Rocktrospectiva: The Acclaimed Masterpiece "Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1" Turns 35

Released on 3 September 1990 "Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1" was the second solo studio album by the English singer-songwriter George Michael. The album was Michael's final album of all-new material on Columbia until 2004's Patience. Listen Without Prejudice was a stark departure from Michael's previous album, 1987's Faith, with largely acoustic instrumentation and a sombre intensity in many of the lyrics and melodies. Ironically and while the album topped the UK Albums Chart, disappointing sales in the United States led to Michael's legal battles against Sony Music, in which he accused the corporation of not fully supporting him as an artist. The album spawned six singles "Praying For Time", "Freedom 90'", "Waiting For The Day", "Heal The Pain", "Cowboys And Angels" and "Soul Free". 

After the massive success of George Michael's 1987 album Faith, expectations for his follow-up album were also high. Michael wanted to be taken more seriously as a songwriter, which resulted in a more thoughtful, often moody recording. Like Faith, each track was produced and arranged by Michael himself. The recording sessions commenced in July 1989 at producer Chris Porter's house, near Guildford, before being moved to Metropolis Studios in Chiswick, London.

Curiously the lyrics doesn't reveal anytime about the singer's sexuality, it was all about the music that showed Michael was a truly complete artist, asimilating a variety of influences from rock, pop, soul, randb and even jazz pop, Michael decided to rehearse a collection of serious  and serene songs with different music styles, from the jazzy "Cowboys And Angels", the healing "Heal The Pain" in which Michael played the bass, the massive "Freedom '90", the acoustic "Waiting For The Day" and the serious and social concern on "Praying For Time"  

The album entered the Billboard 200 at number 22 and peaked at number two. The album spent the rest of 1990 in the top ten, with a total of 42 weeks on the entire chart. In the United Kingdom, the album was a huge success, eclipsing sales of Faith. Listen Without Prejudice debuted on the UK Albums Chart at number one. It stayed at number two for the following two weeks. 

Michael refused to appear in the music videos for the album's singles. Accordingly, the video for "Praying for Time" consisted of the song's lyrics projected onto a dark background, while the video for "Freedom! '90", directed by David Fincher, featured several supermodels lip syncing its lyrics, and the destruction by fire and explosion of several icons from Michael's recent Faith period.

Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 received widespread acclaim reactions from music critics upon release. Proving that he was more than just another pretty voice, another disposable pinup, the album succeeded in its effort to establish Michael's seriousness and deliver him from caricature, cause the album was an impressive piece of work in which Michael's rich feel for melodies and instinctively perfect production skills have finally met up with songs that have the ring of personal, not commercial, passion.

Unfortunately and despite the critical acclaimed, the sales were poor and then Michael blamed his label for that, he went onto a new contract with another label but the moved damaged seriously his career due a trial and basically this affected the artist career, and from that point, things will get worse.  

 

Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 Track List:

 

1. Praying For Time

2. Freedom! 90

3. They Won't Go When I Go

4. Something To Save

5. Cowboys And Angels

6. Waiting For The Day

7. Mother's Pride

8. Heal The Pain

9. Soul Free

10. Waiting (reprise)