Wham! - Fantastic!

Fantastic is the misguided 1983 debut release from the U.K. duo Wham. With Fantastic, George Michael and partner Andrew Ridgeley introduced themselves as leather jacket-clad, street-smart "rebels." This approach proved wildly popular in the U.K., where Fantastic was a Top Ten hit, but the album went largely unnoticed in the States. Fantastic is now notable only for its early appearance of Michael, who would become an international superstar by the mid-'80s. While Fantastic showcases the young (20 at the time of the album's release) George Michael's ability to craft engaging, hook-filled melodies, much of the material on Fantastic suffers from the duo's pretentious, tough-guy posturing. Read More