George Michael - Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael
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Free Music Notes for Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael
Free Music Review: An essential pop album from George Michael
Hit: 5 Stars
This 2CD set collects just about every successful song by leading British 80's/90's pop star George Michael. It is excellent value, as you get 29 songs on two discs, nearly all of which were chart hits between 1984 and the release date of November 1998.
This set is definitely worth 5 stars !!!
George Michael was so popular because he had an excellent singing voice, could write beautiful slow ballads as well as funky, sensual grooves, and had a nice way with emotive lyrics. Everything he touched turned to platinum in the 15 years covered by this set.
Here are just a few standout GM tracks:
You Have Been Loved - Superb sensitive and heartrending slow tune about the demise of a close friend. Simply beautiful.
Faith - Snappy, irresistible 3 minute pop song went to #1 everywhere. One of his best career hits
Freedom '90 - Really groovy , funky track with lyrics that tell the tale of George's ascent to stardom and his early 90's decision to skip the popstar limelight for a more authentic singer-songwriter persona. Excellent.
As - I love this duet cover version of Stevie Wonder's great song , featuring US soul singer Mary J. Blige. Excellent vocal pairing. This song was George's last 90's hit.
Praying For Time - Slow paced serious tune from the Listen Without Prejudice album in 1990. Really good lyrics.
Careless Whisper - Hit #1 in September 1984 at a time when George was riding a huge wave of popstar adulation as part of Wham! A regretful love song with a super saxophone bit in it, that I have always really liked. This song was at #1 on the Australian chart the very first week I ever listened to our local radio chart countdown, so I remember it well.
Outside - George goes disco and liberates himself from a mid 90's career hiatus with this stomping 1998 chart hit.
One More Try - Soulful power ballad . George proved here what a soulful voice he has , and this went high on the US R&B charts in 1988 - a rare feat for a white European performer.
The Strangest Thing - I really like this 1996 song from the Older album. Intriguing lyrics and a melancholy feel but a great track.
I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) - Worldwide 1987 #1 hit with Aretha Franklin providing the soul and George carrying on with his unstoppable popstar form. A nice song.
A Different Corner - This was George's first real solo tune and it is marvellous and is a really heartfelt sentiment. A beautiful song, this personal ballad reached #4 on the charts in June 1986.
Jesus To A Child - An elegy to a deceased partner, this graceful tribute made the #1 position in January 1996 - the first new GM record for over 3 years. It marked the end of his self-imposed exile while his court battle with Sony was played out.
Fastlove - Mid-paced sensual groove that was George's 6th and, to date, final Australian #1 hit in May 1996. A cruisy ode to 90's romantic hedonists, it samples 1982 hit Forget Me Nots (Patrice Rushen).
Star People - George trashes vain, self-obsessed celebrities on this 1997 hit off the Older album, and supplies a groovy funk beat.
Fantasy - Little known 1990 B-side gets a remix and new production for this set, and is a danceable funk tune that I always liked.
Father Figure - US #1 hit tune from the Faith album that was a lyrical and melodic winner for George in his Grammy award winning annus mirabilis of 1988.
Kissing A Fool - Delightful jazz-influenced melodic track with excellent vocals from George. The 6th (!!!) hit singe from the Faith album, it hit US #5.
There are plenty of other good GM album tracks I 'm not going to talk about here - try his other 5 studio albums out to hear them. Suffice to say that if you like George's music, you should definitely own a copy of "Ladies And Gentlemen" if you don't already !!
