A Love Story saw Michael try his hand at a concept record approach, choosing cover songs to tell the story of a love affair from start to finish. The idea is excellent and you can see how it maps out, starting with ‘You Had Me From Hello’, to ‘This Guy’s In Love With You’. Halfway through the album the mood alters with ‘You’ve Changed’, ‘What Makes You Stay’ and the powerhouse ‘God Give Me Strength’, ending with the vibe of ‘I Wish You Love’ and ‘I Wish I Were In Love Again’.
The finale ‘Me And My Shadow’ with Antonio Banderas is a great pick-me-up however. While a good record, Michael felt his voice hadn’t fully recovered from the previous tour when it came to recording and he performed a curtailed version of this “love affair” on the Live In London DVD, where you can make the case that the condensed, live version is superior to the album.