Listen Without Prejudice, Volume 1

Its vibey. Catchy stuff but I dont think im gonna revisit. Its just okay

Some okay pop-songs. No prejudice!

Fab

I’m at a 5.

This is my first full George Michael album – obviously, I know the bigger hits and some of his Wham! stuff, but I knew this was the one that had Freedom! ‘90 on it, which is an all-timer track as far I’m concerned, so I was sort of expecting an album with that kind of tone.

Instead, I got something that feels deeply introspective and much more serious / matured than most of his 80s work, and I’m not complaining about it – I love the direction this album takes, and while some might categorize it as moody or whiny, I think it’s a strong separation from his more poppy stuff to show his bigger variety as an artist. Obviously, people are still gonna play Careless Whisper or Last Christmas (or even Freedom! ‘90) more than they will most of the tracks on this album, but I think what’s here is probably deeply underrated in his catalog.

I really don’t think there’s a bad track here – the only odd one out is Soul Free, which is a great fucking track that just feels like it’s on the wrong album, and doesn’t really mesh with the other tracks as cohesively. Regardless, I really loved this album; it’s sort of a shame that his career slowed down heavily after this, but it’s better that he slowed down to make music he was truly engaged with instead of trying to follow a sort of tour/release cycle that Sony was trying to box so many other artists into during the early 90s. This is an easy 5 for me to give, and it’s beyond deserving to be on the list.

I gotta hear this MTV Unplugged half.

If this album was a biscuit, it would be a plain digestive

Not necessarily bad - just plain and not really anyones favourite

3 ⭐️

Ruhiges Album mit einigen sinnvollen Songs und dem bekanntesten Stück „Freedom‘90“. Das Album löst ebenso wie Freedom kau Emotionen aus. Kein weiter Adobe hat irgendeinen Wiederekennungswert. Auch ohne Vorurteile ist dieses Album bestenfalls gewöhnlich.

Freedom 90 is a good one, but the rest is a clear step down from Faith.

No está mal, tiene Freedom!90 pero tampoco lo veo imprescindible hoy en día.

I was one of those insufferable guys that says they like all types of music. One thing this list (and album) did for me was show that that is absolutely not true. I do not like music like this at all and there are lots like it on this list.

2.2 per track.

I've never been a fan of the hit off this album, Freedom 90, as it feels a bit too predictable and overall cheesy in a way that only a song from this era can be, and I personally hate that sound. However, the rest of the album was an improvement over George Michael's debut, as the inclusion of a lot more real instruments and tracks not all fighting to be a stereotypical pop tune was refreshing and felt more earnest. That being said, something about this album still rubs me the wrong way. It may be Michael's over-singing, or it just feeling like a lot of tracks are still trapped in a time that did not age the best sonically, but I just cannot get into this, despite my best efforts. It gives off the same vibes as artists like Christina Aguilera, oddly enough, where it feels like the whole thing is compensating for something, but I've no clue as to what this is. This album didn't do anything to make me a George Michael fan, but I at least understood it a bit more this time around. Perhaps it was destiny, as I have been watching a lot of Arrested Development, so my album listens seem to be subtly influenced by it.

That or its all coincidence... yeah, its probably that.

Good music to cook to, especially good music for you and your partner to cook *together* to. A lil date at home for you & yours

Some really strong individual tracks, but as an album it doesn't feel coherent.

I genuinely believe this is one of the most perfect albums ever made. At a minimum, the opening trio of 'Praying for Time', 'Freedom! '90', and the haunting cover of 'They Won't Go When I Go', have to be heard to be believed. It is also tied for me to childhood memories of all-out voice-belting family sing alongs, which is saying a lot given how dysfunctional we were.

While I'm no George Michael biographer, I always felt like this album was a response to dysfunction. The man had been repressing his sexual identity while his musical career and international fame continuously grew, built (at least in part) on him being a hetero sex symbol. He is then outed in the most humiliating way possible and forced to confront it all, all at once, on CNN for Christ's sake. The album's name, it seems to me at least, is practically a plea to give him a chance.

While the dysfunction in my own life was of a different sort, this perception has given me a personal connection to this album that has only grown and deepened over the years. I can hear echos of truths I don't want to live with in these songs, and the hopes of the possibilities that come with living life after I begin to put them behind me.

George Michael has a great voice, and there are some good songs, but the album as a while is a bit too ballad heavy for me, and is maybe a bit to "smooth".

I found that I appreciate George Michael more as I get older. Freedom '90 always seemed to be there through my adolescent years.

I hadn't listened to this album throughout before. After the first few tracks I thought it we were on to a winner, but then it started to flag into dreary ballad territory and I got bored. Shame really. 2.5

Better than I anticipated...the fast and more upbeat songs resonated with me far more than the slow downs. Still not likely to be anything I would really listen to again. 2.5/5

Nah, not for me thanks

Prachtige titel voor deze lijst natuurlijk. Laten we dat maar proberen. Maar het wordt mij wel moeilijk gemaakt. De eerste tonen bevestigen mijn vooroordelen toch sterk. Zoetsappige klanken. Toch maar door naar de rest. Knap dat je saaie muziek op zoveel manieren kunt presenteren eigenlijk. Want gevarieerd is het wel. En ik moet ook wel toegeven. Het is goede muziek/zang en hoort in deze lijst thuis. Ik kan er zelf alleen maar moeilijk naar luisteren. Laten we het houden op smaak. Dan ga ik maar voorbij aan mijn eigen smaak. En geef dit album een voldoende.

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Ihan ok sileää poppista. Vähän uhkaa mennä tuplajuuston puolelle Cowboys and Angelsin saksofonit ja yleisesti muutaman mukiinmenevän biisin vastapainona on vähän liian geneerisiä ysärisettejä. 2.5/5, pyöristetään alaspäin.