Remembrance (A Memorial Benefit) - George Winston

Advantages: Great value for money
Disadvantages: Some better material has been missed out

...I bought this album on double cassette the week it was released in 1998 on the Sony label; George needed to finish his contract off somehow. It cost me £9.99. However the CD is now £9.99 in HMV. The cover mainly consists of album sleeves but there is a beautiful shot of George and his dog. She's looking suitably bored! I love the album title as it also hints at his past bi-sexuality. It's very cheeky, which is typical of George. One cassette is sub-titled "For The Heart" and the other is called "For The Feet". Sides One and Two are a collection of love songs and ballads and Sides Three and Four have the more uptempo tracks. I'll go through each track. The thing that strikes you on the first listen is that many of George's songs don't make sense next to each other. The structures are so different and there are few... Read review

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Advantages: Great songs displaying senstivity and intelligence
Disadvantages: Couple of weak tracks

...and listen with a open mind.Whatever the reasoning behind the title the songs on the album proved that george had truly moved away from his Wham! days.The picture cover in black and white with a large crowd but no picture of George summed up his need to keep out the celebrity game.He wanted the audience to listen to the songs not look at him.The videos for the singles wouldnt feature him at all. The album has 10 tracks ranging with different moods. Track 1: Praying for time This i feel personally is one of Georges best ever songs andmy favourite.I remember hearing it for the first time and thinking i hadnt heard anything like it before.It is powerful,deeply felt almost melancholic in tone.Its haunting quality is aided by some excellent production work and sets up the tone for the album nicely. Track2: Freedom90 This is now best remembred... Read review

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Advantages: Great cover versions
Disadvantages: They're only cover versions

...'Killer' which is probably the weakest track adding little to either song. The final revelation is George's cover of 'Calling You'. The song first appeared on the soundtrack to the little seen Bagdad Cafe winning an Oscar nomination for composer Bob Telson, but had never appeared in the British charts. George gives a soulful, generous performance which remains in the aural memory of those who hear it. Like the former Cassius Clay, the former Georgios Panayiotou would continue to make comebacks and reclaim his title as the greatest of his generation and it remains to be seen whether he has now finally been knocked out for good. According to Amazon.co.uk the EP is still available in a number of formats, but previous experience with this kind of order means it can be a bit hit or miss. Keep a look out on ebay and you shouldn't pay more than... Read review

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