Seal Album: “Seal [1991] [CD & DVD]”

Im usually one for the heavier stuff, but you will be surprised how compelling Seal's debut album really is. The choice of studio musicians are also very interesting - Trevor Horn and Trevor Rabin? The mode is primarily dance, specifically house music, which means you get big thumping uptempo beats and lush synth work. At that its admirably good, with Seal's scratchy-yet-smooth voice crooning over the top giving each of the tracks an erotic, sensual vibe that you just don't usually get with typical dance music. Not my style, but anywhere there's a Chapman stick involved, I am on the scene. Then there's also some acoustic guitar textures and other good stuff thrown in for good measure to "seal" the deal. Contains the hallucinatory hit "Crazy", the positive credentials of which are without question, but check out "Killer" (a dance tune which just BARELY flirts with industrial) and the pretty ballad "Show Me".

I don't know what instruments Seal plays -- maybe he sticks to composition and vocals. Anyway, Seal first received acclaim for his work on the outstanding single 'Killer', which was credited entirely to the keyboardsman/club DJ Adamski. Strangely -- or perhaps not so strangely if you've heard the album that Adamski recorded to puff out the single -- it is Seal who has had much the more successful career.

Thankfully it was the controversial ZTT production team, led by former Yes and Buggles man Trevor Horn, who signed up Seal, adn the rest is history. ZTT brought a heavy production technique to all the artists they worked with in the 80s and 90s -- you only have to listen to any Art of Noise record to hear the range of ideas they bring to bear when they have no artist but themselves to work on. Because of their weighty, almost Spector-like production layering, they selected only the strongest, most distinctive new artists for the label -- people like Grace jones, Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Seal, who would shine through even Horn and Anne Dudley's editorial gloss.

We need also to mention the influence of Guy Sigsworth -- he of the bass in Bomb the Bass -- who co-wrote with Seal two of the stand-out tracks on this wonderful album: the stonking opener, 'The Beginning', and the beautiful finisher 'Violet'. I cannot write too highly of 'Violet' -- the percussion is simply gorgeous, starting off with a simple electronic beat and culminating in a full Latin chorus. (Any record featuring the marvellous Paulinho Da Costa is usually well worth the money.) But I'd love to know which film or TV programme the voice samples on this track come from. Any ideas?

Other outstanding tracks include 'Crazy' and a re-working of 'Killer' which features Yes's Trevor Rabin on guitar.

After recording this and his second album, it appeared that Seal could do no wrong. We just want you to record a few more, Henry.

Clearly Seal's simplest album and debatably his best. I find such power in his simplicity. Even though the songs are rich with overdubs and rather unconventional chord changes, the simple tones of his voice and guitar are just out of this world. I can see Trevor Horn's (his producer) vision - a lush background of sound to support a dynamic, soulful singer. Perhaps Seal's voice would seem even more soulful with more conventional music, but I wouldn't forego the incredible songwriting on this album. It is both powerful and subtle. I enjoy both the basic and the lush arrangements presented here. I couldn't call myself a true music lover if I didn't own this album.

This 1991 release was (and remains) a stroke of pure genius. "The Beginning" is a terrific opener that not only rouses the listener, but features a dynamite hook that will have you singing along and dancing all at once! It segues directly into a fast-strummed acoustic guitar that introduces the beautiful and plaintive "Deep Water", itself a stunner even when placed next to the LP's biggest hit song "Crazy". Throughout this opening salvo, Seal's rich and raspy baritone lends these complex, multi-textured, mood shifting pieces a soul and resonance that would have been wasted in the hands of a lesser singer. This album moves so effortlessly from frenetic dance tracks to acoustic Cali-Style Soft Rock to soul and hints of progressive jazz that it's hard to believe that it all works as well as it does (unless you've heard it, then you know what I mean)and was produced by one man, the brilliant Trevor Horn. "Killer" mixes dance beats, a crunching hard rock guitar loop and layers of synthesizers to devestating effect. "Whirlpool" is another acoustic gem featuring Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman that reflects on the meaning of life. "Future Love Paradise" is one of two bass-heavy tracks(the other being the yearning ballad "Show Me") that give a nod to soul, without diluting the eclecticism of the entire LP. This is one of only a few truly flawless albums in the world, that rare work of art that can listened to from start to finish 1,000 times without fast forwarding or skipping any tracks and you STILL don't tire of hearing it. In a word : PERFECT.

I have bought everything i could get my hands on from Seal, starting with this CD, which will blow you away. His lyrics are truly breath taking as you can feel the pure and honest raw emotions coming through. He purposely does not include the words to the songs, so that each and every listener can interpret them for their own personal meaning. Buy this CD and you will feel connected to Seal after listening to his outstanding descritions and emotions that shine through each song.