A close second on the Facebook poll, Coming Home To You was, as Michael himself described, his first real attempt as songwriting. Coming Home To You is a great record that offers real variety while never lacking cohesion.
On the covers side, Michael takes on songs made famous by heavyweight artists, like Elvis Presley’s ‘I Just Can’t Help Believin’’, Cliff Richard’s ‘Miss You Nights’, Carole King’s ‘Goin’ Back’, Lionel Richie’s ‘Sail On’, the legendary Bee Gee’s number ‘To Love Somebody’ and Dolly Parton’s ‘Love Is Like A Butterfly’.
What makes the originals so notable is that they sit comfortably alongside such tunes, with ‘Tenessee Dreams’ showing some real lyrical dexterity from Michael. ‘All Dance Together’ was built for the live stage, ‘Blood Red Moon’ is great fun and ‘Home To You’ is a top drawer opening track. Add in a beautiful version of ‘Bright Eyes’, a great take on Jim Croce’s ‘I Have To Say I Love You In A Song’ and a stunning rendition of Freya Riding’s haunting ‘Lost Without You’ and you won’t need a skip button.
Its popularity also demonstrates that the fans not only enjoyed the original material, but they actually feel that Michael’s most recent albums rank among his best.