Reviews (page 8 of 8)
This took me back. To days before Spotify where you would hear a track on the radio or a friend would put this on the turntable and you'd say "Oh is this the new George Michael album?". I can now listen back to it and enjoy the tracks but at the time they were bound up with the late 80's and the stigma of sexuality and 'post-Wham'. There are some really good tracks on this album- smooth and introspective. It's very 80's with some of the tricks of the trade you got then (back-beats and echo).
This album had a bit of a lull in the middle, but damn the bookends are incredible.
Not his best but undoubtedly very good
Pas si mal que ça! Prefs: Praying for Time, Freedom! '90, Cowboys and Angels, Heal the Pain Moins pref: Mother's Pride
'Freedom! '90' bellissima, anche 'Waiting for the day', però manca un po' il quid che renderebbe l'album un capolavoro.
bit overprocessed in places but still a good album
Freedom! 90 is an alltimer, a surprisingly subdued release in general though.
there are so many arrested development jokes i want to make but truth is this is just a really bad album.
George Michael wasn't a bad singer by any means, but his music just isn't all that interesting to me. There's a few ok at best songs but nothing I really want to revisit. I feel like he would've been better off fronting a jangly indie type band. Like he needed his own Johnny Marr or something. Maybe I'm just crazy.
A few too many ballads, but the fast songs slap, especially "Freedom '90", which might be better than any song on "Faith". If George Michael really wanted to be taken seriously, he should have sought a career outside of pop music. Instead he seemed laser-focused on distancing himself from Andrew Ridgeley and Wham! and all "I Want Your Sex". I for one love Wham! and "Faith". I just wish George Michael did, too.
I see why the record label didn't really know how to promote this, but it's stood the test of time very well.
I found it much better than Faith, but it still didn't resonate with me. It was more somber and serious.
Apparently this was criticised at the time for not being as "fun" as George's earlier, which is... not unfair, but also kind of misses the point. I kind of wish it had been a bit more varied, but then again it does have "Freedom 90" on it which is only one of the best pop songs of that era, so. And it sold an awful lot in the UK, so apparently it *was* what people wanted from him...
Very enjoyable
I was surprised by his much I enjoyed this album. George Michael had a hell of a voice and his level of vocal control is very well developed. The music itself was fairly basic late 80s early 90s pop, but his voice is able to give a huge depth of emotion and energy to the songs. It’s four stars on the voice alone.
It's ok
Nope
Blaaah, ei lähtenyt tanssijalka vipattamaan eikä kyllä muutenkaan koskettanut(!) kyseinen levy.
Musta miksaus oli jotenki köpö - liian diskanttinen. Olis varmasti ollu 3*, jos ois miksaus ollu parempi
Meh
No fue de mi agrado musicalmente, pero no puedo criticarlo realmente pues no es el tipo de música que me gusta.
I did. I did listen without prejudice. Didn't dislike it. It's a decent pop album. Cowboys and Angels is a great song. Next.
Probably a 3.5 but rounding up. Better than I thought.
Decent album, favorite of course is Freedom '90.
A little slow for my taste
Decent album, for sure dragged up by Freedom '90, which remains a classic.
Ha un che dei queen, però più anni ottanta, è divertente.
So, I was actually somewhat looking forward to listening to this and well, yeah, that didn’t happen. I do like Freedom but that’s about it.
Can't believe I listened to this whole thing. That will not happen again.
Really polished, but it doesn't make me feel much. It almost sounds too nice? No tension, no conflict, no suspension. He's got so much talent but I think this doesn't show much of it off. {Prior rated}
I tried to listen without prejudice… But couldn’t vibe with this album. He does have a great voice, I’ll give him that.
One song I know and a lot of other stuff. Pretty chill. GM has a good voice.
First album I bought for myself on CD. So much gold here!
This just about sums up the early 90s.
good
Great vocals, but I still prefer the sound of Faith better. 3
So they had to go into the 90’s in order to have a nice production, oh well! The album is a bit over dramatic but is it nice and Michael sure could sing. That freedom song is a stone cold classic
I tried to listen without prejudice but it really was shit. Clearly he was trying to be taken seriously as an artist but there's no substance just pretension added to basic ballads
Incredible
Not good
Ultimately meh, it's well produced and well performed, but just meh.
Surprisingly good record
Love this album. 4/5
þetta er GEGGJAÐ
I found it a tad boring
I don’t think I liked it but maybe I appreciate it. It has a serious and somber tone which is not what I associate with George Michael. Given that this came out in 1990, the background of the times heightens that seriousness—a closeted gay man in the midst of the AIDS/HIV epidemic. It isn’t enough for me to want to grab this album off a shelf. But I appreciate that it exists.
Enjoyed They Won’t Go When I Go,
yeah prejudice isn't why i don't like this, it's just boring as fuck George
Boring george
What a voice, but I was ready for it to end about three songs prior to it ending.
Listened to "Faith" a lot as a kid. Love his voice. This album was just ok for me.
Enjoyable listen a great voice
Meh
I tried to listen without prejudice - and it worked! A few of these tracks were overplayed in my youth but enough time had passed for me to be able to hear the talent.
