ihan kivaa biisiä, mutta aika monta geneeristä poppisballadia, joista ei jäänyt mieleen mitään.
Ihan ok sileää poppista. Vähän uhkaa mennä tuplajuuston puolelle Cowboys and Angelsin saksofonit ja yleisesti muutaman mukiinmenevän biisin vastapainona on vähän liian geneerisiä ysärisettejä. 2.5/5, pyöristetään alaspäin.
Nah