Symphonica

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I will be happy to be proved wrong, but I think the best we can hope for later this year is a vinyl reissue of Older. But I’m not even sure that will happen, because there is a six-month lead time on vinyl at the moment and if it were to be issued in, say, November this year, all the work would have needed to be done already and the job submitted. I don’t think we’ll get an expanded box set or deluxe edition, either. I honestly believe that, in the minds of those who have control of George’s legacy, a CD box set full of rarities is not what they consider to be an exciting project. Never have the fans and those in control of the output been so misaligned. The other thing worth highlighting – although most people of a certain age in the UK will remember this well – is just how successful it was. His Faith album was a monster in America (just the four number one singles…) but it underperformed in the UK, relatively speaking. There’s no other way of looking at it. George’s two previous solo singles (‘Careless Whisper’ and ‘A Different Corner’ had both reached the top-spot in Britain, as had ‘(I Knew You Were) Waiting For Me’, his 1987 duet with Aretha Franklin. And he had four number ones with Wham!. There’s no way anyone was expecting him not to have a bunch of chart-toppers from his first solo album, but it only delivered two really big hits ‘I Want Your Sex’ and ‘Faith’ and neither reached number one. You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways: Wild Is The Wind has been recorded by some of the greatest musicians the world has ever known, but it really doesn’t matter which version you listen to as Wild Is The Wind is simply gorgeous. That said, Michael’s interpretation is one of, if not the, greatest ever recorded.

I Remember You isn’t the strongest closer as it’s rawer, from a production and recording standpoint, than the rest of the songs featured on Symphonica. I also find the harp to be distracting, along with the audience, and subsequently, while I Remember You is included in this review, I remain convinced that the right decision, for me, is to omit it from my digital library, thereby allowing You’ve Changed to close the album out pleasantly. Born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, the man known to the world as George Michael served a highly successful apprenticeship in Wham!. The pop duo were one of the most successful acts of the 1980s, notching up a string of hits between 1982 and 1986. If the album is 25 years old, the question must be are we going to see an anniversary reissue? One would hope so (the original vinyl goes for hundreds on Discogs) but so far we’ve only had hints and promises from GM’s official social channels and as SDE has commented before, their idea of ‘exciting news’ often differs from fans.When in line with the preferences you have shared with us, provide you with information or advertising relating to our products or services. Feeling Good is epic! George Michael performs this tune masterfully. That said, I still consider Nina Simone’s version to be the pinnacle recording of this classic song. We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service, and in particular for the following reasons:

Idol is an underrated Elton John and Bernie Taupin collaboration from John’s 1976 album Blue Moves. This live recording, however, is one of those examples where an artist records a lesser-known cover, makes it their own, and that recording then becomes the standard to which all others are compared. The Dolby Atmos stream, via Apple Music, is admirable but it just doesn’t have the same presence as was heard on the physical counterpart. Interestingly, despite the Blu-ray format being capable, no surround mix was presented, yet, to my ears, it still had a greater presence. For many music fans, this won’t be an issue. For us audiophile-focused music lovers, however, it’s a substantial element for we strive to attain the best possible release. Nevertheless, I may have to try and seek out a vinyl edition, or hope for a reissue, as they’re incredibly hard to come by and go for insane prices on Discogs. You Have Been Loved was originally featured on Michael’s album Older and this live recording doesn’t break any new ground but it remains a lovely ballad with some exceptional jazz drumming and beautiful symphonic elements. That said, this is one case where I prefer the original recording to the live rendition. It’s weird; George transitioned from more or less owning the number one spot in the UK singles chart to, by the time of 1990’s Listen Without Prejudice, being someone who had hit albums but didn’t really chart well with singles. Only one of the five singles from that second solo album went in the UK top 20 (‘Praying For Time’, #6). Everything else could be badged ‘minor hit’, including ‘Freedom 90’ which only reached number 28 (‘Cowboys and Angels’ didn’t even get in the top 40!). Some of this can be put down to George’s ‘I don’t want to make/be in videos, anymore’ stance, but it’s still a curious situation.One of the things that ‘happened’ this week was George Michael‘s Older album turned 25. There are lots of interesting things to say about this record. First off, George was only 32 when he released it. Who’d have thought at that time that he’d have only ONE more studio album of self-penned material left in him? What a waste. Sadly, this is yet another case of SOMETHING NOT HAPPENING on the watch of George’s de facto manager, David Austin. Since George’s untimely death on Christmas day in 2016 there has not been one single reissue campaign of any Wham! or GM album ( Listen Without Prejudice was all but completed before George died). The Japanese Wham! Singles Collection: Greatest Hits CD+DVD was admittedly an interesting release, although it seems unlikely that was driven by the team in the UK.