939 George Michael - Faith (1987)

 939 George Michael - Faith (1987)

Studio Album - Pop




About the Act:

George Michael was half of the British boy band/duo Wham from 1981 to 1987, with which he had rip-roaring success. He recorded a couple of solo singles before Wham split, and then in his solo career he also had rip-roaring success. He is one of the few people who have started in a boy band and made it big with a solo career in which he is taken seriously.

He had 7 studio albums and then died in 2016, aged 53. He was hugely successful, and therefore hugely rich.

In some ways, after Wham, he became more famous for his lifestyle and problems than for his music, particularly problems with his sexuality (he was either gay or bisexual), with public indecency and anonymous pick-up sex, and with drugs of various kinds. In this way he was not the best role model. In other ways, his involvement with good causes, philanthropic work and charity (and sometimes individual) donations - well I think it is fair to say he was incredibly generous, and often kept quiet about it. So overall, I guess you could say he was complex.

He was a really good singer, and songwriter, and although he was definitely pop, he was known for a depth and honesty to his lyrics. Also, he wrote most of his songs himself.

About the Album:

This was his first solo album after leaving Wham, and it was incredibly successful. All songs written by George.

My History with this Album:

I have had a cassette copy of this album, which I played fairly often when I habitually listened to cassettes. Not so much since then.

Review:

George wrote all the songs himself. The lead single "Faith" is really well known, using a Bo Diddley rhythm, and quite stripped back accompaniment. The songs on the album are varied from gentle ballads to dancy pop stuff. The music is pretty sophisticated, and well produced and arranged. It's pop, but good pop. The lyrics have some depth, although I don't always agree with his sentiments. The vocal delivery is, well it's George Michael, who did a creditable job of Queen's "Somebody to love" in a memorial concert for Freddie Mercury, which is not for the faint-hearted. Yes, he can sing, and he knows how to use his voice to good effect.

It is a strong, enduring and reasonably mature album. Some of his later albums are even more mature.


7.1/10



Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5E68z4OgQrR446xVOxZKs6

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0n75a7HekRJ_z6Qui7DfLioPqyFKHQWH

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_(George_Michael_album)


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