Wham!

Did Andrew Ridgley and George Michael's dopey little record have to be put together so cheesily, its disco so uninformed, the synths so gawky? Apparently, yes. That way, the pretty-good songs ("Bad Boys," "Club Tropicana," the great disco novelty "Young Guns") had the cheap snap of sweatshop plastic novelties, while the bad ideas (the robotic dance tune "Come On," and "Wham! Rap" -- don't ask) just fall over and stay down. A misguided cover of the Miracles' "Love Machine" showcased the creamy, dark soul voice that Michael would develop in his subsequent solo career.

With the help of a blow-dryer and a little self-knowledge, Wham! pledges -- and proceeds -- to Make It Big. Now two slick young romancers with a little political consciousness and a lot of rhythm, Michael and Ridgley know exactly how to get over with English and U.S. audiences, and they do it in eight slender songs. The pop absurdity of "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" made them superstars, its soul-lite handclaps and Michael's mature voice turning a dopey party song into an anthem of good times. Wham! also had hits with the dance ballad "Everything She Wants" and the mournful cheating song "Careless Whisper." In between, it's all cheerful, infectious pop, such as the smart rhymes of the big, rolling "Heartbeat," the poolside cool of "Like a Baby," the horn-driven British soul of "Freedom," and the silly bubblegum of "Credit Card Baby." There's not a dud on this record; just great melodies, terrific singing, and utter conviction that it's everything it sets out to be, even if that means both a seminal classic and a fizzy little time capsule.

Once Ridgley and Michael realized their music was worth taking seriously, they began to take themselves seriously, and on the third and last Wham! recording, Music From the Edge of Heaven, they jettison decent melodies in favor of "mature" songwriting. Tuneless electro-flotsam like "Battlestations" is the result, a song about squabbling lovers that features an outro in pointless French. The ballads droop and the lyrics try too hard, although two hits pull themselves from the muck: "The Edge of Heaven" is muscular disco poised between the fluff of Wham!'s previous work and the thoughtful strength of Michael's solo songwriting, and "I'm Your Man," despite its lack of syncopation, is infectious dance-soul with an indelible chorus. (ARION BERGER)

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide