Perhaps Like Star Trek Movies, Seal Hits On The Even Numbers: Seal II

The Good: Exceptional voice, Good poetic lyrics, Decent Music
The Bad: One or two unremarkable tracks, Why can't Seal name an album?!
The Basics: With wonderful vocals and instrumentals, Seal's second eponymous album (Seal or II) has some of his strongest work, including some surprising greats he never charted with.


Some days ago, I was writing a review and I decided I would no longer recommend any album from an artist who has a Best of album when the best tracks on an album were already on the Best of album. Seal's second album, eponymous like the first album, but commonly known as Seal II, is in no danger of that. Having now listened to the four primary albums (Seal, II, Hu manbe in g, and IV), I'm contemplating picking up Seal's Greatest Hits. One of the few arguments against making that purchase is the strength of II.

With only eleven tracks, clocking in at barely over 50 minutes, II is perhaps the most hit-loaded of Seal's album outside the Greatest Hits. "Kiss From A Rose" arguably made more money than Batman Forever (after all the lawsuits were settled anyway), and is inarguably a better artistic work. "Kiss From A Rose" also won Seal Grammy Awards and worldwide acclaim. II features "Kiss From A Rose" as well as the radio-represented singles "Prayer For The Dying" and "Don't Cry," which I was surprised to learn did not perform terribly well on the charts.

Unlike Seal's debut Seal, II establishes this artist as a vocal sensation as opposed to relying on the synthesizers and funk sound instrumentals to sell him and his work. The result is somewhat less experimental, but more consistent and of a higher overall caliber. Unlike the endeavor that immediately followed, Hu manbe in g, the songs are distinctive enough that track to track, this is an album that holds up well and does not merely hypnotize the listener in one unending loop.

What that means is that II is a musical journey from track to track and while the tracks have a generally more orchestral sound to them (a la "Kiss From A Rose" and "Don't Cry"), the music is mixed in with dance tracks ("I'm Alive"), straight rock and roll ("Bring It On") and a duet with Joni Mitchell ("If I Could"). The general feel and sound of II is a very soulful pop-rock. The strength of Seal's vocals where he sings in an articulate, controlled bellow make his sound definitive and reminiscent of what many associate with gospel music or soul. Indeed, in "I'm Alive" he references some obvious Christian imagery (blood on the cross).

As I mentioned, I would not recommend this album if all of the best songs were on the Greatest Hits. While the later compilation has "Prayer For The Dying," "Don't Cry," and of course, "Kiss From A Rose," it does not have "Dreaming In Metaphors," a powerful and smart track that comes near the beginning of the album. It's far too rare that a musical artist actually explores psychology in their music, but Seal appears to do that with his cry of "Why must we dream in metaphors / Why are we holding on to / Something we couldn't understand . . ."

Like the majority of Seal's works, II is arguably the executed vision of Seal as the artist. Seal wrote or co-wrote all eleven tracks, so the lines he sings are largely his own. Similarly, the music was written by Seal, indicating that this is the sound Seal wanted to present. Seal is listed as a musician on the album, but it is not made clear what instrument he is playing (arguably he played some guitars on the work). While he is not given any form of production credit, he has created a body of work on II that arguably encapsulates his vision and the emotions and ideas that he wants to express.

And what is it he is trying to express? He expressed a desire for understanding the world around him and to connect with something more. In short, he - without preaching any one religion explicitly - is calling for a renewed, new spirituality. As he sings "I'm crossing that bridge / With lessons I've learned / I'm playing with fire / But not getting burned / I may not know what you're going through / But time is the space between me and you / . . . 'Cause life carries on . . ." ("Prayer For The Dying") it's difficult not to see that this is a man who has some strong sense of place, time and the consequences of life experience.

This is a remarkably strong album for all audiences, though the level of vocal sophistication and depth of emotions expressed will likely be appreciated more by adults. Seal does not devote a lot of time on making his music catchy and none of the songs has a real "hook." Instead, his smooth vocals articulate stories of genuine universal emotion. This is a dense album and while it is highly contemplative, it is not depressing. Mellow is probably the best word for the majority of the tracks.