Awesome
lets get the good bits out of the way first. george michael is a bit of a ledge and did being a rich ramous person right. freedom is a massive song that everyone knows because its decent. the bad bits are, the rest of this album is terribly turd. like as bad as it gets turd.
Jeff Goldblum's shiny diamond anus.
I listened without prejudice, but still thought it was shit. Sorry George lad.
As a wise turnip once said, do I not like that.
Listened before ? N Great album! Reminds me of my childhood. Pros: This dude's voice was pure magic. This album was enjoyable from beginning to end. Freedom is a timeless classic. Oh, and also he's a gay icon to boot! Cons: not much to dislike here. Added to Library? Y
3 1/2*
George Michael has a killer voice but the album as a whole was just fine. Still love freedom 90
No idea why this one should deserve a spot on this list. Certainly one of the most unremarkable albums we've listened to so far. Boring songs, adequate execution, subpar production. I did like Soul Free, the only track that stood out to me.
i like the Sade bits, Freedom is epic. Overall better than I expected.
Its a genuinely moving album. Beautiful in its way
What a lucky week: Stevie Wonder, Radiohead, and now George Michael. This album is great from start to finish. Happy songs and sad songs. All so beautiful; his voice makes you melt.
Great album. Is it George Michael's best? I personally think Patience is his best, but that one doesn't have Freedom! '90 and that's a JAM. The rest of the album is noticeably more subdued, but Michael executes this perfectly. During listening yesterday it was Mother's Pride that really struck me, which unfortunately remains topical as ever.
3-, phenomenal voice of mr Michael, love it. The album itself is not that good, I understand the operation, Michael was looking for some change in his creative output, but it's a little bit generic, but not bad after all. Freedom 90 is the best track on the album, I will be surely coming back to that one
this was actually a really good album, I’ll give it a 9/10 I only really knew George Michael from Careless Whisper and the jokes on Arrested Development so hearing this album was actually a really nice surprise
This shit slaps
Naziv albuma je sve rekao. Njega nisam nikad slušao, niti sam imao neku želju, iskreno. Međutim, ovaj album me je razuvjerio i volim kad me nešta ovako iznenadi. Jako mi se sviđa album, znaš kakva je ovo četvorka? E pa jebeno čvrsta! Upravo gledam, on je umro, na Božić '16. Zaboravio sam, uglavnom hvala George na ovom albumu. P.S. nek se držve ovog covera, a ne drugog što je na spotifaju (da je taj bio pravi cover, ne bi ga ni upalio iskreno). *četiri puta preslušao*
Dosadno meni osobno, but I get it.
Better than expected, varied styles, surprisingly heartfelt but also danceable in places, a surprise hit for me
The fact that you call it that tells me you’re not ready
I don't have faith that I'll be listening to this one again!
Freedom 90
Didn’t get around it- felt pretty basic
Well, began with prejudice 🙃 - but it turned out to be a surprisingly listenable album and not as dated as expected. Going to admit - not going to blast this down main street, but had a good time listening to it. And, at times George Michael channels an unusually unparalleled Freddie Mercury, especially in 'Mother's Pride'. I unfortunately underestimated his talent - but he is a consistently good artist in general, even though not up to my musical tastes.
Allt að gerast í retrospectioninni, var orðinn "of töff" fyrir þetta árið 1990, en kann aftur að meta George Michael í miðöldruninni. Flott plata sko.
Meh.
dramatic stadium pop
Great melodies. Interesting chords.
Smooth
hard to go wrong with George Michael.
Started strong with Freedom which is a banger, but died down later in the album and I found myself waiting for the end a bit. He has an incredible voice but some songs felt a bit dated.
"Listen Without Prejudice" Well, I just did. But apart from two songs, "Freedom! '90"--a soulful hit displaying as many catchy vocal hooks in a single track as ones found in Tame Impala's whole discography--and "Cowboy And Angels"--a lush synth-jazz cut about unrequited love with Bladerunner-like atmospherics--yes, apart from those two singles, this album can't hold your attention the way great albums do. Admittedly, its general sound holds out surprisingly well given the genre and era that spawned it: as a characteristically late 80s/early 90s production, the whole thing is relatively subtle at least. Yet apart from the two singles quoted up there, the rest--mostly comprised of ballads--doesn't have much to offer in terms of thrills or interesting emotions to go through. It's well-produced "elevator music". But it's elevator music nonetheless. [Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 979 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 9 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 6 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (as I think many others are more important): 6 (including this one) Albums I might not be able to judge (some might end up on my final list if they're culturally important): 1]
Genre: Pop 3/5 George Michael, in 1990, was still in his post-Wham! phase, but had already established himself as a pop juggernaut. His debut solo album had 4 US number 1 singles, and the album was a massive critical and sales success. His second album, while not a pop masterpiece, is still easy on the ears, clean as a whistle, and George Michael’s voice is crystal clear and really does pack a punch. The setlist here is a little slow for my tastes, but there are still some solid tunes here. Freedom! ‘90 is a truly iconic and altogether really wonderful pop single.
So much VERRRRRB
Очень хорошо. 4+
George Michael was born under the right alignment of stars, for he looks as good as he sings, and he sings as good as he looks.
