Jump to content
Bellazon

Recommended Posts

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

KATE MOSS has been a friend of George Michael's for years, and a fan of his work for even longer. Here, exclusively for Vogue, she pens her first ever music review - offering her verdict on the musician's new album, Symphonica, out today.

The doorbell rings. It's 8.45pm on a miserable Tuesday night and I open the door to find George Michael standing outside (I knew he was coming). He has his new album, Symphonica, in his hand and I'm excited. Like many of my generation, I grew up with his music - his was the first album I ever had, when I was about eight, and it feels like he has always been part of my life.

I'm on my own in the living room; I press play and as soon as the orchestration of the opening track fills the room, the hairs on my neck stand on end and I already know that I'll love this version of Through - even before he begins to sing.

You've Changed feels fragile and honest; it almost makes me cry. For me, it's the vulnerability, openness and richness of his voice that does it. The depth of where that comes from touches you in a place that you can't even begin to understand and all of a sudden it's not just a song any more; it becomes an emotion and it takes you into another dimension. That's George's voice.

My husband Jamie walks into the room and sits down. Does he listen to the lyrics or the music? "I listen to the music," he says. "And with George, there's also something about his voice that's so idiosyncratic that you know it's him straightaway. He's got that thing with his voice that's kind of crazy. He's in that tradition of Sinatra, Johnny Cash and Elvis."

When I was growing up, I'd dance to Everything She Wants, and I still play it all the time. Apparently, it's his favourite song from the whole Wham! era. We danced to it at his house after the London Olympics, when he performed at the closing ceremony. He was doing all the George Michael moves! When I was about 12, I tried to get tickets for Wham! The Final, their last gig. I was on the phone for hours and hours, but I still didn't get one. I was so upset that I just cried. So when I was dancing with George to Everything She Wants, with him doing all his moves, it made up for all those years of disappointment.

Praying for Time sounds like he's comfortable in his skin when he's up there on stage. You just know that he's complete when he performs and he's not even thinking about it because it's absolutely part of him. It's his life and who he is. I know the original song so well, even though it's different from the original it still keeps its integrity and it's amazing.

Growing up listening to him, there are moments that take my breath away. Cowboys and Angels has always been one of those songs for me. In my opinion, it's a classic masterpiece like the original.

Let Her Down Easy, I think, is better than the original. The way George delivers this song just touches me and it feels incredibly personal and emotional and it's much more delicate, too. Jamie says that the strings and the horns and arrangements throughout this album are so brilliantly balanced that he loves the way it's produced and sounds. I don't hear that, I just hear George.

George's version of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face is so special. Not only is it an amazing song, it's a stunning vocal performance, too, that I hear a kind of vulnerability in his voice and you can't fake that. When Roberta Flack sang this song there was that same feeling, but with George, you know it's different and real. He has the ability to take you along on that special journey with him.

You Have Been Loved, I'd say, is true to the original and one of the saddest songs ever.

Wild is the Wind, famously sung by Nina Simone and David Bowie and now George Michael… MAJOR! I've heard it's one of his favourites.

George's ability to communicate as a performer and make you feel part of a journey is a rare gift. It's an ability that defines the musical greats and, for me, it also defines what makes Symphonica such a beautiful album. Everyone should experience this.

I LOVE YOU GEORGE

 

Vogue.uk

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...