Older

George Michael | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 14, 1996)
• Original Release Date: May 14, 1996
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Dreamworks
• ASIN: B000005ALN
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (99 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #42,888 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Jesus to a Child

2. Fastlove

3. Older

4. Spinning the Wheel

5. It Doesn't Really Matter

6. The Strangest Thing

7. To Be Forgiven

8. Move On

9. Star People

10. You Have Been Loved

11. Free

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

After a two-year legal battle in which the pop star accused his former label of treating him like, well, a pop star while he demanded to be considered an artist, any designation short of masterpiece would qualify Older as disappointment. Since securing his release from Sony and hooking up with DreamWorks SKG (run by folks named Spielberg, Katzenberg, and Geffen who could sympathize with Michael's two-ton ego) the question has been: Now that Michael got what he wanted, can he deliver that masterpiece? Older's answer: Of course not.

In fairness, however, the 32-year-old semireformed teen idol's return comes close enough to greatness to suggest he deserves to be cut a little slack. Where he overestimates his talent, perhaps we've underestimated it. Older has not forsaken the supermodel worldview of Michael's post-Wham! successes Faith and Listen Without Prejudice. Style is still a big part of his substance, and the word 'baby' is still used too much in his lyrics. But Older is, as implied, a more mature set. Paying homage to Brazilian bossa nova composer Antonio Carlos Jobim and his own Greek heritage, Michael stews his Brit/American R&B with Latin jazz pop and Mediterranean swirls. He even casts himself as a '90s Sinatra on a lounge-friendly track where he plays all instruments. And with all of Older's high-stakes ambition, Michael manages to keep the album immersed in a superbly melodic pop glaze that might have turned most of these tracks into hits. --Roni Sarig

Product Description

UK reissue of this 1996 album from the enormously talented Pop singer/songwriter. Sony. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't underestimate him, this man sings his heart out, February 16, 2002

By 

Nathan "Cawntry-fried Calypso Beach Bum" (Charlotte, N.C. United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Older (Audio CD)

For me, this is one of those albums that I will absolutely never tire of. So you didn't think a white boy could sing passionate stately soul music with the best of 'em? Well, you're sadly mistaken. George Michael is an incredibly-underrated singer and musician and he tapped something special when he pieced this fine work together. It was a six-year wait between his greatly-underappreciated 'Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1' and this album, and when it finally dropped there was a lot of skepticism going around about whether he could still deliver. But, the fact is, Michael is a truly gifted singer and musician, who has only grown better and better over time. The songs all have a clear sound and a nice emotional feel, whether it is a slower song or a laid-back groove. The music holds down a nice neutral ground between R&B, jazz, and dance, and he shows true mastery of everything.

There is no doubt that this is his most deeply personal and heartfelt songwriting here. Most of the songs are ballads or soft, mid-tempo numbers and Michael pours every bit of emotion he can surmise into these songs. The most somber song on the album is the opening track 'Jesus to a Child', a quiet reflection on love lost and the painful day-by-day struggle to come to grips with it. Interestingly enough, it was chosen as the first single. 'Fastlove' is a bouncy disco number about getting hot and bothered with a girl and getting her in bed for a quickie just for the sake of it (well, that's the vibe I got from it, whoever he wants to get into bed with is his business, na'mean?). The title track 'Older' is a nice, melancholy number that serves as the album's theme - letting go, moving on, and growing older, as the title suggests. The next song 'Spinning the Wheel' is one I've recently re-discovered due to some relationship troubles I've been going through. The way he words and phrases this number is just perfect to me. Just listen to it. The instrumentation on the song is excellent as well, with a complete horn section over the midtempo percussion and keyboards, it is effortlessly funky, but clean and polished enough to flow well with the album. Next comes one of my favorite songs 'It Doesn't Really Matter', another song coping with the pain of losing your one and only love. With its sparse percussion and organ playing, this is the kind of song I'd like to hear in an after-hours jazz club, going down hard with a shot of whiskey. It has such a laid-back feel and relaxed aura that I wouldn't be surprised if Michael recorded the song while reclining on a couch (something Marvin Gaye was known for doing to create a relaxed atmosphere in the recording studio). The same goes for 'To Be Forgiven' and 'Move On' both songs that concern repentence and redemption, and feature jazz-like instrumentation that border closely on easy listening of the Sinatra standard, except that Michael's voice has so much soul, it stands on it's own. And, in spite of the dour subject matter, both songs (particularly 'Move On') are such catchy, finger-snapping grooves in the basslines and jazzy horn interjections, they could appeal to just about anyone and any mood. Finally, there is 'You Have Been Loved' which basically closes the album and it is one of the most beautifully-written songs on the entire album. I don't know how to explain it except to say that it touches the soul, no matter how ravaged you may feel inside because of the pain of life, there is relief. And there is healing. That's the note this album concludes on: Healing of the mind, body and soul.

This album, as well as 'Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1', really opened my eyes to this man's range as a writer, singer, and musician and how much he'd matured musically and grown as an artist since the sex-filled youthful energy of his late '80s work (which I was never a big fan of). Much to my dismay, 'Older' was not well-received by critics or much of the public in the United States when it was first released for reasons I'm not really sure of (aren't most critics arrogant snobs anyways?). Eventually, though, time serves great art. And, the more time goes by, the more this work stands on its own. It's style, class and elegance is something sorely-missing from a lot of singers nowadays. This is by far Michael's best album ever.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent - A Masterpiece, July 19, 2001

By 

J. M. Zuurbier (Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Older (Audio CD)

Older is one of the best albums from the 1990's in my opinion. It was a long wait since his last album in 1990, but this fan wasn't disapointed. The death of his lover caused George to reevaulate his life, and this deeply introspective album is very dark and depressing, but it's truly beautiful in its own ways. His words come from wisdom and experience, you can feel his pain in each song. There wasn't a song that didn't resonate in my soul when listening to this album, even to this day. The album is very jazzy in a sense, and there isn't much uptempo material other than the hit Fastlove, and another single from the album, Star People.

The songs are so beautifully written, and sung with every bit of passion and emotion that sits in his soul. He poured himself into this album, and its truly remarkable. Songs like Jesus to a Child will stand as classics forever. Other truly great songs here are It Doesnt Really Matter, You Have Been Loved, and Older, only not a filler track is to be found anywhere on this collection.

This album is perfect when you are feeling sad, and want to understand yourself. Just turn out the lights, sit by the fire, have a glass of wine and enjoy this truly compelling collection of material, its his best yet.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sophisticated, mature, graceful and confident album, January 4, 2000

By 

MilesAndTrane (Chicago, Il USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Older (Audio CD)

George Michael's last album of original material, "Older", is his most stylized and sophisticated effort. The songs continue much in the vein of "Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. I" but with an added element of gentleness. Most of this album consists of ballads or soft, mid-tempo numbers and Michael delivers his most delicate singing here. The music bounces between R&B, jazz, and dance, with some exotic middle eastern melodies and languid saxophone solos mixed in here-and-there that work well. Much of the album also features busy yet feather-like percussion that keeps it from drifting into "boring ballad" land. Michael plays much of the instrumentation himself and proves to be a fine musician & arranger.

This album is a bit of a rarity in a way; many of the songs have a gentle, slow feeling but the sound as a whole is so stylish and graceful that the album doesn't put you to sleep. This album contains none of the sex-filled, youthful energy found on his first album (except for the catchy disco song "Fastlove"), but rather, as the title explains, showcases the work of an artist who is indeed getting older (and better). Singers of the world beware of this album, this man has got style & skill to spare.