I received "Faith" early this month on this list and while it is "basic", I can get what makes it a classic by its influence on modern pop. This one here it's still "basic", but much more boring. I got the importance of it for George Michael's career and Freedom is an anthem impossible to dislike, however, it's impossible for me to like a whole album based on this only song.
Such a crisp voice on George Michael - it's one I've heard thousands of times in my life, but I'd never listened to an entire album cover to cover. I appreciate the vocal talent that is conveyed on this album.
Really polished, but it doesn't make me feel much. It almost sounds too nice? No tension, no conflict, no suspension. He's got so much talent but I think this doesn't show much of it off.
bem gostozinhas as musicas tem até uma bem famosas como "Freedom" bem anos 90
"Freedom" is def the biggest hit on the album. Nice album to listen to, to be honest. 7/10.
couple good songs
The 90s barely started and already, this is a very 90s album.
Duller than I expected - couple of hits, but the rest of it was a bit slow and with unexpectedly poor production
suco oitenzono, podia ser michael jackson, podia ser o comecinho de sympathy for the devil (mas só o comecinho), mas é george michael, um disco cravado na década, com os dois pé no terninho de ombreira. enfim, bom, bem bom.
Like some of the songs
* Freedom saves this for being a dull album.
Some of my most annoying earworms from the 80's were courtesy of George Michael. Faith, I Want Your Sex and anything from his former band, Wham! and the accompanying videos, I couldn't stand! I must admit when I listened to Listen Without Prejudice in 2022, it was a more sympathetic listen as the songs and vibe are a little more sombre and toned down than his previous hit record. The song Freedom! 90 may evoke a different emotion for me now than when it released over 30 years ago. The record isn't awful and listening without prejudice to the whole thing gives me perhaps a slightly different perspective on the man instead of just a "pop star".
A couple of right catchy good tracks in here but felt a bit samey after a while.
If you need some quite background music to have a romantic dinner, maybe thats your choice. Ah whatever. I give it 2 stars.
Loved it!
I was actually surprised at how much I enjoyed this, as I'm disinclined to like pop music that was done after about 1980. (It's not a fair prejudice). He puts out a lot of energy in this music.
Do not care for, didn't finish. Prefer Jeff Buckley.
Me encantó. Me transmitió mucha paz su voz, las letras me encantaron, realmente me pareció un proyecto muy coherente.
It's always fun to be pleasantly surprised, but I should have taken the advice of the album title. When I read it was a move away from George Michael's dance music, I imagined something boring. I ended up loving it. I will steal the comment of a contemporary critic and say that this felt "personal, not commercial." I really felt connected to it and loved its sound. "Freedom! '90" is the song I well remember and always liked, but I liked digging into it a bit deeper and listening to its lyrics about the emotional consequences of his fame. "Cowboys and Angels" is a lovely heartfelt waltz with a saxophone solo. I enjoyed the seamless transition to the Rolling Stones in "Waiting for that Day." And the rest! I liked all the songs on this. It was perfect music for the day.
I love this album, although I became most familiar with it years after its release. There are a couple of dance-tracks, but for the most part it is a serious album. The melodies really draw me in and make me want to listen over and over.
I've always disliked the title of this album. It feels like a set-up --- if you don't like the record, it's because of your prejudices. Well...to this "little hungry schoolgirl" who loved Wham! and Faith, this album _was_ disappointing at the time. I like it more now than I did in 1990. I count Praying for Time and Freedom! '90 among my favorite songs. I also really like Waiting for That Day and Heal the Pain. While I can appreciate Michael's need for more respect as a song-writer and the state of his personal life at the time, this album seems overly serious. I would have liked a bit more fun and a bit less scolding. This album is nevertheless very very good.
I love this album and am very happy to see it recognized on this list. “Praying for Time” is one of my favorite songs of the 90’s. It’s a sober song that is as relevant today as it was then. What surprised me when I first listened to this back in 1990 was how serious most of the songs on this album were. The cover of Stevie Wonder’s “They Won’t Go When I Go” is closer to the overall tone of this album than “Freedom! ‘90”. I remember being surprised at this. And even the really fun, dance-y “Freedom! ‘90” has some pretty cynical lyrics. “Waiting for That Day” is a really nice track with its organ background. I love the groove of this song. Other highlights on this album for me are “Something to Save,” “Cowboys and Angels” (a great waltz!), “Heal the Pain” (great song - one of the more optimistic tracks!), and “Soul Free.” I also love “Waiting (Reprise)” which is a lovely closing to the album. I hadn’t listened to any of the extra discs from the 2017 reissue (Listen Without Prejudice / MTV Unplugged). I’m glad I did this time. The MTV Unplugged performance is pretty incredible and made me sad that George Michael left us too soon. The unplugged “Freedom! ‘90” rivals the original as do many of the other tracks, and you hear a lot off the other albums as well as some cool covers like “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” It’s a really nice listen. Still I’ll keep my ranking focused on the original release… George Michael died 5 years 1 week ago and I had not really revisited his music since then. I’m glad this provided me the kick I needed to check out the re-issue and get this back into the rotation because it is a really great album.
