In the context of the album, Jesus To A Child sets the scene for Michael's current direction - brooding, mature, reflective but not so downbeat as to disallow the good times.
Fast Love (5.24) - Written with British R&B producer Jon Douglas, the second single from Older - out on April 22 but already receiving heavy radio support - is powered by a sample from disco classic Patrice Rushen's Forget Me Nots.
Older (5.32) - The album moves into a jazzy mood as Michael brusquely casts off a former lover - "I'm not the man you want... these are wasted days without affection, I'm not that foolish anymore" - to the quavering accompaniment of Steve Sidwell's trumpet. Due to be the album's third single.
Spinning The Wheel (6.09) - The album's upbeat highlight (and second song written with Douglas) finds Michael sending out warning signs to an errant partner: "Five o'clock in the morning, you ain't home ... I will not accept this as part of my life... I would rather be alone than watch you spinning the wheel for me."
It Doesn't Really Matter (5.03) - Michael plays all the instruments on this slow late-night track which extends into a P-funk workout.
The Strangest Thing (6.00) - Heavyweight basslines, hissing hi-hats and an intriguing oriental keyboard riff contrast with Michael's breathy vocals and heartfelt lyrics: "There's a liar in my head/ There's a thief in my bed..."
To Be Forgiven (5.20) - Michael's fascination with Brazilian rhythms comes to the fore with a slowed-down bossa nova beat, which is combined with the flute refrain from Debussy's L'Apres Midi d'Un Faune.
Move On (4.45) - The spirit of Marvin Gaye is invoked for this syncopated track with jazzy trumpet samples and a lightness of touch reflected in confident (post-Sony court case) lyrics: "I've got to get back on my feet/Feel like I've been sleeping/Sweet, sweet time/Has been a good friend of mine."
Star People (5.15) - Deft use of a Rhodes electric piano, Brazilian beats and gangsta-lite touches present a retro Seventies feel wherein Michael attempts to distance himself from others in the superstar bracket by lambasting the Malibu set: "I do not count myself among you... there's a difference between you and me."
You Have Been Loved (5.27) - Co-written with friend David Austin, who also plays keyboards. Michael plays bass, guitar and drums and sings a veiled tribute to his mother over the track's dreamy landscape.
Free (2.79) - A thundering drum loop presages this instrumental track which acts as a closer for Older, reintroducing many of the album's musical elements, such as the oriental effects on The Strangest Thing. In the closing seconds, Michael makes the album's only direct lyrical reference to the dispute with Sony: "Feels good... to be free."
