New Seal CD Soul Review
David Foster Produced Covers Album Including A Change is Gonna Come
Dec 5, 2008
After releasing System in 2007, Seal's brilliant return to his early club roots, the versatile British singer returns with a new album of Soul standards.
Seal’s dance/club music fans looking for genre defying tracks like hits “Killer” or “Crazy” from his early 90’s debut will be sorely disappointed. However, the masses that embraced “Kiss from a Rose”, the track that turned Seal into a modern day balladeer and AC radio staple, should delight in this pre-Christmas present.
Seal Covers Soul ClassicsProduced by Canadian David Foster, a man who built his career crafting gems for countrymen Michael Bublé and Céline Dion, Soul marks the first time Seal and Foster have worked together.
While much of Soul works due to the similarity of the arrangements employed throughout the disc, creating a tight package that varies little in terms of tone or style throughout the 11 tracks, the problem with this album lies in the choice of material Seal covers.
Instead of covering lesser known tracks that still embody the rhythm and character of the musical genre that poured from smoky bars from Memphis to Detroit, songs that Seal could have made his own, the artist chose a body of familiar work that has been covered many times in the recent past, and often with better results.
Here I Am (Come and Take Me)
On Soul, Seal remakes classics such as “I Can’t Stand the Rain”, covered by Tina Turner on her Private Dancer album, “Here I Am (Come and Take Me)” given UB40’s pseudo reggae flavor on 1989’s Labour of Love II and “If You Don’t Know Me By Now”, brilliantly covered by Simply Red and a number one song for the band back in 1989.
Along with familiar covers, Seal tackles two tracks that have become so recognizable they should never be covered, “Knock on Wood” originally recorded in 1967 by Otis Redding but made ridiculously popular by Amii Stewart in 1979, and Ben E. King’s classic “Stand By Me” from 1961, which, when re-released in 1986, again made the top ten.
A Change is Gonna Come
While Seal’s downy voice easily fits the genre and there’s no question to the talent of this man, Soul seems like a missed opportunity.
That said, all’s not lost, Seal does a fine job on "A Change is Gonna Come", Sam Cooke's revolutionary track from 1964, penned during an era of civil rights struggles. The track remains as poignant today, an era when the United States has just elected the first Black president, as it was at the time blacks struggled for equality.
Another equally relevant track closes the album - "People Get Ready”, by Curtis Mayfield. Along the way a few other stand out tracks, such as the heartbreaking “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” and the funkier “I’m Still in Love With You” make this package a must for any Seal fan.
Despite flaws, the album’s unity, execution and David Foster’s perfect production, make Soul ideal listening for those cold winter nights snuggled under the sheets with a lover.
Soul is available now at all retail and online music stores.
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