This came out in 2002 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Surprise No. 1: Boy George has a new album out. Surprise No. 2: It’s actually good. Very good.
U Can Never b2 Straight contains neither the fluffy pop of Culture Club nor the cliche DJ mixes he’s been churning out lately. Instead, this 15-song disc is more or less the equivalent of Boy George Unplugged. Usually backed by just a strummy acoustic guitar, George convincingly presents himself as a singer-songwriter, smoothly crooning a handful of his old tracks (including five from his 1995 disc Cheapness and Beauty) and a batch of strongly melodic, disarmingly personal new tracks about drugs, heartache and sexual confusion. The wildest track? The wickedly decadent Cabaret-style opener (and showstopper) Ich Bin Kunst. “I am art,” proclaims George. “I blow your mind.” Surprise No. 3: I’m inclined to agree with him.
