George Michael - Faith [2LP]

Pressed on 180-gram vinyl across two LPs, Faith captures George Michael at the precise moment he stepped out of Wham! and claimed pop's center stage on his own terms.

Released in 1987, the album was almost entirely his own creation. He wrote, arranged and produced it, and the result was a sleek, confident blend of pop, funk, soul and balladry that made him one of the biggest stars on the planet. It went on to win the Grammy for Album of the Year.

Four singles hit No. 1 in the US, and they still sound remarkably fresh. "Faith" opens with a church organ before snapping into that famous rockabilly shuffle, and "Father Figure" builds a hushed, sensual tension that never quite breaks, carried by one of his most controlled vocals.

"One More Try" is a slow-burning gospel ballad of rare vulnerability, and "Monkey" flips the mood with taut, synth-driven funk. Deeper cuts such as "Hand to Mouth" show his eye for sharp grooves and even sharper social observation, proof that there was real bite behind the gloss.

For a record this central to its decade, a heavyweight double LP feels like the right way to hear it, loud, from start to finish, with the sleeve propped up nearby.