Vibeworthy. 5/10
Never heard the entire album. What a gorgeous piece of work. Loved "Praying for Time". Added without prejudice.
Had to give this a 5. I could try to be nitpicky with a couple of songs I didn't enjoy as much as the rest, but that would be wrong as they were both still good (Heal The Pain and Soul Free). There is a nice balance of ballads interjected with some dance and folk numbers. George Michael's vocals are out of this world too. Thankfully this album also doesn't feature much of the 80s sax. Favourite songs are Cowboys and Angels, Freedom!90 and Praying For Time.
Not for me
I tried to George, I really did but it sounds like music for middle aged women to gurn over and pout about how good looking you were and how they would only need a couple of minutes with you. Frankly, it feels a bit like a pub singer plying his tunes down the local. Best Tracks: Freedom! '90; Something To Save; Heal the Pain
A decent album. One really well known song. The other songs each had a different style.
Didn’t like this one…. Like GM’s work… this was not his best
He was a teeny bop hit guy that did better as he worked at it . This one wasn’t a great show of his talents
Our second from George Michael, and very underwhelming compared to Faith. The title made me laugh, how many volumes of listening without prejudice did this guy plan? Is he just making a point about how serious he is, like when someone hits a "1/?" indicator on a tweet thread? Some decent pop/rock tracks of course, and I knew "Freedom" but aside from that I wasn't too engrossed. It's alright I guess. Maybe this is a British bias moment? I just don't think we really need more than the one George Michael project, let's be real. I'd dismiss this from the list with prejudice, not for being bad but for taking up a crucial slot. Favorite tracks: Freedom, Cowboys and Angels, Waiting for That Day. Album art: A lame crowd shot, black and white for no apparent reason. The version on Apple Music is a hi-res close up shot of George Michael in his older age. Neither cover makes me want to hear this. 3/5
S’ok
When I listen to George Michael a couple of things cross my mind (and my heart). One, I just feel joy in everything he does, he was so very, very good. Everything he created was a gift. But now I also feel a sadness for the way we lost him, essentially to his fame. One thing is for sure, pop music probably would have taken a different trajectory without George Michael. There's a depth and maturity to some of his work that pop music is just starting to come back around to, after so many frivolous years. Listen Without Prejudice is not a perfect album. But it stands out so starkly from pop music of the 80s, from everything Michael had made up to that point. It's smart, seriously crafted pop that really cracked open the possibilities in 1990 of what a pop album could or should be. Another reviewer commented that the album essentially kicked off pop for the 90s, which is so true. The arrangements are more sophisticated, the lyrics are deeper, this is music for grown ass adults, not the teenagers who listened to Wham! in the 80s. That's not to say the album doesn't have fun, because that’s in there too. Maybe not as much fun as Faith, but that would be a hard one to top. There's another vibe at work here, one of introspection, one of growth. I can't think of a better opener than "Praying for Time." It has this lush, atmospheric arrangement that just pulls you in. Michael's vocal is so silky, so infectious, so gorgeous. I want to hear it forever. “Freedom '90” is damn catchy, a perfect pop song. It’s smooth, funky, more than a little angry. I have special fondness for it knowing it really is George Michael's declaration of independence from his image and our expectations of him. Being frank about the costs of stardom made Michael a far better artist. As I listen now, the album is a touch more dated than I expected it to be. But seriously, who cares? Pop music is specifically a time sensitive genre, but excellent is excellent. In that sense, Listen Without Prejudice is timeless. Fave Songs: Freedom! '90, They Won't Go When I Go, Praying for Time, Soul Free, Cowboys and Angels
Busy bee
I accidentally listened with prejudice. Sorry Michael!
Bra album! Visar verkligen George Michaels talang för låtskrivande.
6/10
This was a waste of time.
White boy soul at it's best from the lad from Wham! Classic tracks are "Freedom" (Obviously) "Praying For Time" "Mothers Pride" and "Heal the Pain" plaintive calls for understanding. Georges ability to hit the heights both lyrically and vocally on show here. Much missed artist I think.
This was actually pretty good
oddly... good?
So very different to Faith or his work with Wham, this album is the pinnacle of George Michael's career. Even to a casual listener and not a super fan like my wife, it is hard to deny that this is pop perfection
he was alright i suppose
Did not care for the album.
Not a terrible album, but this album absolutely does not belong on this list. This is essential to nothing.
Takes itself very seriously, after a couple of fun bangers at the front, drifts off into lounge-land quite quickly. I'm sure there's an audience out there that loves it, but I'm not it.
2.25
Boy this is a boring album. Like... inoffensive soft-pop that very very quickly faded into background at the dentist office pap for me.
love it
Enjoyed this. Had more depth that you think did dode.
I wanted to hate it but I couldn’t, Great pop with a bit extra with the confidence to rip influences from other songs and make them his own (ish)
Pop. Soul. Muy blandito. Aburrido.
