 |  |  | | Can't go wrong with the one of kind voice of Seal!!!!! |  |
Every since his self titled CD released in 1994. I have been a huge unwavering fan of Seal's and this CD definately stood up to my high expectations. I love it and like it just as much as when I first brougt it a few years ago. Just added everything of his that I have to my new ipod touch.
| SEAL + TREVOR = GENIUS!! . . . PLEASE, "GET IT (back) TOGETHER"!! | |
PLEASE, you two, PLEASE!: We miss the GENIUS of the TWO of your joining TOGETHER! In doing so, after all these years, we just want you to make us dance, love, cry, think, hope, dream, and groove again . . . once again, we need to hear and love the GENIUS of the VOICE AND THE VISION of the two of you TOGETHER AGAIN! It's time, you two; especially after all these years! (The best lyrics and visions of our memories come from SEAL I (1990) and SEAL IV (2004).) Thank you, Seal, for sharing the visions of your genius, strength, and love; thank you, Mr. Horn, for giving us a reason to groove - your vision of musical perfection is incomparable! (We own "Produced by Trevor Horn - 25 yrs of Pop." (DVD), which celebrates the ultimate LOVE of your GENIUS.) Together, your music is irresistible(!). Therefore, gentlemen, please get back together to give us MORE!)
| grew on me |  |
Got this album when it first came out. Feel it's a pretty good mix of the "old school" stuff from the first two records. Not as dance-oriented as the first, but not as pop as the second. It's somewhere in the middle.
This production isn't too much, so his amazing vocals really stand out. Writing it pretty strong. Not his best, but not bad. I'm holding him to a pretty high level, by the way. This would be a 5-star record for most people.
This is one of the better Seal records. I recommend it.
| I still get chills when I listen to this CD | |
I've had Seal IV since a few days after the release in 2003 and to this day, I still get chills when I dust it off and play it. This is hands down, one of the most prolific CDs of all time. There's masterpiece after masterpiece on this piece of artistry.
"Don't Make me Wait" - Old soul sound, oh so great
"Waiting for you" - This song starts me on my day
"Touch" - Haunting, seductive, smooth....
"Lonliest Star from the Sun" - Arrangements and lyrics are masterful
Tinseltown - Soothing but brutally honest
| A shining, hip, well-crafted return | |
Seal took his time in releasing his fourth album. Reportedly, after the release of HUMAN BEING in 1998, Seal set to work on his fourth album; he had a whole album's worth of material, but he was unhappy with it and so he scrapped it. Instead, he began work on the second version of his fourth album, the version that was finally released: SEAL IV. It's a shining, hip, and well-crafted return for Seal. His longtime producer and friend Trevor Horn steers Seal in a different direction on this album, away from the ethereal techno-rock on Seal's previous albums and toward a more R&B sound influenced by the motown music of the 1960s. Fans needn't fret, though, because this is still unmistakably Seal. Horn does something else, too: he puts the focus on Seal's voice, which as anyone who's ever heard his music knows is a wise move.
Some of Seal's finest and most enjoyable songs are on this album. In typical Seal fashion, he opens the album with a song - in this case, the bouncy, upbeat "Get It Together" - and closes it with a reprise of that song. One of my favorite parts of the album is the arrangement of the songs, which is really great. We go from the light, soaring "Love's Divine" (which received a lot of airplay when it was released) to the heavy, thumping "Waiting For You" (another track highlight). "Let Me Roll" finds Seal strongly declaring "I'm not too proud to beg"; on the subsequent track, he sings about how much he misses the touch of his lover. Who but Seal could fluctuate from strong, pounding songs to dreamy, moving serenades with such ease? Seal takes a shot at reggae with "Where There's Gold", and "Heavenly ... (Good Feeling)" is one of Seal's most dazzling ballads. It's the following track that's my favorite, though: "Tinsel Town", an utterly gorgeous song, a composition eclipsed in beauty only by Seal's own "Kiss from a Rose".
Seal's songwriting isn't as superb as it was on his first two albums, but he gives each and every song 110% (it was his lack of effort that was the fatal flaw on his previous album). His voice is just as amazing as ever. The only thing that may turn some people away from SEAL IV is that it's easily his most tranquil album, though it definitely has its share of forceful tunes. It's also one of his most charming and sweet, however, and few are more charming or sweet than Seal. SEAL IV is a great album, and though it may not be Seal's finest achievement, it's more than enough incentive to eagerly anticipate his next album.
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