Seal - Crazy (1990)

CD Single

7 versions of Seal's first US hit and a b-side (Sparkle), all clocking in at 43:53. While I've long liked the song (and the album on which it appears), that's a lot of craziness. Nonetheless, there's some good stuff here.

Billboard, June 15, 1991, p. 65

Peak on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart: #7

Tracks:

My recommendations are tracks 1, 3, 5, and 8. For what it's worth, track 4 is not a cappella.

Listened on headphones today which brought out all the beauty of Trevor Horn's genius.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I saw this thing in a used bin for a buck and how dumb do you think I am?

Previously revisited for the blog:
7 (2015)
Best 1991-2004 (2004)
IV (2003)
Human Being (1998)
Seal (1994)
Seal (1991)

Seal - 7 (2015)

Unfairly, I compare all Seal music to his second self-titled album, which was released in 1994 - a full generation ago. That release is easily his best and nothing since has measured up. This gives it the old college try and succeeds at times, but other times falls into the melodramatic trap of someone whose heart was broken (one Amazon reviewer titles his/her contribution "This Must Be How It Feels To Get Dumped By A Supermodel"). Using music as therapy - can't really blame him there. It's undeniably a Seal/Horn collaboration, but with a large number of midtempo tracks, it ends up being closer to Human Being than the 1994 release.

It was on the Billboard 200 for only one week and Metacritic didn't even bother with it - ouch. (Based on the reviews I read, my estimate for the Metacritic rating would be 60, which might be a little higher than I would rate it.) Not a terrible release by any means, but not up there with his best. Trevor Horn's production is always welcome; it's better than the songwriting here and probably ultimately saves the album from becoming Seal's worst.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #45

Tracks:

Top tier: Every Time I'm With You (Seal's attempt at Hey Jude?) and Life On The Dancefloor.

Vast middle tier: Daylight Saving, Padded Cell (verse is skippable but chorus is top tier), Redzone Killer, Monascow, Half A Heart, Let Yourself, and Whatever You Need (bonus track).

Skip these tracks tier: Do You Ever, The Big Love Has Died, Love, and We Found Love (bonus track).

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None. I should probably give it more of chance and listen to it daily for about a week, but [insert your favorite excuse here].

Previously revisited for the blog:
Best 1991-2004 (2004)
IV (2003)
Human Being (1998)
Seal (1994)
Seal (1991)

Seal - Best 1991-2004 (2004)

At least five different versions of this album were released. I own the edition known as The Ultimate Collection, a two disc set which includes a disc of 13 acoustic versions of Seal's music.

I already had all of Seal's albums between 1991 and 2004, so why would I buy this compilation?

1. The second disc of acoustic versions.
2. I found it in a used bin.

However, it turns out that the 14 track first disc has a couple of songs that I didn't have: the previously unreleased cover of the Bacharach/David tune Walk On By, a cover of Steve Miller's Fly Like An Eagle from the Space Jam soundtrack, and a remix of My Vision featuring Jakatta that is superior to the version that appears on Seal IV.

If you're like me, you mostly listen to music through car systems, ear buds, or computer speakers. However, for today's listen to these discs, I'm using a set of Bose OE2 headphones because you need something like that to fully appreciate the nuances of Trevor Horn's production. These headphones are a recent purchase, so I'm hearing things I've never heard before. I don't consider myself to be an audiophile, but wow.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #47

Tracks:  My opinions on most of the previously released tracks can be found here. Of the new tunes, I'm not wild about either of the covers because they don't add much to the music. I do like the previously mentioned remix of My Vision as well as the cover of Lips Like Sugar which also appears on the 50 First Dates soundtrack.

The acoustic disc isn't as good as I had hoped it would be. And its not all acoustic - there's some electric bass and keyboards. The better tracks on the second disc are Crazy, Colours, Love's Divine, and Waiting For You. The acoustic version of Walk On by is better than the one of the first disc.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
IV (2003)
Human Being (1998)
Seal (1994)
Seal (1991)

Seal (1994)

Today, this blog reaches its second anniversary. As I wrap up my sophomore year, Leigh Anne, a faithful reader, suggested that I celebrate by writing about "a good sophomore album." I'm sure she did so knowing that there aren't very many good sophomore albums out there; it's called the sophomore slump for a reason (see also "regression toward the mean"). But I immediately knew which album to pick.

Hardly a sophomore slump, I think this is Seal's best album. Beyond that, I consider it one of the best albums of the '90s (although I'm apparently in a minority on that count, but no matter). Seal's voice is at its best, as are his pop songwriting skills. I've written many times in this space about my love for Trevor Horn's production, but this may be his masterpiece (I've read the sweeping orchestrations and lush harmonies described as "sonic sugar"). Former Prince sidewomen Wendy & Lisa accompany Seal. Everything just fits. This is one of the few CDs I own that I'll listen to, then turn around immediately listen to again. Last time I made a list of my "desert island CDs" this album was in the top half. Yeah, I like it.

