A Few Words About Seal

Finally. I made it to France.

I'm trying to ignore my jetlag and catch up on blogging and email while downing a bunch of espressos in a trendy wifi cafe. C'est très européen. The flights getting here weren't too bad though. I created a bunch of new compilations on my iPod including songs from Seal's latest disc "System."

I'm not sure what happened to that album and why it did so poorly, because there are a bunch of excellent songs on it. "Amazing," "System" and "The Right Life" capture that quintessential Seal vibe that is uplifting, atmospheric and soothing. Great travel music. He truly takes you on a journey with lyrics that can be interpreted in so many different ways that they provide plenty food for thought for a couple of hours.

Some might have been disappointed by Stuart Price's production work on "System." But I find the combination of Seal's soulful vocals with Price's electro beats very compelling. Sure, it is no "Confessions On A Dancefloor," but Price's soundboard savvy fit Seal very well.  It is nice to hear how the singer injects Price's studio electronica with warmth and authenticity to create an album that is romantic and heartfelt. To me this "System" has longevity (and I forgive for Seal for that cheesy duet with wife Heidi).

My guess is that Dancing With The Stars and Regis & Kelly weren't really the right places to market this record. That's just poor marketing execution. He might even be dropped from Warner Brothers Records in the near future and who knows what will happen to Seal's career then.

If you have given up on Seal then I suggest you don't. Check out "The Right Life" for example. Listen to it on your headphones to get the full sonic experience and depth of it. Listen to it here and you download it on iTunes or Amazon's MP3 store.