Customer Reviews

Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1

5 star:		(60)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is one of the saddest, most depressing cds you'll ever listen to. There's definitely a haunting undertone here, but the songs are very good and they showcase Michael's tremendous singing ability. If you are looking for happy music, keep right on going, because this isn't for you. If you like a little piano, acoustic guitar, and a wide variety of song styles, then you should like this. It's George Michael in a way he was never seen before. I've always enjoyed this cd more than his candy-pop music, and I'll never part with it.

I was not one to listen to George Michael in his "Faith" days. Né, I despised his music really. When a few mates mentioned this cd was quite good (and this was when it was released) I laughed and thought no more of it. I expected "Monkey" and all that "Biker Femme" nonsense from "Faith," which, admittedly, is good as far as American pop music goes. I didn't except anything more than that. However, one day while listening to the radio I heard "Freedom '90" and thought, now that's a bit catchy. Kind of like a "Faith" song but smarter and (I hate to sound ridiculous but) more mature. So eventually I borrowed "LWP" from a pal and gave it a shot. I was pleasantly surprised. A very serious theme runs throughout. Part acoustic (Something to Save for example), part pure pop (Freedom '90), and lots of excellent, inventive stuff in between. Cowboys and Angels is an incredible song, and I'm not sure if I can describe why. You Can't Always Get What You Want tells a great auto-biographical story. I am not all that knowledgeable about music (insert "no kidding" here), but this is the best cd I've heard, ever. It's as big a surprise to me as it would be to you.

Throughout his entire career, his songwriting has always been unique, the haunting qualities of his voice have always been at the forefront of his melodies. Yet, he has only ever produced 3 albums, and his last real album was over 7 years ago. Where others of less talent, would produce new albums every 6 months or yearly, George evidentely can only release material when he has 'something to say'.

For many, George is the aspirational singer, songwriter. No one has ever combined such unique songwriting skills with such an emotive and addictive voice.

In many ways, this album contains tracks that are as good (Emotionally, Spiritually,) as can ever be produced, by anyone, anywhere.

Consider this, George was only 17 when he wrote 'careless whisper', seems incredible how someone so young had the maturity and talent to write / compose such a timeless and effortless ballad.

There seems to be 2 types of people in life, those that will look at a product, and appreciate its qualities, regardless of fashion or what mass popularity dictates. Or those that can only follow the mainstream, and go along with whatever is popular, good or, more usually, the very bad indeed.

So, the title of this album is perfect, for me and many others, its without doubt one of the very, very finest peices of music ever recorded. For others, it contains G.Michael who was ultra popular with girls when in Wham! so they can never get seen even holding the cd.

What does it take to change the essence of a man ?

In my mind, the best track off "Listen Without Prejudice" is "Mothers Pride," an elegantly arranged ballad in which George Michael articulates the pain of a mother who loses her child to fight in combat. Authentic to the core, this piano-flavored song ranks among Michael's best, and to this day it makes me get a little emotional whenever I hear it. Elsewhere on the album, we find George trying to sever ties from his teenybopper past in Wham!, and for the most part he succeeds. "Soul Free" is a rump-shaking number that flies on the strength of its Soul II Soul-esque groove, while "Waiting For the Day" and the deliciously jazzy "Cowboys and Angels" shows that George is a long way from the perkiness of "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go." "Listen Without Prejudice" sold only a mere fraction of what its predecessor "Faith" did, and it began a very public battle with his now former label Sony. Yet, it's a compelling disc that still holds up well. Listen not only without prejudice but with wide open ears

After years of owning this album and never taking the time to really listen to it (due in no doubt to the stupid media problems and George's absense from the vids and the vids absense from Mtv) I rebought this on cd and after a listen straight through I came to several conclusions. A. YES, this cd needs desperately to be remastered as it sounds so sonically dead and harmonically hollow. B. This has without a doubt got to be one of the most underrated albums of the past 20 years. and C. George Michael is also one of our generation's most talented, honest and gifted singer/songwriter/producers in the history of modern pop music. Whereas we've all heard Freedom 90' and Praying for time (pure brilliance) it's the little gems on this disc that blow your socks off. "Heal the pain" is a gorgeous acoustic guitar driven song with a chorus that sticks in your head like peanut butter, "Soul Free" and "Mother's pride" are beautiful in execution and production. BUT the truest gem on this disc is the last track "Waiting (Reprise)". Two minutes and twenty seconds of pure, unguarded emotion. If this song doesn't give you goosebumps your emotionally dead. The vocals, lyrics and sparse arrangement make this tiny, short song HUGE and powerful. This little slice of musical heaven was just a precursor to the forthcoming honesty and emotional depths George was on his way to mining on all his subsequent material. Less is more, and in this case..... less was more than plenty. This song will go down in my books as one of the greatest, PUREST songs ever committed to vinyl. No wonder he opens all his shows with it. When he sings "HERE I AM!" you can't help but think "YES! And thank god for that!".

Hmmm... if it is 2006 and you are reading this review because you are considering buying this CD, all I can ask is who are you? I cannot believe that anyone who likes George Michael would not already own this CD, seeing as it has been out for over 16 years.