Yndislegt albúm. Svo fáránlega góð túlkun á öllum lögum. Elsk <3
3/5
2.5/5 George Michael is a great singer. He has an amazing voice, and he knows how to use it. This album is flat and bland, though, with so many successive down-to-mid-tempo ballads featuring whiny lyrics... That said, I have to admit that the absolute highlight of the album is the haunting quasi-spiritual "They Won't Go When I Go" which sounds equally influenced by Prince and Franz Schubert. It is beautifully written, simply arranged, and brilliantly performed. This song is a must-listen. The album is not.
George Michael wrote a pretty convincing John Lennon song - Praying for Time. I'd love to have heard John Lennon cover this song. I'm trying to listen to this album without prejudice. I would NEVER have listened to this even a few years ago, but I'm opening up to different stuff. Here we go. There are some complex arrangements in here for pop music. Pretty impressive. I'm never going to listen to this album again, but I can respect the skillz.
Kind of an unusual album. Freedom ‘90 is completely unrelated to the rest of the songs here. Praying for Time is moving. They Won’t Go When I Go probably most interesting track. Waiting (Reprise) sounded a way too close to Every Rose Has Its Thorn. The rest of the album does little to nothing. Overall, album was not mixed all that well, at least what I listened to on Spotify.
I didn’t see a need to change it up after 1987’s “Faith.”
3.4 - Pretty, understated, often sappy. “Praying for Time” is an underrated gem. The album version of “Freedom - 90” is overlong - much prefer the radio edit - but the song is still a jam. “Waiting for that Day” and “Heal the Pain” are gorgeous. Doesn’t quite jell as an album but still a good listen.
I mean, he's fine. Soul Free was my favorite song, even above Freedom. 3.5
It was okay.
I was heading toward a probably 2 star review for this, and then I heard Heal the Pain. I really liked that song a lot - in fact I wish the rest of the album was more like that. Overall it was okay. George Michael had a great voice and was clearly a talented guy, but most of his music is just so-so for me. 3 stars.
George Michael peut se vanter de porter à bout de bras ce courant musical qu'est l'homosexual pop. L'album est une réussite de bout en bout. L'intro nous fait entrer dans un univers très riche, très marquée par une attirance envers la gente masculine. On slalome entre les pistes tel George Michael entre les passants sur son char lors des marches de fierté. L'album se conclue sur un coming out explosif. En bref, on en redemande.
Une homosexualité debordante de la part de notre ami George Michael, qui reprend tous les codes de la homosexual pop, très chère à notre ami robbière. En effet, ce genre musical porté par George Michael et Ricki Martins, n'a plus rien à prouver, et vient recolter un nouveau 4/5. Bien dommage donc de ne pas voir ce genre figurer dans le classement des genres du générateur. Un manque d'ouverture d'esprit peut-être? Je vous tiendrais au courant dès que j'en saurai un peu plus sur les motivations réelles de Robert.
bit boring apart from the radio hits
Great album, great artist. I enjoyed each track. 4.4
This was pretty much as expected, but that's not a bad thing. Freedom was a big hit when I was a kid. Still sounds good, still just sounds like average 90s pop music. 3/5.
Reminds me of Songs in the Key of Life in the switch between styles and the particular selection of styles.
hmm i could listen to some songs when having sex!
i groaned inwardly when i saw this come up. i can deal with freedom, but christ, that's about all. incredible voice, though.
Geez this album slaps.
These songs are too slow and not very interesting, they seem a bit pretentious in some ways. I preferred Faith when George first went solo. And there is too much echo on his voice in most of these songs
George Michael’s hits were an ever present constant in the 80’s and 90’s, but other than Faith, which sold 25 million copies, I hadn’t thought about his work in terms of albums. One day last year I heard his duet with Elton John for the bazillionth time and started to think about Michael’s talent. So I sat there and listened to Faith again and then to his entire solo discography and was blown away by his musical range and depth of feeling. A truly great artist and this album is worth absorbing every track.
I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed this album. George Michael's vocals really stood out, and the seriousness in tone worked for all the songs. I had read some critics who scoffed saying he was overdoing it: "oh, look I'm serious now," but I did not get that at all. Of course, there is the Freedom90 song which we have all heard, but the other songs on the album were just as good to me.
Somber. Honestly, I was expecting more soaring vocals but it feels like he was trying to be restrained so as not to be one-dimensional. That's not to say his incredible vocals aren't on display but it's not like a Celine Dion album where every song is rising to a climax. Sometimes it's just even, intense vocals throughout a song. You've got to respect his decision to put his vocals and lyrics front and center. I guess with vocals like his that's an easy choice. I think his lyrics got better over time - he hadn't quite found it yet. But you can see the potential in Mother's Pride, Cowboys and Angels, and Praying for Time. Soul Free was a disappointment - like the record producers got their way with a track. Too cheesy. Fortunately Waiting takes it out on a big high note. From a pure enjoyment perspective I probably give the album a 4. But from a concept perspective and what he was trying to accomplish and the raw emotion, it's a 5.
This album was really good. I'm sad to admit that back in my serious prog-snob I days I dismissed George Michael without every giving him a chance. I regret that now and this album is going to send me down that rabbithole to check out more of his solo albums and Wham!
I was pleasantly surprised by this album. I'm not a big pop fan, but I felt the songwriting and production quality were excellent. I also understand why a lot of people wanted to see him as the new singer for Queen - there were so many moments he sounded like Freddie. Solid 4.