And while "Kiss From A Rose" endures well beyond the movie for which it was written, it is an easy gate into II. If you enjoyed the melodic power of that single, II offers a lot to you as a listener. If nothing else, this album illustrates that the creative vocal and lyrical talents that created that song were not a fluke, but rather the tip of a genuine talent's potential.

The music nicely uses atypical instruments, like the full orchestra sound on "Kiss From A Rose." The only place I found this at all bothersome was the opening to "Fast Changes" that starts with light woodwinds and just fell flat with its rhymes and sounds compared to the relative quality of the other tracks.

Otherwise, if one needed to get a Seal album, it's hard to leap right to the Greatest Hits when the best track on II is the articulate, poetic imagery of "Dreaming In Metaphors." "Fast Changes" is the weak link in the album.

For other works by Seal, please be sure to visit my reviews of:
Seal
“Crazy” (single)
Hu manbe in g
Seal IV

8/10

For other music reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Seal's Funk-Gospel Masterpiece - Welcome To The Church Of Seal: Seal IV

The Good: Amazing voice, Great lyrics, Wonderful music, Impressive all around
The Bad: Thematically overbearing at times, Some very predictable rhymes
The Basics: With memorable melodies, Seal's distinct voice and explosively emotive lyrics, IV is Seal's masterpiece and an album worth your time and attention.


It's chic to say that "Kiss From A Rose" is Seal's best song. I've been listening to Seal's albums for a few days now and it would be easy to read those reviews and come to believe that I do not like Seal. The truth is, I've enjoyed the singles Seal put on the radio, I've just found his albums to be disappointing. All of that changed today when I took in IV (or Seal IV, this man has some serious problems with titling his albums!). Wow!

My first comment is that IV is that it is the truest casualty of the whole "Single Rapper" music movement. 2003 was dominated by single rappers (#1 for the year were by: Eminem, B2K, Jennifer Lopez, 50 Cent, Sean Paul, Clay Aiken -okay, he's not!, Beyonce, Nelly, Ludacris and OutKast). Seal is not a rapper, is not selling his breasts and was not on "American Idol." As a result, he is a casualty of the state of pop music at the time. IV peaked at #3 and none of the tracks on IV peaked at over 79 in the U.S. This is why the United States is said to have no taste or culture.

IV is Seal's masterpiece, containing his best written, most intensely emotional songs to date. For those who keep track of my reviews (and therefore, my views), you might note that Seal's masterpiece is also the work where his lyrics have the greatest expression of religious faith. Indeed, he opens the album with "Get It Together," an exhortation to "Pray to God / Or whatever you do." The thing is, Seal here is both direct, not pushing a Christian-only agenda (he cries out for faith and belief in man more than any specific religious expression) and he makes incredible music while proselytizing. Seal here creates an effective blend of pop, funk and gospel that works.

Seal was truly robbed by the fact that IV contains two of the best singles in recent memory, certainly better than the drecht Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, and 50 Cent were charting while he was trying to plug them on the radio. "Love's Divine" might well be a perfect song and the follow-up, "Waiting For You" is easily as distinct a single as Seal's smash "Kiss From A Rose" which won him the Grammy.

With twelve tracks, IV clocks in at 52 minutes and the truth is, not one of those minutes is bad. The musical and emotional journey Seal takes the listener on in IV is impressive. More than faith in the divine, this album is preaching the power of love. On "Love's Divine," Seal cries out, "I need love / Love's divine / Help me now I see that I was blind / Love will see me through." It's a powerful musical moment when those lines are delivered by Seal's melodic voice.

And on "Waiting For You," Seal rocks. His voice peaks over the orchestra (there is a programmed recording of strings, horns and a choir!) in the declarative refrain of a man waiting for his lover. This is what was missing from Hu manbe in g! Seal is emotive, powerful and his vocals cry out with distinction, articulating his message. And his message is love. Love is something powerful and here he sings it as he sees it.

Seal lives up to the potential visited upon the listener in his first single, "Crazy" and he takes the vocals to a whole new level on IV. Songs like "Heavenly (Good Feeling)" push his range downward and it's impressive how strong he can present as a baritone. Moreover, when he modulates from the lower range to his mid to higher-range in the refrain it's impressive.