That said, this is one of my favorite CDs; definitely in my Top 10. This is actually the first CD that I found a way to "wear out" and had to buy a second copy (basically, repeated plays throughout the years resulted in the disc getting scratched, dinged and skipping during playback). This CD is consistent from start to finish, without a weak song. It is also a much better album than "Faith" and holds up better over repeated listens.

This CD was underrated back in 1990, basically because of its somewhat somber tone, and because it did not have as many radio-friendly tracks as "Faith". In fact, outside of "Freedom '90", it has no "radio friendly" material on it. However, this CD is a consistently rewarding listen. It is somber without being gloomy. It retains George Michael's brand of pop music, and his unique sound, without being "commercial". This was certainly not another "Faith" and in fact the only song from "Faith" that might sound at home on this release would be "Hand to Mouth". Otherwise, the album is a definite departure (albeit a very positive departure) for George.

Considering the time when this thing came out (i.e. the year of "Ice Ice Baby", "U Can't Touch This" and "Cherry Pie") this album was actually ahead of its time. It is one of the few releases from 1990 (along with Depeche Mode's "Violator") that have aged well.

My only complaint is that this CD (along with the rest of George's solo and Wham! output) is in dire need of remastering. As with most releases of the time, the CD sounds hollow (i.e. not deep enough bass, too much treble, very "tinny" sounding). There is a warmth and depth to these songs that only a good remastering job could really bring out. Considering George has patched up his relationship with Sony, and considering other than his back catalogue, George doesn't have much else to offer these days, I am surprised that this (and his other releases) have not yet been remastered.

That said, if you are considering buying this (again, where have you been the past 16 years?) you won't be disappointed.

I seldom listen to pop, but this album grabbed me rightaway. For a start, this man can really SING. No off-key whining from him, no need for special effects to enhance a puny voice. Michael has plenty of power, great breath control and a sense of phrasing that is all his own. Listen Without Prejudice is virtuoso stuff.

The album is plainly Michael's cri de coeur. Take me seriously, he is saying. And we do. From start to finish, his combination of plaintive, heart-felt vocals and simple but hard-hitting lyrics are a joy, and this is an album that just gets better and better with repeated listenings.

Autobiography seems to run a strong theme throughout several of the songs, notably Something To Save, Waiting For That Day and the reprise that concludes the album. Michael is in pain, and he doesn't care who knows it. I've heard Michael's voice described as "plain" but there is nothing ordinary about these haunting performances.

Equally good is the moving Mother's Pride, an angry but sweetly sung condemnation of war. The song changes key two thirds of the way through, grabbing the heartstrings along the way.

A must-have for anyone who admires pop singing with a soul.

Except for his rendition of a Stevie Wonder classic this is an incredible album. (No one should even TRY to sing Stevie's songs) And this is comin' from a true R&B/Soul/Jazz fan. But it's really difficult to classify this album. It's part pop, rock, soul, folk, jazz... Most importantly it's a very intorspective album. You can really hear Michael's pain and struggle with the situations he describes. Love lost, dreams met yet still unfulfilled.

Mother's Pride is tremendous. A very acoustic and poignant look at the impact of war on the family unit and psyche.

Michael sings with clarity and power. A fine effort and certainly not one that sounds like anything from his earlier days as a solo artist or as part of Wham.

The title is perfect. Don't expect to here the simplistic sound that is so much of modern pop. Have an open mind and be pleasantly surprised.

George Michael really showed that he had true talent with this album, beyond the hits enjoyed as part of the Wham! duo and his "Faith" album. Musically, lyrically, and vocally, each and every track here still stands the test of time and has yet to sound dated (with the exception of Soul Free, which contains many gimmicks that clearly identify the time period...but it's still good).

No matter what kind of drama George Michael went through with his record label...no matter what unfortunate choices he may have made in his personal life...the man remains one of pop music's greater talents. If he never recorded anything BUT "Listen Without Prejudice Volume I," he would still have earned his place among music's greats.

Like another reviewer, I'm also waiting for Volume 2!

George Michael's second solo album is like a panoramic view into the soul of the man himself. The variety and spectrum of the songs on this album reinforce George's multi-level talent. Starting with his famous "Praying For Time", "Freedom" (in essence the story of his struggle to free himself from an oppressive record label), George does a 180-degree music turn with the spiritual, if not cryptic, "They Won't Go When I Go". (a personal favorite). "Cowboys And Angels" (my favorite song), is George at his very best. In the vein of "Kissing A Fool" and "Last Request (I Want Your Sex, Part 3) from his FAITH album, "Cowboys And Angels" has that jazz & blues-like quality that touches your innermost being when you listen closely to the words and allow the music to envelope you completely. The contemplative mood of the album continues with "Waiting For That Day/You Can't Always Get What you Want" and the bittersweet tenderness of "Mother's Pride". The upbeat "Heal The Pain" and the jazzy "Soul Free" are jewels, as is the last cut, "Waiting(Reprise)". From start to finish this album is extraordinary.