Dem englischen Wikipedia-Artikel zu diesem Album ist zu entnehmen, dass George Michael bei der Produktion bemüht war, als Songschreiber ernster genommen zu werden. Was schwer fällt, da er kein besonders Guter ist. Das bekannte 'Freedom’ sticht etwas aus dem Material heraus, eine Entdeckung war für mich 'Heal the Pain'. Richtig geil ist das aber alles nicht.
Very good! Did not expect to like this as much as i did, very varied pop album.
Pop em demasia.
Sadly, this did not do much for me.
Engrossing, varied, more serious than his other work, better than I was expecting
It's not bad. It didn't touch me too deeply.
Enjoyable! Easy to listen to
I couldn’t listen without Prejudice. Sorry, George.
Not really my thing. Lyrics are kinda cringey and the instrumentation is very flat.
Really taken aback by how much I enjoyed this. It's been a long time since I've been impressed solely by someone's vocally quality, but dang, Michael has such a nice timbre despite its cheesiness. Immediately went to Discogs to pick this one up.
Classic. More ballads than I remember. Gifted writer, composer and voice.
Praying for time I really liked, the other songs I wasn’t that fussed about. The Album as a whole is good but gets a bit dreary. I was expecting more upbeat pop. I understand that it was made with the backdrop of the HIV/AIDS thing going on, and his own struggles so not a lot to be upbeat about I guess.
Freedom is just one of those songs that you hear once and can never get out of your head. Phenomenal album from George Michael. A super strong album.
I love George Michael. I love him so much I’ve become like a Michael Jackson fan you see in a documentary bawling their eyes out over him moonwalking. That’s me, but for George Michael. He has been canonized in my mind, and I don’t care if my interpretation of him is no where near accurate to how he actually was in real life. Okay, now that being said, this album is beautiful, but I wouldn’t necessarily give it a 5. I especially love Cowboys and Angels and Waiting for That Day. There were a few songs I wasn’t in love with, and that’s okay. I see myself listening to a lot of the songs regularly, but maybe not the entire album.
// Favs: – Score: Strong 2 to Light 3
not gonna listen to this
An album that pulled pop music out of its 80s malaise to kick off the 90s in style - hip hop beats, r&b and gospel influences, supermodels in the video and George Michael’s powerful, soulful voice (the greatest pop singer of his era?). Freedom 90 is a perfect pop record (and what a singalong) and the ballads have real staying power. You feel George Michael is starting to be the artist he wants to be, getting ever more comfortable writing confessional (perhaps?), personal lyrics. A significant improvement on Faith, which also appears on this list, Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (is there a more pretentious album title - vol.1 indeed?!?! - I love it!) fully deserves its place on this list.
damn good. most of his best songs come from this one.
I tried Listen Without Prejudice and it was quite boring with mediocre songs (unlike the Faith album)
The best
A mature statement from one of the great mainstream pop artists shooting for eternal air play on Smooth FM, and the album that made it OK for me as a red blooded and masculine male to like George Michael.
it sounded okay i guess but i couldnt get into it or connect with it at all.. felt nothing throughout.
meh
Now we're talking. A proper album l. Spoiled only by Freedom 90
I did and it was just middling.
Enjoyed this more than I thought. Loved the extended version of Freedom 90. Was a bit slow in places, but that was George. 3 stars
Erstaunliche Bandbreite und Qualität. Wäre aber nicht meins....
Pretty fabulous.
Not available on Spotify, so just giving 3
I mean, it's pretty dreadful. And made me sad - thinking of little Kieran trying to get into this. Not music for kids!!
I never listened to the whole album before, but George Michael is excellent.
Some top notice pop, but a lot of filler thrown in.
It's not bad, but extremely dull and forgettable in most places
Better than expected but still pretty non descript. Don't get the fuss.
Decent listen
By George, I think he’s got it
Cliché pop music. It's well made but I don't think this was something I had to listen to before I die
A very enjoyable album. clearly influential in pop culture for its time and beyond - any album with a song featuring in Arrested Development is good to me Saved: Freedom!, Heal The Pain
Saved Prior: Freedom! '90 Off Rip: Heal the Pain Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: Great voice, one all-time bop, one pretty good song, and a bunch of fine but ultimately forgettable songs.
Ja ouvi falar dele mas a musica nao causou impressao nenhuma
Duidelijke stijl doorheen heel het album.
Sommige nummers gaan nogal snel vervelen, de rest is redelijk middelmatig.
Nunca pensé que un disco que prácticamente contiene puras baladas me gustara tanto. Lo escuché sin prejuicio como dice y me encantó.
No, just no
I had a lot of mixed feelings about this album. I didn't find it as musically interesting as Faith, but I didn't not enjoy listening to it. On the second run, there were a couple songs I could get into, mostly the faster placed ones. Overall it felt like Adult lite Gospel Jazz, and it has a very soul searching, confessional feel to it. It made me more interested in George Michael as a person, but there wasn't anything that really resonated with me or my experience. I admire that he tried to grow as an artist after Faith, which was a phenomenon having gone seven times platinum.
