Listen Without Prejudice, Volume 1

Prejudice-free assessment:
1 over the top ballad but I kind of liked it
2 bop
3 boring ballad
4 boring ballad
5 ballad but marginally more interesting
6 this was ok
7 boring ballad
8 dishwater
9 music from the Streets of Rage beach level
10 pointless reprise

Going into this, I was honestly afraid that it was gonna end up kind of boring, but George Michael really won me over here. I'm not gonna say this is the most interesting album on the list; but it's well performed, well written and detailed, and most importantly, it seems to have a genuinely, convincingly kind heart. Even if it comes across as a little cheesy sometimes, there is hope and empathy across these songs, and it is felt strongly and appreciated. While doing some research on this album, I found a take that framed Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1 in regards to The AIDS epidemic, and it has honestly stuck with me, and strengthened my extant feelings about the tone and themes here. I would also like to say that George Michael is singing his ass off on this entire thing, and he *knows* it. If he didn't, he wouldn't have tried to pull off a Stevie Wonder cover. This cover is honestly what cemented this album for me. It is a *bold* move to cover They Won't Go When I Go. It is a well loved deep(ish) cut, and also one of Wonder's most emotionally heavy songs, in my opinion ever. There was little to gain in covering something this completely untouchable, which makes me think that George Michael really felt that *this* Stevie Wonder song had to be on this album, which I respect. And honestly, even though it's a pretty straightforward cover, he really pulls it off. Even if I can't fully love Listen Without Prejudice as a piece of music, it is clearly a labor of love, made with a kindness that shines through in earnest. And on some level, I am truly moved.

Remember that time George went through a jazzy phase and ended up dangerously close to becoming a lounge singer?
I didn’t either.

Good album. Good composition. This could be 3 stars but, just because of Freedom (great track), it gets 4 stars.

Listen without prejudice is exactly what I did. I still didn't like it. Wet, tedious, presumptuous bullshit in the main. I did get a laugh out of the fact that "Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 2" wasn't ever officially released because of contractual disputes with the record label.

Freedom was the only song I recognized. It was a decent album.

Favorite track(s): Freedom! '90, Cowboys and Angels, Mothers Pride

Okay pop album

Freedom! ‘90 was a pretty great song and I’ve definitely heard it somewhere before, but nothing else really stood out to me except maybe Soul Free. It mostly all kind of sounded the same by the end. That said, I did enjoy this more than the last George Michael album that was generated, but not sure if that’s really saying all that much. Overall, it was fine as far as smooth, soft pop rock goes.

Sorry, still prejudiced

All in all this is a solid album, but I wish there were more songs with as much energy as Freedom.

Despite heeding the album title's advice and abandoning all firmly established George Michaelian prejudice before listening to the album, it still didn't do much for me. Just not my thing.

I don't know what I am missing. The echoy recording cost punch and I was bored the whole time

Freedom '90 was already one of my favorites before even listening to the rest of this album. The whole album is very soft rock-coded, that grocery store in the 90s vibes. Still, enjoyable, easy listening. 4*
Highlights: freedom '90, waiting for that day

Pretty nice.

I mean, besides Faith, I'm never going to listen to any of this again. It wasn't terrible, but it really didn't work for me. It sat in the uncomfortable space between "pop star" and "serious artist" without do either particularly well.

Pleasant inoffensive pop.

Amazing voice, poignant lyrics.

Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 feels like a real coming-of-age moment for George Michael, marking a deliberate shift away from the glossy pop of Faith. Personally, I think I still prefer Faith, but the two records are so different it almost feels unfair to compare them.

Where Faith was vibrant, upbeat, and made for the dancefloor, Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 is slower, more acoustic, and more focused on melody and introspective lyrics. It’s a more mature, reflective piece of work.

Michael’s voice is, as always, stunning — rich and powerful, yet perfectly suited to these more restrained ballads. The songwriting is equally impressive, moving seamlessly between touches of rock ’n’ roll, gospel, and funk. It’s a thoughtful, beautifully crafted album that rewards multiple listens, and I found myself coming back to it several times throughout the day.

Favourite track: Freedom! ’90 is an absolute belter.
Least favourite track: Mother’s Pride dragged a little for me — overly long and a bit dull in comparison to the rest.
Album artwork: A very cool and striking cover.

Poppy, but decent vocals. Nothing really stood out to me though, perhaps maybe Freedom!