In fairness, however, the 32-year-old semireformed teen idol's return comes close enough to greatness to suggest he deserves to be cut a little slack. Where he overestimates his talent, perhaps we've underestimated it. Older has not forsaken the supermodel worldview of Michael's post-Wham! successes Faith and Listen Without Prejudice. Style is still a big part of his substance, and the word 'baby' is still used too much in his lyrics. But Older is, as implied, a more mature set. Paying homage to Brazilian bossa nova composer Antonio Carlos Jobim and his own Greek heritage, Michael stews his Brit/American R&B with Latin jazz pop and Mediterranean swirls. He even casts himself as a '90s Sinatra on a lounge-friendly track where he plays all instruments. And with all of Older's high-stakes ambition, Michael manages to keep the album immersed in a superbly melodic pop glaze that might have turned most of these tracks into hits.

--Roni Sarig