A few good songs, but overall a little schmaltzy for me. I'd give it a few more listens to see if it grows on me.
Maybe one too many ballads but overall a great listen and he sounds amazing as ever
I used to be pretty dismissive of George. in hindsight, that was misplaced snobbery
A good pop album. Maybe a little too self indulgent. Could have done with a few lighter moments.
Juz sam tytul brzmial nieco podejanie, ale nie kojarzylem nazwiska, ale patrzac na okladke jakis murzyn, wiec bedzie grane jakies R&B, a tutaj szok i niedowierzanie, bo nie jest to jakas plotka muzykalna, ale jeden z najwiekszyc rekinow, a moze raczej wielorybow branzy, bo jeden z czlonkow duetu whamowego, czyli stworzycieli zmiowo swiatecznego hymnu czyli ostatkich swiat, czy obudz mnie zanim gogo, no i dodatkowo jest to bialy czlowiek, ktory widocznie zrobil odwrotnego jacksona, ruch chyba jak najbardziej na miejscu biorac pod uwage muzyke jaka tworzyli w duecie whamowym, po czym takim tylko w czarniejsze klimaty mozna pojsc, no i zostaje tajemnica tytulu, dlaczego bez uprzedzen, czyzby odciecie sie od whamowej spuscizny, rezygnacja z chwytliwych kaczowatych refrenowych songow, tak i nie, bo pierwsze dwa taki mowia nadal bedzie muzyka grana do zabawy z efekciarskimi efektami, jak napakowany freedomek, ktory pewnie okaze sie byc najlepiej sprzedanym kawalkiem artysty, bo chyba nawet na jukejowej olimpiadze byl grany, takie skojarzenie, ale juz trzeci trak zmienia nastroj plyty pojawia sie klawiszowa melodia i troche naturalniejsze podejscie do wokali, bo po dwoch pierwszych trakach ciezko ocenic umiejetnosci wokalne, bo czuc tak bardzo napakowane w nie efekty, ale w they wont go when i go pan george pokazuje sie z innej strony i otwiera "prawdziwa okladke" disku, bo reszta materialu jest raczej utrzymana w podobnym klimacie, jedynie pod koniec troche znowu dencowo i zabawowo, kawalek soul free, ale calosc pomiedzy tymi dwoma kawalkami zaliczylnym do bialego czy tam gumowego soula z nalecialosciami bluesowymi, a moze jakis kontemplentacyjny pop, a o czym mozna rozwazac w latach 90 chcac zrobic muzyke bez uprzedzen do sluchania, wiec oczywscie bieda na swiecie, a bieda na swiecie w swiecie gdzie slucha sie muzyke z plytek i kasetek, ewentualnie wynilek to oczywscie brak milosci, wolnej miosci, no i choroby weneryczne, do tego oczywiscie nierownosci, ale to przeciez oczywiscie, wiec o ile muzycznie calkiem spoko sie sluchalo, tak lirycznie katuszowany raczej odsluch, na plejaka dodam wspomiane podwojne drzwi do albumiku, czyli they wont go when i go, bo akurat lirycznie autoportretowy traczek jak to jest byc whamowym artystykiem, ktory nie moze juz tworzyc jak by chcial, bo ma nalepke, wiec robi cie myslec w niektorych momentach, cala plyta jest tak dobrze wyprodukowana, ze az czuje sie uczucie sztucznosci, ktore znika dopiero w wersji live z mtv odlaczonego, ktore jest zawarte w spotifajowej wersji i do ktorego tez zanurkowalem, ale kontent lircyzny nadal ten sam, niestety, bez uprzedzien sprobowalem i sadzem ze zrozumialem, ale jednak mnie nie przekonalo
Desde el primer disco de George Michael como que no me convenció. Salvo uno que otro momento de buena u instrumentación y la canción freedom que es muy pegajosa y animada, y que creo que ya había salido en el disco anterior de él, los demás tracks me dieron igual. Mood: No lo pude escuchar sin prejuicio.
The best thing I can say is that it wasn't as bad as I was bracing myself for.
El típic disc madur després d'un èxit tan apoteòsic com "Faith". Encara hi ha petites espurnes de genialitat pop com 'Praying for Time' o 'Freedom' 90', però la major part del minutatge evoluciona i redunda en els tocs jazzístics de l'anterior, aquí protagonistes. Es fa sentir tot, però, de forma natural i honesta; i continuen havent-hi uns quants temes molt destacats
Album nie vorher gehört, die Single ist ja ein roter Hering. Für die und "They won't go..." wil ich eigentlich 5 Sterne geben, da ist auch noch mehr Schönes drauf, aber wieder lande ich beim Sound, der für mich nicht passt. In der Produktion ist es nämlich wieder um Totalpop, und das geht so nicht. Würde ich gern alles mal unplugged serviert bekommen.
