CD OF THE WEEK: George Michael: Patience
In the sleeve notes of Patience (Sony), George Michael says his colleagues know the meaning of patience, as the album took five years to make. He also thanks his fans for waiting patiently. But if one is going to make people wait this long for something, their patience had better be rewarded.
Patience opens with the title track, a melancholic, piano-backed drift through a world of “broken women” and “castles in the sand”. It’s unusual for an album opener: one would have expected something stronger. But, as it turns out, it sets the tone for most of what follows (neatly bookended by Patience Pt II at the end, sans vocals).
The single Amazing (track two) is the obviously chart-aimed upbeat love song that has not fared as well as Michael hoped, but it’s still one of the more memorable moments on the album, along with Flawless (Go to the City) — vocals craftily added on to The Ones’ cool club hit Absolutely Flawless — and the easy charm and deep-house beat of the seven-minute Precious Box.
The rest? Slow ruminations about people waking from comas (John and Elvis Are Dead), life stories and memories (Round Here), waiting for love (My Mother Had a Brother) and “horny cowboys” (American Angel). Oh, and the political ditty Shoot the Dog and a so-so adaptation of Freeek! are here too.
Patience delivers — barely. It’s all a bit dreary, maybe with too much slice-of-life introspection, but bearable with a good shot of, well, patience.
Montell Jordan: Life after Def (David Gresham)
One problems with Montell Jordan is that the instrumentation in his music tends to drown over his beautiful singing voice. That said, there is absolutely nothing else in his repertoire at which one can poke an accusing finger. In keeping with the brand that has made him a hit with R&B fans all over the world, Jordan churns out ballads evoking images of scent-filled restaurants or quiet dinners for two by candlelight. Just when you wondered what more the R&B genre could produce, Jordan returns with an offering encompassing the growing influence of rap in American music culture. Denise, True and Supa Star are tracks to pay attention to. — Fikile-Ntsikelelo Moya
John Mayer: Heavier Things (Sony)
On his last album he sang about running though the halls of his high school and losing his favourite lunch box. So now people say Heavier Things is about growing up and the subject matter of the title. But, as John Mayer says in the song that contains the reference to “heavier things”: “Numb is the new deep.” It’s still about girls and home and awkward self-awareness, it’s just more guarded, more produced. Lyrically, Mayer’s also worrying about money all of a sudden (ah, the perils of success). And damn, somebody taught the kid irony (isn’t 25 too late to start?). Although Mayer has “moved on”, Heavier Things is in some ways a lighter album than Room for Squares, and is also excellent in different ways. Mayer’s musical ethos is so strong, so pure that I dare you to guess which track features legendary hip-hop musician and producer ?uestlove on rhythm. Mayer’s epic soft rock just smothers and absorbs ?uestlove’s drum track, like a sonic Blob. Heavier Things is about as much of a monster as this genre can conceive of. And I mean that in a good way. — Michelle Matthews