Seal wrote or co-wrote all twelve tracks on the album and it seems as if he has grown as a writer. For the most part. Most of the lyrics are more sophisticated than his previous endeavors. On one or two tracks, he is using disturbingly obvious rhymes like "stare/hair," "together/forever," "straight/relate," etc. ("Get It Together"). For the most part, though his rhymes are more surprising and less predictable.

As well, on IV Seal plays instruments. On a few of the later songs, he plays bass, guitars and/or keyboards. He does it quite well and I'm honestly impressed to see him coming into his own as an artist. He creates a unique sound and the leap from writing lyrics and singing them to also writing and performing the music he sings is a great step forward. His hard work clearly pays off on this endeavor. Seal should have been an oasis in a marketplace dominated by overproduction the year IV was released, but for some reason those listening to the radio could not handle the soothing tones of Seal. Our loss.

Thematically, IV might be a little overbearing for those of us who are not big into expressions of religious faith. Notably, "Where There's Gold" which repeatedly urges the listener pray with lines like, "When there's no place left to roam / Follow your heart to bring you home / If you've taken all the beating you can take / You can lift your head and pray." While this is problematic, it's not a dealbreaker, even for me.

Seal's fourth studio album, IV brings the artist into his own crafting a unique blend of pop, funk and gospel sounds to make something truly different from the mainstream. The best track is "Love's Divine," which might well be a perfect song. The low point is "Where There's Gold."

For other works by Seal, please be sure to visit my reviews of:
Seal
“Crazy” (single)
Hu manbe in g

8.5/10

For other music reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Indistinct Seal - Hu manbe in g, Being What?!

The Good: Excellent voice, Decent instrumentals
The Bad: No distinct lyrics, music or tracks
The Basics: With a homogenous quality to the music and vocals, this album is a prime example of an artist of quality failing to produce something distinct or different. Sad, truly.


Seal's critics of his third album, the oddly spaced Hu manbe in g seem to be pretty unified in their critiques. This will truly be the test of the question "What is the importance of a single?" I say this because out of the Seal albums released to this time - and the one that followed this work - Hu manbe in g was the one that just didn't have a single. Sure, he released "Human Beings," "Latest Craze" and "Lost My Faith" as singles, but if you check out your local music store, they're still there ("Human Beings" peaked at #50 in the UK and #96 in Germany, the others did not chart). Hu manbe in g is a commercial flop and the question is why? Is a single truly that important?

Less important this far after the fact is the question of a single. What matters now is, what is distinctive about this album? On Seal’s debut album (reviewed here!) there was “Crazy” that stood out. On this album, what is distinctive? The problem is, there's no good answer to this on Hu manbe in g. Instead, this album is one cohesive musical experience that progresses track to track with little musical distinction. In short, all of the songs here sound essentially the same. I am able to say this with utmost conviction because I've had the album in my player on continual loop for, as it turns out, two and a half hours now. That's right, I've listened to Hu manbe in g almost four times in a row (it's barely over 51 minutes) and I cannot tell you a single lyric Seal has sung. Not one.

That's sad.

That's what I mean by "indistinct." There is nothing here that jumps out at the listener. There is nothing that demands the listener's attention. There is not a track that screams "I am better than any of the others!" Conversely, this album is so completely homogenous in sound that there are no tracks that are truly inferior to the others either. This is just one long, unending loop. Were I to die tonight, I doubt any of my neighbors would ever notice; this disc would simply become the soundtrack of the neighborhood. It would not offend anyone, it would just melt somewhere into their subconscious and they would live with it.

As an artist, I can say these are not words one wants to hear about one's art. Artists thrive when they make an impression, good or bad. Were this Seal's first album, he would have sunk into anonymity quicker than any b-list celebrity. He wouldn't have even been a one-hit wonder. It's a shame because Seal has some real talent.

This is not the album that showcases his real talents. Or he was just having a bad session. Seal wrote or co-wrote all twelve tracks and none of the lines stick. It's not because they do not have anything to say, either. I went and read Seal's lyrics to Hu manbe in g. He has some decent lyrics. For example, on "Still Love Remains," he apparently sings, "How will I stand / When you turn out the light that shines over me? / . . . How will I live / If you take all the gifts that you have for me?" That's not bad.