Press of the time:

• Billboard: "a winner"
• CashBox: "achieves near pop perfection"
• Entertainment Weekly (A): "spine-tingling, magical experiences"
• Rolling Stone (★★★½): "he apparently still has the touch"
• Stereo Review: "full of lush and lovely tunes that seem to glide on a frictionless plane)

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #15 (Sept 9, 1995)

Tracks: the only track I occasionally skip is Bring It On. I wouldn't dare miss any others - tracks 2-10 are gold. No filler. If I to choose a favorite, it would be Prayer For The Dying, but it's hard to even single out that one. Also included here are a wonderful duet with Joni Mitchell, If I Could, and Kiss From A Rose, a #1 hit because of its later inclusion on the Batman Forever soundtrack. The latter track is probably the last #1 single in 3/4 time.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: The condition of this CD is what my mother would call "well-loved": the disc is scratched and stained, the jewel case is cracked, the booklet has suffered a little water/coffee damage, etc. I bought the CD on a whim at a Sound Warehouse on Westheimer along with Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill. I first listened to it that night as I was working in the garage. In spite of that premiere, I consider this a rainy day/foggy morning CD.

Previously revisited for the blog:
IV (2003)
Human Being (1998)
Seal (1991)

I want credit for never using the all-too-obvious eyerolling phrase "This gets my SEAL of approval" in this post.

Seal - IV (2003)

Probably the least favorite Seal album that I own (currently, I don't have any of his albums after 2004). It also contains one of my favorite Seal singles, Waiting For You. I believe Seal (or Warner Bros) scrapped an entire album in 2001, tentatively titled Togetherland, then recorded this. If it weren't Seal, this would be a pretty good pop album, but since my expectations are so high for Seal, this is a bit of a disappointment.

Here's the best description I've read of Seal's music, coming from critic David Medsker:

Sealhenry Samuel has always been a little bit out of his time. He writes folk songs, belts them out like a penniless soul singer, and then has Trevor Horn produce them, guaranteeing that by the time Horn is finished with them, they will sound absolutely nothing like either folk or soul. His songs are passionate and deeply heartfelt, yet hits the music scene in 1990, one of the most soulless years in pop music history.

I can't add anything to that. The problem with this album, though, isn't the performances or the production, it's the material. Overall, the writing just isn't as strong as previous releases.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #3 (Sept 27, 2003)

Tracks: Waiting For You is easily the best cut here. The first track, Get It Together, is a fun disco romp. Also good are My Vision, the waltz of Don't Make Me Wait, and Loneliest Star. I usually skip Love's Devine and the reggae-lite of Where There's Gold.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: This is the first album I can recall that was available in its entirety streaming through the artist's website. Before I bought the CD, I often streamed it into my newly built office in the cotton fields of El Maton.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Human Being (1998)
Seal (1991)

Seal (1991)

Beauty and simplicity. A fantastic debut album and like nothing else that was around at the time (post-hair metal, grunge, manufactured synth bands). The music is influenced by house music, but it's got more in common with good ol' pop and soul music than anything else. With Seal's singing/songwriting and Trevor Horn's awesome production, this album should have gotten more love when it was released - there's more to Seal than the hit Crazy. I can't understand what Seal is singing about, but that's never stopped me from liking good music. Perfect music for a calm, overcast morning.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #24

Tracks: 9 tracks, 52 minutes. I own Seal's first 4 CDs. This is the only one of those four without a skippable track. My only complaint would be that the final track, Violet, is about 3 minutes too long.

For more information on the brief life of the CD longbox,
go visit The Legend of the Longbox.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but the song Crazy occasionally reminds me of an episode of Beverly Hills 90210.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Human Being (1998)

Seal - Human Being (1998)

I was a big Seal fan back in the '90s. He toured with Sting sometime in the middle part of that decade - I would have loved to have seen that show (even if it was in the Woodlands). Not coincidentally, I lost interest in Seal when he stopped using Trevor Horn as his producer. This CD, his third, is a moody affair. Very downbeat. While it is much different from his previous releases, Seal and Horn are a can't miss team, so this is very good.

Press of the time:

• Billboard: "a solid album that may turn out to be a sleeper"
• Rolling Stone (★★½ ): "a serious, moody album"
• Entertainment Weekly (B+): "these songs are walls of sound done up with particularly luxurious wallpaper"

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #22

Tracks: I like Human Beings, Latest Craze, and Colour. I usually want to skip Just Like You Said and When a Man Is Wrong (maybe I just don't understand the lyrics of the latter).

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: This album was released in November 1998. In December of that year, I rode on a charter bus from Bay City to Irving and back with 200 high school students. That particular Saturday we were headed to Texas Stadium for the Class 4A, Div 1 state football championship game between Bay City and Grapevine (final score: Grapevine 22, Bay City 0). I listened to this CD for the first time on the return trip that evening. For that reason, I consider it to be a fall/winter CD that can't be listened to in the spring or summer.