CD review: Seal ? "Seal IV"
By Scott Boardman
The combination of 12 soulfully inspired lyrics put into infectious pop tracks mixed with funk, rhythm and blues and even a little big band is what makes up the new release of musician/vocalist Seal.
The entire album, titled "Seal IV," flows with amazing consistency promoting similar concepts of tolerance, compassion, fame pride and, of course, love.
The first track, "Get it Together," exemplifies his message of peace and acceptance throughout the world. Seal is able to convey such urgency in his voice by singing "What I see can make me stop and stare, but who am I to judge the color of your hair," and "We've got to keep this world together, keep it moving straight, trust and forgive each other, so the people can relate."
Two love songs on "Seal IV" that make this album worth buying are "Love's Divine" and "Don't Make Me Wait." Both are the typical old fashioned love song format. Seal again soars to new heights in these songs sounding almost identical to Ray Charles, yet he is in a league of his own.
One might hesitate to buy this album because of its paper cover, thinking it is just an EP and not a full album. Another deterrent is that some jewel case collectors might see it as cheap. However, Seal redeems the paper case with the cover art, which must be felt rather than seen.
This album is geared toward people who are really into lyrics and feeling the music. Seal does not release albums very often, but the impressive style of "Seal IV" makes it worth every minute of the wait.