Free Music Review: Ladies and gentlemen, this is better than you may think
Hit: 5 Stars
A lot of people may stumble upon this 2-CD George Michael compilation and laugh, and you can't really blame them: in George's post-"Faith" career, more attention has been paid to his personal antics than the music itself. First there was the I-never-meant-to-be-such-a-big-star drama that surrounded "Listen Without Prejudice," which wouldn't have been so bad if his wrongful complaints weren't so transparent (anyone with a brain could tell you the way to rebel against the commercial end of the music industry wouldn't be refusing to appear in your own videos, but refusing to make them altogether). Then there was the ultra-serious "Older," which was artistically respectful enough, but themes like death and AIDS would certainly scare off fans of "I Want Your Sex." And then of course there was the infamous Public Restroom Incident. No wonder his music has gotten lost in the shuffle.However, with enough time gone by, it's easier to separate the art from the artist, and this collection contains some of the best blue-eyed soul you are likely to find in contemporary music. George's rich and soulful voice is exquisite on classic ballads like "Careless Whisper," "One More Try," and "Kissing a Fool," while the funk quotient is turned up dangerously high on "Fastlove" and "Star People" (the two saving graces from "Older"). Additionally, "Freedom 90" still generates head bobs and "Father Figure" is still one of his most moving performances to date. But whether he tackles a tender ballad or an itchy dance number, George's love of music and singing is not only obvious, it's infectious...who else could take a ridiculous line like "I'd love to see you naked, baby" (from the irresistible "Too Funky") and make it sound like so much fun?
We're also treated to some delicious rarities: first George turns in a gorgeous vocal with Astrud Gilberto for a fine reading of the Bossa Nova classic "Desafinado," and just when you think you've heard all the remakes of "I Can't Make You Love Me" you can stomach, he offers up the best version of the tune since Bonnie Raitt. The spectacular Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis remix of "Monkey" is included, and then of course there's the disco-happy "Outside," an ode to sex in the great outdoors that serves as a hilarious (and danceable) flip-off to his arrest.
The only complaint is the curious exclusion of the main version of "I Want Your Sex." Actually recorded as a three-part suite, we're given Part II here, with different verse lyrics and a bold horn section...certainly not the guilty pleasure you recall dominating radio in the late 80's. But to sweeten the deal, Epic Records has priced this to be one of the cheapest two-disc sets you are likely to find, so it's high time we all forgive George for the times he may have shocked or annoyed us. Chock full of first-rate pop/soul, immaculately produced and sung to perfection, "Ladies and Gentlemen" represents the George Michael so many of us remember, love, and miss.
Free Music Review: George Michael's Greatest
Hit: 5 Stars
"Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael" is George Michael's greatest hits from his solo career. During and after his days of Wham!, he recorded some of the catchiest dance tracks and the most slow danceable ballads. Most are still commonly played in dances and on the radio today. His unique style remains to be touched. His combination of love, sexuality, and controversy keeps every lyric interesting. The musical combination of funk, dance, pop, and soul remains undeniably unforgettable. As he's evolved as an artist, his work becomes more and more fearless. This double-disc album presents how he's evolved as an artist up to 1998, the release year. They're taken mostly from his albums "Faith"(1987), "Listen Without Prejudice #1"(1990), "Older"(1996), and individual solo projects he recorded during his time with Wham!. Every track answers why he's scored ten number one singles on the Billboard Top 100 Singles Charts and why he's won two Grammys, including Album of the Year("Faith").Disc number one, "for the heart", presents his ballads. He sings every track with intense heart and soul. His beautiful voice grabs the listeners attention easily and keeps them listening closely. His duets with Elton John and Astrud Gilberto are beautiful. His remakes of classic songs "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me"(Elton John) and "I Can't Make You Love Me"(Bonnie Raitt) live up to the original. With this compilation, he includes a newly recorded track "A Different Corner", which lives up to his past hit singles.
His second disc, "for the feet", presents his upbeat songs. Every track includes their own way to attract listeners to the dance floor. Most, not all, of his most controversal singles are his dance tracks. His sexuality is most expressed here, which offers an added edge to him and gives listeners the added sensuality, especially behind bedroom doors. Despite such theme, they always carry a powerful message(monogamy, AIDS, etc.). His duets with Aretha Franklin and Queen add an extra upbeat flavor to the individual track. His remakes of classic singles "Killer/Papa Was a Rolling Stone"(Seal/The Temptations) and "Somebody To Love"(Queen) live up to the original. His new track, "Outside", explores his most daring move in his career, coming out as a homosexual.
