George Michael

Songs From The Last Century

songs to chill out by

Review Score:

(8/10)
this cd continues to grow on me. initially i thought that this project was very ambitious but not well executed. he sounded on some cuts ("you've changed" & "the first time i saw your face" in particular) like he was intimidated or overwhelmed by the songs or the people who made them famous. but songs like the panhandler anthem, "brother can you spare a dime", "roxanne" and the wonderful "miss sarajevo" are delivered with passion and sincerity. i always admire artists who take risks. of course, most stumble and many fall flat on their faces when they leave their "comfort zone" and venture into other music genres. but sometimes it works. i think that those fans who don't like this cd (and although i like it, i can understand why many wouldn't) are wondering if this means that george is changing his style to easy listening. i hope not, but i could handle a few standards here and there amidst the pop/r&b/dance gems. in the meantime, i'll just chill out with this for a while.

p.s. - with all due respect to phil ramone, whose work i've admired in the past, if george decides to do another cd like this, i hope he choses a producer who will allow his voice to take center stage and not get be buried in the orchestra.

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