I say "apparently sings," because most of Seal's voice is drown out by the production elements on this album. The instrumentals - bass, piano, mild guitars, etc. - overrun his vocals. His voice is harmonized into the music in such a way that his voice is submerged in the music. We hear Seal singing, but it's hard to hear the words he sings. Yes, we hear his voice, but it blends with the ebb and flow of the music, never reaching a crescendo that overrules the sound of the music behind (or above) it.

It's hard to write a lot about an album that leaves such little impression. It's hard not to listen to this and not recognize the quality of the music or even Seal's voice (what can be heard of it), but the problem is that it's a 51 minute drum and synth track that is more hypnotic than musical. It has the elements to contain quality, but it fails to present them well. Like a movie with amazing cinematography whose prime accomplishment is making the viewer fall asleep, Hu manbe in g has elements that are intriguing or of recognizable quality, but it fails to create something with the inherent talent possessed there.

I have no track recommendations one way or the other on this one.

For other former Male Artist Of The Month selections, please be sure to visit my reviews of:
Opiate (EP) - Tool
Rumours (2-disc version) – Fleetwood Mac
Actually (2-disc version) – Pet Shop Boys

4.5/10

For other music reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Seal: Funk-Pop Like A One-Hit Wonder

The Good: Decent vocals, "Crazy"
The Bad: Much of the music is indistinct or unremarkable, Lyrically unimpressive, Surprisingly "produced," liner notes
The Basics: Weaker than one might expect both lyrically and musically, the first Seal album entitled Seal is a surprising disappointment.


There are few images in the video age that are so distinct and memorable that virtually anyone alive and connected to pop culture at the time (or later) can instantly recognize them. This is especially true of music videos featuring a solo artist singing and little else. Seal's video "Crazy" has one of those iconic images as seal sits and people run out of him. It's an impressive image, the video does more and the song is hardly the typical pop-rock song. I had occasion to watch the video for "Crazy" for the first time in years a few days ago and it occurred to me that I had never listened to a full album by Seal, despite liking any number of his singles.

With only nine tracks and clocking in at 52 minutes, Seal - the album is eponymous, the first of two albums by Seal named Seal - is an fairly unambitous debut. Musically, the album oscillated between overproduced ("The Beginning") and stark in music and vocals ("Whirlpool"). In fact, more than musically diverse, Seal seems directionless, failing to enchant the listener and instead leave the listener unsettled by its lack of cohesion.

Seal, the artist, instantly impressed listeners in the U.S. in 1991 with his hit song "Crazy." The song, with its echoing refrain "We go a little / Crazy!" was unlike anything most Americans had heard. It used instrumentation associated with pop music, threw in powerful vocals with a soul/funk undertone and it caught the attention of the Top 40 listeners. Honestly, it was something so different that it was captivating.

The problem with Seal, the album, is that it does not follow up with the same uniqueness or musical or lyrical strength. Instead, the songs flow indistinctly one from another linked only by Seal's voice. And unlike his single "Crazy," most of the other tracks are remarkably limited in terms of vocal range. While Seal explodes from the lower registers into the higher ones on "Crazy," he doesn't show the same skill on any of the other tracks.

On "Wild," though, his voice modulates, but it lacks the control of "Crazy" (how's that for irony?). So his voice goes high, warbles and it's more noisy than focused, and the effect feels derivative of his own work. When one is derivative on their first album, it's not a good sign. That's basically a polite way of calling someone a one-trick pony.

The liner notes are confusing as we address the music. Seal is pictured with a guitar, but not credited with being one of the musicians on Seal. Either way, it would not matter much. The most distinctive aspect of the music on Seal comes in the form of the drumming throughout the album. On "Show Me," more than Seal's vocals - one of the few pieces he is harmonized with - the sound that catches the ears and captures the imagination are the drums in the first half of the song. It's rare in pop-rock music that we hear bongos or other drums that are played by hand. Here we have that.

It's a small thing to be impressed by and it's fairly desperate that I've resorted to that to write about in my review. Sadly, though the album clocks in at a little over 52 minutes, with the lack of impression the tracks leave there is not much to say. The album starts sounding like it might be funk with heavy keyboards, but it soon devolves into a nebulous pop-soul (think low-key gospel-soul, not upbeat dancable soul) that is captivating only when the production elements do not override the vocals.

