Faith (CD - 1987)

Personnel: George Michael (vocals, various instruments); Hugh Burns, Lord Monty, Lee Fothergill, J.J. Belle, Roddy Matthews, Robert Ahwai (guitar); John Altman, Mark Chandler, Steve Waterman, Malcolm Griffiths, Jamie Talbot, Steve Sidwell, Paul Spong, Rick Taylor (horns); Chris Cameron (organ, piano, keyboards); Betsy Cook, Danny Schogger (keyboards); Deon Estus (bass); Ian Thomas (drums); Andy Duncan (percussion); Shirley Lewis, Chris Cameron (backing vocals).

Recorded at PUK Studios, Denmark and Sarm West Studios, London, England in 1987.

Recorded at Puk Studios, Denmark and Sarm West Studios, London, England in 1987.

Before Faith George Michael was, to the record buyer, one half (or more) of Wham!, with its trite pop material and sexy teen image. Faith was crafted to establish him as a mature artist and serious lyricist, and it accomplished exactly that. Having had two years in gestation, it sold over 10 million copies and launched Michael's new personal and artistic image. 'I Want Your Sex' was a guaranteed number 1 hit after being widely banned, and was followed by five more hit singles. Although now seeming dated by its club-style production and spoilt by some embarrassing lyrics, it nevertheless marked the emergence of a major pop talent for the 90s.

Personnel: George Michael (vocals, keyboards, background vocals); Robert Ahwai, Lord Monty, Hugh Burns, J.J. Belle, Roddy Matthews, Lee Fothergill (guitar); Steve Waterman, Mark Chandler, Jamie Talbot, John Altman, Richard Taylor , Rick Taylor, Steve Sidwell, Malcolm Griffiths, Paul Spong (horns); Chris Cameron (piano, organ, keyboards, background vocals); Danny Schogger, Betsy Cook (keyboards); Ian Thomas (drums); Andy Duncan (percussion); Shirley Lewis (background vocals).

Audio Remixers: Shep Pettibone; Steve Peck.

Recording information: P U K Studios, Denmark (1987); Puk Studios, Denmark (1987); Sarm West Studios, London, England (1987).

Photographers: Brian Aris; Russell Young; Shep Pettibone.

Unknown Contributor Roles: Chris Cameron; Paul Wright ; Paul Gomersall; Steve Peck.

Arranger: George Michael.

A superbly crafted mainstream pop/rock masterpiece, Faith made George Michael an international solo star, selling over ten million copies in the U.S. alone as of 2000. Perhaps even more impressively, it also made him the first white solo artist to hit number one on the R&B album charts. Michael had already proven the soulful power of his pipes by singing a duet with Aretha Franklin on the 1987 smash "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)," but he went even farther when it came to crafting his own material, using sophisticated '70s soul as an indispensable part of his foundation. Of course, it's only a part. Faith's ingenuity lies in the way it straddles pop, adult contemporary, R&B, and dance music as though there were no distinctions between them. In addition to his basic repertoire of funky dance-pop and airy, shimmering ballads, Michael appropriates the Bo Diddley beat for the rockabilly-tinged title track, and proves himself a better-than-decent torch singer on the cocktail jazz of "Kissing a Fool." Michael arranged and produced the album himself, and the familiarity of many of these songs can obscure his skills in those departments -- close listening reveals his knack for shifting elements in and out of the mix and adding subtle embellishments when a little emphasis or variety is needed. Though Faith couldn't completely shake Michael's bubblegum image in some quarters, the album's themes were decidedly adult. "I Want Your Sex" was the most notorious example, of course, but even the love songs were strikingly personal and mature, grappling with complex adult desires and scarred by past heartbreak. All of it adds up to one of the finest pop albums of the '80s, setting a high-water mark that Michael was only able to reach in isolated moments afterward. ~ Steve Huey

Before Faith George Michael was, to the record buyer, one half (or more) of Wham!, with its trite pop material and sexy teen image. Faith was crafted to establish him as a mature artist and serious lyricist, and it accomplished exactly that. Having had two years in gestation, it sold over 10 million copies and launched Michael's new personal and artistic image. 'I Want Your Sex' was a guaranteed number 1 hit after being widely banned, and was followed by five more hit singles. Although now seeming dated by its club-style production and spoilt by some embarrassing lyrics, it nevertheless marked the emergence of a major pop talent for the 90s. minimize