"Ladies & Gentlemem: The Best of George Michael" is highly important material for every George Michael fan to own. This trip down memory lane will surely please many listeners. Such musical evolution proves that the end is nowhere near; rather, the best is yet to come.
***Note: There are no tracks in this album by Wham!. Those are on a separate CD: "The Best of Wham!".
Free Music Review: The best from one of the best
Hit: 5 Stars
I love George Michael, what a beautiful yet tragically underrated voice. It really bothers me how many people seem to dismiss our George, for any variety of small-minded reasons, because he is such a wonderful singer and entertainer. I guess that we here in America can forgive our entertainers for having absolutely no talent (think Britney Spears, the Simpson sisters, many rap artists, etc), but we apparently can't forgive them for having private lives which should not be any of our concern. Too bad, many are the talented who go relatively unnoticed by the bourgeois masses. I guess that in this day and age it is something to be proud of, really.
Anyway, I have had this 2-disc collection since it came out in 1998 and have listened to it constantly ever since. It is broken into two separate moods; the downtempo ballad-heavy first disk titled "for the heart", and the beat driven dance-y second disk titled "for the feet". Both are absolute winners. The first, as could be expected, will take you in and pull firmly on the heartstrings. The second will scrape you off the couch and onto the dancefloor.
All of the songs on both disks are old, favorite friends of any self-respecting George Michael fan, and all are absolutely amazing, but some of my personal favorites include the following:
For the Heart: Father Figure, Careless Wisper, Kissing a Fool, I Can't Make You Love Me (almost puts Bonnie Raitt to shame), Heal the Pain, and Praying for Time
For the Feet: Outside, Fastlove, Freedom 90, Star People 97, Killer/Papa Was a Rolling Stone, Spinning the Wheel, I Knew You Were Waiting for Me, Somebody to Love
If you are considering this purchase, don't hesitate, especially at this price. Also be sure to check out the DVD of the same name for the videos of all of these songs - a feast for the eyes as well as the ears. I love the Fastlove video - so vivid, sexy and decadent. Also be certain to pick up a copy of his most recent album, "Patience", another can't-be-missed from George and, if it is to be believed, the last.
I really hope that George doesn't hang it up, it would be such an incredible loss to his current, and potentially future, fans.
Free Music Review: Listen to pop music without being ashamed...
Hit: 5 Stars
This double-cd is one of the few arguments against pop music being brainless and bland (which is what it's rapidly becoming the last 10 years). It covers the era ranging from the Careless Whispers times to the Older LP and it's basically from those days when George Michael couldn't miss even if he sang his shopping list.Being that it is a double CD it really leaves nothing out and it's an honest offer as well: there is absolutely no filler to be found here.
The first disc is dedicated more to the ballady side of George's and it's an emphatic reminder that not only pop music can be of high quality but simoultaneously very intelligent as well. The core of these ballads come from the brilliant "Listen without prejudice" album with the additions of mainstream classics such as the "...Whispers" or the duet with Elton John which is surprisingly good and 2-3 shots from the "Older" album.
These are seriously good songs any way you look at them. Michael has a tremendous voice but that wouldnt be enough were these songs lyrically cliche (which they're far from). They are basically ballads that carry the weight of a great combination:
heartfelt delivery with extremely intimate lyrics.
The second disc explores the more funky-discoid side of Michael's and even though -in my opinion- it's not necessarily this singer's strong point it's still a decent proposition.
George Michael may have been somewhat off-target with his last album ("Patience") as well as with the previous one ("Older") but this double-cd Best Of is overwhelming evidence of his talent as a singer and a songwriter.
When it comes to music for the masses they dont come much better than that...