It's a shame that that is not often; Seal seems to have an excellent voice. For some reason, far too often on the album producer Trevor Horn feels it necessary to engineer Seal's voice, adding reverb. While this works well on "Crazy" to create a stark, well, crazy-isolated feeling, the entire album comes off as dry and emotionless when it is overused.

For those who are fans of "Crazy," it ought to be noted that just about every radio station edited the song down for time and to eliminate some of the wandering in the middle of the song. As a result, the version on Seal is longer and less familiar to those who only heard it on the radio.

It strikes me that with the successes some of his later songs, Seal would likely release a Greatest Hits album and it turns out in 2004 he did. That's likely to be a better value for your dollar than this. Sadly, this debut sounds like that of a one-hit wonder. Fortunately, he recovered from it.

The best track is "Crazy," the weakest (though that's a tough call) is "Wild."

For other, former male artists I have immersed myself in the study of, be sure to check out my reviews of:
Aladdin Sane - David Bowie
Greatest Hits - Red Hot Chili Peppers
It Ain't Easy: The Essentials - Wilson Pickett

4.5/10

For other music reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Impressive Song, Lousy Presentation, The One-Track Single Of "Crazy" By Seal Is Not Worth Buying.

The Good: Good vocals, Good instrumental accompaniment, Decent lyrics
The Bad: Poor use of medium, Identical to album cut.
The Basics: Crazy may be one of the best songs Seal ever produced and one of the best debut singles of all time, but the one-track version is not worth buying.


Fear not, those awaiting the return of my Artist Of The Month! My first works from new artists will be rolling in by March and I shall be immersing myself in them in time to present new music reviews then! That means my reviews of singles shall come to an end by then (hopefully for a long while!) and I am excited about that. I'm excited because it means that, among other things, I shall no longer have to listen to albums like the one-track single of "Crazy" by Seal.

Don't get me wrong, I like Seal's breakout song. The song is powerful and melodic and well worth the attention of listeners everywhere. It is also available in this identical form on Seal's debut album as well as his greatest hits album. It is arguably the essential Seal single and it has found its way onto other compilations as well. As a result, this single, which only has the one track, the album cut of "Crazy" is very much not worth buying.

With only a single track occupying less than five minutes, "Crazy" is a poor use of the c.d. medium's extended capacity. Even so, it is a decent example of Seal's musical talents. Seal wrote the song and performs the lead vocals on it. He was not, however, involved with the programming of the track or the production of it.

"Crazy," for those who have not heard, is a song which is dark and deep and is about the crushing weight of modern society and how it makes people feel. With a strong percussion section, "Crazy" is one of the best pop songs of the 1990s as it combines danceable beats with deep bass and synth songs to create an instantly recognizable melody. The murky tune is an undertone of sound to accompany the vocals of Seal and it is the perfect musical accompaniment, often blending with his vocals and echoing his performance of key lines. This is a strongly percussion and keyboard-driven song.

Vocally, Seal performs with clear, deep vocals which are able to go into higher tenor registers to make the musical protagonist seem like he is experiencing angst. Seal's vocals are articulate and clear, so every word in the song can be heard. He is melodic and he harmonizes with the bass very well.

Lyrically, "Crazy" is a mood piece and a wonderful poem. While some of the lines like "One of them got a gun to shoot the other one" are less lyrically complicated, the song does a decent job of portraying chaos and angst. When Seal sings "While those around him criticize and sleep / And through a fracture on that breaking wall / I see you my friend and touch your face again / Miracles will happen as we trip / But we're never gonna survive unless / We get a little crazy" it is hard not to feel both confused and euphoric. The lines capture well the uncertainty of letting go and allowing insanity and ridiculousness to creep into our lives.

But at the end of the day, this is a one-song single and that song is commonly available on multiple albums and, less expensively, as a digital download. Because Seal isn't providing any b-sides with this single, there's no reason to hunt it down or purchase it.

For other reviews of singles, please check out my takes on:
Don't Look Back In Anger - Oasis
Right Beside You - Sophie B. Hawkins
Nowhere To Go - Melissa Etheridge

4/10

For other music reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here for an organized listing!

© 2011, 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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