Der Wechsel ins „ernsthafte“ Fach tat ihm gut, Emanzipation beflügelte zur Auseinandersetzung mit dem projizierten wie auch dem Selbstbild. Und darüber möchte George nun reden, ein drängendes Anliegen schlägt seine Bahn. Der Kurs ist klar, poliert, geht Richtung dunkel lackierten Holz, Leder, indirektem Licht. Barsound eben und doch auch intim, nichts ist Retro sondern stilsicher ausgewählt. Musik als Einrichtungsgegenstand mit viel persönlicher, gestalterischer Note, die am deutlichsten in den Texten durchkommt. Dass es keine Dancefloor orientierte Vol. II mehr gegen hat, verleiht dem Bemühen um gereifte Wahrnehmung eine tragische Note. Kitsch oder großes Können ist die Schneide, auf der auch Größenwahnsinnige wie Queen und Prefab Sprout regelmäßig tanz(t)en und ich rechne George Michael an, es auf diesem Parkett versucht und besser geschafft zu haben, als Kritik und Sales es wiedergeben. Überraschte 3.7
Highlights: Praying for Time, Waiting Lowlight: Freedom! '90 Some genre-bending music here, but I've never been a fan of Freedom! '90. Praying for Time is probably the strongest track here, that really gets inside your head and makes you think. Everything else is pretty standard fare, not exceptional but competently executed.
I hope the choices improve soon
Great album, and incredibly diverse in sound. Have loved “Praying for Time” and “Freedom ‘90” since I was a kid, and loved “Waiting for That Day” and “Heal the Pain”
Pues sí escuché sin prejuicios, pero medio meh. Creo que tenía altas expectativas porque el anterior de George Michael que tocó sí lo disfruté mucho. Acá de repente hay canciones desangeladas. Claro, "Freedom! '90" sí la ubicaba y me parece buena, rescato "Cowboys and Angels". "Heal the Pain" de pronto me parece que desentona con todo lo demás, que es sobre todo baladitas medio aburridonas. Lo que sí me gustó es que el disco termine con un grito de G. Michael. En fin, reitero: medio meh. 6/10
All a bit cheesy, like a mega Glee choir. I liked a few but nothing amazing
I was ready to write this one off based just on the artist's clownish pose on the cover and goofy shades, but I reread the album title and promised myself that I would give it a fair shake. Thankfully, the music is just as clownish. The music is well-produced but takes itself much too seriously while saying nothing important.
Great Album
Started off great but a bit too slow for my taste
I love Freedom ‘90 but I didn’t enjoy the rest of the album. I thought that it painted an HIV-affected picture, though.
I liked this one.
For the genre and era, gold.
In the nineties I called his music cheesy. Listening today I'm in a total groove, though I haven't heard most of these songs before. I am very pleasantly surprised
Better than the 80s album earlier. I think he is good singer, but he was searching to find the right way to express himself. One track (Waiting for that Day) stood out as being a pretty good song, the Freedom! '90 is better than average, but the rest of the album was pretty average to me.
No. I don't think I will. Hard pass because the music sucks.
Freedom of course, but a few other surprising tunes on here. I'd listen again, in 4 months maybe.
Freedom is awesome, but the rest of it is weak boring sauce.
refreshing.
What a voice.
- freedom! freedom! freedom! freedom! - first album on returning - i have to rate these on my personal enjoyment, so this one won't do too well - sounds dated to me, and too ballad-y every single song - ultimately there are some cool sounds on here but it's not something I'll likely return to
Far more enjoyable than I had thought. Nice tunes.
I liked it, didn't love it. Not my scene really, but there's nothing wrong with this album. George Michael definitely has a great voice.
Love george's hits but not enough hits here
Because I gotta have faith.
After my first half listen this review was going to be pretty hash, but a second spin I warmed to it a little. I had to listen to the wham version of Freedom to get that it wasn’t just a cover of his own song. Still not a fan but an easy enough listen.
Really good album! To be fair, I'm a George Michael fan. Even so, I don't think I'd ever heard anything from this album but the hits. Very glad this one came up, even though I think I still enjoy "Faith" more. 4 stars!
2/5. Stadium 90s pop rock is not my jam.
Really amazing album, loved it!!!
Always had respect for George Michael for his musical talent and amazing voice. Loved the album for it's feel and power
Very pop in bad mining of this word
совершенно блеклый эстрадный поп. после “Praying for Time” поставить “Freedom! ‘90” очень странная идея. технических проблем тут нет, да и вокал Джорджа хоть и не блещет ни каплей экстравагантности, он профессионален и чист. что альбом делает в списке я, в целом, понимаю, но не знаю, засуну ли в свой.
Just not my thing. 1
was alright. a little different than i expected
Dude could sing!
A lot of stylistic variety. I really enjoyed the first portion of the album especially.
So boring. Slow pianos and acoustic guitar with George just singing away isn't interesting to me.
I took your advice, George Michael, and you know what? This shit slaps. Best track: Freedom! '90
Other than 'Freedom 90' the rest of the album is kinda repetitive and slow
No prejudice activated. I liked it, guess he really carried Wham! huh
It's fine. Not my thing, but I get why people like it.
An incredible album, power ballads and pop perfection. Standout Tracks: Praying for Time, They Won't Go When I Go, Something to Save, Cowboys and Angels, Mothers Pride
One good song. Freedom! ‘90
1 banger et de très belle musique mais aussi inconsistant