George Michael - Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (1990)
Alright let's start with the good stuff. "Freedom" is an undeniable smash. "Waiting for the Day" is probably my favorite on this record. It's become too expensive for artists to sample the way they did in the 90s, so most resort to using loop packs that drummers and producers sell or downloading random royalty clips from Splice. But that era in the late 80s/early 90s when sampling was still a new thing, and you had multiple songs all using the same drum break was so exciting to me. I still get pumped when I find a song that's new to me that uses a break I'm familiar with, and there is no drum break more iconic than the James Brown "funky drummer" break. Such a cool usage of it too.
"They Won't Go When I Go" is heart wrenching. Love "Heal the Pain" as well. Sort of feels like a Beatles tune to me, at least in the melody.
All that said...I did feel some of the choices on the record are a bit dated in a way that made it difficult for me to get past. There was that early 90s moment where everyone was like, "listen to this! We don't have to hire a flutist or an orchestra anymore! It's all right here on the keyboard!" And those sounds did not age well, unless you're using them ironically. The 90s were weird like that.
RECORD CLUB THREAD
George Michael - Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (1990)
Alright let's start with the good stuff. "Freedom" is an undeniable smash. "Waiting for the Day" is probably my favorite on this record. It's become too expensive for artists to sample the way they did in the 90s, so most resort to using loop packs that drummers and producers sell or downloading random royalty clips from Splice. But that era in the late 80s/early 90s when sampling was still a new thing, and you had multiple songs all using the same drum break was so exciting to me. I still get pumped when I find a song that's new to me that uses a break I'm familiar with, and there is no drum break more iconic than the James Brown "funky drummer" break. Such a cool usage of it too.
"They Won't Go When I Go" is heart wrenching. Love "Heal the Pain" as well. Sort of feels like a Beatles tune to me, at least in the melody.
All that said...I did feel some of the choices on the record are a bit dated in a way that made it difficult for me to get past. There was that early 90s moment where everyone was like, "listen to this! We don't have to hire a flutist or an orchestra anymore! It's all right here on the keyboard!" And those sounds did not age well, unless you're using them ironically. The 90s were weird like that.
Side note - what an album cover.