Amid the frequent public humiliations, multi-million pound lawsuits and gossip column feuds with Boy George and Elton John, it’s easy to forget that George Michael is one of our most gifted pop songwriters.
Blessed with an ear for melody and a smooth, soulful voice, he has crafted an impressive body of work (for argument’s sake, let’s pretend Wham! never happened) ranging from knowingly daft pop (‘Faith’) to sexy dance floor funk (‘Fastlove’), poignant balladry (‘Jesus to a Child’) to controversial political satire (‘Shoot the Dog’), and has sold over 80 million records in the process.
Like his 1998 hit ‘Outside’, which was inspired by the events surrounding his arrest for lewd behaviour in an LA toilet, ‘An Easier Affair’ derives from his latest brush with the law, in which he was cautioned for possession of cannabis after being found slumped over the wheel of his car near Hyde Park Corner in February.
The track is the first to be lifted from his forthcoming second greatest hits album, which celebrates his 25 years in the music business.
They say:
The Manchester Evening News: “George, if you’re reading and you really ‘don’t have the time for the haters’, then now is the time to put this review down.”
The Guardian: “The George we want is the one caught smoking pot and pranging cars, not the PG-friendly entertainer.”
We say:
‘An Easier Affair’ boasts a workmanlike mid-tempo cum up-tempo disco beat, vocal overdubs and slick R&B production, as well as being loaded with references to Michael’s earlier material, including ‘Amazing’, ‘Careless Whisper’ and ‘Freeek!’.
But none of this nostalgia and studio trickery can disguise a surprisingly wafer thin melody and self absorbed lyrics that border on parody.
Perhaps Michael is deliberately playing up his tabloid persona, but when he delivers lines like “I’m dancing with the freaks now” and “I’ll dance with everyone” you half expect him to be doing so in a ‘Frankie Says Relax’ T-shirt surrounded by the Village People.
Of course, as far as his diehard fans are concerned, ‘An Easier Affair’ should ease the wait until ol’ Georgie boy embarks on his eagerly anticipated European tour this September.
But its poor melodic design and overdone theme will no doubt leave the average listener with a bad taste in their mouth come the climax.
Like this? Try these:
George Michael – Fastlove
Michael Jackson – You Rock My World
RELEASED
Out now
LABEL
AE Aegean
POSTED...
Thu 22 Jun 2006 at 7:41am
